From a young age, SAE Melbourne Film Alumni, Daniel Aylett, had an interest in filmmaking and the ability to create fascinating stories. His passion and dedication is beginning to be recognised with his movie ‘Captured’ receiving over 2.5 million views on YouTube.

What inspired you to enter into the career you’re in?
I’ve always had a strong desire to tell engaging and compelling stories and I developed a love for cinema early on in childhood. Filmmaking ignited my passion for visual storytelling but also served as an outlet for ideas and artistic expression.

What are your fondest memories of your time at SAE?
My fondest memories of my time at SAE are of the chances it gave me to collaborate, connect and create. I remember enjoying the atmosphere and the way in which it allowed me to live, breathe and eat cinema 24/7.

Are you able to shed some light on how studying at SAE lead you to where you are now?
For me, studying at SAE was an opportunity to hone my filmmaking skills and develop my craft. It also provided me with an environment in which I could be creative, grow and collaborate with other like-minded, passionate people.

What are your career highlights?
I was fortunate enough to have some of my work attract a large, worldwide audience. A short film I made gathered considerable exposure overseas and this has lead to other great opportunities. I have also had the pleasure of working with some amazingly talented individuals on projects that were extremely rewarding.

What projects are you working on at the moment?
Currently, I am working on some projects in a producing capacity and I’m looking to develop more of my own projects this year. Right now I am writing a screenplay for another short film but also exploring the prospect of starting my own production company.

What advice would you give to students aspiring to become successful in their field?
There’s an abundance of advice out there but I truly believe that to be successful in your chosen field you need to have a combination of three things – passion, desire and belief.