Celebrating graduate Bret Salinger: A screenwriting success story

Bret’s journey from a freelancer seeking a career change to a rising star in the screen industry is nothing short of inspiring.

Bret's journey towards a career in screenwriting started with a desire for a change. As a freelancer, he needed flexibility in class contact hours to continue servicing his clients while returning to study.

“The Advanced Diploma of Professional Screenwriting course is seriously well regarded in the screen industry and is very much focused on vocational outcomes, so that made applying for the RMIT course my preference,” Bret said.

“The ability to do the two-year course over three years and to take some units in the evening so I could keep my freelance income flowing sealed the deal.”

Navigating challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns posed challenges for students worldwide, including Bret.

“Online learning meant I had to be self-motivated and sometimes – after a day of sitting through online meetings – attending online lectures was the last thing I wanted to do, but every one of the course lecturers worked their butts off during remote learning to provide engaging, interesting learning,” shared Bret.

However, Bret's resilience and dedication led him to spend the next two years on the Student Staff Consultative Committee for the screenwriting course, where he had a significant impact on shaping student outcomes and enhancing the course.

RMIT Graduate Bret Salinger. Scouting for film locations means exploring, finding and securing spots that help screen stories come to life.

Bret's journey extended beyond RMIT, taking him to Aarhus University in Denmark, renowned for its media studies program. Here, he attended the Summer School and immersed himself in a mix of Danish and international students.

"I’d ride a bike in to uni in the morning, attend classes all day, then head to the student pub or into the old town centre after classes for a quiet beer in the warm European evening."

Maybe it was the long summer days or the freedom to simply focus on my creative craft full time, but I felt the experience really empowered my creativity. So much so, in addition to the coursework I wrote four short films while I was there.

The screen industry thrives on networking, and Bret was fortunate to gain a mentorship opportunity in 2022 through Media Mentors. This work placement with location manager Drew Rhodes allowed Bret to learn about the industry on the job.

"As a freelancer I was able to balance my workload to enable me to join Drew and the crew for one day a week on the filming of a yet-to-be-released comedy film called Ricky Stanicky, starring John Cena and Zac Efron."

Bret and his fellow students at Aarhus University and modern buildings throughout the thousand-year-old Viking port.

A Future in screenwriting

Starting to develop a professional network during his studies has already paid off for Bret. He's currently working as a location scout and on-set location manager for a feature film in production. With a promising 2024 ahead for the Australian screen sector, Bret hopes to secure more location contracts in the future.

In between contracts, Bret's focus is on his suite of scripts, including feature films and series, and a book adaptation.

"These projects were generated during the course, which means I’ve already got a ‘return’ on the investment of my time at uni," said Bret.

"So, if I’m not on set I’ll be writing, making connections in the screen industry and working towards the development of my own screen stories."

We celebrate Bret's journey and look forward to seeing his work grace our screens in the near future. His story is an inspiration to all aspiring screenwriters, proving that with the right education and unwavering commitment, dreams can become a reality.

01 November 2023

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Celebrating graduate Bret Salinger: A screenwriting success story