Proudly supporting the Woodford Folk Festival, JMC Academy Students got a chance to get involved in this must-attend event!
Celebrating the rich and colourful creative community of talent, Woodfordia Inc. presented Woodford Folk Festival on the Woodfordia grounds, hosted by the traditional custodians of the Jinibara Nations. Held annually for the past 33 years, the 34th edition was held between the 27th of December 2019 to the 1st of January 2020.
An immersive experience of inclusivity and culture featured a programme of performances, debates, workshops and panels for the diverse audience of all ages and nationalities. Whilst COVID-19 postponed the celebration of the 35th Woodford Folk Festival, we are looking back on the time JMC staff and students spent enjoying the opportunities and creativity that Woodfordia offered in 2019/20.
We caught up with one of Brisbane’s Film + TV students Nathan Byrnes who got a chance to be at Woodford and work with the team talking experience and must-adds to your Spotify playlist.
What was your role during Woodford?
Over the week I worked as a Multicam camera operator. I got to film dozens of musical acts and seminars with two fellow students. We would set up in 3 positions around each stage so we could capture every detail of the festival’s events.
What did you learn from your experience?
I learnt the value of teamwork and the collaborative efforts that are needed in my field of study. I also got a chance to learn how to operate within a large-scale event, Woodford Folk Festival was a great example of what the future could hold for me.
What were some of the highlights of the festival?
The Lime Cordiale concert at the Woodford Amphitheatre was an insane show! I got to be stage side with my camera with a roaring crowd behind me, which is a thrill unto itself. They say it was the largest crowd of all the acts to play at the festival. A new band called The East Pointers made an appearance at the event. I think they’re a new favourite of mine now, added straight to my Spotify playlists. The team and I didn’t want to stop filming them! The food and drink stand’s, simply superb! You’ll never go hungry at Woodford, that’s for sure.
Want to study Film + Television Production at JMC?
Is this something you would like to do in the future?
Absolutely, what an exciting way to spend the last week of the year. The experience you can gain from an event like this is priceless. I can only hope I have the chance to do it again!
Why do you think opportunities like this are important for students?
The team at JMC work hard to offer some extremely eye-opening opportunities to the students here in Brisbane. Opportunities like the Woodford Folk Festival are critical for students to understand the wider opportunities that are out there post-graduation. It also is a highly sought out education experience that’ll help students in future whether it be in film, TV or media endeavors.
