SAE
Story By Graham Greene
First appeared - Issue #12

When the new SAE College opens its doors to the public on the 26^th of November, there will be a lot more on show than just a new school of audio. Perth will be welcoming home world leaders in the way people learn about today’s media and technology. SAE College now has four departments, each functioning independently but designed to support and complement the others to provide a complete cross-genre experience for students looking to gain a comprehensive knowledge of electronic media.
 

SAE Perth first came into being as the School of Audio Engineering back in the early to mid eighties, teaching students the finer points of sound mixing, recording and production. Many engineers-to-be honed their fledgling skills in the school’s single studio before heading out into the music world to mix live bands or work in studios around town. Since 1996 the school has been growing and expanding its field of studies to include more state-of-the-art technology and practices, culminating in the new multi media facility about to be launched in Perth.

The newly refurbished and expanded SAE Perth (built in new facilities in its East Perth base) includes new audio recording and mixing studios running Pro Tools and a new Digidesign Control 24 desk, capable of handling anything from a single voice spoken word recording to a full orchestra. The Audio Department teaches the full range of sound skills from positioning a microphone to mastering a finished recording to produce a final product. The latest in 3D computer animation and graphics is covered by the Animation Department in new labs running Apple Mac G5s and Maya technology. Similar programs are used in the Filmmaking Department, where traditional film techniques meet cutting edge computer art. Film students can learn all facets of the film industry from scripting to post production in surroundings that are second to none in the world. The Multimedia Department brings together web design and computer graphics to provide the perfect learning environment for students who wish to master the latest marketing tools and methods in the new SAE Multimedia lab. As well as top of the line hardware, SAE Perth also boasts a fully equipped, dedicated 5 metre wide green screen sound stage for chroma keying special effects in film and video. Basically, if it can be done in Hollywood, it can be done here. In the words of SAE’s Dean Pearson, “just because we’re far away . . . that shouldn’t stop us from doing what the rest of the world is doing”.

SAE College Perth will be holding an open day on the 26^th of November, when it opens its doors to the general public for the first time to let people see what the new facilities have to offer. SAE Perth is one of the few SAE colleges in the world to offer all four departments on the one campus, and is shaping to set the benchmark for modern multimedia education.

For more information contact SAE Perth on 9325 4533.

saeperth@iinet.net.au