We make movies here

A start-up venture conceived on the park has been quietly making movie dreams come true for over three years.

Participate Film Academy is the only place in Australia that teaches you how to make a movie, while you actually make a movie. Sweet Marshall, released last month, is the fourth full-length feature produced by students at the school since it opened in 2005.

“Anyone in the industry will tell you that it takes superhuman effort to produce a feature film,” says Artur Kade, the founder and director of Participate. “Our students pull off this feat year after year from scratch, during our 12-month, part-time filmmaking course.”

Artur believes there’s no place quite like a film set to learn how to make a movie. His unique course teaches complete beginners how to create 90-minute features by guiding them through every stage of production, all the way from pitching the story idea to hosting a red carpet premiere.

Despite the gruelling effort required at times, the class of 10 students who made Sweet Marshall reckon they would do it all over again. Their film premiered at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter to a paying audience of over 750 family, friends and supporters on 22 April. It went on to screen in cinemas in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Wagga Wagga over the following four weeks.

“This is what makes our course so special. Students gain hands-on experience in every aspect of filmmaking and finish the course with a world-recognised feature credit. No other school offers that kind of opportunity.” From 2009, Participate is also delivering an accredited diploma version of the course.

The latest intake of students started classes last month and is already developing concepts for the next Participate movie, scheduled for release this time next year.

Meanwhile, you can still check out the trailers for Sweet Marshall on the Participate website.

participate.com.au