The Australian film industry is state-of-the-art with world class studios, an extensive catalogue of inspiring set locations, endless talented film crew and the ability to offer cost-effective production due to competitive film and production incentives.
Australia has produced countless highly regarded feature films, TV series, animation and documentaries due to the high standard of film experts that reside in Australia, with the film industry continuing to grow in 2023.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at the end of June 2023, total employment in the film and video production industry increased 83.1% since 2016.
Specifically, there has been a significant increase of income in the film and video post-production sector with a 51% increase from 2016 generating a total income of $604 million in the 2021-2022 financial year.
The Australian Government’s Job Outlook service predicts growth in the creative industries, including the film industry, to continue, supported by the recent provision of $400 million over the next seven years for local and international production by the Australian Federal Government.
Completing a Bachelor of Film and gaining further study could provide students with multiple options for employment and freelance services such as; film crew, camera operators, set directors, scene researchers, production planners, editor, location managers, screen writers, lighting technicians and cinematographers.
Whilst film is continuing to thrive in a professional sense, making it viable to pursue this as a career, engagement in media-related subjects in secondary schools is also at an all-time high.
Currently in Australia, media curriculum aims to allow students to communicate, connect and create multimedia. This encourages students to collaborate in and outside the classroom and share their work throughout their school and with worldwide audiences.
In addition to this there is a particular focus on fostering connections with other learning areas such as English and Technology, allowing for cross-curriculum engagement.
Media studies focus on analytical skills and the role of media in Australia and within global contexts. One particular area of film that continues to generate heightened interest in secondary school students is the application, use and production of Visual Effects (VFX).
VFX is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production. The use of VFX has increased exponentially in recent years and has become common place in films and television created in the 21st century.
There are three main domains within VFX; Computer Generated Imagery (CGI), Compositing, and Motion Capture. CGI involves imagery that is created completely within computers. Motion capture involves using a mocap suit that captures the motion and body movements of an actor. These suits contain sensors that send digitally transmit signals to computer software that allows for real time capturing of motion.
The third category of VFX is Compositing, a process that involves combining two images into one. The compositing process is usually completed using a green screen and contains a method that is called chroma keying. Chroma keying involves replacing a solid colour background with a new background image.
Academy of Interactive Technology’s film creation and editing workshops allows high school students in years 9-12 to see behind the scenes of a film set and the processes involved in VFX techniques.
This involves shooting footage with a green screen and using software application to composite their green screen footage by introducing a moving background. This provides students with an insight about VFX and the processes that occur behind the scenes to make VFX possible.
The hands-on nature of these workshops allows students to feel a sense of satisfaction and achievement within their media courses and opens young minds to the possibility of career options in the film and other related creative industries.
To learn more about Academy of Interactive Technology’s high school engagement workshops visit https://info.ait.edu.au/ait-high-school-engagement-workshops
