A Guide for Film and Media Students
If you have chosen to pursue subjects like Visual Art, Drama, Music, or Film, Television, and New Media, you have probably heard at least one adult say something like, “That’s nice, dear, but what will you do with it?” It’s a familiar line that gets repeated far too often. The good news is that it is also based on some pretty outdated thinking. The Arts have always helped people understand the world, express ideas, and connect with each other. What has changed is that the twenty first century – and the rapid changes in technology it has brought – has made creative skills more valuable than ever.
Studying Arts subjects gives you a solid foundation for a huge range of careers and pathways, and the powerful skills you develop stay with you for life. Whether you want to work in the screen industry, become a digital designer, pursue university study, or simply become a stronger communicator, creative study is one of the smartest choices you can make in senior school.
This blog post unpacks why.
1. Creativity is a real world skill that employers want
There is a bit of a myth that creativity only matters in creative jobs. In reality, employers across almost every field are asking for people who can think imaginatively, generate ideas, communicate clearly, and solve problems in flexible ways. These are exactly the kinds of skills you build in Arts subjects.
In Film, Television, and New Media, for example, you learn how to take a concept and develop it into a polished piece of work. You learn how to plan, storyboard, shoot, edit, refine, and evaluate. These are the same stages used in industries like advertising, marketing, social media, game development, app design, journalism, and even engineering. The world is always changing and industries need staff who can adapt quickly and think ahead. That is the kind of mindset that Arts subjects help you develop.
2. You learn to express big ideas in powerful ways
Strong expression is a superpower. If you can communicate clearly, you can open doors that many people struggle to reach. In the Arts, you learn how to take ideas that might be difficult or emotional or complex and turn them into something audiences can understand and connect with.
Film, Television, and New Media is a great example. You learn how to use sound, lighting, framing, editing rhythm, and visual symbolism to shape how people feel and think. You learn how different audiences respond to different messages. You learn how to use technology to strengthen your voice. These are skills that matter if you want to become a filmmaker or a content creator, but they also matter if you want to become a teacher, a psychologist, a journalist, an entrepreneur, or anyone who deals with people.
Schools often talk about literacy and numeracy. Arts subjects strengthen another kind of literacy, which is visual and digital communication. In a world filled with media, this literacy matters a great deal.
3. Arts subjects help you understand how media shapes society
Almost everything we see online is designed. That includes TikTok trends, YouTube thumbnails, trailers, memes, visual effects, advertisements, and news footage. Learning how media works helps you understand how these messages are built and why they influence us.
In senior Film, Television, and New Media, you learn how media texts persuade, inform, challenge, and sometimes manipulate audiences. You explore representation, ethics, and the responsibilities that come with creating content. You learn why certain characters appear in some stories and not others, and how this affects the way people see the world. This knowledge helps you become an ethical creator who understands the impact your work can have.
Being media literate also protects you in your everyday life. It helps you think critically, question information, and see through misleading content. These are essential skills for modern citizens, not just creative students.
4. You gain technical skills that industries rely on
It is no secret that the screen industry is booming in Australia. Queensland has become a popular destination for international productions, and there are growing opportunities in animation, VFX, game development, and digital design. Even outside the entertainment industry, businesses are investing in digital content to communicate with customers.
Through Arts subjects, especially Film, Television, and New Media, you gain real technical skills with cameras, sound equipment, editing programs, production workflows, and digital tools. You learn how to collaborate, manage time, organise shoots, and deliver projects. These skills form the backbone of many jobs in creative and digital industries.
Even if you do not want to work behind a camera, knowing how digital content is made can still give you an edge in fields like communications, marketing, public relations, event management, tourism, journalism, and education. Many university courses recognise this and welcome applicants with creative portfolios.
5. You learn resilience and confidence through hands on work
Arts subjects push you to try things, take risks, and experiment. Sometimes your project will turn out beautifully. Other times the lighting will be wrong or the audio will clip or the edit will not quite match what you imagined. This is not failure. This is learning.
One of the most valuable things students gain from Arts subjects is confidence in their own creative process. You learn that ideas can evolve and that mistakes can lead to interesting discoveries. You learn how to give and receive feedback. You learn how to keep going when things do not come easily. These skills translate directly into adult life and make you a more resilient person.
6. The Arts build community and connection
Creative work brings people together. When you produce a film, you collaborate with actors, camera operators, editors, designers, and sound recordists. When you rehearse a drama performance or paint in a studio, you share ideas and learn from your classmates. This sense of connection can make school feel more meaningful and enjoyable.
For many students, Arts subjects become the place where they feel most themselves. They discover friends who appreciate the same things. They discover passions that help shape their futures. These experiences are just as important as the academic content itself.
7. Studying the Arts can lead to diverse and exciting pathways
Not everyone who studies Film, Television, and New Media will become a director or cinematographer. Some will, and that is fantastic. Others will take their creative skills into very different areas.
Former Arts students work in design studios, government departments, schools, advertising agencies, film sets, game studios, real estate offices, newspapers, tourism boards, and tech companies. Creativity is needed everywhere.
If you choose to continue your studies after school, universities and TAFEs offer pathways into media production, screen and sound design, journalism, public relations, communications, animation, and similar fields. Many students also start their own businesses. The gig economy and social media have opened doors for young creators like never before.
Final thoughts
Choosing Arts subjects is not just about making cool projects, although that is definitely a perk. It is about building the skills that modern life demands. Creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking are the tools that help people thrive in a changing world. By studying subjects like Film, Television, and New Media, you are giving yourself a valuable head start.
So be proud of your choices. Trust your creative instincts. Keep learning and experimenting. Your work has the power to influence how people think and feel. That is an incredible responsibility and an exciting opportunity.
Your journey as a creative thinker has already begun, and the world will always need people who can imagine something new.
