New film to be shot in Winton

Last year the festival launched the Vision Splendid Institute – two weeks of intensive courses for international and national students alike who will create films in the region. 

Students have come from China, India, Hong Kong, and Japan for the incredible experience. 

The institute further proves the festival is more than just watching films – but also writing, producing, and educating the next generation of the industry. 

Running the Vision Splendid Institute is Ashley Burgess, who is a lecturer at the Griffith Film School.

Mr Burgess said with 50 people in the program this year, including professionals, it was a great opportunity to showcase Winton. 

Filming of the movies began on Monday, with five films being produced and the best to be played for the crowd on Saturday night. 

As for the writers, the attendees are busy writing their outback scripts which will be read and judged – with the best to be filmed in the region in October. 

Mr Burgess said bringing the students to the outback was one thing – but bringing them back was the key. 

“It’s designed with the scripts so that they can come back when we’re filming,” he said. “It gives them a passion for the outback, and outback films. These people are the best – we have a three-to-one application rate, they’re the ones you want to make films.”

He said making sure the students leave with one lesson – that Australia is a much bigger place than just the coast – was vital. 

“They make connections in the outback, then they want to come back,” he said. 

“We came for the landscape – but stayed for the people.” 

Mr Burgess said what was always fascinating was the opportunity to see the country and outback through the eyes of the international students. 

“When we come out here, we bring international students as well,” he said. “They come out and you can see it through their eyes – things we take for granted, they love.

“When you’re trying to produce films for other markets, it’s important to be able to see things the way they do, which makes that opportunity so important.”