Meet the School of Communication and Creative Arts

Today we speak with Donna McRae: Donna was nominated for Best Direction in a Feature Film under $1 million dollars by the Australian Directors Guild in 2019. She is the course director for the Bachelor of Film, Television and Animation (Honours).

What do you teach at Deakin?

Donna: I teach in Screen and Design at Deakin. I am Course Director for the Bachelor of Film, Television and Animation (Honours), working with 4th year students to contextualise their ideas through research and creative practice.

How would you describe your creative practice?

Donna: As a filmmaker I am undaunted by ‘swimming against the tide’. I work across colour, black & white, long takes and multi-channel video with fluency. My particular interrogations of ghosts, 19th century gender roles and post-punk rock‘n’roll offer a surprising and powerful potential. My work is moving image based, incorporating feature films, video installations and music videos. All of these non-traditional research outputs address the possibilities of memory and haunting and interrogate how we carry memories inside us. Most of the work has horror genre tendencies. I aim to make my micro and low budget feature films part of a larger effort to explore localised social concerns and push the limits of the medium to be part of international debates around contemporary horror genre outputs. The horror genre presents a rich vein in which to cultivate contemporary ideas and modes of production.

Who has been your biggest influence on your career to date?

Donna: The American filmmaker Kelly Reichardt has been a big influence. Her films are low budget and she makes small stories that have universal appeal. This minimal sensibility – long takes, privileging images over dialogue, is something that I try to interrogate in my own work.

What do you consider your greatest achievement in life?

Lost Gully Road, feature film (2017)

Donna: Being nominated for Best Direction in a Feature Film under $1 million dollars by the Australian Directors Guild in 2019 was a big thrill. I was so happy that my work was acknowledged amongst my peers. Also, completing a Phd – was such a fantastic experience that opened so many doors for me.

What has been your favourite Deakin experience?

Donna: There are many favourite Deakin experiences, as it is a great place to be. At Burwood I love the actual campus – the buildings, the amazing facilities, the library with its very knowledgeable staff, the choice of vegan food in the cafes and the creek that separates the two campuses. I also like being able to connect anywhere to Deakin remotely, our digital capabilities are very impressive.

How would you describe the Deakin learning experience for students?

Donna: The Deakin learning experience is complex and very industry facing. We offer students production based, hands on learning, so they really get a chance to find out what it is like to work in the film and tv industries. We also offer a wide range of subjects, so students can experience many aspects of their chosen career.

What is your best advice for someone looking to enter a creative career?

Donna: Find out what you are passionate about, and then follow it. You may not know yet, so a first year of any course will help you experience different disciplines within the chosen creative path. One you have decided, then concentrate on that. Also make sure you immerse yourself in the field. That means watching films, and showing up to any talks, festivals, etc. Collaboration is key in the creative careers, especially filmmaking, and meeting other like-minded people is a great start. You never know where those connections will lead.

Dr Donna McRae teaches Screen and Design and is the Course Director of the Bachelor of Film, Television and Animation (Honours).