Lights, camera, action: behind the scenes of Griffith’s election coverage

Film students had the chance to work behind the scenes on a series of exclusive video shoots for Griffith’s federal election coverage.

The video content is showcased on Griffith’s federal election hub, Below the Line, which provides expert analysis ahead of polling day on 18 May.

The project is a collaboration between Griffith Business School, Griffith Film School and LiveLab.

The film students worked on a roundtable panel discussion shot at the Griffith Film School studios, getting the opportunity to develop a range of skills, from live camera work to lighting, sound recording and production design.

First year Bachelor of Film and Screen student Daniel Hayter worked as a camera operator, and said the shoot gave him much-needed industry experience.

“I want to get involved in as many productions as I can while I’m at film school,” he said.

“I’ve never done live filming before, so it was good to experience that high intensity set up – you have to get each frame locked in and set in a few seconds, and it’s important to get it right first time.”

Daniel said he enjoyed working with the team from Griffith Business School.

“I really enjoyed collaborating with people from different corners of Griffith,” he said.

“It’s amazing to be able to use our skills to provide a platform for their experience and knowledge.”

LiveLab Creative Director Richard Fabb, who heads up Griffith Film School’s commercial production arm, said the shoot was a great example of the benefits derived from cross-disciplinary collaboration.

“A project like this exemplifies what is great about Griffith, and it’s a great reminder that opportunities to collaborate exist across a diverse range of disciplines.”

Below the Line compiles expert analysis from Griffith academics, information from the Regional Innovation Data Lab’s Data Dashboard and the Policy Innovation Hub’s Machinery of Government blog, and the latest episodes from the University’s political podcast, A Middle Ground.

It highlights Griffith’s interdisciplinary approach to election coverage and commentary, calling on the expertise of academics from across the University to present a comprehensive, multilevel picture of the local electoral landscape.