As a member of the Flinders Creative Arts Alumni Network (CAAN) Working Group, graduate Grace Liu (MScrnMediaProd ’20, MA(WomSt) ’21) helps develop and implement targeted alumni initiatives and programs that are relevant and valuable to Creative Arts alumni and current students. Since graduating, Grace has flourished as versatile filmmaker and started her own media company, which lists Flinders University as one of its clients – a full circle moment for the driven creator. We chatted with her on why she’s so passionate about filmmaking and where she hopes to take her business in the future.
What degree did you study at Flinders?
I studied Master of Screen and Media Production, and Master of Art (Women’s Studies). I did these two degrees over 3.5 years as a double Masters.
How did Flinders help you with your career journey?
For me, the experience at Flinders University played a crucial role in cultivating a close-knit professional relationship with a group of emerging filmmakers and my lecturers, which has been instrumental in shaping my career trajectory. I continue to maintain strong friendships with my former lecturers, particularly Helen Carter. She not only ignited my passion for cinematography but also introduced me to the Australian Cinematographers Society, where I have remained an active member ever since. This invaluable industry connection has played a pivotal role in advancing my career.
What did you enjoy most about your experience at Flinders?
I hold dear to the strong sense of community during my time at Flinders University. Engaging in a lot of student events and organising several myself allowed me to fully immerse myself in the vibrant campus culture. The university fostered a welcoming environment where everyone seamlessly fit in. Interacting with students from diverse cultural, age, socioeconomic backgrounds was enriching. The visible diversity at Flinders served as a powerful reminder of the vastness of the world beyond our individual experiences, and we should always prioritising curiosity over judgment.
Can you tell us a bit about what you’re up to now?
In 2019, my business partner Wei Gao and I embarked on an exciting venture by founding our production studio, Take Two Media. Together, we delved deep into various industries spanning both the private and public sectors, offering our expertise to clients in Tertiary Education, Tourism, International Trading, Renewable Energy, and more.
Throughout this journey, I remained steadfast in my passion for cinematography. I am honoured to have received multiple gold awards for my work at the ACS.
Beyond our commercial work, we ventured into the realm of filmmaking, crafting a series of short films that deeply resonated with audiences, eliciting warmth and appreciation from millions of viewers. In 2022, we were honoured to receive sponsorship from Sony Australia to produce a captivating short film titled “The Cabinet,” with the behind-the-scenes footage utilised to promote their esteemed cinema line product, the FX6. That same year, our poignant short film “All is Well” garnered acclaim, earning the prestigious title of Best Film at the Fleurieu Film Festival.
This year marks yet another milestone for us as we proudly secured $10,000 in funding through Mercury CX QuickSilver to bring our latest short film, “Dancing Dragon,” to fruition. Additionally, we are grateful for the support of esteemed sponsors, including the renowned cine-lighting brand Nanlite and the local cine-gear hire company Urban Cine.
How does it feel being able to work with some of big brands in SA?
Working with SA brands was always a very challenging but rewarding experience. Navigating the advertising and film industry here in South Australia wasn’t always an easy ride for someone like me. I am an young Chinese-Australian female and you could understand the kind of labelling and discrimination I could be facing in some situations. Therefore, we are very grateful for every opportunities that was given to us, especially when we were just starting up and trying to prove our worth. The first SA brand we worked with was Maxwell Wines in McLaren Vale, and we are still working closely with them today. That vote of confidence kick started our venture in to the wine related advertising and marketing. Since than we’ve worked with amazing wine brands such as Monteperle Wines, Teusner Wines and Greenock Creek just to name a few.
The opportunity to collaborate with StudyAdelaide in 2020 arose unexpectedly, catalysed by a short film. Amidst the first year of the pandemic, a significant number of Chinese students and residents in South Australia found themselves unable to return home for the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. Moved by a shared sense of melancholy within the community, we resolved to uplift spirits by creating a short film titled ‘Ming’s Table’.
“Ming’s Table” centred around a small Chinese food court restaurant in town, which graciously hosted a heartfelt banquet for students who, like us, were unable to reunite with their families during the holiday season. The film struck a chord with audiences, garnering over 300,000 organic views within its first week of release on Chinese social media platforms. StudyAdelaide saw the short film and they extended their congratulations and expressed interest in our journey as international students. And that opened our chapter of amazing collaboration. We grow a lot as a business and as individuals working with the generous and kind StudyAdelaide team, and our collaboration continues to thrive, evolving with each passing day. We are also fortunate to be seen by the education sectors, and we’ve been collaborating with many institutions.
How does it feel being able to be working with the University now?
Working with the university feels like coming full circle for me. Applying what I learned from my education to promote the institution from which I graduated fills me with a sense of pride. Additionally, I hope that my collaboration with Flinders University will inspire more international students to embark on their own educational journey and experience the enriching opportunities it offers.