Film and screen production courses
Want to work in film and screen production? A certificate teaches the basics of the craft, while a diploma or a degree builds a portfolio and specialist skills. Here's what each course leads to, how long it takes and what it costs.
- Quickest way to start
- 4 months
- Certificate IV, full time at TAFE NSW
- TAFE cost from
- $1,320
- subsidised Certificate III, TAFE NSW
- What the jobs pay
- $62,400 to $102,700
- median pay across 9 jobs, some estimated
Which course do you need?
None of these jobs needs a set qualification, but these courses teach what employers look for.
A certificate in screen and media
Start out in screen production
Support a shoot on set or in a studio, moving equipment, helping the crew and learning how a production runs day to day.
A job it helps withProduction Assistant
Median pay$62,400 (estimate)
Helps, not required. Employers hire on skills and experience as well as study.
- How long it takes
- 4 to 12 months full time
- What it costs
- $1,320 at TAFE NSW if you're eligible for a subsidised place, or $8,350 full fee
- How you'll study
- Online or on campus
Diploma of Screen and Media
Work as a video editor
Cut footage into finished films, television episodes and online video, choosing the takes and building the pace of the story.
A job it helps withVideo Editor
Median pay$102,700
Helps, not required. Employers hire on skills and experience as well as study.
- How long it takes
- About 0.5 to 8 years full time at TAFE NSW
- What it costs
- $13,755 at TAFE Queensland if you're eligible for a subsidised place, or $18,420 full fee
- How you'll study
- Online or on campus
A bachelor degree in screen production
Work behind the camera
Plan and run the camera on a production, choosing the lenses, framing and light that give a scene its look.
A job it helps withCinematographer
Median pay$101,400 (estimate)
Helps, not required. Employers hire on skills and experience as well as study.
- How long it takes
- 2 to 4 years full time
- How you'll study
- On campus
You don't have to do it all at once
You can start as a production assistant, keep studying as you work, and take on bigger jobs as your portfolio grows.
- Get your first work on setA certificate covers the basics of screen and media while you look for work as a production assistant.
- Move into editing or producingThe diploma is for people already working in screen who want to run their own projects or find clients as freelancers.
- Go further with a degreeA degree adds depth and a finished portfolio, which helps with specialist camera, writing, directing and production roles.
How much it costs at TAFE
If you're eligible for a government-subsidised place, you pay much less than the full fee, and in some states these courses can be free. Here's what each TAFE lists.
| TAFE | State | Certificate III | Certificate IV | Diploma | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subsidised | Full fee | Subsidised | Full fee | Subsidised | Full fee | ||
| TAFE NSW | NSW | $1,320 | $8,350 | $1,980 | $13,330 | Not listed | Not listed |
| The Gordon | VIC | $1,679 | $5,989 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| TAFE Queensland | QLD | $3,070 | $5,305 | Not listed | Not listed | $13,755 | $18,420 |
TAFE NSWNSW
- Certificate III
- $1,320 subsidised
- $8,350 full fee
- Certificate IV
- $1,980 subsidised
- $13,330 full fee
- Diploma
- Not listed
The GordonVIC
- Certificate III
- $1,679 subsidised
- $5,989 full fee
- Certificate IV
- Not listed
- Diploma
- Not listed
TAFE QueenslandQLD
- Certificate III
- $3,070 subsidised
- $5,305 full fee
- Certificate IV
- Not listed
- Diploma
- $13,755 subsidised
- $18,420 full fee
Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, checked 20 September 2026. “Not listed” means the TAFE doesn't show that fee online. Private colleges set their own fees.
The screen production degrees compared
All three degrees prepare you for work in screen production and all of them include practical projects. They differ in what they cover, how much of the course is hands on and how long they take. Some can be studied online at one or more providers.
- Certificate III in Screen and MediaThis is a starting qualification for people who want to work behind the scenes in screen, media and radio, in roles like editing assistant, camera assistant, podcast producer or assistant sound technician.How long4 to 12 months
- Certificate IV in Screen and MediaThis certificate is for people who want to work in screen and media, covering fields as different as film and television, radio and podcasting, animation and visual effects, sound and lighting, and specialist make-up.How long4 to 12 months
The screen production degrees compared
All three degrees prepare you for work in screen production and all of them include practical projects. They differ in what they cover, how much of the course is hands on and how long they take.
- Bachelor of Film and TelevisionA broad degree with screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, sound and visual effects, plus the history and theory of screen media from many countries.How long2 to 4 years
- Bachelor of Screen MediaCovers film, television and online video, including newer methods such as virtual production, alongside screen history and theory. The shortest of the three at most providers.How long2 to 3 years
- Bachelor of Screen ProductionThe most hands on of the three. You work on productions in different crew roles, covering filming, sound, editing and colour grading, and finish with a portfolio of your own projects.How long3 years
Other university courses
- Bachelor of Film (Production)2 to 3 years. A live action filmmaking degree covering directing, cinematography, sound, lighting, editing and production management, taught mostly through film projects.
- Diploma of Film1 year. A hands on introduction to filmmaking that covers scriptwriting, shooting, lighting, sound, directing and editing, and finishes with a project for your portfolio.
Jobs this study can help with
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, not a starting salary.
Film and Television ProducerStudy that can helpDiploma or a screen production degreeMedian pay$96,200 (estimate)- Video EditorStudy that can helpDiploma or a screen production degreeMedian pay$102,700
Camera OperatorStudy that can helpA screen and media certificate or a screen production degreeMedian pay$95,900
Video ProducerStudy that can helpDiploma or a screen production degreeMedian pay$93,600 (estimate)
Podcast ProducerStudy that can helpA screen and media certificateMedian pay$65,000 (estimate)
Film and Television DirectorStudy that can helpDiploma or a screen production degreeMedian pay$80,600 (estimate)- Production AssistantStudy that can helpA screen and media certificate or a screen production degreeMedian pay$62,400 (estimate)
- CinematographerStudy that can helpA screen production degreeMedian pay$101,400 (estimate)
AnimatorStudy that can helpA screen and media certificateMedian pay$96,200
“In demand” means the job is on the national skills shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure. Check the course and provider are approved for the work you want, as rules differ by state.
Still not sure which one fits you?
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