Basic Facts
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Year of Foundation:
1966
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Year of Receiving CILECT Full Membership:
1992
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Year of Receiving Last State Accreditation:
1966
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Agency (-ies) Who Awarded the State Accreditation:
Department of Education
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Name of Director (Rector, Dean, Head of School):
Andrew O’Keefe
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Address:
234 St Kilda Road, Southbank, VICTORIA, 3006
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Country:
Australia
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Website:
https://vca.unimelb.edu.au/artistic-disciplines/film-and-television
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Points of Contact
CILECT Contact Person:Head: Andrew O’KeefeEmail:okeefea@unimelb.edu.auCILECT Contact Person:Dr. Angie BlackEmail:angieb@unimelb.edu.au
Mission & Strategy
Above all, our school, which is the oldest film school in Australia, focuses on developing our students’ unique creative voices. We audition all applicants to ascertain to what degree that voice is already developed. Where appropriate, small group teaching is used during our degrees to develop that voice to its full potential and to hone skills to communicate that voice effectively to screen-based audiences.
For our screenwriting students, the development of that voice, and the writing skills to transform it into successful, creative and engaging screenplays is paramount.
However, a point of difference from other screenwriting courses is that our bachelor screenwriters, because of the time they are with us, have the freedom and opportunity to work with and alongside the directing students and their projects. The screenwriters work as crew on set, and see the transformation of words from page to the final screen project.
The directing and producing students also develop team and leadership skills, as well as effective communication and self-critical skills. Their training in shooting, sound recording and editing, gives them the opportunity to work on many student film sets, and experience crew dynamics, and observe other student producers’ and directors’ qualities.
The School has an excellent and well-deserved reputation, with many outstanding alumni. Due to this, we attract a very high calibre of academic staff, and visiting guest lecturers. Many significant local and international screen practitioners pass through our doors each year, and thus the students have access to current, professional expertise, throughout their time at the school.
Degree Areas
Fine Arts (Film and Television)
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Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Arts
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Training Type
Full-Time
Tuition Fees
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Residents
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Non-Residents
Number of Students
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Applicants (Male/Female/Other)
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Enrolled Students (Male/Female/Other)
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Students Total (Male/Female/Other)
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International Students incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
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Graduates incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
Admission Requirements
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Portfolio & Interview
No information
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Agreements with Foreign Governments
No information
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High Institution Matriculation
No information
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Recognized Prior Expertise
No information
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Talent Entrance Exams
No information
Language of Studies
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Language of Studies
Student Practical Work Obligations
Graduation Obligations per Student
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Practical Work
No information
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Written Thesis
No information
Budget Parameters
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Total Amount from School`s Budget Allocated to Production Annually
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Average Graduation Practical Work Budget per student
Fine Arts (Animation)
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Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Arts
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Training Type
Full-Time
Tuition Fees
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Residents
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Non-Residents
Number of Students
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Applicants (Male/Female/Other)
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Enrolled Students (Male/Female/Other)
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Students Total (Male/Female/Other)
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International Students incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
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Graduates incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
Admission Requirements
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Portfolio & Interview
No information
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Agreements with Foreign Governments
No information
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High Institution Matriculation
No information
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Recognized Prior Expertise
No information
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Talent Entrance Exams
No information
Language of Studies
-
Language of Studies
Student Practical Work Obligations
Graduation Obligations per Student
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Practical Work
No information
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Written Thesis
No information
Budget Parameters
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Total Amount from School`s Budget Allocated to Production Annually
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Average Graduation Practical Work Budget per student
Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
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Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Arts
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Training Type
Full-Time
Tuition Fees
-
Residents
-
Non-Residents
Number of Students
-
Applicants (Male/Female/Other)
-
Enrolled Students (Male/Female/Other)
-
Students Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
International Students incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
Graduates incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
Admission Requirements
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Portfolio & Interview
No information
-
Agreements with Foreign Governments
No information
-
High Institution Matriculation
No information
-
Recognized Prior Expertise
No information
-
Talent Entrance Exams
No information
Language of Studies
-
Language of Studies
Student Practical Work Obligations
Graduation Obligations per Student
-
Practical Work
No information
-
Written Thesis
No information
Budget Parameters
-
Total Amount from School`s Budget Allocated to Production Annually
-
Average Graduation Practical Work Budget per student
Film and Television
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Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Arts
-
Training Type
Full-Time
Tuition Fees
-
Residents
-
Non-Residents
Number of Students
-
Applicants (Male/Female/Other)
-
Enrolled Students (Male/Female/Other)
-
Students Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
International Students incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
Graduates incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
Admission Requirements
-
Portfolio & Interview
No information
-
Agreements with Foreign Governments
No information
-
High Institution Matriculation
No information
-
Recognized Prior Expertise
No information
-
Talent Entrance Exams
No information
Language of Studies
-
Language of Studies
Student Practical Work Obligations
Graduation Obligations per Student
-
Practical Work
No information
-
Written Thesis
No information
Budget Parameters
-
Total Amount from School`s Budget Allocated to Production Annually
-
Average Graduation Practical Work Budget per student
Fine Arts
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Degree Awarded
Master of Arts
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Training Type
Full-Time
Tuition Fees
-
Residents
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Non-Residents
Number of Students
-
Applicants (Male/Female/Other)
-
Enrolled Students (Male/Female/Other)
-
Students Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
International Students incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
Graduates incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
Admission Requirements
-
Portfolio & Interview
No information
-
Agreements with Foreign Governments
No information
-
High Institution Matriculation
No information
-
Recognized Prior Expertise
No information
-
Talent Entrance Exams
No information
Language of Studies
-
Language of Studies
Student Practical Work Obligations
Graduation Obligations per Student
-
Practical Work
No information
-
Written Thesis
No information
Budget Parameters
-
Total Amount from School`s Budget Allocated to Production Annually
-
Average Graduation Practical Work Budget per student
Screenwriting
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Degree Awarded
Master of Arts
-
Training Type
Full-Time
Tuition Fees
-
Residents
-
Non-Residents
Number of Students
-
Applicants (Male/Female/Other)
-
Enrolled Students (Male/Female/Other)
-
Students Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
International Students incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
Graduates incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
Admission Requirements
-
Portfolio & Interview
No information
-
Agreements with Foreign Governments
No information
-
High Institution Matriculation
No information
-
Recognized Prior Expertise
No information
-
Talent Entrance Exams
No information
Language of Studies
-
Language of Studies
Student Practical Work Obligations
Graduation Obligations per Student
-
Practical Work
No information
-
Written Thesis
No information
Budget Parameters
-
Total Amount from School`s Budget Allocated to Production Annually
-
Average Graduation Practical Work Budget per student
Screen Producing
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Degree Awarded
Master of Arts
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Training Type
Full-Time
Tuition Fees
-
Residents
-
Non-Residents
Number of Students
-
Applicants (Male/Female/Other)
-
Enrolled Students (Male/Female/Other)
-
Students Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
International Students incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
Graduates incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
Admission Requirements
-
Portfolio & Interview
No information
-
Agreements with Foreign Governments
No information
-
High Institution Matriculation
No information
-
Recognized Prior Expertise
No information
-
Talent Entrance Exams
No information
Language of Studies
-
Language of Studies
Student Practical Work Obligations
Graduation Obligations per Student
-
Practical Work
No information
-
Written Thesis
No information
Budget Parameters
-
Total Amount from School`s Budget Allocated to Production Annually
-
Average Graduation Practical Work Budget per student
Film and Television
-
Degree Awarded
Master of Arts
-
Training Type
Full-Time
Tuition Fees
-
Residents
-
Non-Residents
Number of Students
-
Applicants (Male/Female/Other)
-
Enrolled Students (Male/Female/Other)
-
Students Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
International Students incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
-
Graduates incl. in Total (Male/Female/Other)
Admission Requirements
-
Portfolio & Interview
No information
-
Agreements with Foreign Governments
No information
-
High Institution Matriculation
No information
-
Recognized Prior Expertise
No information
-
Talent Entrance Exams
No information
Language of Studies
-
Language of Studies
Student Practical Work Obligations
Graduation Obligations per Student
-
Practical Work
No information
-
Written Thesis
No information
Budget Parameters
-
Total Amount from School`s Budget Allocated to Production Annually
-
Average Graduation Practical Work Budget per student
Key Teaching Staff

Prof Emma Redding
Emma is a contemporary dance and performance science practitioner, educator and researcher. She holds a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences from City University London, UK, an MSc in Sports Science from The University of Essex, UK and a BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre from Laban, UK.
Prior to taking on the role of Director of the VCA, Emma was Professor in Performance Science and Head of Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, UK, leading the education, research and knowledge exchange. Originally trained as a dancer, Emma joined the Hungarian dance company Tranz Danz in Budapest before performing for Choreographers such as Rosalind Newman and Athina Vahla and furthering her interest in site-specific and cross-disciplinary performance practice.
Emma co-authored the first ever Master’s degree in Dance Science and has since played a major role in developing dance science as a recognized field of study in Higher Education through her research, and through her international teaching. She is a founding partner of the UK’s National Institute for Dance Medicine and Science https://www.nidms.co.uk/ and a Past President of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science https://iadms.org/.
Emma retains her lecturing and studio practice in areas such as dance technique, improvisation, exercise physiology and research methods alongside her leadership and research work. She has supervised over 90 masters project dissertations and several PhD students through to completion in areas such as dancer health & wellbeing, physiology, talent development, creativity and dance pedagogy as well as dance for health among other populations. Emma has published over 50 papers in peer reviewed academic journals and 5 book chapters.
She is on the Research Advisory Board of Help Musicians, UK, serves on the editorial boards and review committees of national and international research journals and funding councils and is currently Associate Editor for two international academic journals. She serves on advisory and expert panels and offers consultancy to other higher education institutions in Europe, Asia and the United States on curricula development.

Prof Richard Kurth

Marie Sierra
Professor Sierra has a 30-year career in the arts. Her research, which takes the form of traditional research outputs and non-traditional research outcomes, explores the intersection of art and nature, the agency of art, and ethics in the creative arts.
She is the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music at the University of Melbourne. She has won several grants and awards, including four Category 1 grants: three from the Australia Research Council (a Linkage and two LIEF grants) and an Australian Office of Teaching and Learning Grant. She has held numerous solo exhibitions within Australia and has participated in over thirty group shows in Australia, the US, and France, resulting in five Australia Council Grants. She received the Highly Commended Award in the 2004 Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Prize, was a finalist in the 2005-2006 McClelland Gallery Contemporary Sculpture Survey & Award exhibition. She won the major prize at the Yarra Array Sculpture Festival, hosted by the City of Melbourne in 2002. Active as an arts and design writer, Marie also publishes regularly in the fields of fine art and design. Recent examples include ‘An Ethical Engagement: Creative Practice Research, the Academy and Professional Codes of Conduct’, Research Ethics (ISSN 1747-0161, eISSN 20476094), Sage (2020, refereed); ‘The Imaginary when Invisible’ Eleventh On The Image Conference, Sydney (2020, invited keynote) ; the edited book Transformative Pedagogies and the Environment: Creative Agency Through Contemporary Art and Design (2018); ‘Pale, Bright and Turquoise Green for White and Brown Goods’, SLSAeu Conference, Copenhagen (2018); ‘When Waste Returns: Re-imagining “use value” in a tidal river’, Studio Research, July 2013; ‘Raquel Ormella’ Iteration:Again, 13 public art projects across Tasmania, ed. David Cross, Punctum Books NY, 2013; ‘Water as Self’, Water: Image International Conference, Plymouth University, UK, July 2012. She has authored numerous essays and reviews for magazines such as Art Monthly, Agenda, Eyeline, Kerb and Meanjin.
Successful Graduates

Cate Blanchett
An Academy Award-winning actress known for her roles in films like “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “Blue Jasmine,” and “Carol”.

Hannah Fredericksen
VCA graduate Hannah Fredericksen (BMusThtr 2012) played 1950s teen idol Sandra Dee in Dream Lover – The Bobby Darin Musical, which premiered at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre in 2016. Fredericksen had previously played singer Olivia Newton-John in Channel 7’s miniseries Molly.