Meet our student
Michael Ciccone
Course of study:
Bachelor of Journalism 2006
How would you describe the path you have taken to get you to where you are today?
Essentially around the time I was getting close to graduating from La Trobe I was beginning to feel that I no longer had a passion for journalism, or at least being a journalist. Thankfully, I had taken the opportunity to take some introductory subjects that broadened my horizons. These included: Writing for Video with Peter Hughes and Single Camera Theory with Angie Black. Looking back on them now, and working in film and TV, they were fairly basic in content level but what they did for me was open me up to a world which I had never considered as a career path.
Subsequently, through La Trobe, I was afforded the opportunity to work on the Commonwealth Games as a camera assistant and from there I was able to meet other like-minded filmmakers and work out where I was going to fit in the bigger picture.
That was 2006, and since that time I have produced documentaries based in Beijing, and started my own company in Truce Films. I’ve taken on other short courses and am currently undertaking my Masters in Producing at another institution.
It’s been an insane few years, but at the moment I couldn’t be happier. Our business is thriving, our reputation in advertising is growing and people seem to really like our work. And that puts a smile on my face.
Do you have a personal philosophy that you bring to your work?
It is not necessarily my personal philosophy, but I read this about someone else and it resonated with me as I have a similar approach. And that is - to be hard on the work, but not on the people. Basically, I like to build a happy team around me (almost like a small family), I have a genuine interest in the lives of the people I employ and would happily buy them a beer or two on a day off. But when it comes to the work we do, I try and set the bar high and expect results. This means I have to be clear and precise in my briefs and feedback.
What has been your greatest career highlight/s?
This year our short film, Kitchen Sink Drama was selected as one of the 16 finalists at the 20th Anniversary of Movie Extra Tropfest. It was a great thrill and a definite highlight for one of our productions to be seen by some big names in the industry, as well as hundreds and thousands of viewers around Australia.
But starting my production company and getting it to where it is today is my biggest achievement. I have two business partners and each of us has put in a lot of effort to ensure the quality of the work we produce is to a certain standard, to educate ourselves and also to simply develop relationships with clients, industry partners, practitioners and even the general public as an audience. We’re only two years old – so we have a long way to go until we’ll be happy, but it’s a rollercoaster ride I am enjoying for the moment.
Do you have any sage advice for those starting out in their careers?
It took me a while to find my feet in the industry and I’ve also met a lot of up and comers in my time, and so through that I think I have learnt a lot about ‘best approaches’ and what people are looking for. The only thing I can really say is to get some general experience early, put your hand up and volunteer your time to get onto other productions and use that time to find out where you fit, what job you want to do and then focus your energy at getting good at that. That might mean undertaking a more specific type of study (i.e. direction, or cinematography). What I believe though is that there is no point at being just ok at a lot of different disciplines, be focussed and be great at one!
Where to from here?
Hopefully in the next few years we can settle on a script for our first feature film and get that up off the ground. In the meantime I want to keep growing our business in advertising, finding new clients, and building our reputations individually as producers, directors and cinematographers.
What is your lasting impression of La Trobe?
La Trobe was a great place to study. I made some long-lasting friendships with some classmates, who have all kicked on to do great things, and at times I even look back and laugh at the days when I used to co-host a sports focused radio show on the old station. But most importantly it gave me a basis with which I could enter and tackle the real world. (They were) some of the most important years of my life and I’m glad I spent that time at La Trobe.
