ABOUT THE MAKERS SERIES
Showcasing the outstanding work and personal stories of creative industry professionals, SAE’s Maker Series of live events provides a platform for creatives to share their inspirational journeys and industry insights.
Featuring in-depth presentations and Q&A sessions with industry experts from a wide range of creative, media and technical practices, each event will explore a particular discipline of study.
Throughout these events, we’ll explore the complex creative journey – from idea to execution – by inviting ‘makers’ to showcase their work and share insights from celebrated projects.
Episode #5: The Makers Series_
The Art of Live Looping
SAE Music lecturer Andy Vollmer and globally recognised artist Dub FX will take you behind the scenes of his live performance process, revealing how voice, looping, and technology come together to create powerful, real-time music.
This session is a must-attend for anyone interested in music production, audio engineering, live performance, and independent creative careers.
- Gain valuable insight into live music production and performance
- Learn how independent artists use technology to create and perform in real time
- Ask all your burning questions during our Q&A session
- Network during our meet and greet
- Plus, register & attend for your chance to win a Boss RC-505 Mk II Loop Station valued at over $1000!
When: Thursday 19 February, 6:30pm – 8pm (AEST)
Where: SAE Brisbane
ABOUT OUR GUEST
A globally recognised independent artist, Ben Stafford (known professionally as Dub FX) rose from busking on the streets of Europe to redefining live music performance through the art of the ‘one-man band’.
Using only his voice, looping technology, and effects, he creates powerful, genre-blending performances that fuse hip hop, reggae, and drum and bass.
As a pioneer of viral live music videos on YouTube, Dub FX has amassed more than 100 million views worldwide, building an international following without the backing of a major label.
Throughout his career, he has challenged traditional music industry pathways, proving that artists can succeed independently through innovation, authenticity, and direct connection with audiences.
Now based in Lisbon, Dub FX continues to tour globally, inspire emerging musicians, and push the boundaries of live production, highlighting how creativity and technology can empower artists to build careers on their own terms.
1. Promoter
The promoter of this prize draw is SAE Institute Pty Ltd trading as SAE University College (ABN 21 093 057 973) of Australia (“Promoter”).
2. Prize Draw Period
The competition is conducted in conjunction with The Makers Series_: The Art of Live Looping event held on Thursday, 19 February 2026, from 6:30pm to 8:00pm (AEST) at SAE Brisbane Campus (“Event”).
3. Eligibility
Entry is open to any person who registers for and attends the Event in person and are present at the Event by 7:30pm local time.
Employees of the Promoter and their immediate family members are ineligible to enter. For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, “immediate family members” means a spouse, de facto spouse, parent, child, sibling, or household member. Current SAE University College students are eligible to enter.
4. Entry Method
Entry into the draw is free. To enter, eligible entrants must register for and attend the Event in person. Attendance is confirmed when the attendee checks into the event via the registration desk. Attendance constitutes one (1) entry into the competition. Only one (1) entry per person is permitted. Multiple entries from the same person will be deemed invalid.
5. Prize
One (1) prize will be awarded:
Boss RC-505 Mk II Loop Station
The approximate retail value of the prize is AUD $1,099. The prize is not transferable, exchangeable, or redeemable for cash or any other alternative.
6. Prize Draw
The prize draw will be conducted at random at 10:00am (AEST) on Friday, 20 February 2026, at SAE Brisbane Campus. Each valid entry has an equal chance of winning.
7. Winner Notification
The winner will be notified by telephone and/or email within two (2) business days of the prize draw. The Promoter may publish the winner’s name on SAE Australia’s website and/or official social media channels.
8. Unclaimed Prize
If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within two (2) business days of notification, the prize will be deemed unclaimed. A redraw will take place at 10:00am (AEST) on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, at the same location, subject to any applicable laws. The redraw winner will be notified in accordance with clause 7.
9. Prize Delivery
The prize will be made available for collection or delivery within thirty (30) days of the draw date, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the winner.
10. Privacy
Personal information collected in connection with this competition will be used solely for the purposes of administering the competition and awarding the prize, and will be handled in accordance with the Promoter’s Privacy Policy and applicable privacy laws.
By registering, entrants grant the Promoter permission to publish their name in connection with the prize draw, should they be declared the winner.
11. Verification and Disqualification
The Promoter reserves the right to verify the eligibility of entries and entrants and to disqualify any entrant who tampers with the entry process, submits an entry that is not in accordance with these Terms and Conditions, or engages in conduct that may compromise the fair and proper conduct of the competition.
12. Limitation of Liability
To the extent permitted by law, the Promoter excludes all liability for any loss, damage, or injury (including indirect or consequential loss) suffered or sustained in connection with the competition or the prize.
13. General
The Promoter reserves the right to amend, suspend, or cancel the competition if circumstances arise outside its reasonable control. The competition is conducted in accordance with state law and Australian Consumer Law.
PAST EVENTS
The Maker Series: Elvis VFX Deep Dive welcomed students, alumni and industry enthusiasts to an inspiring behind-the-scenes look at one of Australia’s most iconic recent films. Held at SAE Brisbane and streamed live via Zoom, the event featured Will Gammon, Executive Creative Director at FIN VFX, who shared his journey and deep industry insight with attendees.
Will took audiences inside the visual effects process behind Elvis, unpacking how FIN VFX transformed bold creative concepts into cinematic reality. Through iconic scenes and real-world examples, he highlighted the collaboration, innovation and technical precision required to bring Baz Luhrmann’s vision to life.
The session also explored career pathways in VFX and the evolving Australian screen industry, reinforcing SAE’s commitment to connecting emerging creatives with experienced professionals and real-world industry practice.
The Maker Series: Creating Characters for Screen & Games brought together students and creatives for an exclusive online session with Hollywood-based Concept Artist and Character FX Designer, Ehsan Bigloo. The event offered a rare insight into the creative processes behind some of film, television and gaming’s most memorable characters and worlds.
Drawing on his extensive experience across major productions including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, IT Chapter Two and AAA game titles for EA BioWare, Ehsan unpacked the role of concept art and creature design in the entertainment pipeline. He shared his personal career journey, creative influences and practical advice for emerging artists looking to break into the industry.
In SAE University College’s second instalment of The Makers Series, Reel Talk on Film Production, award-winning film and television producer Nicole O’Donohue inspired students across the country with valuable insights from her work on Australian and international productions.
Award-winning Film & TV Producer, Nicole O’Donohue
Nicole O’Donohue is an award-winning Sydney-based film and TV producer with over 20 years of experience bringing stories to life on screen. Her diverse body of work spans feature films, television series and documentaries, earning accolades both in Australia and internationally.
SAE Film Lecturer, Dr. Robbie Studsor
Robbie Studsor is an award-winning Australian independent director/producer and film lecturer. He has worked across various independent feature length and short productions for over a decade and in 2018, his feature film debut as director was sold internationally.
How did Martin Kwok help build the sonic world of one of the biggest films of the year?
That’s what he sat down with the ABC’s The Art Of… host Namila Benson to discuss as part of SAE’s first instalment of The Maker Series in Sydney on Wednesday 27 November. In the first of SAE’s The Makers Series, Emmy-winning sound creative Martin Kwok gave students an inside look at the making of Dune II.
Martin is a sound and dialogue editor working out of Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post in Wellington New Zealand. His impressive resume includes work on The Beatles: Get Back, The Lord of the Rings franchise and King Kong.
SAE students attended the event in person and online, getting an inside look at Martin’s creative journey and the opportunity to ask questions. From a teenager throwing warehouse parties, Martin described almost “falling in” to working with Peter Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh on their incredible catalogue of films.
“I am so incredibly fortunate that I am surrounded by people [like Peter and Fran] who gave me a lot of their time to actually teach me when I was starting out, and so speaking at The Makers Series is my turn to give back, which is great,” he said of the event.
The highlight was Martin’s deep dive into the detailed behind-the-scenes work that went into his “most challenging project to date”, Dune II.
WATCH EVENT RECAP
