ACTF News

The ACTF delivers fun and engaging virtual learning events, supporting students to learn about how screen stories are told. These events provide access to industry professionals including authors, animators and actors who share tips of the trade and support students in creating their own media.

From comedy scriptwriting to creating animated characters and VFX, we’ve rounded up five of our past workshops which are now available on demand via the ACTF Education website.

Friendship and fun with Eddie’s Lil’ Homies (Years F-2)

Meet the characters in Eddie’s Lil’ Homies and learn how they navigate the fun and challenges of friendship. Each character brings unique skills and perspectives to the playground: embracing and respecting these differences makes the gang stronger!

In this engaging virtual workshop, AFL legend Eddie Betts discusses the characters in the 2024 children’s series Eddie’s Lil’ Homies, and what we can learn from their interactions. Students will apply their learning by designing a fictional character based on their qualities and skills. Follow-up activities for the classroom will also be provided to teachers.

Writing RUNT with Craig Silvey (Years 3-6)

In this Q&A session, Craig takes students behind the scenes of RUNT, a heartwarming and adventurous story following eleven-year-old Annie Shearer and her loyal dog Runt, who team up to save their family farm in the country town of Upson Downs.

This fun and engaging workshop shares Craig’s writing process and the journey of adapting his novel for the screen, offering young storytellers valuable insights into narrative, character development and screenwriting, while learning from one of Australia’s most celebrated writers.

Hardball Sound Design Virtual Workshop (Years 4-6)

Why is sound so important in television and film? How does sound help bring audiences into a screen world?

Go behind the scenes of the award-winning live-action comedy Hardball, where the series sound designers  share the process of planning, capturing and editing a soundscape. Students will learn about how foley sound is captured and be inspired to create their own foley soundscapes.

Round the Twist, Storyboarding and VFX Virtual Workshop (Years 4-6)

The storyboards for the children’s series Round the Twist were integral in the production of all the wacky and fun moments in the beloved series. Explore the iconic series and learn the importance of storyboarding when creating VFX (visual effects) and SFX (special effects) with Dennis Nicholson, VFX Supervisor for Round the Twist Series 3 and 4.

This resource also includes tips and tricks to create your own VFX in the classroom.  

Comedy Scriptwriting (Years 5-8)

When students are asked to write, they often think of essays, reports or stories. But what happens when we invite them to write for the screen, or better yet, to write comedy? Suddenly, the classroom fills with energy, laughter and collaboration. Comedy scriptwriting makes lessons fun – and it’s a powerful tool for building media and critical literacy. 

This workshop unpacks examples from The Inbestigators, Hardball and Little Lunch through short clips, script excerpts and engaging writing prompts, inviting students to step into the writer’s seat and create their own comedy scripts.