AFTRS Short Courses

21/03/2025

Present with confidence and authenticity. Gain insights on how to speak in a public setting and develop techniques to deliver exceptional presentations to your audience.

👉️ Use body language, gestures, eye contact along with voice to engage your audience
👉️ Find your authentic voice to build a persuasive and lasting connection
👉️ Small groups allow for practical exercises, immediate feedback and coaching to improve technique

“It was really well organised and taught, and directly about how to implement this in an online setting. The time flew by, and I am re-energised for presenting again!” – Research & Innovation Director, Market research company

Enrol now.

Master the skills to present with confidence and keep your audience engaged.

20/03/2025

Learn everything you need to develop, produce, and promote a compelling podcast series:

🎙️ Gain insight into the power of podcasts.
🎙️ Develop an understanding of your audience.
🎙️ Apply skills in planning and producing on-air content for a variety of purposes.

“Good mix of theory and practice, great hands-on experience, great trainer, encouragement of interactivity” – Youth arts co-ordinator, Health network

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can use audio to build an audience, strengthen your brand and communicate with teams, this course will give you the necessary skills to plan, structure, and produce branded podcast content while also developing your writing and ideation skills.

Podcasting for Your Brand is delivered online or on campus. Find the right dates and location for you.

Learn how to use audio to build an audience, strengthen your brand and communicate with teams. Develop skills to plan, structure, and produce branded podcast content, while also developing writing and ideation skills.

19/03/2025

“This course is for anyone in business who has a story to tell, or a message to get across to their audience, but needs some assistance on how to do it in an engaging way that resonates with customers and clients, and results in better business success,”

AFTRS trainer, producer, writer and director Nick Bolton is bringing Storytelling for Business to Wollongong, learn at the UOW Innovation Campus and apply filmmaking techniques to business messaging, ensuring stories resonate and drive success.

Storytelling for Business in Wollongong starts Friday 28 March. Enrol now.

Every great business has a story, but not every business owner is telling it well - or telling it at…

18/03/2025

From TV concept to pitch. Learn the fundamentals of creating viable and original TV series concepts with AFTRS’ 10-week online course on the essentials to create a successful TV series.

📺️ Determine the essential elements to make an engaging series, including the dramatic world, compelling characters and story engines.
📺️ Analyse and apply different series formats, structure and narrative arcs.
📺️ Create key script documents necessary to take an idea from concept to pitch.

Taught by Australia’s premier showrunners and creators, you will gain industry insights and individual feedback as you complete written exercises and work towards conceptualising your idea.

Creating a TV Series Bootcamp starts Monday 28 April. Enrol now.

Learn the fundamentals of creating viable and original TV series concepts.

17/03/2025

“To learn from an industry professional who is in the guts of literally making a Netflix 3 part movie/series was invaluable. The course structure week by week was perfect. The resources wonderful. The access to such info priceless. I honestly have walked away with such a wealth of knowledge that I can implement. The techniques, casting inspiration, mood boards and all the exercises were exactly what I wanted and needed.” – 2022 student

The Director's Journey with Elissa Down is an online course that provides a 10-week structure to organise ideas, fast-track progress, and unblock creativity and direction on your current and future projects.

Develop your directing knowledge and skills under the guidance of a multi-award-winning director and gain practical insider knowledge of the director's role and how to build a sustainable career.

The Director's Journey begins 7 April. Enrol now.
https://www.aftrs.edu.au/short-course/the-directors-journey-bootcamp/

12/03/2025

Develop essential editing skills with Premiere Pro - Understand the ins and outs of the timeline-based editing software and spend two days in AFTRS’ Computer Labs learning fundamental tools so that you’re ready to start editing your next projects.

🖥️ Understand the Adobe Premiere Pro workspaces, set up and preferences.
🖥️ Demonstrate video editing principles to import rushes, assemble footage, sync audio, and export a project.
🖥️ Identify effects, transitions, and graphics to enhance and refine an edit.

Premiere Pro Workshop starts Saturday 22 March and Monday 23 June.

This introductory editing course covers Premiere Pro basics and is designed for beginners, with no previous experience or knowledge required.

12/03/2025

Wollongong! Is your time to step up with AFTRS' Storytelling for Business short course. Create a sticky story idea for your video, organisation or pitch! The Storytelling for Business short course equips you with a powerful communication toolkit to:

👉 Uncover the five critical elements of storytelling that captivate your audience.
👉 Transform your message into a memorable and impactful story.
👉 Master techniques to deliver a clear, irresistible call to action.

This workshop uses practical exercises to ensure you can apply these creative communication skills directly to your work. Before the course, you will be asked to submit an idea you will develop during the workshop.

From March, we will also be delivering the in-person course in Wollongong. For the first course date on 28 March, we are offering a further 10% off the Early Bird price of $675 per person. To take advantage of this offer, click on the ‘Enrol’ button below and select 20% at the checkout.

Enrol now.
https://www.aftrs.edu.au/short-course/storytelling-for-business/

11/03/2025

Learn how to shoot, edit, and tell compelling stories that stand out. With the Videomaking Intensive course, you will be able to:

▪️ Implement interview techniques, scene coverage and planning for effective visual storytelling.
▪️ Demonstrate efficient operation of DSLR camera, sound and lighting equipment.
▪️ Apply knowledge of post-production processes to manage data, edit, and export your video.

This course is ideal for corporate video producers, marketing and communications professionals, and content creators looking to gain practical, ready-to-use skills and elevate their video content production.

The Videomaking Intensive starts Monday 7 April. Enrol now.

Unpack the technical, creative and logistical considerations of making video content in this videomaking crash course.

10/03/2025

Explore the world of Documentary!

Taught by Australia’s premier documentary filmmakers, become familiar with what makes a great documentary:

▪️ Identify a range of documentary formats, styles, and aesthetics.
▪️ Understand interview techniques and their relationship to visual storytelling.
▪️ Recognise current industry practice, including financing, funding, festivals and distribution.

Learn with Kate Vinen (Acts for the Invisible, Hopeful Romantic) at AFTRS' campus.

The next Intro to Documentary course starts Saturday 5 April. Enrol now.

Learn to tell powerful true stories and connect with your audience through documentary.

09/03/2025

Join AFTRS' Intro to Screenwriting short course and learn the foundations of creating compelling screenplays! From crafting characters to structuring plots, this course is perfect for anyone wanting to turn their passion for storytelling into a professional script.

▪️ Recognise the principles of screenwriting and cinematic narrative.
▪️ Define the key concepts of theme, premise, storyworld and characterisation.
▪️ Identify how to structure and format your screenwriting.

Learn with Thomas Wilson-White (Heartbreak High, Paper Dolls, The Greenhouse) and kickstart your screenwriting journey!

Intro to Screenwriting will run on AFTRS' campus and starts Saturday 5 April. Enrol now.

Learn the foundational principles of genre, theme, character, plot and structure used by professional screenwriters.

07/03/2025

Take your first steps into the world of VFX and 3D animation with AFTRS!

▫️ Recognise the principles of both 3D animation and VFX, including terminology, workflows and processes.
▫️ Understand what differentiates 3D Animation from VFX and what properties they share.
▫️ Identify company structures, industry practice and work opportunities.

Our Intro to VFX & 3D Animation short course is perfect for anyone curious about creating immersive, digital worlds. Learn foundational skills, get hands-on experience with industry software, and discover what it takes to bring imagination to life on screen!

Intro to VFX & 3D Animation starts Saturday, 22 March. Enrol now.

Get to know the processes, terminology, workflow and jobs behind contemporary digital post-production, visual effects and animation

06/03/2025

Want to break into the screen industry? Production accounting is a crucial but often overlooked career path that keeps film and TV projects on track.

In this deep dive, industry experts share insights on how production accountants navigate budgets, payroll, and financial management on set.

If you’re interested in production accounting our next Production Accounting Intensive starts Monday 24 March.

Read more.

Learn about production accounting, a fundamental part of successful productions in a landscape where financial acumen meets creative vision.

05/03/2025

"When doing production accounting, it is also very important to make sure you understand all the funding which will be received, so you can track the production expenditure appropriately and be able to report accordingly."

AFTRS alumni Natalie Ducki CPA (Collective Works) and Matthew Carter (Above The Line Accounting) on how streaming services have diversified production in Australia and the need for production accountants and tax agents.

Read more.

Explore how Australia's film and TV industry navigates financial challenges amid shortages of accountants and tax agents as streaming productions surge.

04/03/2025

Build the screen finance skills you need to understand the budgeting basics or production accounting principles of screen production or step into AFTRS’ campus to learn, network and take your first steps into filmmaking with our Introductory Short Courses.

Explore the industry-standard A-to-Z template in our Budgeting Fundamentals course, understand the roles and responsibilities of the accounting department in our five-day Production Accounting Intensive and uncover the power of great storytelling that captures an audience with our Storytelling for Business running in Wollongong for the first time.

Find the right course for you this month.

Build the screen finance skills you need to understand the budgeting basics or production accounting principles of a screen production.

03/03/2025

And… Action. Explore the role of a director! Learn all facets of directing and a director’s responsibilities from pre-production to post-production, including coverage, visual storytelling, acting and on-set procedures.

🎬️ Describe the Director’s role in translating stories to the screen through pre-production, production and post-production.
🎬️ Outline how the Director leads a creative team through collaboration with various heads of department.
🎬️ Identify approaches to collaborating with actors, from preparation to screen.

Taught by Australia’s premier directors, become familiar with story essentials, how to build relationships with actors and production departments, and what makes a great director.

Intro to Directing starts Saturday 22 March. Enrol now.

Explore all facets of directing and a director’s responsibilities from pre-production through to post-production, including coverage, visual storytelling, actin

03/03/2025

Step into AFTRS’ campus to learn, network and take your first steps into filmmaking with our Introductory Short Courses!

Designed for beginners, these courses are the perfect way to kickstart your creative journey and learn with Australia’s best and brightest industry experts. Our introductory courses are open to those aged 16+, offering a perfect early introduction to the industry and an opportunity to learn new skills.

Explore our upcoming in-person courses for directing, VFX, producing, screenwriting and documentary, in March and April.

Enrol Now.
https://www.aftrs.edu.au/introductory-short-courses/

28/02/2025

Wollongong! Discover the power of storytelling that creates a lasting connection with your audience in AFTRS' Storytelling for Business.

Led by local award-winning filmmaker, Nick Bolton, dive into the five key elements of a powerful story, build the framework for understanding your audience and developing your content, and learn techniques to craft engaging hooks and call-to-actions.

Storytelling for Business will be held in person at SmartSpace, Innovation Campus on Friday 28 March. Enrol now and receive the introductory 20% discount!
https://www.aftrs.edu.au/short-course/storytelling-for-business/

26/02/2025

Are you passionate about numbers, film and TV? 🧾 🎬️ Our Production Accounting Intensive short course will enable you to develop the knowledge and skills required to work as a Production Accountant:

👉️ Identify the production accountant and accounting department’s role and responsibilities at each stage of production.
👉️ Analyse relevant production documentation essential to accounting procedures, reporting and audit.
👉️ Apply production accounting skills using screen industry standard software.

Fast-track your career to become a Production Accountant with our course starting Monday, 24 March. Learn more.
https://www.aftrs.edu.au/short-course/production-accounting-intensive/