Industry engagement

Valuable industry connections Part of the success of NIDA’s training comes from its strong industry connections in every discipline. Students are provided with invaluable opportunities to develop working relationships with world-class industry professionals throughout their studies. We are very grateful to all the industry practitioners who have been working with the students.

Examples of artists working with NIDA students in 2020 include:

→ Dr Michael Mohammed Ahmad – founding director of Sweatshop

Literacy Movement and editor of

After Australia (Affirm Press, 2020) → Sean Bacon – Accomplished

Australian video designer specialising in visual media in theatre → Jacob Boehme – Creative practitioner, artistic director and curator → Damien Cooper – World renowned

Lighting Designer → Gayda de Mesa – Technical specialist, Belvoir → Wesley Enoch – Artistic director, theatre director, writer → Eugenia Farrell – Senior stage manager at Opera Australia → Drew Ferors – Leading audiovisual expert from Technical

Direction Company → Nick Fry – Australian designer specialising in theatre, film and live event design → Kim Hardwick – Stage director/ theatre producer, Griffin Theatre

Company → Jennifer Irwin – Costume designer,

Bangarra Dance Theatre → Priscilla Jackman – Director,

Bluebeard’s Castle: Opera Australia → Tanya Leach – Stage manager, Sydney

Theatre Company, Pinchgut Opera → Adam Mada – Leading magician, entertainer and magic/Illusion coach and consultant → Michael McCarthy – Film director, producer and consultant in film logistics → Dr Liza-Mare Syron – Indigenous

Scientia senior lecturer UNSW and senior artistic associate at

Moogahlin Performing Arts → Lauren Proietti – Hair, wigs and make-up supervisor, Sydney Theatre

Company → Annette Shun Wah – Artistic director,

OzAsia Festival and Contemporary

Asian Australian Performance → Beryl Waldron – Senior ladies cutter,

Opera Australia → Chrissy Zemura – Hair specialist,

Zemura salon

Image, this page, Technical Theatre and Stage Management students presenting their 2020 Magic Show with guest artists Adam Mada and Kim Hardwick

Students placements A major highlight of training at NIDA is secondments and work placements, in particular with major Hollywood studios and global streaming services. Given the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry in 2020 and the international travel restrictions, some of the placements have been deferred to 2021.

However most recently, the effect of the pandemic resulted in many major film productions relocating to Australia or expanding their operations here. This has meant a great increase in local opportunities for students on major Hollywood film productions. While many of these are currently under embargo, most recent examples have included Bazmark Inc, Marvel Studios, Netflix, Disney Australia, Kennedy Miller Mitchell Films, Warner Bros. International and 20th Century Studios/Fox Studios Australia.

95%1 of our graduates are employed in the performance industry within six months of graduating, with over half working in the screen sector, both locally and internationally. Many students, especially NIDA costumiers, propsmakers and technical theatre specialists, have promise of employment in these studios before graduating. Industry placements in 2020 include: VOCATIONAL DIPLOMAS Belvoir Coliseum at West HQ Colourblind Touring Darlinghurst Theatre Company Embrace For Every Curl Foundation Theatres Glasshouse Port Macquarie Gordon Frost Organisation JPJ Audio Opera Australia Sydney Festival Sydney Theatre Company

BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS Adam Mada, Magic Incredible Adelaide Festival Centre Adelaide Fringe Festival Alexander Berlage, Lighting Designer Australian Ballet Belvoir City of Sydney Council Cross Pollinate Productions Dan Oliver, Special Effects Darlinghurst Theatre Company Disney Australia Disney Production, Fox Studios Eleven Design Pty Ltd Endless Adventures Inc Erth Theatre Company Form Dance Projects G. Fletcher Cinema, Threads (AFTRS short film) Goalpost PICTURES, Carmen Gordon Frost Organisation Louise Withers and Associates Marvel Studios (Thor: Love and Thunder and Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings) Midnight Feast Theatre Company Monkey Baa Theatre National Theatre UK, War Horse On Stage New Ghosts Theatre Collective Opera Australia Patch Theatre Company Pinchgut Opera, A Delicate Fire (short film) Pink Cactus Return Fire Productions Sydney Conservatorium Sydney Costume Workshop, Hamilton Sydney Dance Company Sydney Festival Sydney Theatre Company Technical Direction Company Three Thousand Years of Longing, Production Kennedy Miller Mitchell

MASTER OF FINE ARTS ASSITEJ Arts Gathering (Kristiansand, Norway) Cambodia Living Arts (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)

Christopher Oram, Designer (London, UK) Codarts (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Contemporary Arts Centre (Glasgow, UK) Elaionas Refugee Camp (Athens, Greece) Meow Wolf (Sante Fe, USA)

National Portrait Gallery (London, UK) South East Dance (Brighton, UK) Talking Stick Festival (Vancouver, Canada) The Momentary (Arkansas, USA)