Toothfish Digital presents: The 2025 Perth Film Intensive

A series of seminars and masterclasses for both entry-level and seasoned screen professionals
June 21 – June 24 at The Backlot and Raz Studios

The 2025 Perth Film Intensive is a 5-day event, comprising of two single day seminars and one three-day masterclass. Each day of the event becomes progressively more technical and acutely focussed. Participants can either choose to attend all five days or just choose the particular elements which suit their interests. 

SEMINAR 1

THE THINGS THEY DIDNʼT TEACH YOU IN FILM SCHOOL
Saturday June 21st
$50 (Includes lunch)
Tickets here

This is an invaluable opportunity for anyone looking to build a full-time career in the film industry. Hear from Perth locals who have managed to forge their own path in the competitive world of big-budget filmmaking and learn the secrets that brought them success. Our guest speakers will cover topics such as how they got started, the mistakes they’ve made along the way and the lessons they wish they had been taught in film school.

Topics covered
• How to get started in the industry
• What are the different career path options?
• Should I go to film school?
• How to operate as a business. Should you operate as a Sole-trader or company?
• Where to base yourself
• How to manage your finances
• How to manage and pay tax/GST
• How to network and get your name to the right people
• Who are the people who actually hire you?
• What skills are people looking for?
• Set etiquette
• What do the various departments do (and how does this differ in other countries)
• How to read a call-sheet
• How to negotiate with production
• How to know how much you should be paid
• What gear should you invest in?
• How to sustain a Work/life balance 

SEMINAR 2

THE SCIENCE OF DIGITAL IMAGING
Sunday June 22nd
$50 (includes lunch) 
Tickets here

Join us for an in-depth seminar on the evolution and intricacies of digital cinema cameras, designed for  cinematographers, DIT’s, camera assistants and anyone else who wants to deepen their technical expertise. 

Weʼll trace the history of digital cinematography, breaking down how early digital cameras fell short and how  modern innovations have revolutionised image capture. Through detailed technical discussions, weʼll explore  sensor technology, colour science, compression and workflows, equipping you with the tools to navigate the  complex digital landscape. 

Whether youʼre selecting a camera package, advising on workflows, or optimising post-production, this seminar  will help you understand the “why” behind every technical decision—empowering you to push creative  boundaries without compromising quality. 

• The history of Digital Cinematography. The technical and business factors that led to the cameras we use today
• Anatomy of a Digital Camera
• Understanding F-stops and T-stops
• How a photosite works
• Advancements in sensor technology: CCD, CMOS, Dual-ISO, Back-lit CMOS, etc.
• Compression formats
• Bit-depth and Bit-rates
• Exponent and Logarithmic functions
• Luminance perception and Gamma
• Chrominance perception
• Optimising downscale workflow (when can more resolution mean less definition?)
• Dynamic range (latitude)
• Colour-spaces and colour gamuts
• Understanding RAW
• Monitoring outputs (12G/6G/3G-SDI, HDMI, NDI, 2110 IP, etc)
• Which camera is right for your project?
• How do I advise on camera and format choices?

MASTERCLASS

ON-SET WORKFLOW: TECHNICAL ROLES & TOOLS IN ACTION
June 23rd – June 25th
$150 (includes lunch each day)
Tickets here

This masterclass builds upon the first two seminars and goes fully into detail for those who are interested in  pursuing a career in the field of on-set workflow technicians. We cover how the signal from camera is distributed,  manipulated and monitored on set. How data and media is recorded and handed off to post. How the various  disciplines work together on-set (and what happens when this collaboration breaks down). Participants will even  have the rare opportunity to get hands-on experience with some of these niche tools (like Qtake and Livegrade)  in a simulated live set environment.

DAY ONE – FROM PREP TO POST, THE WORKFLOW JOURNEY
• Where it all starts, the first meeting. Who should be involved and what should be discussed
• The Workflow Document. What is it? Who drafts it? Who needs to read it?
• The signal path on-set. What is coming out of the camera? Resolution/Framerate/Colour-space
• Full vs legal range video
• Understanding wireless options & managing RF on-set
• Bitrate and bit-depth of transmission
• How is the picture being monitored? How to choose the monitors you use on-set
• Understanding SDR vs HDR
• Understanding monitor colour spaces
• How are monitors calibrated and by whom?
The DUT role:
• Linking all the departments on set
• Being the go-between between DIT and Video
• When is an RF technician required?
• Optimising signal runs for relocations (and planning ahead)

DAY TWO – THE DIT AND VIDEO OPERATOR ROLES
The DIT role:
• The distinction between Data Wrangler, Data Manager, DIT and Dailies Colourist
• On-set vs Off-set DIT roles
• Supporting camera dept (live QC, iris control, remote camera control)
• Colour consistency (livegrade, logging and exporting cdlʼs)
• Software (Resolve vs Silverstack vs On-Set Dailies)
• Ingesting and Logging Data
• Capturing and Collating metadata
• LUTʼs vs CDLʼs vs LMTʼs
• Dailies platforms (Frame.io, Moxion, Pix, Strada and more)
The VIDEO OPERATOR role:
• Choice of software (Qtake vs Reeltime) How much do they cost to run? What are the features to look for?
• Qtake Monitor, Cloud Stream and Server
• Anatomy of a Video system
• Signal path on set
• Setting up the Qtake for optimal signal flow
• Serving the Director, Script Supervisor and ADʼs
• Demystifying what Qtake does, the post-Covid misunderstandings
• The Filmset of the Future; Moving beyond copper
• Offset monitoring (“immediates” and camera-cloud solutions)

DAY THREE – PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS
Practical DIT Workshop: Hands-on with a professional Livegrade system
• Exploring Livegradeʼs interface and customising layout
• Understanding project and shot management tools
• Color Grading Basics
• Applying LUTs and custom looks
• Managing multiple camera streams
• Real-time look adjustments during filming
• Metadata and Look Management
• Matching multiple cameras and maintaining consistency
• Collaboration Tools
Practical VIDEO Workshop: Hands-on with a professional Qtake system
• Configuring camera settings
• The QOD (Qtake Output Device) controls
• Streaming to iPads over a local closed set network
• Recording a synchronised multi-cam setup (and marking multiple actions)
• Searching for Clips (using Browser, List view and Clip Dock)
• Using Chapter Marks to quickly recall key actions
• Customising On-Screen-Display and Masks
• Applying Digital Video Effects
• Compositing clips together
• Editing a sequence

Key Presenter: Brendan Dee

Brendan Dee grew up in Joondalup and holds a BA (Honours) in Screen Arts and an MA in Electronic Arts from Curtin University. He is also a Dolby certified colourist and a PADI divemaster.

Brendanʼs career has taken him around the globe, contributing to some of the most iconic films and television productions of recent years. His experience spans a diverse array of roles, including VFX work on Creed, The Hobbit, and Cleverman, as well as on-set positions for major productions such as Furiosa, Ghost in the Shell and Avatar.

His expertise and reputation have established him as one of the most sought-after Video Operators in the industry. His work has seen him collaborate with some of the worldʼs most esteemed directors, such as Peter Jackson, George Miller and James Cameron.

About Toothfish

Founded in 2016, Toothfish was born from the collaboration between freelance workflow engineer Brendan Dee and Weta Digital video engineer Rohan Satyanand, following their work on the Video Department for Peter Jacksonʼs Mortal Engines.

The concept behind Toothfish was to create and supply next-generation on-set recording and monitoring tools, initially developed for James Cameronʼs Avatar sequels. Toothfish spearheaded groundbreaking advancements in 4K, High Dynamic Range (HDR), High Frame Rate (HFR), and stereoscopic playback on-set, as well as augmented and mixed reality monitoring.

Toothfish has recently established a presence in WA to support the new Perth Studios, with plans to ramp up training and recruitment efforts in order to pave the way for large-scale productions to utilise these facilities.