Participate Filmmaking Course

You too could enjoy the thrill of making a movie ...

Join the waiting list for our next innovative filmmaking course, open to locals and internationals. Enrol now!

Participate Film Academy has designed a comprehensive course that provides a grounding in absolutely every aspect of feature filmmaking.

Participate Filmmaking course: 13 months, part-time
Academy location: Australian Technology Park, Sydney

There's no place quite like a film set to learn how to make a movie.

You and your classmates will write, direct and produce an original 90-minute feature during the Participate Filmmaking course. In just 12 months you will gain practical experience, specific skills and a world-recognised feature credit, becoming very employable in the film industry along the way.

More about the course

Classes are held on Saturday mornings and some weekday evenings, so that you can continue to meet commitments such as full-time work or other study.

During the first three months, you complete filmmaking activities and receive classroom teaching in subjects such as camera work, directing, production and acting. In the remaining months, you work with the whole class on the feature film project.

Depending on your role in the class film, contact hours may increase during pre-production, production or post-production.

Throughout the course industry professionals such as David Hannay (AFI Award-winning producer with over 55 feature credits including Stone), Russell Boyd (Oscar-winning cinematographer with over 59 feature credits including Ghost Rider and Master and Commander) and Tony Barry (multiple award-winning actor, with over 50 feature and 45 television credits including Australia and A Country Practice) will mentor you in the art, craft and business of filmmaking.

And if your film makes money at the box office, you will receive a share of the profit.

More about the film

The whole class chooses the feature film that gets made. Every student has an equal chance to pitch a story idea and the class vote for their preferred synopsis. The story is then workshopped and a screenplay developed by the assigned student writers.

To secure a role in a particular area of interest (for example, as a scriptwriter, actor, director or editor) you must demonstrate your skill and suitability, by auditioning in front of the other students and mentors.

The idea is to build your confidence with pitching and make sure the class produce the best quality film possible, with the greatest chance of success at the box office.

Ten excellent reasons to enrol in our course

1. Choose between our accredited and non-accredited course pathways.
2. Get invaluable industry experience while making an original feature film.
3. Gain a world-recognised feature film credit and your own showreel.
4. Access established industry professionals from Australia and overseas.
5. See your film screened at a premiere in Sydney and in cinemas around Australia.
6. Receive a share of the profit, if the finished film makes money at the box office.
7. Use professional-level equipment and facilities at Australian Technology Park.
8. Develop effective teamwork and leadership skills.
9. Learn all about filmmaking for a fraction of the cost that other schools charge.
10. Enjoy the thrill of becoming a movie maker.

Go straight to the online application.
Read about our fees and methods of payment.
Find out what our past students have to say.