Professor Herman van Eyken (GFS Head of School)
Herman van Eyken has a background in script writing, producing and directing. He has directed more than 190 films – shortlisted within international competition of leading film festivals such as Cannes, New York and Vienna. Many of his films have received top awards in their respective category.
His feature film has been released in more than 10 countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Italy and Taiwan. Herman’s research interests lay in the area of film policies and film training needs for professionals.
He’s Project Chair and curator for a research pilot called Lessons in film (CILECT). He has served on the jury of several international competitions and is currently the Vice-Chair of Regional Projects for CAPA. CAPA is the CILECT Asia-Pacific Association and the regional association of the CILECT member schools in the Asia-Pacific region.
Associate Professor Trish FitzSimons
Trish FitzSimons is a documentary film-maker, who also has research interests in documentary history, theory and policy. She convenes the Bachelor of Film and Screen Media Production.
With a first degree in social history, much of her media work has explored historical themes, including Snakes and Ladders: A Film about Women, Education and History (ABC, 1987), Another Way? (SBS, 1997), Channels of History: A Social History Exhibition (2002) and the book Australian Documentary: History, Practices, Genres (2011) published through Cambridge University Press.
Trish completed a Doctorate of Creative Arts on 'voice' in documentary film, explored both in creative practice and theoretically.
She has also recently written creative non fiction in the area of water politics.
Associate Professor Pat Laughren
Pat Laughren is a film-maker with a particular interest in early cinema and the history of Australian documentary production. Pat's broadcast credits include Red Ted and the Great Depression, The Legend of Fred Paterson and The Fair Go : Winning the 1967 Referendum.
He has also produced the video compilations Queensland's First Films 1895-1910 and Queensland's Silent Newsreel Years: 1910-1930 in conjunction with ScreenSound Australia, Australia's national film and sound archive.
Mr Dean Chircop
With a penchant for comedy and finding the lighter side of life in human stories, Dean Chircop has been directing short drama projects, music videos and television commercials for the past ten years.
Most recently he has been directing commercials while juggling short film projects including 'Bloody Footy' (2005) and 'The Parlour' (2002), both of which were fully funded by The Pacific Film and Television Commission and have screened at many local and international film festivals including the prestigious Berlinale, Tribeca Film Festival, Los Angles International Short Film Festival and Chicago International Children’s Festival.
With substantial experience dealing with the rigors of film production at a key creative level, Dean continues to work in television commercials and drama production while teaching at the Griffith Film School and is known as an up and coming, but reputable director.
Mr Nick Oughton
Nicholas Oughton has extensive experience in cinematography, having worked on a wide range of television commercials and documentaries. He has produced and directed several prize-winning educational films and videos, and worked as a production manager on international prize-winning theatrical films, such as Stations.
Nicholas has been involved in film and television education since 1978, developing numerous undergraduate and post-graduate degree programs. He has been a member of several industry bodies, including the Film and Television Sector Training Standing Committee and Arts Training Queensland. He is an executive member of the Australian Screen Production, Education and Research Association and was elected secretary of the Asia Pacific Film School's Association.
Nicholas also has extensive experience in risk management and occupational health in the visual and performing arts and Film and Television industries. He is a leading researcher in these fields and has been widely published.
Ms Heather Phillips
Heather Phillips began her career as an actress. A year in Los Angeles led to her first short film as producer. The result Leap, with 'Flacco' at the helm, saw her admitted to The American Film Institute where she received her MFA in Producing. She worked extensively in script development in the US, including the films Til Human Voices Wake Us and A Course in Miracles (made as the US mini-series Miracles).
Heather continues to write and produce, recently penning the documentaries Gone to a Good Home and The Juggling Mother for Film Australia, the former of which she co-produced. She has two feature films at financing stage, Salt that she also co-wrote and Bird where she is also attached as script editor. Salt was selected for the 2008 Berlinale co-production market and it won the 2007 Australian Writer's Guild/Adelaide Film Festival's best-unproduced script award, Insite.
Heather adapted her first optioned novel in 2008.
Mr Luke Monsour
Luke Monsour is a Lecturer in Film and Television Production at the Griffith Film School. His teachings emphasise creative and experiemental applications of emerging digital production processes, in particular, image manipulation, compositing and interactivity.
With many accolades for his film work, including recognition in local and international festivals, Luke’s current research focus is in stereoscopic 3D screen practice.
Mr Charles Strachan
Charlie Strachan is a screenwriting specialist with extensive experience as a writer and script editor in TV drama, including extended commissions on staff with the NZBC, Crawford Productions, TVNZ and the ABC. His film experience includes commissions as script editor/screenplay consultant for numerous short and feature film projects developed in association with the AFC, PFTC, NSWFTO, SAFC, and the NZFC.
Most recent commissions include the New Zealand feature film When Loves Comes Along, the Australian TV dramas Good Guys, Bad Guys, Murder Call, McLeod's Daughters, Cybergirl, All Saints and the interactive TV drama Fat Cow Motel.