Celebrating our graduates – Celyren Phipps & MacKenzie Curtis

Graduates Celyren and MacKenzie share a love of film and media, leading them to create their own short film and form a film production company.

Graduates Celyren and MacKenzie met in RMIT’s Bachelor of Communication (Media) program. Their shared passion of film and media has allowed them to form a film production company and begin developing their own short film. We chatted with Celyren and MacKenzie to find out what the future holds for them.

Q: Can you tell me more about your film production company and script idea?

A: We’ve both really interested in telling and being a part of stories, which are outside of the boundaries of what has typically been presented in film and television particularly in relation to female-focused stories.

We’ve written our first short film which we are hoping to develop into a limited series and pitch to networks. The film draws inspiration from the popular Australian outlaw stories but seeks to highlight women in those stories. We’ve got a couple of ideas we are wanting to flesh out post-graduation.

Q: How does it feel to be graduating?

A: We’re both really excited to graduate and start the journey towards our career. It feels like a big turning point in both of our lives, and we’re keen to continue our learning and engagement with the industry.

RMIT graduates Mackenzie Curtis & Celyren Phipps

Q: What has been a highlight at RMIT? Why?

A: Having done two years of our degree online has been difficult, with a lot of our opportunities being diluted and put online, however, RMIT and our tutors always encouraged us to experiment with our creative process and go for our ideas no matter how big. This has been a highlight as it’s allowed us to learn to trust ourselves and take our creative work in a direction which excites us.

Q: What are you excited about for life after university, or do you have any plans?

A: We’re both seeking out opportunities for work on sets. We know that we still have a lot of learning to do and the best was to do that is through work. We’re also continuing to work on different projects and hoping to get funding for our first short film and go from there.

Q: Do you have any advice for someone who may be starting your degree?

A: Our advice would be to take advantage of all the opportunities available to you, sometimes they might not be laid out right in front of you but seek them out! We both got involved with RMITV in the management team as the General Manager and Content Manager and this gave us experience and skills which has been completely unique and valuable to our development. Also, try everything, don’t be too stuck in your ideas of what you want to do, be open to everything while you can be and learn as much as you can from those experiences.

14 December 2021

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RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

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Celebrating our graduates – Celyren Phipps & MacKenzie Curtis