Sydney Film School Open Day

Date: Saturday 31st May

Time: 2:00pm

Introduction: Ben Ferris, Executive Director Sydney Film School

Screening: 30 minutes of SFS student short films and documentaries

Panel Discussion: SFS teachers and students discuss the values and nature of study at Sydney Film School

Afternoon Tea: Coffee, muffins and informal chat with staff and students

End: Once all questions have been exhausted!

Price: Free!

Location: Sydney Film School

Address: 82 Cope Street, Waterloo

RSVP 30th May: Text 0427 767 959

Website: www.sydneyfilmschool.com

On Saturday 31st May at 2:00pm, Sydney Film School opens its doors to give all budding Luhrmann?s and Scorsese?s the opportunity to find out why this school is one of the fastest growing communities of filmmakers in Australia. One of the most innovative and driven training facilities in terms of actively supporting their students, Sydney Film School orchestrates initiatives such as:

Dedicated distribution arm supplying the international film festival circuit with graduate films
Twice annual student film festival and award nights with high profile key note speakers, such as Gillian Armstrong, Paul Keating, Phillip Noyce and George Millar.
Travel Grants for interstate students
Teachers active in the film industry
Industry links facilitating job placements and experience for graduates
Strong collective culture encouraging young creatives who potentially rise to prominence together.
International relations with ties to sister schools around the world such as the Japanese Academy of Moving Image and La Femis, France.
Strong practical curriculum in 16mm film and digital technologies.

Key SFS teachers and students (both current and graduate) will make up the panel to discuss the real experience of studying filmmaking at Sydney Film School. The friendly staff at the school are a team of committed and experienced industry professionals, with combined major film credits of 40 feature films, including Mad Max 2, Radiance, and Jilted with awards ranging from AFI?s, Academy Award?s, and festival awards from the Locarno Film Festival, and the Kurosawa Film Festival. Making up the panel discussion will be:

Brian Hannant - Head of Writing
Jenny Day - Head of Production
Peter Galvin - Head of Screen Studies
Mandy King - Head of Documentary
Fabio Cavadini - Head of Documentary
Leslie Oliver - Head of Studies

Recent graduates of Sydney Film School who will also take part in the panel discussion include:

Maya Newell - Director Richard (2006)

DVD release through Siren Visuals September ?08.

Winner ?Best Director of Documentary? ?07 Asian Festival of 1st Films.

Screened ?07 Cannes Film Festival, ?07 Perth Revelation Film Festival.

Brian Lien - Director 7:23 (2007)

Official selection 2008 St Kilda Film Festival and St Kilda Travelling festival.

Once the discussion has reached its natural conclusion, all visitors will be invited to join the school community for coffee, tea and muffins. Staff and students will also be available for questions and one-on-one informal chats. Visitors will be able to see current students working, (mostly editing) as study will not be suspended for the day.

SFS FILMS SCREENING INTERNATIONALLY

Sydney Film School is one of only two training facilities in Australia that has its own dedicated distribution arm to give ?life? to their student?s films. Graduate films are constantly being exposed to audiences around the country and the world, with many garnering high acclaim and awards.

Over the past year alone, Sydney Film School films have screened at the following Film Festivals:

May 07 Cannes Film Festival, France
Aug 07 Palm Springs Festival of Short Films, USA
Sep 07 Calgary International Film Festival, Canada
Sep 07 Sydney Underground Film Festival, Australia
Sep 07 Asian Film Symposium, Singapore
Oct 07 ATOM Awards, Australia (Plato?s Phaedrus Winner - Best Territory Experimental Film)
Oct 07 Trasharama Film Festival, touring Australia
Oct 07 WOW Film Festival, Australia
Nov 07 Kyoto International Film Festival, Japan
Nov 07 San Luis Cine International Film Festival, Argentina
Nov 07 Human Rights Arts Film Festival, Australia
Dec 07 Asian Festival of First Films, Singapore (Richard Winner - Best Director for Documentary)
Mar 08 Singapore Short International Film Festival, Singapore
May 08 St Kilda Film Festival, Australia
May 08 Dungog Film Festival, Australia

GRADUATES IN THE REAL WORLD

Students from Sydney Film School are spring boarded into the industry through their experiences and connections at SFS. A few recent examples include:

Maya Newell made her award winning documentary Richard at SFS in 2006. Focusing on the local Sydney identity Richard Blackey who owned a collector?s toy shop in the Sydney suburb of Petersham, Newell gained a privileged insight into this eccentric recluse. In September 2008 Richard will have a DVD release through Siren Visuals.

Gracie Otto made two award winning films while at SFS in 2006, Tango Trois and La Meme Nuit. She has recently written her first feature film script which is currently in funding and pre-production stages.

Masoud Sheikhi completed work experience with Julien Temple (Director Strummer - The Future is Unwritten) on his latest work The Eternity Man.

Mahmood Matlooh is a highly popular recording artist in India and Pakistan, having sold over 6 million albums. He spent his time at SFS filming his own music videos which are currently screening on MTV India and Pakistan.

ENROLMENTS

Sydney Film School has seen a marked surge in enrolments, especially from international students, as the school?s reputation continues to grow beyond our shores. In 2008 100 students are enrolled with 42 of these arriving from overseas. This represents a 45% increase in international students, with 18 countries represented: India, USA, Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, China, South America, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Holland, France, Egypt, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the UK.

Sydney Film School is Sydney?s fastest growing filmmaking community made of current students, graduates and teachers, working together towards common goals: to learn, to grow, to make good films, to be seen by audiences worldwide. Since the school began in 2004 the school?s community has grown to over 400 strong. Producing the largest number of films in Sydney every year, Sydney Film School generated 130 productions in 2007 alone. These consist of quality documentaries, dramas and individual thesis films exploring all manner of cinematic forms. Since inception, 32 SFS films have screened in 43 prestigious film festivals locally and abroad with 6 first prizes.