AFTRS celebrates 50 years

The Australian Film Television and Radio School this year marks 50 years, kicking off celebrations this week by bringing together the inaugural class of 1973 and the incoming students of 2023.

Since 1973, AFTRS has launched the careers of over five thousand film, television, radio and new media professionals, including Jane Campion, Gillian Armstrong, Chris Noonan, Cate Shortland, Alex Proyas, Phillip Noyce, Margaret Sixel, Dion Beebe, Warwick Thornton, Hannah Carroll Chapman, Thomas Wilson-White, Megan Palinkas Andrew Macneil, Jonathan Bush, Zoe White, Shannon Murphy and more.

Specials guests included internationally acclaimed director and 1973 alum Gillian Armstrong, Susan Templeman, the Federal Member for Macquarie and Special Envoy for the Arts, AFTRS Council Chair Russel Howcroft, and Founding Director at AFTRS, Storry Walton. Other members of the first cohort attending are Ross Hamilton, James Ricketson, Ron Saunders, Graham Shirley and David Stocker.

AFTRS was established in 1973, now regarded as one of the world’s leading creative schools in screen and broadcast.

Founding Chair of AFTRS, former Federal Minister Barry Jones, was part of a group of committed Australians determined to invigorate an Australian screen industry. At the time, he said: “The School must act as a revolutionary force. There can be no half measures. We must create one of the world’s great film schools, or we must abandon the project at once.”

Susan Templeman, MP, said: “AFTRS was established in 1973 to be a ‘revolutionary force’ in Australian culture. Since then, it has produced some of our finest storytellers, producers and crews. It has an extraordinary legacy, but the School’s mission today is just a crucial as it was in 1973, when it was formally opened by Gough Whitlam. We need creative, innovative and skilled Australians to bring our stories to our screens and airwaves now more than ever. I congratulate AFTRS on the magnificent contribution it has made to our culture and to our creative workforce over five decades.”

AFTRS CEO Dr. Nell Greenwood said: “Our first 50 years has seen AFTRS become one of the world’s top screen and broadcast Schools and a ground-breaking force in Australian culture. Looking forward, we must continue to meet the revolutionary ambition of our founders with the same sense of urgency and passion. And for AFTRS, the next 50 years must be about access and equity. We want talent across Australia to know that one of the world’s leading screen and broadcast schools is on their doorstep – and it’s here to help them realise their own big, bold dreams – whatever their background, wherever they’re from.

“To hold its place at the forefront of global content-making, our growing industry needs the talent and skills of the best and brightest creators across Australia. AFTRS is that vital way in for the next Gillian Armstrong, Rachel Perkins, or David White – who might be right now daydreaming in a classroom in Darwin or Dubbo – to get started on a long, brilliant career in screen, podcasting or radio.”

Philip Noyce also recorded a message for the incoming 2023 cohort saying: “Maybe today you take for granted the opportunity to make films in Australia but when this film school started, there was almost no film industry to join. I’m here after 50 years still saying action and cut. That’s the only job I’ve ever had ever since I left the film school.”

Throughout 2023, the School will have of program of events and activities underscoring its role as ‘a revolutionary force’ in Australian arts.