May 22, 2008
Australia's premier national training institution for the screen and broadcast industries, the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) has said goodbye to its North Ryde location after 20 years of accommodation and officially opened the doors to its new home at Moore Park tonight.
The school's CEO, Sandra Levy and Chairman, Peter Ivany officially opened the school tonight with a star-studded gala event hosted by Bryan Brown with special guest The Hon. Peter Garrett, Minister for the Arts. The night included live performances and the presentation of awards and scholarships. (See below for the list of recipients and presenters.)
Highlighted during the night was one of Australia's most recognised filmmakers Baz Luhrmann, producer of the anticipated feature Australia. Luhrmann was presented with the AFTRS honorary degree by fellow filmmaker Hugh Jackman, who stars along side Nicole Kidman in Luhrmann's Australia.
The AFTRS honorary degree is awarded to honour exceptional achievement in the film, television and radio industries to recognise creative leadership, craft excellence and innovation. Previous recipients of the award include Dr George Miller, Ben Gannon and Jan Chapman.
The new school is a state-of-the art Cox Richardson designed building at Moore Park in the heart of the Entertainment Quarter. The move will enable the School to maximise synergies with screen production, broadcast and arts organisations already located in the vicinity.
"Designed by Joe Agius from Cox Richardson this elegant new building will transform how we work and create at AFTRS. We have big plans for the future and believe this building will help us become the cultural heart of the industry", Sandra Levy, CEO.
The new site at Moore Park is adjacent to Fox Studios, Animal Logic, Soundfirm, Trackdown, Vision Bytes, Spectrum Films and other national and international production companies and will provide opportunities for the students to interact and collaborate with other practitioners and the wider community. Cultural benefits for the school include creative relationships developing with its new neighbour NIDA.
"We are delighted here at Animal Logic to have AFTRS as a close neighbour. This move underscores the strong and productive relationship that we look forward to continuing with the School.
More than that, the bi-partisan Government support that sees AFTRS come to the centre of the industry in Sydney speaks volumes about how the Government 'gets' the need for the classroom and the coalface of production to be closely aligned, especially in our own fast moving world of digital production." Says Greg Smith, Director of Public Affairs, Animal Logic.
Since its inception in 1973, AFTRS has launched the careers of over two thousand film, television, radio and new media professionals - many of whom have gone on to experience success in local and international contexts. Fellow alumnae Philip Noyce says, "The opening of the new film school premises at Fox Studios represents a huge advance for the Australian film industry. Our future filmmakers will now more easily find inspiration from interaction with established producers, directors and writers. As one of the year one film school graduates from the class of 1973, I'm sad not to be there in person, but I'm sending a selection of Noyce Bros wines so everyone can toast the future of this exciting venture."
Past alumni also include writer/director, Peter Templeman, of the 2007 Academy nominated short The Saviour; producer Melanie Coombs of the Oscar winning short Harvie Krumpet now working on her first feature film, Mary & Max and Gillian Armstrong director of the recently released feature Death Defying Acts starring Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones, to name only a few.
Award and Scholarship Winners
Foxtel Scholarship for Exceptional New Talent: Jessica Redenbach
Presented by Rhys Muldoon
The European Commission and the Embassy of Spain Travelling Scholarship: Leigh Richards
Presented by Megan Gale and Jose Pablo Alzina from the Spanish Embassy
The Kenneth. B. Myer Fellowship: Rachael Lucas
Presented by Andrew Myer
The 2008 Myer One Year Indigenous Scholarships: Martin Adams, John Harvey, Angelina Hurley, Nunya Glazbrook
Presented by Andrew Myer
Southern Star internship for 2008: Karen Quah
Presented by Claudia Karvan
The Selwyn Speight Award for Radio Reporting: Lachlan Macara and Georgia Stynes
Presented by Kate Mac
The SMPTE Creative Technology Award:
Individual Award: Lissa Pascale-Brown
Collaborative award: Matthew Mackereth, John Brawley, Erin White, Zyra McAuliffe, Xanthe Highfield
Presented by Mandy Walker
The Macquarie Group Foundation Indigenous Scholarship for 2008: Jeff Dunn
Presented by Rachel Perkins
For further information:
The Lantern Group
Ph: (02) 9383 4029
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