Leading creatives at launch to welcome Victoria’s new high-tech Miramar teaching facilities
Opened by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister the Hon Paul Goldsmith MP, the Centre builds on Victoria’s longstanding close relationships with Park Road Post Production, Weta Digital and Weta Workshop, while marking a new partnership with Miramar Creative Ltd, whose directors include Oscar-winning film editor and producer Jamie Selkirk.
Mr Selkirk and his co-director Kristy Grant “shared our vision for creating a facility that would provide educational opportunities in the creative sector for people at all ages and stages of life”, Victoria’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Engagement), Professor Frazer Allan, told the launch, which was attended by leading figures from Wellington’s film world and other creative industries, along with University staff and students, whose work was on display.
“Jamie is the owner of this building and the University has worked with Jamie and Kristy to turn it from effectively a warehouse into a purpose-designed building featuring top-of-the-range facilities, with industry-standard studio spaces, recording and editing suites, computer labs and a workshop. It is also equipped with green screen and music recording facilities, high-end camera gear, motion capture technology and the same software used by film production companies around the world,” said Professor Allan.
From left, Jamie Selkirk and Kristy Grant, of Miramar Creative Ltd, Victoria’s Professor Frazer Allan, and Ann Selkirk.
As well as the Master’s courses, Miramar Creative Ltd would be working with the University to organise short courses, workshops and New Zealand and international speakers and mentors for the wider creative community, said Ms Grant.
“Our objective at Miramar Creative Ltd is to help support the next generation of creative talent by nurturing a learning pipeline that produces not only creative and original but critical and strategic thinkers that have the practical and transferable skillset to prepare themselves for the increasingly competitive and ever-changing world in which we live,” she told the launch.
Welcoming Victoria to Miramar, Cameron Harland, Chief Executive of Park Road Post Production, says: “Park Road’s relationship with Victoria is very strong and longstanding, especially our collaboration with Professor John Psathas and the New Zealand School of Music. We are delighted Victoria has had the foresight to open a campus in Miramar to forge even closer and collaborative ties with the creative industries on the peninsula. I am sure it will create a wonderful pathway for students and graduates to add value to our industry and ultimately the New Zealand economy.”
Tanya Buchanan, Recruitment Manager at Weta Digital, says creative professionals working in Miramar are as excited by The Victoria University of Wellington Miramar Creative Centre as the students now joining them.
“It inspires the professionals,” she says. “I think they are excited to contribute to the careers of younger artists and share their knowledge. There’s a real enthusiasm within Weta Digital for involvement in this programme and there are a lot of opportunities for this to grow. I think for the students it’s a boon to see what this industry is really about—that there are people from all over the world with many diverse skillsets that contribute. And it’s not simply ‘I want to be an animator’, it’s a vast array of experiences and skills.”
David Wilks, General Manager of Weta Workshop, says: “Weta Workshop has had a strong relationship with Victoria University over the years, specifically through the School of Design in the area of 3D modelling and fabrication technology. As a result of this collaboration, we are pleased to have a number of Victoria graduates within the Weta Workshop crew. We welcome Victoria to the Miramar creative community and look forward to the future expansion of our collaboration.”
The Centre has also been welcomed by the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency, whose Interim Chief Executive, Derek Fry, says it will be “a magnet for exceptionally talented people wanting to learn their craft right at the source of the Wellywood magic”.
Mr Fry says the local creative sector will reap the benefits.
“As well as the large companies that everyone knows, we have smaller businesses across the region who will be delighted to gain access to exceptionally well-trained creative professionals. Content creation for established and emerging media is a growth industry, not only for entertainment purposes, but for marketing, education, gaming and a range of other applications. This facility will help Wellington stake out an even greater claim as the place to collaborate with the very best in creative storytellers.”