PEOPLE have been working behind the scenes for decades.
"The Newcastle film industry, it's big really and really supportive. It's not the cutthroat-ness that you experience in Sydney," says filmmaker, writer and director Allan Brady.
Brady has 15 years experience in the region. He works in TV, advertising, radio, comedy, production and academia. In 2015 he founded Newcastle Film School with creative director and designer Lisa Stoj.
"I genuinely feel it's a superior way to deliver a film course," Brady says.
He wanted to provide an alternative and more affordable option to university and TAFE, offering them core skills and connecting them with industry professionals.
All his tutors have industry experience. They have ties to Newcastle, too. Tutors include writer and producer Vanessa Alexander, comedy writer and director Tristram Baumber, producer and creative director Gavin Banks and producer Olivia Olley.
"We asked, 'what is the least amount of time you could do all the practicals of film-making?' We reckon it's 12 weeks. We came up with a system, and you can get all the gear you need for under $400," Brady says. "By the end of the 12 weeks you'll be legitimately ready to go out and start shooting and creating."
He says that camera and broadcast technology has improved so rapidly that even gear that's 10 years old is still good quality. He believes that the production fundamentals can be taught fairly quickly, especially when students have access to gear.
"They all agree the filmmaking courses at university are too long," Brady says. "Imagine if I was teaching a guitar course and you had two years of theory before you got to the guitar. Just get your hands on a $50 guitar you found and start strumming."
Before the pandemic they taught in person. Afterwards, Stoj took the courses online, making it more flexible.
They updated the website to offer live tutorials and prerecorded videos: The 12-week course includes face-to-face learning, with 130 instructional videos on filming, editing, producing and writing. Along with the 12-week Film Future Course, they offer a Smartphone Pro Course, teaching students how to shoot, edit and upload cinematic footage from their smart phone.
"It's legitimately amazing" Brady says of his students' smartphone films. "I don't want people to have this idea that they need the best gear. People don't realise how good phones are for shooting films."
Presenter Pro is a communications course of presentations for camera-shy people, teaching them better online presence.
"We did one for accounting software company Zero, showing their CEOs how to present better on camera," Brady says.
They offer a free film course as well for anyone who can't afford the other courses, with a series of videos and an e-book.
"Everything that we're teaching is something that all of us have practically gone out to do ourselves," Brady says.
To learn more about Newcastle Film School visit newcastlefilmschool.com.au.
