Six short films from UTS to feature in new ABC online showcase

ABC Arts has chosen six short films made by UTS Media Arts and Production students to be included in the new Grad Season 2017 series.

The online showcase will feature the "best original short film projects" from recent Australian film graduates and is set to launch on 20 February on ABC iView.

UTS achieved more films on the list than any other institution, including the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) and the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), with three and four films respectively.

"The inclusion of the final year work from our students in Grad Season is testament not only to the talent and imagination of our students past and present but also to the enormous hard work and ingenuity they pour into the capstone project of the degree," said Senior Media Arts and Production (MAP) Lecturer Dr Chris Caines.

"The close creative collaborations the students form while in the program finds final expression in these extraordinary projects and the work they often continue to do together for many years after graduating," he said.

Grad Season 2017 is part of an ABC initiative to foster and develop the talents of emerging filmmakers and is the first of its kind in the country.

For UTS MAP graduate Selena Shannon, whose animated filmWildwood was one of 28 films chosen, her success was unexpected but definitely earned.

Making the three minute and 55 second film took "about six to eight hours every day, for three months," Shannon said.

"So to see it go on and be recognised in a few places and win awards [including a UTS Golden Eye Award] and go on the ABC, that reaffirmed to me that doing something exciting, doing something that you care about, doing something that's different and takes risks can pay off and actually be a really good investment in your career, and yourself."

The five other MAP students chosen to have their film featured in Grad Season 2017 are Jordan Kirk (Pirlo), Madeline Kelly (Nineteen), Laura Touman (Stan Franklin), Sam Barnes (Dream Reel) and Tropfest 2016 finalist Angela McCormack (Tay Man).

For information on the Bachelor of Communications (Media Arts and Production) course, visit the program info page.

Future students considering an undergraduate degree at UTS can attend the UTS Open Day on Saturday 26 August (9am-4pm). For postgraduates, the Media Arts and Production Postgraduate Information Evening is on Thursday 27 April (6pm-7pm).