Filmic Essay

This film essay was one of the final assignments in the first film production course I completed during my Bachelor’s degree. The task was to create a short film that functioned like an essay—with a poetic tone and rhythm—centred around the theme of identity. My interpretation of the theme explored how every action we take expresses our personal identity, and how each identity is unique in its own way. This project was a valuable opportunity to apply the film production skills I had developed throughout the first university course in film to create a reflective and visually engaging piece.

Synopsis:

What defines your identity? Is it the food you eat, or the place you call home? It's time to explore what truly shapes who you are.

Roles: Cinematography & Video Editor
Software: Adobe Premiere Pro
Produced at: University of Canberra

Behied the Scene

Erindale Brick Banks

As part of a group of three for our Documentary Production unit, we were tasked with creating a documentary on a topic of our choice. We decided to focus on a skatepark in Canberra that is seeking heritage listing. This skatepark has a long history and wasn’t originally built as a skatepark. We reached out to a local skateboarding group that had submitted a request to have the park heritage listed on the ACT register.

The focus of our documentary was to showcase the history of the park and how it evolved into what it is today. We primarily interviewed two individuals who have a deep, long-standing connection with the location. As the main cinematographer for the project, I was responsible for planning the best camera setups for the interviews, ensuring both the interview subjects and the backdrop of the park were well-framed and visually engaging.

For the opening scene, which featured 'Woody' skating into the park, we filmed multiple takes from different camera angles. I then edited together the best shots to create a seamless and dynamic introduction for the documentary.

Roles: Main Cinematography & Assitant Video Editor
Software: Adobe Premiere Pro
Produced at: University of Canberra

The Rhythm of Lockdown

Flimed during one of the COVID lockdowns, this short documentary was created remotely by myself and one other team member. We communicated through phone and Microsoft Teams to complete the assignment. I took on the role of editor for the project, and we chose to focus on the experience of lockdown itself. Our aim was to portray lockdown as a rhythmic cycle—each day repeating the same routine, highlighting the limitations and monotony it brought to our lives.

This was one of the first assessment pieces for our Documentary unit, and the goal was to create something poetic in documentary form. It challenged us to think creatively about how to film and edit content in a way that felt expressive and reflective of the emotional tone of the subject matter.

Synopsis:

Roles: Cinematography & Video Editor
Software: Adobe Premiere Pro & Phone Camera
Produced at: University of Canberra

Love & Addiction

This was the main scripted short film project completed for our final Film Production unit. For this project, we were required to create a film from start to finish, including story development, filming, and editing/post-production. As someone who enjoys creative writing, I chose to write the script for our group.

We began with a brainstorming session to develop the basic structure and direction of the story, following the assignment guidelines. Once we settled on the idea, I expanded on it and wrote a short film about phone addiction—focusing on a character who ignores everything around them in favour of staying glued to their phone.

After completing the script, we sourced an actor, secured a location, and began filming. For the post-production phase, I used both DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere Pro to handle different tasks—DaVinci for colour grading and Premiere for editing, where it was more efficient.

This was a valuable and interesting experience that exposed me to the full process of creating a short film. I learned a lot and gained practical knowledge that I’ve carried into later projects.

Roles: Writer and Editor
Software: Davinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, and Fade In
Produced at: University of Canberra

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Andangered - Board Game Trailer / Indtro Video

In a Game Design course at the University of Canberra, I worked in a group of three. We were tasked with creating a Print & Play game. Using Cluedo as inspiration, we created a game about finding endangered animals. One part of the assignment was to create a video introducing the game or a trailer. This was one of my tasks. Using Premiere Pro and After Effects, I created a simple motion graphic video showcasing the game.

Roles: Video Creator
Software: Adobe AfterEffect
Produced at: University of Canberra

iOCR Technology - Xaana.Ai Application Task

During the recruitment process for Xaana.Ai, I was tasked with creating a simple infographic about iOCR technology to showcase my skills and knowledge for the role. I was able to do a good job and was offered work at the company. This project was made using After Effects and mainly used simple motion graphics.

Roles: Motion Graphic Desginer
Software: Adobe AfterEffect
Produced at: Seth Arnould

Listerning to First Nations Voices:
Podcast 12 Wendy Sommerville discusses the COVID-19 vaccination

As part of the Professional Work unit at the University of Canberra, we were placed into groups and assigned a client to collaborate with. For our project, our client was a representative from the university who tasked us with producing a new episode for the Listening to First Nations Voices podcast series.

Working closely with the client, we discussed the topic for the episode and identified potential interviewees. Once we had a clear plan, we presented it to the client for feedback and approval, ensuring that our direction aligned with their vision and requirements. The recording was conducted remotely using Microsoft Teams and OBS recording software. This project was a valuable and engaging experience that allowed me to deepen my understanding of podcast production, particularly in adapting to a remote workflow and navigating the challenges of recording interviews online.

Roles: Editor & Recorder
Software: Adobe Audition, OBS
Produced at: University of Canberra

TrueSelf - A 3-Minute Soundtrack

Roles: Editor, Recorder, and Writer
Software:
Produced at: University of Canberra