Australian Film, Television, and Radio School

MSAB is the Schools only 'adult' course as the Head admitted to us.
It also runs intermittently and seems to be an experimental exercise by those in charge. First meeting half the class quit as they were told the promised mixed attendance (evening / weekends / holidays) had been changed without warning to fulltime blocks around school holidays. As several people had come interstate and changed work situations etc no one was impressed.

They also changed the structure again in the next semester and at the start of the next year (2 year program) without consulting or any warning again. Each time seemed astonished that students lives were impacted - every permanent staff member seemed to be a career arts bureaucrat and have zero empathy with working folks.

Structure was a standard MBA with coursework around Business planning , finances and management. Strategy and marketing. Entrepreneurship and design thinking. Some useful options on Public Policy and Growth and Change management for a growing startup.

Strengths were a stream of visiting heads of studios, tv networks, production houses and senior media public servants who provided real world pragmatism cold water to the startup magic vibe. Also some inspiring innovators in the space (and an equal amount of less inspiring friends of staff members who spouted theory as their practical experience was obviously thin).

Also a class trip to Singapore to study a large animation studio and visit their film board etc for a week or so was valuable and fun.

The small class size (as half never came back after the first encounter) made for a tight group. Several have moved on to senior roles in the national film bodies and broadcaster and several of the other startups seem to be growing but no breakouts I've heard of.

There was much talk of alumni networks and follow up but it equalled less than nothing as when some of us started using the vaunted alumni network to communicate about media projects we got kicked off for overposting. As far as I can work out it merely exists for the school to post marketing to alumni and recruit them for events.

If you want to a business qualification in film particularly with the aim of senior management in a government film body this is the course for you. Helps if you are a diverse minority - AFTRS ran around in circles for this group.

Also if you have a business idea in the media space this gives you a couple of years to develop and document it.

Otherwise I'm not sure what point it would be.


This is a fully funded government course and a fraction of the cost of other MBAs for some reason. In Australia you can pay back student loans as your income grows so its not every onerous and frankly if you don't want to you dont have to unless you're that successful you cant hide your obligation.

Unlike the US its just not a large issue.