From Car Meet to Film Production: The Journey of a Filmmaker

Cameron Van Hooft’s interest in filmmaking was sparked in 2017, when he witnessed two stunning Nissan R34 GTRs in Bayside Blue at a car meet. This experience ignited his talent for cinematography and he began filming more car events, starting with a budget smartphone.

In 2019, Cameron graduated high school and enrolled in the Certificate III in Screen & Media  (CUA31020) course, which led him to pursue a Diploma of Screen & Media (CUA51020). His teacher saw potential in him and helped secure a spot in the Diploma program, where he learned various components of the field, including directing, writing, camera operation, sound recording, lighting, and editing.

Alongside his filming endeavours, Cameron has been running a gaming YouTube channel called "The Aussie Gamer" since 2017, which has a niche in racing games and tech reviews. With 17,000 subscribers, the skills he learned from YouTube have also helped improve his filmmaking skills.

Cameron's pursuit of a Bachelor's degree in Digital Media at Southern Cross University was a strategic move, as the location of the university was in the same building as his previous TAFE Queensland Diploma program. This made the transition between programs effortless and convenient. The affordable pricing of the Bachelor's degree was also a factor in Cameron's decision to attend and the program allowed him to transfer credits from his TAFE Queensland Diploma.

According to Cameron, TAFE Queensland offered an excellent learning experience, with teachers who were dedicated to supporting students and ensuring their success.

“The teachers I had were heavily involved in the industry, and you could see they had a passion that the students also held,” Cameron said.

“The best thing is that even after finishing the Diploma I’m still in contact with these teachers, and they are still proud of what new and past intakes are producing!”

Along with his academic pursuits, Cameron runs his own video production company, ONTIME Media Productions. He specialises in creating corporate videos, which provides him with the freedom to explore various film directions. He aims to assist businesses in their growth through photography and video services, thus expanding his own business in the process. He values the independence and creative control that comes with running his own business.

To succeed in the highly competitive film industry, multi-skilling is essential. Cameron suggests taking on different roles in various productions to gain a broad range of skills and quick-thinking, as unexpected changes may arise during filming. Through his experiences, Cameron has learned that success in the film industry requires the ability to write, produce, edit, and distribute content.