Page 28 - Tropic Magazine Issue 30

TROPIC • EDUCATION

Filmmaking focus

DIGITAL MEDIA
CQUniversity Cairns and its
students have been right among
world-class productions shot in
the Tropical North.

1
While the pandemic halted many film
productions across the world, the Far 1. Credit: Bryony Barnett
2. Credit: Paul Jakubowski
North offered the perfect environment
to shoot two feature films and a sector can be an important environment
Netflix series. to nurture female creatives in the digital
Dr Jan Cattoni, Lecturer in Screen media environment.”
Production at CQUniversity’s Cairns Dr Cattoni teaches in the Bachelor of
campus, was able to involve students in Digital Media which includes screen
three productions – Dive Club (series), production, animation, interactive media
Kidnapped, and This Little Love of Mine – and graphic design – all highly relevant
shot between Port Douglas and Palm skills in the current employment market. 2
Cove. “While there had been a lot of work “The digital media degree at CQU is a
behind-the-scenes to develop the film really interesting program,” she said.
sector in the North prior to the pandemic, Netflix has just released
what Cairns and Far North Queensland Dive Club, shot in Port
provided was a very COVID-resilient Douglas, to a global
option with some second-to-none audience of more
locations,” Dr Cattoni explained. CQU has a huge than 190 countries.
“CQU students were involved as extras, commitment to providing
stand-ins, in the art department, explained. “If it comes to fruition this will
shooting a ‘behind-the-scenes video’, and study in regional areas provide excellent opportunities for our
also in data-wrangling.” Dr Jan Cattoni digital media, music, and acting students
Dr Cattoni has been at CQU for just over as well as local emerging filmmakers.
two years, having returned to her home Attracting productions to the region will
in North Queensland after a career in also help stimulate the local economy.
filmmaking and academia, mostly in “When I left high school I had to travel to With Associate Vice-President Jodie
Brisbane. “I’ve worked as a writer and Brisbane to study, so I think it’s great that Duignan-George at the helm, CQUni
director for documentary, drama and students can stay in the North and study Cairns has been at the table of these
animation and have been lucky to work at a tertiary level.” conversations from the beginning.
with a lot of other creatives,” she said. Dr Cattoni is also thrilled with the To have our students as part of the mix,
“I really believe that tertiary education prospect of a sound stage and studio enjoying these kinds of opportunities
is excellent for creative practice. You can being developed in Cairns. “Mulgrave MP right on their doorstep – opportunities
develop skills and your own style in a safe, Curtis Pitt has spearheaded the push to that are often only available in the metros
supportive environment. have a sound stage – which is essentially will be amazing.”
Like many others, I’ve had challenges as a a film studio – to be built in Cairns as
female director in a predominantly male- an incentive to attract productions to MORE: cqu.edu.au
dominated industry and the university be filmed in the region,” Dr Cattoni

28 • Tropic • Issue 30