AFTRS names new heads of directing, documentary, cinematography and VFX

Rowan Woods.

AFTRS has appointed new heads of directing, documentary, cinematography and visual effects.

Head of directing is Rowan Woods, head of documentary Rachel Landers, head of cinematography Kim Batterham and head of visual effects Susan Danta.

“I am thrilled to confirm these new members of our team across the Discipline areas. Rowan, Rachel, Kim and Susan each have impressive careers as filmmakers as well as in teaching and I know our students across the curriculum will benefit from their incredible expertise and experience,” said AFTRS CEO Neil Peplow.

Woods, an AFTRS graduate, has a list of directorial credits that include The Kettering Incident, Nowhere Boys 3, The Straits, Little Fish and The Boys

Landers has been a lecturer at AFTRS since 2009; most recently she has been the subject leader for Non Fiction, developing and running the BA (Screen) and teaching the Master of Screen Arts.  A filmmaker and historian, Landers’s credits include Lest We Forget What and The Inquistion.

Batterham, a DoP in both film and television, has been an AFTRS lecturer and subject leader in cinematography since 2009. He recently shot Lost Tools of Henry Hoke, the documentary Black Panther Women and the drama series Chandon Pictures. Other credits include the documentary series First Australians.

Winner of the UNSW Art & Design Dean’s Awards for Teaching (Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning) in 2014, Danta is a content creator and animator. She was the series creator, director and animator of the acclaimed documentary series Heirlooms and has worked in recent years on design and animation projects for Shine Australia, SBS Television and Disney Channels AUNZ.

The four join the previously announced new head of editing Roland Gallois, head of sound Stephen Murphy, head of producing Peter Herbert, head of screenwriting Pieter Aqulia, head of radio Fyona Smith, head of screen studies Matt Campora, head of design Igor Nay and head of interactive  Catherine Gleeson.