Film By
Film By provides teachers and students with filmmaking skills and expertise to tell their own stories. The program includes festivals, workshops and professional learning opportunities in film for teachers and students from all schools in NSW.
About Film By
Film By empowers both teachers and students with the art of storytelling through filmmaking, offering a comprehensive program that encompasses festivals, workshops, and professional learning opportunities. This initiative opens doors for participants from public schools across NSW to explore their creativity and hone their skills in the captivating world of cinema.
At the heart of Film By are the remarkable student filmmakers, spanning from Kindergarten to Year 8, whose achievements are celebrated in local cinemas throughout NSW as part of a series of dynamic festivals.
The exclusive Film By Invitation event elevates the excitement, spotlighting the most exceptional films from across the state and promising an unforgettable premiere experience.
Moreover, Film By extends its reach digitally, providing accessible resources and hosting enriching workshops statewide, ensuring that the magic of filmmaking is within reach for all public schools in NSW.
Enquiries
How to enter
Schools are encouraged to showcase their cinematic creations at their local Film By festival. For those without a nearby festival, fear not; you can submit your students' films to Film By Online.
Films must be no longer than 3.5 minutes and be G-rated.
All guidelines can be found on our how-to-enter pages.
Support
Resources
Lights, camera, action! is an online resource created by The Arts Unit that supports teachers and students in all aspects of filmmaking, including camera, story, sound, pre-production, production, and post-production.
You can also access CApture resources.
Film kits and equipment
Technology for Learning (T4L) loans film equipment to accommodate 30 students, with each kit containing 10 cameras for group work. To borrow, fill out a booking form. Explore the STEM.T4Lfilm kit on their YouTube channel.
Viva Engage
This year, we have a new Film By Viva Engage (Yammer) page. We encourage you to ask questions and submit any scripts for feedback through this platform.
Digital library
All films created by Film By Festivals from across the state in 2023 are currently online and curated into a digital library for schools to access. Schools might like to view these films with their students as stimulation for their films. There are 164 films in the collection.
Workshops
Apply for Film By workshops or email Film By Officer karishma.mathur@det.nsw.edu.au to express your interest in the Film By team coming to your local area for a workshop.
Film By Invitation
A ‘best of the best’ premiere event hosted by The Arts Unit. The 2023 red carpet event was held at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter. Submitted films were less than 3.5 minutes long and adhered to a G-rated film's guidelines. Films were submitted by individual students or by a small group of students.
Applications were by nomination through participating in a local Film By event.
This year, the FIlm By Invitation will be held in March 2025.
Learn more about festivals near you
- Film By the City (City Metro)
- Film By the Eucalypts (Blue Mountains)
- Film By the Farm (Regional South)
- Film By the Hospital
- Film By the Jetty (Regional North)
- Film By the Northern Rivers (Rural North)
- Film by the Pasture (Metro South and West)
- Film By The Sea (Southern Sydney)
- Film By the Vines (Hunter Valley)
- Film By Online (accepting all entries across NSW)
- Film By Invitation
Upcoming applications
Upcoming events
Film By – face-to-face teacher PL workshop (Lewisham)
Intermediate workshop: Fri 24 Oct 2025, 9:30 am to 3 pm
Film By – Years 5 to 8 individual student workshop (Lewisham)
Beginner workshop: Fri 24 Oct 2025
Programs
Film By 2024 is proudly supported by the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) and CompNow,
All Arts Units programs are inclusive. If support is required to participate in Film By, please email karishma.mathur@det.nsw.edu.au so we can assist.
