For Dr Anne Chesher, separating her work for some of the biggest names in the Australian screen industry from her role as a senior lecturer with SAE University College is like trying to unscramble an egg.
“I often wonder how I could really fulfil my students’ learning needs if I was not actively engaged in the industry,” she said.
“It’s so integral to the information and knowledge that I share with them. The creative industries are so dynamic and it’s so complex to keep abreast and ahead of opportunities, I find that working in the industry lets me keep my foot inside the door.”
As well as having taught with SAE for over a decade, Dr Chesher works on programs for brands from the ABC and SBS to National Geographic. Now, she is the president of the Australian Screen Production, Education & Research Association (ASPERA). She began the prestigious position in 2023.
“It’s extraordinary for me to think that I’m working with professors and associate professors and deans across all of the creative schools in Australia, and that I’m helping to steer a more effective collaboration between industry and curriculum.”
Some of the challenges facing the industry will also be addressed at the ASPERA conference in November, where several SAE faculty and students will present their research.
Dr Chesher approaches teaching with an industry-focus, an educational approach which aligns with the central ethos of SAE University College. SAE has been a leader in creative media education across animation, audio, creative industries, design, film, games, and music for almost 50 years.
Changing face of film
Dr Chesher said working collaboratively with the industry to produce job-ready graduates for screen production has never been more important.
One example is a project on which she is collaborating with two students, Kelsey Hall and Kristina Chapman, who are both screen and media teachers.
“It is a YouTube and TikTok project called : Stay Tuned To our Planet, and it’s 30 short episodes for young people with eco-anxiety, with a board of teenagers steering the content,” she said.
“It is part of an industry-wide trend towards the merging of impact and education.”
She said there’s never been a better time to begin a career in screen.
“We are dropping away from text, we are all looking at screens and we’re probably looking at screens for 12 hours a day; we move from one screen to another,” she said.
“So this is where the communication exchange is happening, and this is the direction that we’re going to in the future.”
“It makes me feel invigorated as an educator.”
