The story
Writer and broadcaster Phillip Adams and polymath and Labor politician Barry Jones campaigned for the establishment of a government-supported film school in Sydney, as members of the Australian Interim Council for a National Film and Television Training School. They had done similar in Melbourne, leading to the first film courses at Swinburne Technical College in the mid-1960s and the later establishment of Swinburne Film and Television School. Their aim was to encourage the development of an Australian film industry through various means, including a national film school and a screen funding organisation. The latter was created as the Australian Film Commission (AFC). Both major political parties, represented by John Gorton (Liberal) and Gough Whitlam (Labor, prime minister from 1972 to 1974) supported the idea, and in 1972 the Film and Television School (FTS), the new national film school was established. It was opened to students in 1973, with Whitlam officiating at the opening. On 30 May 1973 a bill introduced by Whitlam passed unanimously in the Australian Parliament, establishing the school as an independent body the status of a college of advanced education, receiving its funds from Parliament and directly responsible to the Prime Minister of Australia. Initially it would run three-year, full-time professional training course as well as short-term programs for industry professionals. It was Australia's first national body of its kind, and began with 34 staff members and a consultative panel of nearly 100 industry professionals and educators. On 7 June 1974 the school's inaugural full-time program was issued. Barry Jones, first council chair of the school, said "We must create one of the world's great schools or we must abandon the project at once. We cannot be a hothouse for mediocrity".
The first intake of 12 students on a pilot scheme included future directors and producers Gillian Armstrong, Phillip Noyce, Chris Noonan, James Ricketson, Ron Saunders, and Graham Shirley. In 1973, the staff were led by Storry Walton, who headed the Interim Training Scheme, then became assistant director in 1974, and deputy director in 1976.
In August 1975, the school moved to new purpose-built premises in Lyonpark Road, North Ryde, Sydney. In 1976, FTS was accepted as a full member of the International Association of Film and Television Schools (CILECT), and was renamed the Australian Film Television School (AFTS) in 1976.
In April 1980, deputy director Storry Walton was appointed director after the departure of Toeplitz, who returned to Poland.
In 1978 the school attained its first accreditation, from the Australian Territories Accreditation Committee for Advanced Education, for its "Diploma in Arts, Film and Television". In 1984 it was reaccredited at Bachelor of Arts (university degree level), when it offered specialisations in cinematography, direction, editing, producing, production design, scriptwriting, and sound. Writer/producer/director Kriv Stenders graduated in 1988.
In 1981 A full-time radio course was introduced. In 1986, work began on a new building next to Macquarie University in North Ryde, and AFTS was renamed the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
In 1989, the Australian Film Commission and Film Victoria established the "Women Applying to Film School" initiative in order to increase the low proportion of women being accepted into film schools around the country. In 1990 it was sponsored by Women in Film and Television (Vic), with assistance from Film Victoria, AFTRS, Swinburne Film and Television Department, and the Victorian Department of Labour. The intensive course was offered to nine women each year, and spanned two weeks. Anna Kokkinos was a participant in the scheme at AFTRS in 1990.
According to a study published in 1995, 96% of graduates were employed in the film and television industry. In 1997, a new masters strand was introduced, on documentary filmmaking. In the same year, cinematographer Jan Kenny (the first female cinematographer to attain ACS accreditation) was appointed head of cinematography, a position she held until 2009. Among others, she taught Bonnie Elliott.
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In 2002, Annabelle Sheehan was head of film and television. At that time, there was a full-time postgraduate program, described as an "intensive, hands-on, production course", with students working on productions in their chosen specialist roles. There were also short courses offered, linked to the full-time program, for external students. There were then 12 departments at the school, including cinematograph, design, directing, sound, visual effects (one of the few schools globally offering a comprehensive program in Visual Effects Supervision), and production.
In 2008 AFTRS relocated once again, to a state-of-the-art new building at Moore Park.
In 2015, a new degree, Bachelor of Arts (Screen), aiming to provide students with a comprehensive screen education was introduced, and later renamed Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production.
In 2023, on the 50th anniversary of AFTRS, celebrations were held on campus just after O-week, attended by members of the 1973 cohort, including Gillian Armstrong and Philip Noyce. In that year, 38 scholarships were awarded, and an Alumni and Industry Scholarship Fund was established.
From Wikipedia’s article on Australian Film, Television and Radio School, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3