DANIELLE ASTON

Byron Bay Film graduate Danielle Aston recognised her passion for film allowed her to enter a career that she could immerse herself in as well as achieve deep satisfaction. She has already travelled to India to work on a variety of projects, including one for MTV India.

What inspired you to enter into the career you’re in?
I observed the passion with which so many of my friends attacked their projects within the creative industries. A handful in particular could easily watch an entire evening vanish and the sun appear again, as they completely immersed themselves in their art. I asked myself ‘When had I felt that kind of peace and all consuming passion for a project?’. My answer was ‘when editing video’ – And that was all I needed to know, I enrolled in a film degree!

What are your fondest memories of your time at SAE?
My fondest memories are probably just hanging out in the common areas, having production meetings and such. Byron Bay is an amazing campus, with a beautiful community of students and teachers who really support and care for each other. Rocking into SAE in the morning was always a pleasure, with too many smiling faces and Hi5s around to count!

Are you able to shed some light on how studying at SAE lead you to where you are now?
SAE gave me a wealth of local and international collaborators, industry experience and the business strategies that enable me turn my ideas into reality.

What are your career highlights?
Working in India was amazing, I worked on three very different projects there, all very challenging. It took a lot of guts to pull that trip off, and although it was hot and stressful and crazy most of the time, I am very proud of my time there and the opportunities that opened themselves to me. One of my projects went on MTV India. Another highlight was working at Splendour in the Grass 2013. Filming onstage next to acts like Drapht, Alpine, The Presets and Fat Freddy’s Drop was unforgettable!

What projects are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am working on promotional content for a range of clients…. it keeps the money coming in, but stay tuned because I have some very exciting things on the horizon!

What advice would you give to students aspiring to become successful in their field?
Give it all you have got!! The more people, techniques, gear and projects you can work with, the better. Keep putting yourself out there because trust me, the right people will take notice!