Duration
8 months (2 trimesters) accelerated
Locations
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Australia
Fees
Intake Dates

February, June, September

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International

CRICOS 058465K

JMC welcomes students from all over the world.
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An introduction to the fundamentals of Film, TV, and movie production, the Diploma will let you explore cinematography, editing, lighting, location, sound recording, sound design, screenwriting and production management. Crew on an industry production to get the inside perspective, and even produce your own documentary.

Investigate the techniques and aesthetics of screen language and storytelling while working on a range of projects including a television studio program, green-screen exercises and documentary production, and gain experience crewing on other productions.

Why Study Film & Television at JMC?

Use our huge range of cameras & equipment including RED EPICs and multi-cam studios
Intern with major production and post-production companies and broadcasters
Gain real-world experience working on major events, festivals, conferences, awards nights and more

Technology & Facilities

We take film and TV seriously at JMC, with studios full of the best tech in the trade. You’ll have access to highly sophisticated equipment and recording studios, including RED EPIC-W™ HELIUM™ 8K cameras, Sony FS 700s, green-screen studios, editing suites, colour grading equipment including powerful iMac Pros and Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve, classrooms fitted with 5.1 surround sound and full student loan facilities with lenses, cameras, lights and sound equipment available.

Duration

When undertaken full-time, the Diploma of Film & Television can be completed in 8 months (2 trimesters, 48 credit points).

Upon successful completion of the Diploma qualification, students are eligible to continue their studies into the Bachelor Degree with advanced standing of two trimesters.

Course Structure

The Diploma of Film & Television makes up the first 2 trimesters of the Film & TV Bachelor's degree. At the successful completion of 2 trimesters, our modular course structure lets you graduate with an officially recognised diploma or continue seamlessly towards the industry standard Bachelor of Creative Arts (Film & Television) degree.

Click here to view the course structure →

CURRICULUM

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 1

The unit provides students with an insight into the role of the film, television and digital producer. An effective producer must possess excellent management, research, writing and verbal communication skills, and should have a sound knowledge of industry protocols, organisations and legislation. A combination of academic research and writing, and production paperwork exercises will equip students to select, develop, plan, schedule and effectively produce their JMC Academy student productions, and gain an introductory understanding of the Australian film and television industry along with the latest developments.

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 2

The purpose of this unit is to provide students with a foundation in the creative craft of writing for screen. Students will be required to write an original 5-7 minute (or 3 x 2 mins) script for a short film or a web series, and in so doing develop their knowledge and skills of narrative structure, character and plot development, of the relationship between dialogue and image, and of writing techniques appropriate to a specific genre.   

Class activities include creative workshops; script analyses; idea generation and evaluation; writing for different genres; using image, word and sound to develop plot and character; writing, refining, editing and proofing; table readings; and writing using industry-standard templates.  

Students are encouraged to use the script created in this unit as the basis for their Short Film production in FTP304 Production Project 3: Short Film.  

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 1

Whether the production is a drama, documentary or music video, a solid understanding of editing theory, techniques and styles – including continuity style editing and montage theory - will assist to develop the student’s storytelling skills and creativity in the edit suite. This unit provides students with both theoretical and practical knowledge of editing through a range of post-production practices. Students will engage with a range of software providing them with the opportunity to develop the fundamental skills they will require to edit and deliver practical productions. 

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 2

Sound is an important tool for conveying ideas, story and/or emotion. The skills and knowledge gained in this unit will prepare students for their screen productions at JMC Academy and beyond. The purpose of this unit is to explore sound, its properties, how it is captured and manipulated, and its relationship to the screen. Students will be introduced to the fundamental principles of sound and investigate the techniques necessary to record sound in the field or studio, using portable field mixers for film and television productions.   

To demonstrate their grasp of the fundamental principles of sound, students will be required to record sound in the studio and on location. Recordings will incorporate dialogue, background and pieces for their foley library.  

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 1

The art of storytelling in visual media is about more than a good script and great direction. Storytelling involves every aspect of production, including manipulating the relationship between camera and light. In this unit, students will develop their theoretical knowledge of the relationship between cinematography and lighting techniques, and then safely apply that knowledge to a range of different situations to intentionally create the desired visuals. 

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 2

The purpose of this unit is to provide students with an in-depth understanding of directing drama.  

These skills and knowledge of a dramaturg can be applied in a diverse range of genre, including short films, feature films, scripted TV shows, documentary, and reality television, TVC’s and Music Videos. The role of the Director as a ‘creative’ is explored in the context of communicating and working with actors and production personnel while maintaining a healthy and safe workplace. 

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 1

This unit is an introduction to the creative, technical, administrative, and managerial aspects of film and television production.  Students are required to gain fundamental skills in the operation of cameras, lighting, audio equipment and editing software, and engage with single camera and multi-camera processes.  This unit orientates the student to the physical production environment (both studio and location) and develops their essential technical skills for all future production projects. 

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 2

Documentaries (non-fiction films) hold an important place in contemporary media culture. They are often about how people can be connected to the world and help make sense of specific phenomena. Consequently, a documentary filmmaker has an obligation to consider the ethics of their practice, particularly the nature of their relationship with their subjects and their audience. Against this background, students are given the opportunity to explore the principles and techniques of documentary film making as they research, pitch, and produce their own 5—7 minutes documentary, as well as participate in the making of their peers’ work. 

This unit equips students with the skills and knowledge required to pitch and produce their own short documentary. There will be a range of in class activities to train the students in story development, research techniques, interviewing techniques, sound recording skills, documentary shooting, lighting techniques, and green screen compositing. Many of these skills and techniques will be utilised and then assessed in the final productions. Research, planning, and communication skills are crucial to documentary production and students will need to be prepared to crew on each other’s productions and interact with individuals and organisations outside of JMC Academy as their subjects. 



Our Lecturers

Mark Overett

Head of Film & Television (Brisbane)

Mark Overett is a writer/producer and founding partner of Australia/New Zealand production company New Holland Pictures Two. Mark’s films include 6 x AFI Award winning drama “Unfinished Sky” (2007, dir. Peter Duncan); NZ comedy “Separation City” (2009, dir Paul Middleditch), Danish/Australian action/comedy “At World’s End” (2009, dir Tomas Villum Jensen), and Finnish/German/Australian sci-fi comedy “Iron Sky” (2011, dir. Timo Vuorensola), thriller “The Fear of Darkness” (2014, dir. Chris Fitchett). Recently, Mark's film AZZURO, starring Olivia Simone and Grey's Anatomy's Giacomo Gianniotti, won Best International Short Film at the 2018 Santa Monica International Film Festvial.

Mark also likes to keep his toes in documentary production and is currently producing a definitive documentary and concert film of legendary punk band The Saints. He was also Writer/Post Production Supervisor on “ABBA – Bang-A-Boomerang”; and Executive Producer on “Shadow Play – The Making of Anton Corbijn”. He also wrote the UK documentary “Albatross” produced by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds”; and “Running Away” documentary (Ch 9). In 2018

As Script Editor/Script Supervisor, Mark’s credits include some 12 short films including the multi-international award-winning “The Landing” (2013, dir Josh Tanner ); “Maiden” (2013, dir Stephen Kanaris); “The Streak” (2013, dir Michael Gillett) and “Jacob Fights Giants” (2012, dir Janelle Rayner & Simon Toy)

Mark Overett

Head of Film & Television (Brisbane)

Mark Overett is a writer/producer and founding partner of Australia/New Zealand production company New Holland Pictures Two. Mark’s films include 6 x AFI Award winning drama “Unfinished Sky” (2007, dir. Peter Duncan); NZ comedy “Separation City” (2009, dir Paul Middleditch), Danish/Australian action/comedy “At World’s End” (2009, dir Tomas Villum Jensen), and Finnish/German/Australian sci-fi comedy “Iron Sky” (2011, dir. Timo Vuorensola), thriller “The Fear of Darkness” (2014, dir. Chris Fitchett). Recently, Mark's film AZZURO, starring Olivia Simone and Grey's Anatomy's Giacomo Gianniotti, won Best International Short Film at the 2018 Santa Monica International Film Festvial.

Mark also likes to keep his toes in documentary production and is currently producing a definitive documentary and concert film of legendary punk band The Saints. He was also Writer/Post Production Supervisor on “ABBA – Bang-A-Boomerang”; and Executive Producer on “Shadow Play – The Making of Anton Corbijn”. He also wrote the UK documentary “Albatross” produced by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds”; and “Running Away” documentary (Ch 9). In 2018

As Script Editor/Script Supervisor, Mark’s credits include some 12 short films including the multi-international award-winning “The Landing” (2013, dir Josh Tanner ); “Maiden” (2013, dir Stephen Kanaris); “The Streak” (2013, dir Michael Gillett) and “Jacob Fights Giants” (2012, dir Janelle Rayner & Simon Toy)

Peter George

Head of Film & Television (Melbourne)

As a Producer, Director, Writer, Interviewer and Script Editor, Peter brings a resume of credit and awards to JMC Academy. As a filmmaker, major credits include the award winning documentaries Original Schtick, Schtick Happens, The Dream of Love, Not So Straight and The Triangle Wars, and fiction films Absence and William. Original Schtick won 2 AFI awards and the prestigious Rouben Mamoulian Award at the Sydney Film Festival. Almost all of Peter's films have travelled widely around the globe, including Original Schtick and William, which were invited to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

The Triangle War premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival as part of the MIFF Premiere Fund, and recently won Best Australian Documentary at the inaugural Antenna International Documentary Festival.

In addition to filmmaking, Peter has also worked as a copywriter, a book editor, an industry consultant, an Advertising Account Executive and was the former Editor of If Magazine.

Peter George

Head of Film & Television (Melbourne)

As a Producer, Director, Writer, Interviewer and Script Editor, Peter brings a resume of credit and awards to JMC Academy. As a filmmaker, major credits include the award winning documentaries Original Schtick, Schtick Happens, The Dream of Love, Not So Straight and The Triangle Wars, and fiction films Absence and William. Original Schtick won 2 AFI awards and the prestigious Rouben Mamoulian Award at the Sydney Film Festival. Almost all of Peter's films have travelled widely around the globe, including Original Schtick and William, which were invited to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

The Triangle War premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival as part of the MIFF Premiere Fund, and recently won Best Australian Documentary at the inaugural Antenna International Documentary Festival.

In addition to filmmaking, Peter has also worked as a copywriter, a book editor, an industry consultant, an Advertising Account Executive and was the former Editor of If Magazine.

Woody Naismith

Head of Film & Television (Sydney)

For almost two decades Woody’s acting roles in film, theatre, and television have not only nurtured his dramatic instinct, they’ve allowed him to explore the dramatic arts extensively. He’s worked on productions in Australia, Tahiti, Japan, the UK, and America before a five-year stint in which he called Hollywood home. Here his acting branched into teaching and film production. 

As a trainer, Woody desires to encourage others to understand their empathetic self by attaining the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Woody aims to inspire his students to evolve their artistic voice, their creativity and to develop a strong point of view by teaching them a true understanding of themselves and how they relate to their craft. 

Having written, produced, and directed fashion videos, art films, short films, behind-the-scenes, and commercials, Woody has become an experienced camera operator, editor, and colorist. Woody has a keen eye for capturing moments and conveying visually appealing and interesting stories. His work both in front of and behind the camera gives him a great sensibility and understanding of film production. 

Woody Naismith

Head of Film & Television (Sydney)

For almost two decades Woody’s acting roles in film, theatre, and television have not only nurtured his dramatic instinct, they’ve allowed him to explore the dramatic arts extensively. He’s worked on productions in Australia, Tahiti, Japan, the UK, and America before a five-year stint in which he called Hollywood home. Here his acting branched into teaching and film production. 

As a trainer, Woody desires to encourage others to understand their empathetic self by attaining the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Woody aims to inspire his students to evolve their artistic voice, their creativity and to develop a strong point of view by teaching them a true understanding of themselves and how they relate to their craft. 

Having written, produced, and directed fashion videos, art films, short films, behind-the-scenes, and commercials, Woody has become an experienced camera operator, editor, and colorist. Woody has a keen eye for capturing moments and conveying visually appealing and interesting stories. His work both in front of and behind the camera gives him a great sensibility and understanding of film production. 

Matt Kaylor

Senior Lecturer - Film & Television (Melbourne)

Matt has over 18 years Broadcast experience as a TV studio camera operator, working on some of the UK's most iconic game shows.(Deal or No Deal, Family Fortunes). Since 2008 he has taught Film and Television Production within the further and higher education sectors across the UK.  Matt has been documentary module leader, personal tutor and final year major project supervisor helping guide students into careers in the Film and television Industry.

Matt Kaylor

Senior Lecturer - Film & Television (Melbourne)

Matt has over 18 years Broadcast experience as a TV studio camera operator, working on some of the UK's most iconic game shows.(Deal or No Deal, Family Fortunes). Since 2008 he has taught Film and Television Production within the further and higher education sectors across the UK.  Matt has been documentary module leader, personal tutor and final year major project supervisor helping guide students into careers in the Film and television Industry.

Dr Georgia Wallace-Crabbe

Film & Television and MCI Lecturer

Georgia is an Australian film producer/ director who has collaborated on numerous documentaries, dramas, and television series since graduating from Swinburne (VCA) Film School. She has directed or produced films including CULTIVATING MURDER (feature doc SBS 2018) on land clearing and the murder of an environment officer. Currently working on follow up film about the threatened extinction of koalas. She is a Doctor of Creative Arts from University of Wollongong, where she produced a multi-screen video installation for galleries, The Earth and the Elements (2016), which explored the China-Australia resources export relationship and the concept of interconnectedness, using Chinese philosophy of Daoism as a conceptual framework. She has been a selector, film festival judge, and programmer. 

Dr Georgia Wallace-Crabbe

Film & Television and MCI Lecturer

Georgia is an Australian film producer/ director who has collaborated on numerous documentaries, dramas, and television series since graduating from Swinburne (VCA) Film School. She has directed or produced films including CULTIVATING MURDER (feature doc SBS 2018) on land clearing and the murder of an environment officer. Currently working on follow up film about the threatened extinction of koalas. She is a Doctor of Creative Arts from University of Wollongong, where she produced a multi-screen video installation for galleries, The Earth and the Elements (2016), which explored the China-Australia resources export relationship and the concept of interconnectedness, using Chinese philosophy of Daoism as a conceptual framework. She has been a selector, film festival judge, and programmer. 

Eve Waugh

Film & Television Lecturer

Eve is a Sydney based freelance production designer and animator.

Passionate about design and visual storytelling she graduated from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School in 2013 with a Graduate Diploma in Production Design. Eve has also completed a Masters in Animation from UTS as well as a Bachelor of Design from Monash University.

With a background in animation, illustration and textile design Eve is detail orientated and is known for creating original props and dressing for her projects. She enjoys exploring all aspects of design in film making and collaborating with other film makers.

Eve Waugh

Film & Television Lecturer

Eve is a Sydney based freelance production designer and animator.

Passionate about design and visual storytelling she graduated from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School in 2013 with a Graduate Diploma in Production Design. Eve has also completed a Masters in Animation from UTS as well as a Bachelor of Design from Monash University.

With a background in animation, illustration and textile design Eve is detail orientated and is known for creating original props and dressing for her projects. She enjoys exploring all aspects of design in film making and collaborating with other film makers.

JMC really kicked the door open for me. With solid skills training and industry networking opportunities, JMC really does hold the key to success in this industry.
Charles Duncombe - Head of Creative, SoHO & Showcase Channels - Foxtel Network, 2014 Alumni Award Recipient and Promax and Astra Award Winner
Film & Television Alumni
The foundation I gained at JMC made me feel competent from my first role. Now I drive to work through Hollywood, where I work on amazing projects every day. I have reached my life goal!
Brett Morris - Design Director, Coca Cola Australia
Film & Television Alumni
In two years at JMC, I worked on over 15 projects, most of which I was in a major role. I've learnt how to do so many roles I never even knew about, and been pushed to my creative limits many times.
Rebekah Evans - Film & Television Studio Manager
Film & Television Alumni

Bachelor of Creative Arts (Film & Television)

Seamlessly transition into the bachelor's degree with JMC Academy's modular and integrated courses. 

More on this course

Are you ready to take the next step toward your career in Film & Television?

FAQs

No, you do not need to provide any samples of work to be eligible. However, you are welcome to provide samples of work. Any scripts you’ve written, youtube clips, short films, story boards you’ve drawn, visual and written ideas for films or tv shows, and any technical experience you may have had either in school, via extracurricular activities, work experience or volunteer work.

No, our courses are hands on and practical. Students are required to attend classes to receive ongoing mentorship, learn new skills and work with the equipment provided. We do encourage our students to use online study resources, however our courses would not be as immersive as they are without the practical component.

Absolutely. You do not need to have had any experience with film equipment as we cater to all levels of experience.

Yes. The JMC Academy is registered and regulated by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) which is Australia’s independent national regulator of the higher education sector, both public and private.

You will not need to purchase your own computer or any film gear as we have fully equipped editing suites and an equipment loan service with quality mics, lighting, cameras and a myriad of accessories available for student use.

JMC Academy is broadly recognised and accredited:

  • Registered Higher Education Provider.
  • Accredited by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)
  • Registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
  • Regulated by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).
  • Member of the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA).
  • Nationally recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework.

Our strong industry links also ensure that JMC Academy qualifications are recognised within the creative industries. 

Although you may want to be a film maker, it is important to have a wide range of skills when entering the industry. You will still learn about film making in great detail, however this course will provide you with a greater range of career options upon graduation. The skills learnt may be applied to film as well as television production.

You will do a range of assessments that will demonstrate your understanding, including short film making, documentaries, television commercials, music videos, live broadcasts and multi-cam, pitches and presentations, sound recording, film analysis and screenplays. At the end of the Bachelor there is project based work where you'll be able to choose your main assessment, which could be any of the above.

You'll start learning the proper way to handle the film gear in your first Trimester. Students are then assessed on their competency for handling the equipment. Once this is undertaken, students are able to loan cameras and equipment suitable for their on campus or on location shoots, projects and assessments.