Mark Gambino is a postgraduate student who undertook the Master of Creative Industries as an epiphany of the pandemic – or “End of Days” as he has referred to it. We chat with him about the development of his experience as a creative practitioner in film and the opportunity the pandemic has provided him to pivot in his career.
Meet the Masters
– Student Edition –
NAME: Mark Gambino
COURSE: Master of Creative Industries
Why did you decide to start postgraduate study?
The ‘dawning of End Times’, aka the COVID-19 pandemic, came as a sort of reckoning for my career. I was at a point where I was comfortable in my work and producing great results while working with amazing clients and collaborators, but this period made me aware I could be doing more with my skills and experience.
“A boat looks good in a harbour, but that’s not what a boat is built for.”
I saw the Master of Creative Industries (MCI) course as a path to consolidate and focus my skills while obtaining a greater level of understanding of the industry to aid a career #pivot.
What is your professional background?
After studying acting at University, I freelanced as a writer for lifestyle publications and news outlets before moving into an editorial position with a contract publisher, working across print and web publications. I then picked up a camera and began shooting live entertainment, music, and major events on a freelance basis.
This grew into a full-time freelance career where I worked with major arts and cultural organisations, documenting events and productions. I then freelanced for a few mainstream media outlets, both as a journalist and a photographer.
I also performed the role of Marketing Manager for a few independent theatre companies, which allowed me to develop skills in marketing and promotions while working with directors to create imagery for show promotion.
In recent years I turned to developing my narrative writing skills, taking short courses with institutes like Second City Chicago, Harold Ramis Film School, and Sundance. I channelled this experience to write and perform my first solo comedy show and began developing concepts for TV and film.
I’m currently in development for my first genre feature film and a comedy TV series and am currently wrapping up post-production on my first short film.
Tell us about your capstone project.
My goal is to use the MCI program to produce pitch material for a feature film concept—including look-book, key art, sizzle reel, sample score, and pitch documents—culminating in a proof-of-concept trailer. This will take a two-prong approach to firstly gain a comprehensive understanding of industry, context, and audience, as well as a creative practice, then production of the practical components.
Aside from realising the project goals, it will also demonstrate my capabilities to any prospective employer, co-producer, or collaborator in the future.
What are your motivations behind creating the capstone project?
The immense amount of disruption in the film industry over the last few decades has resulted in democratisation and demystifying of the processes behind the production and a commensurate number of opportunities for emerging content producers.
The underlying outcome of this shifting landscape is the increasing potential of fledgling artists to enter the industry more easily and potentially encourage cultural change with their works.
My project will leverage this paradigm to position my creative practice in just such a way, and hopefully offer opportunities for others in the industry in the process.
Could you please tell us about the workflow and processes behind your project?
My projects alternate between highly structured and loosely contained chaos.
The benefits of transitioning my career from stills photography to film allow me to utilise existing skills, such as developing techniques and technical and post-processing and place them within a moving image workflow.
Understanding the technical parameters behind ‘filling the frame’ frees me to focus on the creative elements and the story. In a collaborative setting, this means gathering stimulus (references, colour palette, textures, inspirations, etc) to inform creative development and direction, before moving into production and then post.
Approaching each stage initially in a structural way allows for creative exploration once these initial ideas are explored and fulfilled and an internal feedback loop kicks in, which can take a project literally anywhere.
I’m talking about ‘happy accidents’ and their siblings ‘beautiful oops’ and ‘kill it with fire’.
What are your career goals for the future?
To create stimulating/confronting and relevant works to contribute to the Australian creative and entertainment community that challenges the cultural zeitgeist and inspire others to do likewise.
What drew you to work within the creative industries and to become a creative practitioner?
I believe we’re all storytellers. We tell stories to form bonds with those around us and hopefully find meaning and purpose in our existence. Even popcorn entertainment can yield moments of connection through laughter or adrenalin.
I find the potential of any creative work to move people in this way inspiring and humbling. How could I not want to strive for this outcome every waking hour?
How does completing the MCI online suit your lifestyle?
The flexibility of study with the MCI program means I can fit study and course work around my schedule. While lectures are at set times, viewing recordings after the fact is as simple as hitting a hyperlink.
The ability to tailor my MCI study to my life in this way was a primary factor in choosing SAE.
What are your top three tips for working online and staying motivated?
- Be organised – know what you must achieve and when, conduct research in advance, and be open to tangents and detours along the way. Never underestimate the power of the subconscious to work for you once you’re properly prepared.
- Develop a routine – having a daily routine that enforces structure allows you to focus on study and creativity without distractions.
- Work for balance – all work and no play… It’s important to build socialising, exercise, and downtime into your academic schedule to recharge and invigorate your life and studies.
