By Brendan Swift
Film producer Vincent Sheehan has joined the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) to head its production department.
He replaces former head of producing, Peter Herbert, who has returned to the industry but will continue part-time at AFTRS.
Sheehan has produced two critically-acclaimed Australian films, Mullet (2001) and Little Fish (2005), and was one of the executive producers of the upcoming Sundance-award winning Animal Kingdom.
However, his last feature, Prime Mover, fared less well than expected, taking just over $52,000 in a limited run at the box office late last year. The film was directed by David Caesar and starred Michael Dorman and Emily Barclay.
AFTRS director, screen content division, Graham Thorburn, said he was pleased with the appointment although Sheehan has the option to leave if one of his projects in development proceeds to the next stage.
"It's a great appointment, I'm really, really pleased," Thorburn said.
Among Sheehan's projects in development are The Hunter, an adaptation of Julia Leigh's novel with director Daniel Nettheim, and the off-beat thriller Valve, with director Andrew Lancaster.