The Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), is leading the nation in producing dynamic, flexible, daring and creative practitioners. Regarded as one of the top 20 film school's in the world, it is the only institution in Australia to have made the list.
Famous for their hands-on practical courses, leading graduates of AFTRS are working at the highest levels of filmmaking in the work. Their stellar line-up of alumni includes Academy Award winners Jane Campion (The Piano), Andrew Lesnie (The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring) and Dion Beebe (Memoirs Of A Geisha) among others.
Current student, Benjamin Cotgrove, is a dedicated and high achieving 21-year-old who has been studying film production since grade 11. The avid cinematographer then went on to do an undergraduate degree at Griffith's Queensland College of Art before enrolling in a Graduate Diploma of Cinematography at Sydney's AFTRS campus.
Ben said he chose to go to AFTRS because of their reputation. It's so highly regarded, it's easily the most highly regarded film school in Australia, he said. "It's a different caliber of people at AFTRS, we've got all these people who are so committed to what they want to do, but they're all so different in their own way. The people I've met this year have been incredible, and the lecturers are incredible, it's just a great opportunity."
Hoping to one-day work on full-length feature films, Ben says that AFTRS has been really helpful in getting students out of the classroom and into the industry. Working in teams just like they would in the real world, students work on different kinds of projects throughout the year.
"[They've] been great with sort of helping us get on production sort of happening around Sydney throughout this year, helping us build up a network. Hopefully next year I'll be able to get industry experience.
"At AFTRS this year, as part of the post-graduate, we do four major productions between all our classes. We do two documentaries and two short dramas productions. So that's been great, we're almost always working on one production or towards the next production.
"The first two productions we did were only three to four minute films. But the one we're working on right now that shoots in a couple of weeks is a 12 minute short film and we've got a crew of 30 plus people with 30 or so actors and extras so reasonably large crews."
A lover of Wong Kar-wai and Terrence Malick films, Ben loves to film drama and wants to work on Hollywood blockbusters. Ideally, I'd love to work in Australia and America and be able to travel between the two.
"Drama is definitely what I prefer, but AFTRS is great 'cause we do sort of dramatised documentaries so it's not run-and-gun, out, not sure what you're filming next, journalistic sort of stuff. It's more tight, scripted documentary, which is good, from my perspective anyway. But I guess when I leave AFTRS I'm going to be looking for drama work, not documentary work."
If you are a budding director, cinematographer, producer, or set designer, then head down to one of the AFTRS open days. With multiple campuses around Australia, you get the chance to talk to industry professionals, past and current students as well as participate in a range of activities to get you thinking about the discipline you want to practice and learn more about the school.
The all AFTRS campus open days are on this Saturday, 6th September 10am-4pm.
