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Red carpet moment for film student
Imagine walking the red carpet, then taking your seat in a packed cinema to watch a film you both directed and star in.
For TAFE Queensland graduate Danial Coggan, that vision became reality.
“My film was put forward for the EMERGE! Student Short Film Gala as part of the Gold Coast Film Festival, which was really cool,” said Danial.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed being there and seeing the film on the big screen.”
Danial’s sci-fi action short was selected as one of the top 14 films from graduating students across South East Queensland.
Shown at HOTA (Home of the Arts), Anomaly marked its first public screening, giving Danial the opportunity to see how the audience responded to his work.
“It was kind of surreal, feeling the emotions of the of the crowd change in response to what they were seeing,” he said.
Running for just four minutes, Anomaly is designed as the opening scene of a larger film concept - a teaser that leaves audiences wanting more.
“I’d love to do it on a larger scale one day,” said Danial.
A graduate of the Diploma of Screen and Media (CUA51020), Danial credits TAFE Queensland with giving him a strong foundation in filmmaking.
“It was a nice entry point to study film. The Diploma covers a broad spectrum of things you can do in film – setting up cameras, lighting, editing, VFX, script writing.”
In fact, Danial enjoyed the experience so much, he admits he wasn’t quite ready for it to end.
“I wish I was still doing the Diploma,” he said.
As for what comes next, Danial is hoping to turn his passion for screen production into a career.
“I would be thrilled to get some kind of production or postproduction role,” he said.
“I feel like the dream that a lot of us film students have is to be able to make films with your friends and get paid for it.”