How to become a Screen Director

Also called: Film Director, Filmmaker

Interprets, visualises and translates a screenplay or script by directing cast and crew to create a visual narrative in film, television, video or virtual production.

Main tasks

• Collaborates with writers and producers to select scripts and develop concepts for productions
• Leads film and television teams from pre-production to completion, guiding the creative vision
• Hires heads of departments on a production and selects cast and crew alongside the Casting Director
• Directs actors and scenes, including camera shots, audio and lighting, to translate the screenplay into a visual narrative on screen
• Oversees post-production activities such as editing, audio and colour grading

Ways in

• University: Communications & Media degrees, Offered by 34 universities in Australia
• TAFE and VET: Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media (CUA60620); Certificate III in Screen and Media (CUA31020); Certificate IV in Screen and Media (CUA41220); Diploma of Screen and Media (CUA51020)

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $102,700 a year
• About 15,500 people work in this job group now, and about 18,400 are projected by 2035. (+19.1%)
• AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

Related jobs

• Film and Video Editor
• Artistic Director
• Audio or Live Performance Director
• Cinematographer
• Production Manager (Screen or Live Performance)
• Screen or Live Performance Designer

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become a Screen Director?

Ways in include: Communications & Media degrees; Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media; Certificate III in Screen and Media.

How much does a Screen Director earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $102,700 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Screen Director a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 19% by 2035, from about 15,500 to about 18,400 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Screen Director?

Not always. 59% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Communications & Media degrees; Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media; Certificate III in Screen and Media.

Will AI change the work of a Screen Director?

AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04