I'm an American who decided to forego the film schools of my home country for a chance to study in an exotic locale and a more creatively friendly environment. I found both of those at APA in Sydney, Australia. I attended in 2004 - 2005 and walked away with a fantastic reel, dozens of friends from dozens of countries, and, most importantly, tons of experience. APA is a very hands-on school and it is run more like a two year training program than a traditional school where you sit and learn via text books, etc. (there isn't much "theory" or "film history" which for me was fantastic since I had already done a lot of that as an undergrad in the states - you go to APA to make films and that is what you do!) The full program is structured into two distinct years. During the first year the "foundation" is laid. This can be kind of the frustrating part of the program for some trainees, especially if you come into it with a lot of previous experience. First year curriculum includes learning on-set protocols and safety requirements, production managing and organizing shoots, working with sound recording, picture editing, and lots and lots of camera ops and grip work. You wind up learning a little bit about every job on a film crew - not just the one you are interested in studying - which is great because in the end you are able to do your job all the better because you understand how it impacts those around you. The school hires professionals already working in the industry as guest lecturers which is really cool. As I mentioned, the first year can be frustrating and chaotic but if you are patient and stick with it, it pays off. During the second year, the structure of the course changes drammatically. Those who choose to stick around for the second year spend the entire year in their chosen field. I'm a Cinematographer so I spent the entire year doing Cinematography. I ended up shooting three shorts on 16mm and a half-dozen or so video projects. (the number of shorts a DP gets to do is based on the number of other DP's and Directors in the program each year, so it can change from year to year. Directors only shoot one film during their second year but they get crewed on all the films as well) When I wasn't DP'ing I was working on other students' films as a Camera Operator, a Grip, or on the lighting crew. Like everything worthwhile, if you work very hard and put in the time, you will get a lot out of it. APA isn't the school for you if you aren't willing to work hard. The other great thing about the school is of course that it's in Australia. The Aussie film industry is pretty small compared to the States and this works to your advantage. You have much easier access to industry professionals and since it's a long way from Hollywood, you don't feel as much pressure bearing down on you. You can concentrate on having fun, being creative, and learning as much as you possibly can. Two of the films I shot at APA won awards from the Australian Cinematographers Society. (the American Cinematographers Society doesn't even acknowledge student filmmakers so you can see what I mean about industry access) The school is located in Artarmon which isn't the most attractive suburb of Sydney, but right around the corner from it are most of the major equipment houses and post-production facilities in Australia so its strategically located as well. The cost of attending the school is very inexpensive when you compare it to similar schools in the United States. And when you compare it to what you get out of the school in terms of a show reel and experience it becomes an excellent investment. I would highly recommend APA to anyone who is willing to work hard and try something different.

Review Submitted by: Matt Dreiling (unverified)