8 September 2022
Jamie Pan (2017)
How long have you lived in NSW and why did you make the move from Adelaide?
I have been living in Sydney ever since I graduated from Pembroke in 2017. Wanting to pursue a filmmaking career and eventually moving over to LA, I see Sydney as the ideal location for me to begin my study in film as a director and touch base with many Australian filmmakers and actors in films like Thor: Love and Thunder and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Adelaide is where I grew up in and so wherever I go in the future I will always have a connection with it.
What has been the highlight of your career?
The highlight so far is meeting American-Serbian filmmaker Drago Lazetich, who has been involved in such films as The Eight Hundred, Dragon Blade, and Shanghai Story. I was finding it difficult to get a foothold in the vast industry as a nobody before meeting Drago through a friend. We now have a strong team of devoted filmmakers working in the Australian film industry on original projects. Subsequently, I started my own filmmaking and film scoring freelancing businesses that operate in both Adelaide and Sydney. Recently, I directed a short documentary video Iron Body which is doing well in international film festivals. My next project is a drama thriller short which features Australian-based actors and will promote female representation in the filmmaking scene. I see all these as important steppingstones in my career. Take one step at a time, and eventually you will reach your destination.
I enjoy living in Sydney because...
In general Sydney is more convenient than Adelaide in my opinion. For example, supermarkets here close at 10 or 11pm every day. In the filmmaking scene, there are a lot of off hours and late-night works and it’s so reassuring being able to head home late and still be able to shop for groceries. The train system is very convenient too making travelling to sets located 50 kilometres apart extremely easy. Other than work related reasons, Sydney's CBD is also so close to the harbour and coastal regions, which is great as I always feel a connection to nature and it's always refreshing as well to head over to Bondi Beach to chill and relax after a long week. Plus, there also seems to be less flies over here!
Thinking back to your time at Pembroke, what advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
I would tell my younger self to not lock everything in stone because everything might change. I started off studying design computing while chasing a music career, something I really wanted throughout my childhood, before realising my addiction to the camera during one course and consequently I dropped out to begin pursuing filmmaking, to great success. This new arrangement is different to my initial plans so my greatest advice is to always do your best in whatever comes your way, no matter if it's what you really want to do or not, and you might just find your true passion through it.
Ben Tolstoshev (1990)
How long have you lived in NSW and why did you make the move from Adelaide?
My family moved at the end of 2015 for an opportunity with both my wife and my career.
What has been the highlight of your career?
Being part of a family business start-up and successful harvest in the Adelaide Hills was a significant highlight. Also being selected into the Future Leader program from Wine Australia – the wine community's peak personal and professional leadership program.
I enjoy living in Sydney because…
An incredible and diverse outdoors lifestyle, dynamic and global workplace however… the property prices!!!!!
Thinking back to your time at Pembroke, what advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Take the overseas adventures, utilise the network that Pembroke enabled and invest in property now!
Georgina Moorfield (1989)
How long have you lived in NSW and why did you make the move from Adelaide?
Ten years in total. Seven years after living for three years in London post Uni and more recently three years after returning from 17 yrs overseas.
After spending two years living in Thailand when I was little I had the travel bug and couldn’t wait to leave and continue to explore the world! When we decided to return to Australia to spend more time with family recently it just made sense to return to Sydney for work reasons.
What has been the highlight of your career?
Starting my own business. Currently I run a fun little business helping kids with executive function deficits to get more organised. After 20+ years in investment banking I love that I get to be creative and learn all about marketing and areas I’ve never had exposure to previously. On returning from living overseas I also started consulting to clients going through business turnarounds and I love working for myself.
I enjoy living in Sydney because…
When the weather is sunny, Sydney is a beautiful city with the sparkling harbour never far from sight. We love getting up to Pittwater and getting out on a boat as well as watching the kids sail every Sunday. I do however miss the ease of getting around in Adelaide, especially sports Saturday with three kids!
Thinking back to your time at Pembroke, what advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Oh where to start…I have a 17 year old so I have lots of advice to give that isn’t always welcome! Firstly – don’t date in Year 12 it’s way too distracting…trust me! More importantly though, study because you want to go places and not because someone is telling you to. This is your life and you will always get out of it what you put in. There are many different ways to get to where you want so don’t ever give up!