Project leadership
Ana Sanchez Laws, Assistant Professor, Media Arts & Production
Faculty of Arts & Design
Bldg, Floor & Room: 9, C3
Telephone: (02) 6206 8729
Facsimile: (02) 6201 5999
Ana.SanchezLaws@canberra.edu.au
Dr. Ana Sanchez Laws is Assistant Professor at The University of Canberra teaching Arts and Design. One strand of her research focuses on the use of new technologies to address contested political stories, issues of diversity and social inclusion, and representing the natural environment. She has written a book on these issues, Panamanian Museums and Historical Memory (Berghahn Books 2011), as well as produced a number of documentary projects. Prior to her academic work, Ana was co-owner of a media prodution company in Costa Rica, producing commercial and non-commercial work for the web, TV and radio. Her film works have been screened in Latin America and Europe, and her videoart work has been exhibited around the world in Spain, Italy, Germany, Norway, the United States, Argentina, Costa Rica and Panama.
Faculty of Arts & Design
Bldg, Floor & Room: 9, C3
Telephone: (02) 6206 8729
Facsimile: (02) 6201 5999
Ana.SanchezLaws@canberra.edu.au
Postgraduate research supervision
Ross Gibson, Centenary Professor
Ross Gibson is Centenary Professor of Creative & Cultural Research at the University of Canberra. In this role he works collaboratively to produce books, films and artworks and he supervises postgraduate students in similar pursuits. During the early 2000s he was Creative Director for the establishment of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image at Federation Square in Melbourne. Prior to that, while working at the University of Technology in Sydney, he was a Senior Consultant Producer during the development and inaugural years of the Museum of Sydney. Over the past twelve years he has held Professorial posts at UTS and the University of Sydney.
Stephen Barrass, Associate Professor, Media Arts and Production
Stephen Barrass is an Associate Professor in Digital Design and Media Arts at the University of Canberra. His thesis on Auditory Information Design is among the most influential works in data sonification, and other contributions to the field include design patterns, psychoacoustic methods, acoustic sonifications, and the open source Mozzi sonification synthesiser. After completing his Ph.D. Stephen took up a postdoc in the Virtual Environments group at the Fraunhoffer Institute in Bonn, where he pioneered interactive sonifications for oil and gas exploration and automobile engineering in the Cyberstage Virtual Reality Theatre. He then became involved in interactive storytelling productions for Trade Shows, Exhibitions and Museums, and developed an immersive visualisation of the Pastoral Symphony for the Beethoven Haus Museum, and a VR game for children at the Animax Multimedia Theatre in Bonn.
Ross Gibson is Centenary Professor of Creative & Cultural Research at the University of Canberra. In this role he works collaboratively to produce books, films and artworks and he supervises postgraduate students in similar pursuits. During the early 2000s he was Creative Director for the establishment of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image at Federation Square in Melbourne. Prior to that, while working at the University of Technology in Sydney, he was a Senior Consultant Producer during the development and inaugural years of the Museum of Sydney. Over the past twelve years he has held Professorial posts at UTS and the University of Sydney.
Stephen Barrass is an Associate Professor in Digital Design and Media Arts at the University of Canberra. His thesis on Auditory Information Design is among the most influential works in data sonification, and other contributions to the field include design patterns, psychoacoustic methods, acoustic sonifications, and the open source Mozzi sonification synthesiser. After completing his Ph.D. Stephen took up a postdoc in the Virtual Environments group at the Fraunhoffer Institute in Bonn, where he pioneered interactive sonifications for oil and gas exploration and automobile engineering in the Cyberstage Virtual Reality Theatre. He then became involved in interactive storytelling productions for Trade Shows, Exhibitions and Museums, and developed an immersive visualisation of the Pastoral Symphony for the Beethoven Haus Museum, and a VR game for children at the Animax Multimedia Theatre in Bonn.
Undergraduate units and Masters supervision
Tim Thomas, lecturer, Course Convener Bachelor of Media Arts and Production
Tim Thomas teaches Media Production in the Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of Canberra. From 1986 to 1998 he worked extensively within the Film and Television industry, working his way through the camera department hierarchy, and when he wasn't doing that he sold pots and pans. In 2000 he started his second childhood studying visual art at the ANU National Institute of the Arts.
Tim Thomas teaches Media Production in the Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of Canberra. From 1986 to 1998 he worked extensively within the Film and Television industry, working his way through the camera department hierarchy, and when he wasn't doing that he sold pots and pans. In 2000 he started his second childhood studying visual art at the ANU National Institute of the Arts.
Susan Thwaites, Lecturer, Course Convener Bachelor of Film Production
Susan Thwaites teaches documentary, short film production and screenwriting. Her training is in cinematography from the Australian Film, TV & Radio School. Susan has gained industry awards and nominations for her cinematography work in both fiction and non-fiction categories. She is an accredited member of the AACTA in the Chapter of Screenwriters. Susan's skill set in cinematography, screenwriting and drama production offers students in the Documentary Masters program supervision for doco-drama projects, dramatized elements within their work, as well as assistance in writing a treatment and script specific to the documentary form.
Susan Thwaites teaches documentary, short film production and screenwriting. Her training is in cinematography from the Australian Film, TV & Radio School. Susan has gained industry awards and nominations for her cinematography work in both fiction and non-fiction categories. She is an accredited member of the AACTA in the Chapter of Screenwriters. Susan's skill set in cinematography, screenwriting and drama production offers students in the Documentary Masters program supervision for doco-drama projects, dramatized elements within their work, as well as assistance in writing a treatment and script specific to the documentary form.
Advisory board
Tina Davis, Documentary filmmaker
Tina Davis studied television and film at the University of Westminster from 1993–1996, and has worked as a director and producer since 1997, starting out as a researcher, TV journalist and director for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK. Since then she has made documentaries and other productions from about 16 different countries. From 2000–2002 she was head of Strix Television, which was Norway's biggest TV production company at the time. Ms Davis has also been a documentary teacher at the International Film and Television School in Cuba from 2000 to 2003. Her 2009 film (also produced as a documentary series for television) Modern Slavery, co-directed with Thomas Robsahm, was awarded the Norwegian National Film Award Amanda for Best Documentary.
Tina Davis studied television and film at the University of Westminster from 1993–1996, and has worked as a director and producer since 1997, starting out as a researcher, TV journalist and director for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK. Since then she has made documentaries and other productions from about 16 different countries. From 2000–2002 she was head of Strix Television, which was Norway's biggest TV production company at the time. Ms Davis has also been a documentary teacher at the International Film and Television School in Cuba from 2000 to 2003. Her 2009 film (also produced as a documentary series for television) Modern Slavery, co-directed with Thomas Robsahm, was awarded the Norwegian National Film Award Amanda for Best Documentary.
Abner Benaim, Director, Apertura Films
Benaim began his filmmaking studies at Camera Obscura, Tel Aviv. He also studied Directing Actors with Marketa Kimbrell from NYU, and has worked on various Israeli, Panamanian and US film productions. Before his film career, Abner Benaim received his BA in International Relations at the University of Pennsylvania, studied Art in Florence, Italy, and worked as an entrepreneur in Panama. Several of the films produced and directed by Benaim have won acclaimed awards in the international community, including New York Television Festival, Monte Carlo TV Festival, and Haifa International Film Festival. Articles about his work have been featured in Rolling Stone Magazine, Gatopardo magazine, CNN in Spanish, and more.
Benaim began his filmmaking studies at Camera Obscura, Tel Aviv. He also studied Directing Actors with Marketa Kimbrell from NYU, and has worked on various Israeli, Panamanian and US film productions. Before his film career, Abner Benaim received his BA in International Relations at the University of Pennsylvania, studied Art in Florence, Italy, and worked as an entrepreneur in Panama. Several of the films produced and directed by Benaim have won acclaimed awards in the international community, including New York Television Festival, Monte Carlo TV Festival, and Haifa International Film Festival. Articles about his work have been featured in Rolling Stone Magazine, Gatopardo magazine, CNN in Spanish, and more.
Visiting Fellows
Ms Magali McDuffie
Dr Adam Hughes-Henry
Mr Simon Cunich
Research Candidates
Mr Kris Kerehona
Ms Louise Curham