MEET THE CREW
Meet the Director/VFX Artist
Bill Robertson is a 24-year-old male student based in Sydney. He is a screenwriter, director and actor, who started his film career with his studies at NIDA in 2018 for a Diploma of Stage and Screen Performance. Since then, he has shifted from working on stage productions and in front of the camera to working behind the camera, writing as frequently as possible and getting involved in as many projects as he can. He found himself working on multiple AFTRS grad projects between 2019 and 2022 working as either the 2nd Assistant Director or as an Actor. This year he started studying for a Bachelor of Film Production Degree at SAE Creative Media Institute Sydney with the intent on further pursuing a career as a writer/director. 'MAGIC!' (2023) was his third short film that he has directed, with his first being ‘The Unknowable Call’ (2023) and then ‘Poolside Suicide’ (2023).
Meet the Writer/Production Designer/BTS Photographer/Marketing Director
Jasmine Zolerick is an 18-year-old female student based in Sydney, currently studying a Bachelor of Film Production at SAE Creative Media Institute. Before SAE, Jasmine attended film workshops at Excelsia College’s Open Day (2022) where she experienced lessons on production design and composition, at AFTT (2021) as an assistant camera operator and another at AIE (2023) where she tried DOP, sound recordist and gaffer. She also studied IT Multimedia at St Andrews College Marayong where she received a Band 6 and 1st place in her cohort for her production ‘Take a Trip to Tamworth’ (2022), with her earliest experiences of short films with ‘A Mother’s Promise’ (2017), ‘Mission Failed’ directed by Angelique Anastassiou, and most recent directed and written by her, ‘Just Call’ (2023). At SAE, she has opened herself to a range of roles such as sound recordist, boom operator, editor, writer, director, most recently production designer and continuity supervisor. With all these opportunities, Jasmine’s love of film was never immediate, and grew through her passion for musical theatre, singing, writing songs and dancing, her biggest inspiration to write ‘MAGIC!’, always being so encapsulated in the way music is brought to the screen.
Meet the Producer/Boom Operator/Post Sound Team
Melanie Dobson is a 19-year-old female student, currently studying for a Bachelor of Film Production at SAE Creative Media Institute. She has worked in the sound department for her previous short film productions at SAE, including ‘The Lonely Hearts’ (2023, directed by DaeShann Higgins), ‘Ringtone’ (2023, directed by Melanie Dobson, Marco Gheri, Mateus Santos and Connor McGeorge), and ‘God As My Witness’ (2023, directed by Reuben Chippeck), where she was also part of the production design department and co-producer, as well as being the sound/audio mixer in post-production. Prior to commencing at SAE, Melanie acquired a range of experience in acting, particularly theatre and musical theatre, working with Sport For Jove Theatre Company (2016-2018), as well as NIDA courses outside of her regular schooling. She has been in multiple theatre productions throughout her 13 years at Hills Grammar School, for both co-curricular and HSC Drama, before graduating in September 2022. Melanie’s love for musical theatre drew her toward toward the production of ‘Magic!’ (2023, directed by Bill Robertson), leading her to be chosen as the producer and sound assistant, as well as boom operator on the set. She looks forward to making ‘Magic!’ come alive on screen in Summer 2023.
Meet the Director of Photography/Posters Creator/Post Sound Team
Kye Eade is a 22-year-old student based in Sydney, currently studying film at SAE Creative Media Institute. After set and costume designing their first film ‘8 Billion’ (2023) directed by Bryana Wicks and earning an HD, Kye found a true interest and passion for getting behind the camera. ‘MAGIC!’ was the perfect opportunity for them to lean into the role of Director of Photography. They knew that a musical would provide a range of complex shots with intricate movement and focus pulling, which instantly drew them to the project. With no previous experiences in this particular role, ‘MAGIC!’ served as a leap into the unknown for Kye and an immense challenge, but they found themselves immersed in the project and put their all into designing and curating the shots for the film.
Meet the Editor/First Assistant Camera
Marco Gheri is an Italian Film Student, currently studying at SAE Sydney. He studied Film for 6 months at the Accademia Nazionale di Cinema in Bologna, and did a 6-month course at DAMS in Florence, in the branch of Cinema. His Passion for moving pictures started at a very young age, he was always fascinated by the magic of making a movie. He moved to Australia in 2011, doing all sorts of jobs, gaining experience and learning about other cultures. After 12 years, he finally obtained Australian citizenship and started right away the Bachelor in Film at SAE in Sydney. Between 2013 to 2017 he participated in the creation of the student shorts Hallucination Part 1, Matt and Complex, in the role of Assistant Director, Gaffer and Actor. In 2019, he participated in 3 days of shooting of a pilot TV series for director Emma Jaay (Beijing Being 2015) in the role of Assistant Director and Sound Recordist. He participated in the creation of 8 Billion, directed by Brianna Wicks, as AC and Trailer under DOP Ziggy, which got us High Distinction from our teacher.
Meet the Sound Recordist/Gaffer/Colourist/Trailer Creator
Dylan Richmond is a 20-year-old student, based out of the Northern Beaches in Sydney, currently studying at SAE Creative Media Institute. Ever since he saw Back to the Future for the first time at the age of 15, Dylan knew from that point he wanted to be a filmmaker. From the way the film was shot, edited and written, it was the first film Dylan ever truly loved, and it made him realise this was something he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Since then, Dylan has written, directed and edited countless films. He was the editor and 1st AD on “Homeslice” which was made a year ago in Studio One, Dylan had differed for a year to explore other avenues in the industry. While deferred, Dylan won The Sutherland Shire Cut Short Film Festival in 2022 as a co-writer and director, and obtained a job at Fox Sports in Artarmon, working in staging for countless broadcasts, where he still works today as well as studying full time. Dylan’s favourite genre of films is musicals due to his family's extensive history with on-stage performance, so he was honoured to be a part of the crew for the film.
Meet the First Assistant Director/Post Sound Team/Trailer Creator/Titles Designer
Ambrosia Hayes is a 19-year-old student, based in Sydney, currently studying at SAE Creative Media Institute. After joining a small unofficial film class, they became fascinated and proceeded to find a passion for the filmmaking process. As a part of that, has taken effort to seek out filming opportunities since then. Ambrosia was drawn to Magic!, intrigued by the prospect of a short Musical, and invested in doing their best as part of a team to make it work. This was their second time being 1st Assistant Director, the first being A Poolside Suicide (2023). After seeing the progression of the script, and the ideas for the production design, from Jasmine, Ambrosia became very interested in this project. The process of making this film has indeed been a life changing experience, that will be taken far into the future, as a reference that shall henceforth inform how the filming process can be viewed.
Meet the Composer/Music Producer
Matthew Forbes is a Sydney-based creative who has been involved in the performing arts from the age of 8. Throughout his time at university, he was heavily involved with Sydney University Dramatic Society (SUDS) as a sound designer, musician, director and actor. He wrote several original songs for SUDS’ 2022 major production, Everynight, and co-composed music for the society’s productions of All Things Must Pass (2021) and Macbeth (2020). Elsewhere, he helped to create a live score for Jetpack Theatre’s 2018 production of Flowers & O’Jim with his former band, Manor Ants, and performed as a musician in New Theatre’s production of One Man, Two Guvnors earlier this year. He also composed music for the award-winning short film Bare Bones (2021), and plays bass and keys for Sydney band Finding Better Health. His main passion, however, is making mashups for the sole purpose of torturing his friends.
©2023 by magic!themusicalshortfilm