AFTRS to add new TV unit
The Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) has launched a new television unit.
The addition to the school comes after a survey of all broadcasters and various production companies within the TV factual and entertainment sector.
More than 50 organisations took part with the results showing that there is a skills shortage in the sector. The findings said that many organisations are recruiting appropriately skilled staff form overseas to fill the gap.
The unit is part of the short course open division as opposed to the graduate course. The school previously had TV award courses but were discontinued a few years ago.
Wendy Gray, who has been appointed head of the new unit, said: “We’re trying to meet the needs of the TV industry in the short term but also plan in the long term for how the school will see the return of the longer awards courses.”
“One of the main focuses are writing and storytelling for factual programming; looking at reality, short documentary, game shows, magazine programs – all non-drama formats.
When Encore spoke with AFTRS head of screen content Neil Peplow in September, he recognised a gap in the curriculum for TV documentary and factual programming – citing SBS’s Go Back To Where You Came From as the perfect example of what graduates could be working on.
“TV has changed so dramatically in the last 5-10 years both in content and the way the program is made,” said Gray. “As opposed to broadcasters producing programs, most programming is made by production companies now but they’ve signaled to us they have similar needs. So I’ll be talking to broadcasters and production companies to make sure that what we deliver is useful. We’ll also focus on post production, helping producers and production managers understand the changes in post production as it’s fast moving area – and a massive area.”
The first of the unit’s courses roll out in November with a Reality TV, shooter producer course (25 – 27 Nov); Writing for TV (online) to develop a series over 10 weeks (23 Nov – 8 Feb); and production manager for TV, a 4 day course with Genevieve Ginty of Southern Cross (29 Nov – 2 Dec).
Most recently, Gray worked in the marketing and communications department of Southern Cross University and taught at SAE. Before that she’s held various directing and series producing roles across ABC New Media and ABC TV over 12 years, and website producer, location tour manager and industry liaison for Australian Screen Online.
Skills shortage?! I’ve been calling prod companies and the big broadcasters all year looking for any sort of position. They all claim there are no positions and they are all cutting staff, not hiring.
Film/TV degree’s are practically useless, and it seems AFTRS are using cheap tactics to entice stuidents. When I see TV job ads start picking up, ill believe these courses are worth the cost
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Exactly Brian..AFTRS are promoting themselves and a dream so students can try and work in an industry that is on struggle street. There is so much bullshit going around about small screen production on the rise etc..but in fact production is dwindling, government vision is narrow and the industry is in the crisis and still education institutions seem happy to sell degrees to students that are in fact an invitation to debt and utterly worthless to an industry that couldn’t give a stuff about where you went to school. Whats the worth of a degree if you haven’t got any quality ideas. Skills shortage my ass..ideas and government vision shortage..thats the reality!
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CSU at Wagga has the peak industry TV technical training course. Their graduates always get employed.
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Film Division?
Under performing publicly funded Institution staffed by ivory tower academic disciples of the “tell our stories” & not – “production must be commercially viable” mantra. Stay well away.
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