Bad Break Did Good

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday May 8, 2007

Ben Smee

An operation helped him stitch up a new career, writes Ben Smee.

WHEN most children were running around the house playing games, Michael Sharkey was running around making films with his brother.

The Ashtonfield filmmaker is now on the verge of breaking into the cut-throat industry, having recently been asked to make a documentary for schoolchildren on the state and federal parliaments.

"I was lucky in that I had access to a video camera when I was growing up and I used to just play around with it," he said.

Sharkey has tried his hand at a number of ventures. While studying at high school, he and a friend began an internet radio show, and the pair quickly found their way onto community radio.

After finishing school, he teamed up with another schoolmate and designed the successful and still growing web trade directory etradesman.com.au.

With so many opportunities opening up, it was only a matter of time before he would be forced to make some difficult choices.

"When I first left school I was a bit confused as to what to do," he said.

"I started studying a biomedical science degree at university. Then I had an operation on my arm and while I was taking a break from uni I decided for a change in direction.

"Filmmaking was always a hidden passion, really. When I was at school I put together a film and it was something that really interested me."

Sharkey made the decision to switch to a communications degree, and has not looked back since.

"It's a really difficult industry because there is no set career path. It's not as if you get a degree and that gets you a job that you can work in for years.

"Like any creative field, everyone has their own ideas and their own different ways of doing things.

"If you want to follow that path you've got to follow what interests you and almost make your own opportunities. Putting yourself out there is the most important thing."

Sharkey shoots films for weddings, schools and sporting teams, and has now taken charge of his own documentary, which is set for release in July.

"It's for a company called Fast Learners, for year six students studying parliament in their HSIE [Human Society and Its Environment] unit.

"It's a fantastic opportunity. Ultimately, I'd love to get a TV series together or maybe a feature film.

"I'm just going along for the ride at the moment."