Anthony shared the projects he’s worked on for Warner Bros, Stan and New Line Cinema, advice for up-and-coming artists who want to succeed in the creative industries, and how he linked up with a former university lecturer on an upcoming Netflix show.
Giving back
“I have really enjoyed seeing new talent and fostering it. We’re only in the second week of the trimester, but you can already see some students have the potential to go far in the industry. The quality of work is quite good, and with some refinement, I can lead them in the right direction.”
Anthony has achieved a successful career as a storyboard artist on films and shows like Mortal Kombat, The Tourist, Gold, and Eddie’s Lil’ Homies. As a key part of the pre-production phase, Anthony brings scripts to life in the form of visual representations of scenes.
“In a live film, storyboarding will provide some context for what the visual effects, makeup, costumes and props teams may need, and even down to what type of camera lens the production team will use. It can be a money saving exercise, as you need to make sure all the crew are actively working on set.”
Looking back on his latest project for Netflix, Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp, Anthony gave an insight into the opportunity to work with his former university lecturer, Greg Holford, whose mentorship played a pivotal role in shaping his career journey.
“That was a great project to work on as Greg was my supervisor, and he taught me how to storyboard. I also collaborated with him on Mortal Kombat, which was my first job after graduation. He fostered my professional development, and that’s something I’m hoping to repay [for a student] in the future.”
Golden age for games
Away from the classroom and storyboarding, Anthony is also the founder of Golden Age Studios, and is passionate about creating jobs and opportunities for South Australians within the rapidly growing video games sector.
“The video game development industry is thriving in Australia with $345 million in income generated by Australian studios last financial year, a 21 per cent increase compared to the previous year,” Anthony said. “Golden Studios is about generating home-grown original games that inspire players.”
Creative tips
Anthony emphasised that there is more than one route to a successful career in the creative industries, so long as people are “open minded” to improving, while proactively networking.
“A good portfolio, which illustrates the ability to adapt to different styles, is critical. LinkedIn is a vital platform as that’s where they’ll find all the recruiters for potential jobs,” Anthony said.
“The learning journey doesn’t end at a tertiary level, it’s just the beginning. Somewhere like SAE is great to help students understand new theories and concepts, but once students graduate, they need to continue with that culture of looking to continually improve. You must love the process.”
