SYDNEY FILM SCHOOL

WELCOMES YOU INTO THE

2025 FILMMAKING INTAKE

We are very excited to introduce you to your fellow filmmakers. You have all successfully interviewed to gain a place at Sydney Film School.

This page has all the essential information you need to know prior to Orientation Week.

MATERIAL COVERED ON THIS PAGE INCLUDES: 

  • Student Handbook
  • Filmmaking Intake / Photo Release
  • Student Email
  • Student Number
  • Getting a Unique Student Identifier (USI)
  • Opal Travel Concession Card
  • aXcelerate
  • Google Classroom
  • Waterloo Studios Floor Plan
  • Wi-Fi Access
  • Student Printer
  • Student Amenities
  • Student Uniform & Equipment Requirements
  • SFS T-Shirt Selection
  • Equipment Booking Policy and Booking Form
  • Student Health Intake Form
  • OnPsych and Referral Form
  • Orientation Week Timetable and Important Information
  • 2025 Timetable
  • COVID-19 Information

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Please click on the link below to access the Student Handbook and read through it carefully. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the school to speak with one of our friendly staff members. Once you have read through the Handbook, please click on the Declaration Form below, which will take you to a Google Form to complete. By completing this Declaration Form, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to comply with the information outlined in the Student Handbook and that you observe and comply with the SFS Policies and Procedures.

FILMMAKING INTAKE / PHOTO-RELEASE

We will be taking your photos for your student cards and class rolls on the first day of Orientation Week. You must complete the Photo Release Form below, which grants SFS the right to film/video or photograph you during scheduled classes and assessments, filmed or live performances, on set, on location or in Waterloo Studios common areas throughout your training.

STUDENT EMAIL

For the duration of your studies with Sydney Film School all course and school communications will be sent to your school student email address. Your email address has been successfully created. Please refer to your personal email, which you supplied to SFS upon applying, for your username and password. The activation email is titled: You have a new Google account for Waterloo Studios. 

If you did not receive this email, please check your spam or junk folder. If you have any questions about your account, please contact Donald Tare at [email protected] or call 02 9698 2244 from 9 AM-5 PM, Monday to Friday.

Your email will be in the form [email protected]

STUDENT NUMBER 

You will be allocated a student number and your student card during Orientation Week. Your student card will grant you access to Waterloo Studios.

GETTING A UNIQUE STUDENT IDENTIFIER (USI)

All students doing nationally recognised training need to have a Unique Student Identifier (USI).
What is a USI?

The USI is a reference number made up of ten numbers and letters that:

  • creates a secure online record of your recognised training and qualifications gained in Australia
  • will give you access to your training records and transcripts
  • can be accessed online, anytime and anywhere
  • is free and easy to create and
  • stays with you for life
Who needs a USI, and why?

If you are a new or continuing student undertaking nationally recognised training, you need a USI in order to receive your qualification or statement of attainment. If you don’t have a USI, you will not receive your qualification or statement of attainment. Your USI will give you access to an online record of the training you have done since 1 January 2015. You will also be able to produce a comprehensive transcript of your training. This can be used when applying for a job, seeking a credit transfer or demonstrating pre-requisites when undertaking further training. If you are an international student studying offshore and do not intend on coming to Australia to do your study you do not need a USI. However, if you are an Australian expat or resident student studying offshore with an Australian training organisation, you will need a USI. If you are an international student studying in Australia, you will require a USI. All International students in Australia will have been issued with an Australian Visa. Once you have arrived in Australia, your visa will be activated, and you will be able to apply for a USI.

If you ALREADY HAVE a USI – Find it here
If you NEED a USI – Create one here (International students must wait until arrival into Australia to apply.)
You will require your USI to be created prior to Orientation Week.
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OPAL TRAVEL CONCESSION CARD

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The Concession Opal card is available for SFS students. Only Australian Full-Time Students can get a “Student Concession” Opal Card.  International and Part-time Students must travel on an Adult Opal Card.

Plan your next trip to SFS – Trip Planner: transportnsw.info 

How to apply?

First, give your consent:

For privacy reasons, you’ll first need to complete the SFS transport concession consent form below, which gives SFS permission to share your details with Transport for NSW.
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IMPORTANT
PLEASE WAIT UNTIL THE END OF ORIENTATION WEEK BEFORE APPLYING FOR YOUR STUDENT CONCESSION CARD. WE MUST SUBMIT ALL YOUR TRANSPORT CONCESSION CONSENT FORMS TO TRANSPORT NSW FIRST AND HAVE THEM APPROVED BEFORE YOU CAN SUCCESSFULLY APPLY FOR YOUR CONCESSION OPAL CARD. (PLEASE NOTE: IT TAKES AT LEAST 5 BUSINESS DAYS FOR YOUR INFORMATION TO REACH TRANSPORT NSW.)
Next, consider where you need to travel: If you need to travel only in the Opal network (and not rural/regional NSW), you can apply for a Concession Opal card, giving you access to concession fares.

ORDER YOUR CONCESSION OPAL CARD HERE.

How to top up:

If you don’t add value to your Opal card when you first order it, you need to add some value before you travel. You can top up your Opal card:

Online and phone top ups may take up to 60 minutes to take effect and you must tap on at an Opal card reader within 60 days to collect the top up value on your card, otherwise your top up value will be reversed to your credit/debit card account. Some retailers require their customers to pay minimum transaction values or a service fee to cover credit/debit card merchant fees.

When travelling on public transport, you will need to have on your TWO Cards: Your SFS Student Card AND a Concession Opal Card.
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IMPORTANT. 
USE YOUR STUDENT NUMBER ON YOUR SAS STUDENT CARD AS YOUR STUDENT ID WHEN APPLYING FOR YOUR CONCESSION OPAL CARD, AND REMEMBER TO SET UP AUTO TOP-UP, SO YOU’RE ALWAYS READY TO TRAVEL.
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AXCELERATE 

To help you easily track your schedule, assessments and course, you will use our student management system aXcelerate.  Please watch the video below, which will show you a glimpse of the aXcelerate Learner Portal.

GOOGLE CLASSROOM 

In conjunction with aXcelearate you will use Google Classroom for correspondence with your tutors and your ensemble. Below is a step-by-step guide to installing and signing into your personal student account. Once you have signed in, you will be able to view all your noticeboards, classes and discussion boards.

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Sign in to Classroom?

You can sign in to Classroom with:

You must have an active internet connection to sign in. SIGN IN TO CLASSROOM HERE

Sign in for the first time:

Go to  classroom.google.com and click Sign In.

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Enter your SFS Education account ([email protected]) into the username field and click Next.
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Enter your password and click Sign in.
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If there is a welcome message, read it and click Accept.
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Click I’m A Student.
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Click Get Started.
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Get Started
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Now that you are signed in, you are ready to start using Classroom.
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Join a class:
To use Classroom, you need to sign in on your computer or mobile device and then join classes. Then, you can get work from your teacher and communicate with your classmates. When you join a class on one device, you’re enrolled in that class on all devices.
How to join a class:

Accept an invitation from your teacher — If your teacher sends you an invitation, you’ll see Join on the class card on your Classroom homepage.

Accept an invitation from your teacher:

Go to classroom.google.com.

On the class card, click Join.
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Join
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(Optional) To see if your teacher included a class overview, click the down arrow at the top.

An example class invitation and class is below; “Google Classroom Tutorial” Class. This Class is an example of all future classes you will be invited to. Donald will go through this page in detail during Orientation Week.

WATERLOO STUDIOS PLAN – GROUND / FIRST FLOOR

 

WI-FI ACCESS

All SFS students have access to the Wi-Fi network. The Wireless connection is:
SSID: Student
Password: breakaleg
You are expected to use the wireless network facilities only for your academic work. Please show consideration for others and refrain from providing access to unauthorised users, and obey all relevant laws. SFS reserves the right to withdraw services from all students if those services are generally misused, to deny access, and to take other disciplinary action against individual students who misuse these facilities. Students must not send or receive personal emails, use Instant Messenger, YouTube, Facebook or any other recreational use whilst in class.
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STUDENT PRINTER

The student printer prints A4 and A3 black and white and colour copies. All the computers in the school are connected to the Student Printer, which is located downstairs outside Edit Suite 2. Printing for SFS students is free of charge. If you would like to connect your personal laptop to the printer, you can find it via the student Wi-Fi using Bluetooth.

STUDENT AMENITIES 

You will have the opportunity to rent a locker from SFS. Lockers will be allocated on the first day of Orientation Week. To rent a locker, you are required to pay a $20 deposit (CASH), which will be refunded to you on your last day of training. To have your deposit refunded, you must return your locker key to the General Manager or Course Manager. Renting a locker is not compulsory.

The Student Common Area is equipment with a vending machine, toaster, sandwich press, microwaves, Nespresso coffee machine and fridge.  The fridge is for MILK ONLY. Any student food found in the fridge will be thrown away without warning. SFS recommends you bring your lunch to school in a cooler bag and store your lunch in your locker. We also recommend storing a plate/bowl, cutlery and cup in your locker for your personal use.

There is no student parking onsite at SFS. There is on-street parking around the school, with all-day parking on certain streets.

SFS is a NO SMOKING OR VAPING school and studio. Smoking and vaping are prohibited throughout all areas of the school, including the front and rear outdoor areas.

STUDENT UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

Students are required to wear, or must always have access to, closed-toed comfortable shoes: these shoes must be worn at all times within SFS unless directed by a teacher. Filmmakers are required to purchase their own External Hard Drive on which to store their work during the entirety of the course. All other equipment requirements will be administered through the Equipment Store. During Orientation Week, you will be shown the correct equipment/room booking procedures.

We suggest one of these three external hard drives:
Samsung T7 2TB SSD ** OR Samsung T9 2TB SSD depending on budget
They will also need these two cables, which may or may not be included with the hard drive they purchase:
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SFS T-SHIRT SELECTION

Each student will receive two SFS-branded t-shirts and a tote bag on the census date. Please complete the form below to indicate your preferred style and sizing. Students can select any styles and sizes they wish.

EQUIPMENT BOOKING POLICY AND BOOKING FORM

SFS maintains a wide range of equipment and facilities to support the educational programs and the learning experiences of students. It is essential to ensure that these facilities are available and in good condition at all times to avoid disruption or disadvantage to the students, courses, and the school’s activities in general. This policy below defines the parameters of student access to equipment that is property of SFS.

You will be required to use the school’s equipment for a number of assessments during your time at SFS. Every time you borrow equipment you are required to complete the below SFS Equipment Booking Form. You can download and print this form when required, or you can find it at the Equipment Store at Waterloo Studios. If you need assistance completing the below form, one of our friendly Equipment Store staff members will be happy to assist you.

You will find a Google Classroom invite in your student email inbox, inviting you to the SFS Resource class. Click “Join Class” or “Accept” the class invite.

Once you have accepted the invite, click on the ‘classwork’ tab and read the following documents;

  • Equipment Use Policy
  • Soundstage Use Policy
  • SFS Booking Forms – TVC and Music Video
  • Damage Report Form

STUDENT HEALTH INTAKE FORM

You must complete the Student Health Intake Form prior to Orientation Week. Click the form below to complete and submit. Your Health Form provides us with insight to better individually support you throughout your training when/if required.
Please note: your private Health Form will be viewed ONLY by the SFS Director of Education and SFS Course Manager. SFS Tutors will not have access to your personal health information without your consent.

ONPSYCH AND REFERRAL FORM

SFS has partnered with OnPsych to provide mental health services to individuals at no out-of-pocket cost (bulk billing without a gap fee) under a GP Health Plan. This entitles students to 10 sessions within a 12-month period with a psychologist or accredited mental health social worker.

To ensure there is no waiting period for you to access onPsych services, please follow these easy steps to obtain a GP referral.

  • Firstly, complete the Adult Referral Form below.

  • Book a double appointment with your GP
  • Advise them of your concerns regarding your emotional wellbeing
  • Obtain a referral under the Better Access Initiative (Item 2715/2700)
  • Have your GP fax the referral and the paperwork directly to onPsych at 1300 651 580 or via email at [email protected]
  • onPsych will then be in contact with you to arrange a meeting time online or at their office

For further information about onPsych services, feel free to contact Donald Tare, SFS Course Manager, or visit www.onpsych.com.au

Please note: any student wishing to schedule a session with onPsych will be cleared from class with approval and support from the Director of Education. All you need to do is communicate your appointment time to the Course Manager, Donald Tare, so that your Tutor can be informed ahead of class.

ORIENTATION WEEK TIMETABLE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION

We will be taking your photo on Tuesday, 21st January (the first day of Orientation Week).  If you wish to wear make-up, have your hair styled a particular way, or wear a particular shirt, please do so. We will have a Welcome BBQ Lunch on Tuesday, 21st January, where you will have a chance to meet the Actors from Sydney Actors School, along with the 2024 July intake of Filmmakers from Sydney Film School. You will not need to bring your lunch on the first day of Orientation Week. You will be required to attend all days of Orientation Week: Tuesday, 21st of January, 10 am to 4 pm; Wednesday, 22nd; and Thursday, 23rd of January, 9 am to 4 pm. We have so many fun things planned for you all!

2025 TIMETABLE

We will explain the timetable in greater detail during Orientation Week. Your timetable will be accessible through aXcelerate. Waterloo Studios is open from 8 am to 7:30 pm daily (closed Saturdays and Sundays). You must be on time for class each day. If you are late, you will be locked out and not allowed to participate in your first class of the day. Attendance at all classes is compulsory. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the SFS Director of Education and the SFS Course Manager in advance if they are unable to attend class. For further information on assessment and attendance, please see the SFS Student Handbook.

COVID-19 INFORMATION

Waterloo Studios will deliver face-to-face training on campus in accordance with the NSW Government requirements.

What will we do if a person tests positive for COVID-19? 

  1. The person who has tested positive should follow the advice from NSW Health.
  2. We will ensure the safety of the studios, for example, by cleaning and disinfecting all areas used by the person who tested positive for COVID-19.
  3. We will assess how much contact other people had with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 while that person was infectious in the studios. Information for people exposed to COVID-19 will help determine if any workers have high-risk exposure or moderate-risk exposure.
  4. If the assessment of studio risk indicates there are people who have had exposure, those workers should be encouraged to follow information for people exposed to COVID-19.
  5. We may advise people of the situation in the studio.

What should you do if you test positive? 

You may be infectious for up to 10 days. You are most infectious in the 2 days before your symptoms start and while you have acute symptoms (such as a runny nose, sore throat, fever, cough).

To reduce the risk to others, NSW Health recommends you:

  1. Stay home until your acute symptoms have gone.
  2. Don’t visit people at high risk of severe illness, anyone in a hospital or an aged or disability care facility for at least 7 days.
  3. Wear a mask when indoors and on public transport if you must leave your home.
  4. Avoid large gatherings and indoor crowded places, especially where you will be in contact with groups of people you don’t live with.
  5. Talk to your employer about when you should return to the workplace.
    If you work in a high-risk setting such as health, disability and aged care, it is recommended that you stay away from the workplace for 7 days until you have no symptoms to help protect other staff, patients, residents, and clients.  If your employer needs you to return to the workplace before this time, they may ask you to take additional steps to protect others, subject to their work, health and safety assessment.
  6. Tell people that you live with or spend a lot of time with that you have COVID-19.
    People you live with or spend a lot of time indoors with are at greatest risk of catching COVID-19 from you. You should tell them you have tested positive and try to separate from them as much as possible. They should monitor for symptoms, and if they get sick, they should get tested and stay home. They should follow the Information for people exposed to COVID-19 fact sheet.
  7. Register your positive rapid antigen test result with Service NSW.
    If you or someone in your family can’t register online, please call Service NSW on 13 77 88. Registering your result helps you access medical support from NSW Health, including antiviral medicines if you are eligible, and also assists NSW Health respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This keeps you, your loved ones, and the community safe. If you tested positive on a PCR test, you do not need to register your result.

The SFS Staff look forward to meeting you all at Orientation, and we can’t wait to watch you grow throughout your training.