Qualifications, leading Universities and Employment
Becoming a Film and Television Director very much depends on your experience and determination. You can work in this profession without formal education, however extensive experience and credibility is required. There are many different courses Australia wide that provide hands on experience and education in the Film and Television industry.
There are certificate, diploma and degree courses available. To gain entry into a course, you usually have to have finished year 12. Depending on the tertiary institution a specific entry score may be a pre-requisite. For people who are not straight out of secondary school, an interview and show reel/folio presentation is usually required.
The most competitive and advanced institution to gain entry to is the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) in Sydney. Acceptance is usually based on previous experience, and allows students to focus on one particular element such as Direction.
Other leading institutions that offer relevant courses are the University of Melbourne (Faculty of the VCA and Music) and Swinburne University of Technology in Victoria. They offer courses such as a Bachelor of Film and Television, Graduate Diploma in Film and Television and an Advanced Diploma of Screen to name a few. Deakin University, University of Ballarat and Monash University also offer degrees in Film and Television.
As well there are private fee paying institutions with accredited courses to degree level such as JMC Academy and SAE Institute. These courses give a general overview and teach students many different aspects of the Film and Television industry.
The entry criteria for tertiary institiutions differs from year to year. The above comments are a guide only. To gain specific entry criteria either contact the relevant university or use Hobson's The Good University Guide.
Relevant Universities Colleges & TAFE
Careernav have trolled through all the universities, specialist colleges and TAFE’s across the nation to identify those courses we consider relevant to this career. We have only focussed on the core single degree and its full time period. We acknowledge many combination degrees are available and different students combine different degrees. Course names also differ by university and we have grouped like courses together. We may have missed the odd course being offered, so we recommend for a more detailed guide check with the universities direct or one of the university course guide books such as Hobson’s. Please note Careernav are totally impartial and do not recommend one tertiary institution over another. To view the A to Z of tertiary institutions that offer relevant courses for this career.
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About the Author
Helen Gaynor
Helen Gaynor, Television and Film Director
Helen Gaynor is a freelance drama and documentary film and television director with more than twenty years of experience. She trained as a Director with ABC TV, and has directed and produced many Australian television documentaries. Helen has directed television series such as A Country Practice, Shortland Street and Neighbours, as well as directing her own documentaries such as Scorched and Community Cop.
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