Avanzado Movie Works
Avanzado Movie Works
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Modern Central station platform with escalators and passengers.

About My Work

Building global IP which excite, titillate, scare and astound. 


I am currently developing five feature films: all different in tone, genre and themes. Three contemporary ones are about modern pirates, impish teenage girls and the hunt for a female serial killer. One is a love letter to the 1980s: a time of video arcades, pumping electronic music and big hair! The last one is set a hundred years ago about a bride and her mother go on a road trip from rural Australia to the City of Light, Paris in search of her missing fiancé.


Do peruse through my previous work - including the documentary, WAR: Women's Aussie Rules and see you at the movies!

Let's Collaborate

Art grows when it is shared. Do you need an production manager for a screen project? Are you creating a movie/TV  that would be a good fit for my work? Get in touch and tell me more about your project!

Contact Me

Experience the Magic of Movie Works!

'WAR: Women's Aussie Rules'

'WAR: Women's Aussie Rules'

'WAR: Women's Aussie Rules'

Canberra's Ainslie women's team won the grand final. Will they win it again against tougher opponents? A year with women's football players including the Canberra Currency representative squad. Interviews include the legendary, Ron Barassi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvrIUQ7sRko

'Musket' (short)

'WAR: Women's Aussie Rules'

'WAR: Women's Aussie Rules'

Written and directed by Rohan Everingham, a powerful story set in 1838 colonial Australia. Cynthia, a convict forced into marriage must find a way to escape and save her love from the gallows. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1lozz38QKc

'Boi Boi' (spfx short)

'WAR: Women's Aussie Rules'

'Straight Down' (short)

Randwick and Ultimo TAFE short with visual effects using Maya, Adobe Photoshop, Premiere and Illustrator for our Cert IV: Screen + Interactive Media course (CUAA41215)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4yhdcwmXqQ

'Straight Down' (short)

'Straight Down' (short)

'Straight Down' (short)

A Sydney College of the Arts (University of Sydney) student short about the trials and tribulations of a boy wanting to be part of the gay community.

 https://vimeo.com/showcase/7828915  

'Dirty Shower' (short)

'Straight Down' (short)

'Dirty Shower' (short)

Based on a true story from New Zealand, a man rents his spare room as an Air B'n'B but only to women. Why? A disturbing tale of electronic voyeurism.

'Spring Loaded' (play)

'Straight Down' (short)

'Dirty Shower' (short)

I was stage manager of Jon Glass's Spring Loaded play, which premiered at the Sydney Fringe Festival at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville in 2021. A tale of infidelity and deception in the corporate world.

Memberships / Education

Bachelor of Communication: Media/Multi-media Production (2002)

More about Mel Avanzado

Please reach me at avanzadomovieworks@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

  • Master of Arts: Screen Business and Leadership (MASBL) at AFTRS, the Australian Film Television and Radio School (class of 2021), graduating in 2022.
  • Bachelor of Communication: Media/Multi-media Production at the University of Canberra, 2002.
  • Cert IV: Film and Media (Interactive Media) TAFE NSW Randwick, Ultimo 2018
  • Cert IV: Business TAFE Ultimo 2016.
  • Cert IV: Project Management Practice TAFE Petersham 2014
  • Cert IV: Small Business Management Sydney Business, Chatsood 2012.
  • Cert II: Film and Television Production Techniques TAFE North Sydney 1997

  • Producing
  • Writing
  • Directing
  • Editing
  • Cinematography
  • Also worked as: 1st and 2nd assistant director (AD), art department assistant, sound recordist, production manager, stage manager, production assistant (ABC TV), continuity, lighting, actor, animator, location scout, gopher.
  • Equipment/software: 4K cameras (Blackmagic pocket, iPhone 17 Pro Max), Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, broadcast cameras, digital Betacam, 16mm + 8mm film, Mini-DV 3-CCD cameras, Autodesk MAYA, Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Sennheiser MK shotgun microphones, StudioBinder,  Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, digital SLR cameras, Manfrotto tripods, blondies, redheads, LED lighting, data storage.

  • Screen Producers Australia (SPA) Associate member since 2019.
  • Film Critics Circle of Australia (FCCA) film critic member since 2024.
  • Arts Law Australia member since 2018.
  • 73rd Sydney Film Festival Daytime Subscriber 2026.
  • Former member Australians in Film (LA based) 2025-26.
  • Former member Media Entertainment Arts Alliance (MEAA) 2016-2026
  • Former member Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) 2013-2022.
  • Former member Australian Film Institute (forerunner to AACTA) 1997-2005.
  • Former member Australian Directors Guild (ADG) 2003.


  1. One To One (1994) short film/video Lead actor
  2. North Sydney TAFE shorts 1-16 (1997) various roles including cinematographer
  3. Clumsy Artist (1997) short PDWCE Producer (P), director (D), writer (W), cinematographer (C), editor (E)
  4. The Devil (1997) short PDWCE
  5. Welcome to the Jungle (1997) short CE
  6. The Bum (1997) short PDWCE
  7. The Late Show with Chris Mas (1997) short TV show PDWCE
  8. Donkey Steaks (1997) TV cooking short PDWCE
  9. Harry's Big Wheel of Fun (1997) TV game show short PDWCE
  10. Ice Cream (1998) play D
  11. Benny's Hill (1998) short PDWCE
  12. Head-off (1999) short P
  13. Psycho Beach Party (1999) short P
  14. Fierce Love (1999) short PDWCE
  15. Dark Investigations (1999) short PDWCE
  16. Voluntary Student Unionism UC (1999) short report PDCE
  17. Again (1999) short
  18. 'Star' Dance Party (1999) visuals PDWCE
  19. Animalis (2000) short P
  20. The Mutants on Playboy Island (2000) short PDW
  21. The Second Floor (2000) short animator
  22. Pandora's Elevator (2000) short PDWCE aniimator
  23. See You at UC (2000) short ad PDWCE
  24. Nighttime ganstas (2000) short PDWCE
  25. Bloodriush (2000) short PDWCE
  26. Aliens in Newcastle (2000) short PCE
  27. Crossing Brown (2000) short P
  28. The Stash (2000) short P
  29. The Rat (2000) short PDWCE
  30. Black Magic (2000) short E
  31. Honesty (2001) short PDWCE
  32. Mormon (2001) short PDCE
  33. B-Brave (2001) short PDWCE
  34. The Drive (2001) PDWCE
  35. The Book Store (2001) short A
  36. Da Fun (2001) short PDWCE
  37. Tunin' (2001) short PDWCE
  38. G'day Mate! (2001) short PDWCE
  39. The Fella From The Cellar (2001) short D
  40. Time Out (2001) short A
  41. Anime (2001) animated short Art dept assistant
  42. A Knight's Crusade (2001) short PDWCE
  43. The Gorilla (2002) short PDCE
  44. Honour Killing (2002) short PDWCE
  45. Farscape Season 2 (2002) TV show Producer's attachment
  46. Room MATE (2002) short P
  47. Pole Position (2002) short P
  48. What's Going On? (2003) short play W
  49. Bull's Eye (2003) AFTRS short Art dept assistant
  50. Home (2003) Metro Screen short P
  51. Burning Ambition (2003) AFTRS short art dept assistant
  52. Any Body (2003) AFTRS short art dept 
  53. Volunteer Induction video (2004) Starlight Foundation short PDWCE
  54. My Blue-Eyed Son, Where Have You Been? (2005) short PDWCE
  55. Pizza Season 4 (2005) SBS TV show Art dept attachment
  56. Energy Drinks: Wild Wild West (2005) AFTRS short Art dept assistant
  57. Bearing Fruit (2006) short PDWCE
  58. Meat Pie (2006) feature Sound recordist
  59. The Barbarian Invasions (2006) AFTRS short Continuity
  60. Metamorphosis (2006) short PDWCE
  61. The Crane (2006) Metro Screen short 1st AD
  62. Sunshower (2006) Metro Screen short Sound recordist
  63. Smoke (2007) short CE
  64. The Late Show with Paul McDermott (2007) ABC TV variety show Program assistant
  65. Flame of the West (2007) short Production manager, Sound recordist
  66. Illusion of Life (2007) short PDWCE
  67. WAR: Women's Aussie Rules (2008) 51-min documentary PDWCE
  68. My Sydney, My State Theatre (2008)  short PDCE
  69. My Flodge! (2008) short PDWCE
  70. A Shearer's Life: Introducing the Barker Brothers (2008) Metro Screen documentary short P
  71. Babygirl (2008) Metro Screen short P
  72. When I Graduate (2008( short PDWCE
  73. Catalyst (2008) ABC TV science show Program assistant
  74. Message Stick (2008) ABC TV Indigenous show Program assistant
  75. Wrapped in Pictures (2009) short PDWCE
  76. Kesselskramer (2009) short Sound recordist (S)
  77. Tiwary Murder retrail (2009) short journalism story CES
  78. Best of 2008-9 Refugee Film Festiavl (2010) STARTTS compilation video P
  79. Abbie (2010) AFTRS short Actor
  80. Master Builder's Association Awards (2011) visual presentation during awards E
  81. Innercom (2012) short PDWCE
  82. Cancer Council (2012) Biggest Morning Tea short video PDWCE
  83. Gambling Treatment Clinic Introduction video (2012) PDWCE
  84. MBA Awards (2012) awards video E
  85. Ties (2013) short P
  86. Truck Stop (2014) short scene from the play PDWCE
  87. STARTTS Refugee Ball Introduction (2016) short video PDWCE
  88. Islamic Stateless (2016) short PDWCE
  89. Art For Art's Sake (2018) Sydney Fringe play Stage manager, light and sound control desk operator
  90. gAy? (2018) UTS short 1st AD, Production manager
  91. Dirty Shower (2019) PDWCE
  92. Boi Boi (2019) visual effects short Producer, Editor, Animator
  93. Hermit (2019) AFTRS short Production manager, Sound recordist
  94. Straight Down (2020) Sydney University short Art dept assistant
  95. Eat With Me (2021) Diversity Arts Australia short PCE
  96. Door Stories (2021) AFTRS short Art dept assistant, Production manager, Sound recordist, Actor
  97. Spring Loaded (2021) play stage manager, small actor
  98. Musket (2024) short 1st AD, Production manager
  99. Repose (2024) short Location scout
  100. All Pretty Boys Must Die! (2026-) feature PW in development (3rd draft stage)
  101. Jolimont (working title) (2026-) feature PW in development
  102. Gulf of Carpentaria (2026-) feature PW in development
  103. The Diamond Key (2026-) feature PW in development
  104. Finding Desire (2026-) feature film PW in development

  1. World cinema
  2. Star Wars, 1970s, 1980s cinema.
  3. Bruce Beresford, George Miller, Peter Weir
  4. FW Murnau, Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder
  5. Carl Sagan, Charles Darwin, Leonardo Da Vinci
  6. Thomas Sowell, Douglas Murray, Niall Ferguson
  7. George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg
  8. Horror, film noir, teen comedies
  9. Bill Collins, David Stratton, Margaret Pomeranz
  10. Robert Hughes (art critic), Richard Schickel, Richard Corliss (Time magazine)
  11. Rob Lowing (Sydney Morning Heard), Terry O'Brien (Movie magazine), Garry Maddox (Sydney Morning Herald)
  12. Dov Kornits (FilmInk), Inside Film (IF) magazine, Sight and Sound (UK)
  13. Stephen King, William Shakespeare, Elena Ferrante
  14. Bruce Lee, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep
  15. Bob Dylan, Primo Levi, Jane Austen
  16. Thomas Keneally, Christos Tsiolkas, John Marsden
  17. John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Jerry Goldsmith
  18. Joseph Heller, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn,  Herman Melville
  19. U2, INXS, Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, the Beatles
  20. Mad magazine, Time magazine, Sydney Morning Herald
  21. Mozart, Beethoven, Bach
  22. History, astronomy, architecture
  23. Travel (around the world twice)
  24. Tennis, soccer, table tennis, volleyball, cycling
  25. English, art, mathematics, physics
  26. Social science, satire, comedy
  27. Sue Milliken, Michael Robertson, Sue Maslin
  28. Christine Vachon, David Mamet, Sidney Lumet
  29. Mike Medavoy, Peter Guber, Wener Herzog
  30. John Huston, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Martin Brest

Copyright © 2026 Mel Avanzado - All Rights Reserved.

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