Future Filmmakers Camp
September/October, 2023
Future Filmmakers Camp was an opportunity for Senior Secondary High School students to receive a head start in their film career in the Screen and Media industry. Students from North and Far North Queensland took advantage of the opportunity to engage in an intensive film camp.
The camp included immersive filmmaking experiences to develop technical skills, production skills and mastery of storytelling in a range of genres from music video, documentary to short film.
This initiative established strong relationships between students, schools, tertiary training institutions and local industry to develop and retain talent. The camp took place in Far North QLD (Cairns, Port Douglas and Mossman).
“The Future Filmmakers camp provided me with industry level knowledge, simultaneously building relationships with future colleagues.” – H.Harrison
Future Filmmakers Camp was a School to Work Transition project funded by the Queensland Government as part of the Good people. Good jobs. Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022-2032.
Additional support was provided by Essential Screen Skills, Cairns State High School, Mossman State High School, Cairns Regional Council, Douglas Shire Council, The Clink Theatre, Cairns Aquarium, The Great Barrier Reef Legacy, Ted’s Cameras, Black Magic Design, CQUniversity and Screen Queensland.
“The impact [the program] had on giving direction to my daughter…Her wild imagination is valued in the film world and she has an exciting place to collaborate and create. I am so happy there is somewhere to bring it together” – Participant Parent
The camp comprised of 18 students from Far/North Queensland regions. The design of the camp intentionally targeted students from these regions to provide them with the awareness of the much needed film crew opportunities with the Screen Queensland Studio in Cairns opening in 2024.
Schools who engaged with Future Filmmakers Camp:
- Cairns State High School
- Heatley State Secondary College
- Mossman State High School
- Atherton State High School
- Trinity Bay State High School
- Smithfield State High School
- St Augustine’s College
“The Future Filmmakers Camp has made me a better person. Not only did it teach me all I could want to know about the film industry as well as create contacts, it has also improved my communication skill and taught me how to take on feedback better and make new friends. Everybody I came into contact with had something to offer and I feel I achieved my goal of learning as much as I can, from their mentorship and support. It might sound dramatic but this camp has changed my life for the better.” – E. Adams
The local regional practitioners engaged with the program had longstanding careers working with International Feature Film and Television Productions, Australian Television Productions and Television Commercials.
- Karen Jones – Locations Manager
- John Baker – Grips and Gaffer
- Karen Ballantyne – Art Department
- Sue Kim – Special Effects Make-Up and Prosthetics
- Alvi Del Campo – QC Video
- Alex Smee – Filmmaker
A focus on the journey to pathways enabled future filmmakers to see that their careers can be sustained in their local region. This was leveraged by ensuring access to key potential destinations and people that will shape their careers. Essential to this was the engagement of the local screen ecosystem.
- Film festivals – Jan Aird (Understory Film Festival) and Elliot Davidson (Port Shorts International Film Festival).
- Screen QLD Cairns Studio Tour – Mark Melrose, Head of Studios and Physical Productions
- CQUniversity Screen Careers Workshop – Dr Andrew Couzens
Design and implementation was in consultation with Industry Practitioners who are engaged in current practice both at a Tertiary Level of teaching as well as lead roles in Screen Industry Guilds and industry development.
- Laura Clelland – Director Essential Crew/Essential Screen Skills
- Moneth Montemayor – Project Manager Essential Screen Skills
- Tfer Newsome – Chair QLD Screen Sound Guild (QUT/Griffith Film School)
- Stewart Tyrell – Executive Member QLD Editors Guild (Griffith Film School/USQ)
“The Future Filmmakers Camp created a precedent for our emerging regional, far-northern artists: real-world, industry-led experiences that provided genuine insights into what the industry currently needs. Accessing this whilst still in high school, has shown our next generation of screen media industry operators the crucial link that exists between education and industry, and at just the right time … I look forward to working for them sometime soon.”– Elliot Davidson, Director Youth and Music Video program, Port Shorts International Film Festival
A key aspect to the camp was ensuring student wellbeing was at the forefront of learning experiences. Built into the camp were opportunities for organic networking, team building exercises through filmmaking and access to Pastoral Carers (qualified and experienced Secondary School teachers and Heads of Department) and Project Manager Moneth Montemayor – certified Mental Health First Aider (Educational context) and experienced Arts Educational leader.
“The Future Filmmakers Camp provided a unique and extraordinary opportunity for the young filmmakers of North and Far North Queensland. They were immersed for a week in real world experiences learning from industry professionals, particularly those based in this region. From team work to set etiquette, camera and sound skills to editing techniques, these young filmmakers were able to experiment, question and learn each and every moment of the camp exploring possible pathways to a film industry future.” – Narelle, Pastoral Carer
Since the camp Future Filmmakers have continued their study or training in Screen and Media with a couple already progressing into paid work in the Screen Industry. Essential Screen Skills is proud to have designed and deliver this program.
