We are SO excited to reveal the 2024 festival poster! This next level design is the brainchild of another talented student designer from the Burrow Studio at Western Sydney Uni and we think it’s just marvellous.
It brings together sci-fi, psychedelic and film-inspired elements into a dazzling design that screams with creativity. With bold colors and surreal imagery showing all eyes on YOU the filmmaker, it perfectly captures the state of Western Sydney’s thriving creative community.
Behind this incredible piece is none other than Abbey-Jane Camilleri, a fourth-year design student at Western Sydney University (WSU), who’s about to graduate with a Bachelor of Design (Visual Communications).
Getting her work featured at the festival is just the icing on the cake!
“From a young age, I’ve had a deep passion for visual arts,” Abbey-Jane explains. “It was always my favorite subject in school, and my art teachers encouraged me to explore the world of design, which sparked my interest in this field.”
The poster design builds upon the visual story set in motion in recent years via our student designers, adding a fresh twist:
“My design objective was to creatively delve into the concept of the ‘story-world making machine', building on last year’s poster, which featured an astronaut diving into the ocean to retrieve the powerful ‘orb," says Abbey.
"In my version, the machine reclaims its power, pulling the astronaut up into its all-seeing eye. The eyes symbolise the visionary aspect of filmmaking, representing the creativity of filmmakers.”
Like all great creative journeys, this one wasn’t without its challenges. Abbey-Jane didn’t come up with this final design right away – in fact, she created a whole other poster before deciding to scrap it and start again.
“It turned out to be a blessing in disguise! It allowed me to step back, rethink my approach, and ultimately develop something even better.”
“I was absolutely thrilled to hear that my poster design was selected! It’s a fantastic opportunity, and I feel honored that my work was chosen to represent such an incredible event.”
And we have a feeling this won’t be the last time Abbey-Jane’s creative talents make an impact in Western Sydney.
Want to see more of Abbey-Jane’s work? You can check out her online portfolio and follow her on Instagram. And if you’re in need of a talented designer – she’s open to work!
This vibrant poster will shine throughout the 13th annual Made in the West Film Festival, setting the tone for this year’s celebration.
Interested in following a path like Abbey’s? You can learn more about WSU’s Bachelor of Design degrees here.
We’re also incredibly grateful for WSU’s support as our Gold+ Screen Sponsor. Their partnership allows us to keep celebrating Western Sydney stories and creates valuable opportunities for students to gain industry experience.
We love working with emerging creatives and inspiring them to dream big with us! We’re looking forward to hosting Abbey-Jane and some of the other artists at the festival.
Speaking of which … remember to SAVE THE DATE! The countdown is on to the biggest awards party of the year for local filmmakers!
Join us for the red-carpet event on Saturday 30 November at Event Cinemas Liverpool.
Tickets are FREE and will be available online from early November, just in time for our finalist announcements.
For those of you joining us from home, our online movie marathon kicks off on 10 December and will be available until 31 January 2025. You’ll have plenty of time to dive into the best short films Western Sydney has to offer—and vote for your favorites.
Don’t forget—submissions close this Friday, 25 October, at midnight. If your film features cast, crew, or locations from Western Sydney, get it submitted for a chance to see it on the Vmax screen at this year’s festival!
We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
See you on the red carpet.