In Summary

For Swinburne Film and TV alumnus Nick Kozakis the road to film maker was not always clear cut.

Mr Kozakis started his Swinburne journey as a mature-aged student in the advanced diploma of screen and media. From there he transitioned into the bachelor program, graduating with honours in 2011.

“I’d always been interested in film, but it wasn’t until the design firm I worked for got a film studio that I had the epiphany that film is actually what I wanted to do, so I did my homework and picked the Swinburne film school because it was the most industry relevant course around.” Mr Kozakis said. 

Since graduating from Swinburne Mr Kozakis has:  

  • Founded his own production company “Visible”;
  • Directed many creative advertising campaigns for clients including TAC, SONY Universal, Warner, Obese Records, and Tourism Canada; 
  • Directed music videos for many Australian acts including Aria winning and nominated artists including Hilltop Hoods on their four time platinum single “I love it” featuring Sia; and
  • With another Swinburne graduate Kostas Ouzas Co-Directed and edited his first feature length film , a zombie apocalypse film called ‘Plague’, which will premiere at the Astor Theatre on Wednesday October 29.

“It’s funny I look back at the films I produced when I started and I say to myself “Nick, what were you thinking?” But you’ve got to start somewhere, and my teachers were always so encouraging and supportive of everything that I was doing, I couldn’t help but be inspired and excited about film.

“I think now looking back on it, the number one thing that Swinburne’s taught me was to be brave with my film choices, and that mentality has really forged my career” Mr Kozakis said.

His story is representative of many of Swinburne’s Vocational Education graduates. A recent survey by the National Centre for Vocational Research (NCVER) has found that graduates from Swinburne’s Vocational Education programs are more likely than their peers from other vocational education providers to engage in further study, particularly at higher education level, and have consistently high satisfaction with the quality of training.

Mr Kozakis had been awarded with the Gold Award California, Best Director Arizona Film Festival, Best Experimental Short Britain Underground Film Festival, Official Selection in Sydney International Film Festival and the Bronze Award Box Ur Shorts, Official Selection at Sydney’s International “A Night of Horror”.

For more information on Mr Kozakis 
Check out Nick’s Feature Film “Plague”

For more information on the Swinburne School of Film and Televsion

Media Contact: Jessica Antcliff |Communications Officer | Swinburne University of Technology
T: (03) 9214 3834 | E: jantcliff@swin.edu.au