ACTF

Behind the Screen: Media Consumers and Creators Professional Learning

Year Level: Professional Learning

In this professional learning webinar, the ACTF Education team will introduce high-quality, curriculum-aligned resources that take students behind-the-scenes of Australian children’s screen content. These free resources support educators to explore the craft of storytelling in screen media and to inspire students to create and share their own stories with confidence.

Watch the session

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Production resources

  • Light and Colour Resource (Foundation - Year 2)

    Suitable for Foundation to Year 2, this learning resource provides activities to support learning about how colour and light is used to visually build a story and influence the audience mood when we watch or create ideas in animation. It includes both warm up and follow up activities that stimulate and extend the ideas presented during the 25-minute virtual workshop recording.

  • Character and Creature Design (Years 3 - 6)

    Suitable for Years 3-6, this learning resource shares interviews with creatives to explore the process of character and creature design in the children’s television program, The Deep. By working through the short learning tasks and video interviews, students discover the  character and creature design process first-hand from The Deep Producer, Avrill Stark and Creator and Art Director, James Brouwer. After students have learnt from these creatives they can research ocean creature and then use this inspiration to design their own creature for The Deep. 

  • Sound Design Resource (Years 4 - 6)

    Suitable for Years 4-6, this learning resource shares interviews with creatives and behind-the-scenes footage exploring sound design from the award-winning children’s television program, Hardball. It is structured so that students can work through the resource independently or as a class. By working through the short learning tasks and video interviews, students discover the importance of sound design first-hand from Hardball sound designers Serge Lacroix and Liam Whiting. After learning all about sound design, students can download our Foley Kit and create their own soundscape.

  • Digital Music Composition Resource (Years 3 - 8)

    Join the deadly artists from the Digital Lab, on Ngarluma Ngurra in Western Australia’s remote Pilbara region, to learn the process of making music for a television series. The factual series Red Dirt Riders features original digital beats composed by 16 First Nations artists working with music mentor, Mark Leahy. Gain access to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage starring the young artists who made the beats, then be guided in creating an original digital music masterpiece to combine with a scene from the series.

  • Story Building and Screenwriting Resource (Years 5 - 8)

    Suitable for Years 5-8, this learning resource shares interviews with creatives to explore the process of story building and screenwriting from the Australian children's television program, MaveriX. It is structured so that students can work through the resource independently in their production teams or as a class with teacher guidance.

  • Storyboarding, VFX and SFX (Years 5 - 10)

    The storyboards created in the planning for Round the Twist were integral as production tools for the wacky and fun moments from the series. Storyboards use visuals to effectively communicate ideas during the filmmaking process, producing a blueprint for cast and crew ahead of shooting scenes. VFX and SFX require planning and creative problem solving.

  • Comedy Scriptwriting Resource (Years 5 - 8)

    Comedy is a powerful storytelling tool that connects us through laughter and shared experience. This resource unpacks examples from The Inbestigators, Hardball and Little Lunch through short clips, script excerpts, a recorded virtual workshop and engaging writing prompts. Suitable for Years 5 – 8, students are invited to step into the writer’s seat and create their own comedy scripts.

  • 2025 NAIDOC Resource (Years 4 - 8)

    This resource provides a series of short clips, interview material and activities for students in Years 4 - 8. The Legacy Tree activity can be adapted for younger or older students. NAIDOC week is an opportunity for students to celebrate and champion First Nations screen stories in the classroom. The official week is 6 - 13 July 2025, with schools planning for activities throughout the year. The 2025 theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of young leaders, the vision of communities and the legacy of ancestors.

Upcoming virtual workshops

  • Exploring Animation: Behind the Scenes with Eddie’s Lil' Homies Virtual Workshop

    Virtual learning for Years F - 3. Get ready for an exciting ride into the world of animation with Eddie’s Lil' Homies! In this fun workshop, we'll go behind-the-scenes and share how your favourite characters are developed for the screen, from first sketches to final product.

  • Writing RUNT with Craig Silvey

    Join the ACTF and ACMI for a special virtual event with acclaimed Australian author and screenwriter Craig Silvey. In this engaging session, Craig will take students behind the scenes of RUNT - a heartwarming and adventurous film about eleven-year-old Annie Shearer and her loyal dog Runt, as they work together to save their family farm in the country town of Upson Downs.