Sydney film student lands Hollywood gig with the makers of The Great Gatsby and The Lego Movie

SYDNEY film student Melanie Jayne has gone from making short films on no budget to rubbing shoulders with Hollywood’s elite after scoring an internship with Village Roadshow in LA.

Mosman film student has gone from no-budget local productions to big-money Hollywood.

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FRESH out of film school, Melanie Jayne of Mosman is now privy to the inner workings of Hollywood.

Jayne, 23, is in Los Angeles reading scripts, researching films and sitting in on high-powered meetings with film executives.

And on her way to work, walking through the Warner Bros film lot, she catches a glimpse of a famous face or two.

Melanie Jayne is now living and working in the movie capital of the world.

Jayne is living the dream after applying successfully for a three-month internship provided by Village Roadshow and the Animal Logic studio, makers of The Lego Movie and The Great Gatsby.

The internship, with expenses paid, was awarded to Jayne for her “passion and commitment to learning all aspects of the film industry”.

Melanie is working at the famous Warner Bros lot.

Speaking from LA, Jayne said she had been given an amazing opportunity to work at both Australian companies in their Hollywood offices.

“It’s so cool,’’ she said.

“I have been sitting in on executive meetings and listening to the decision-making about finance, about how to attract film studios and talent.”

Melanie Jayne in a scene from a short film she made at the Sydney Film School called Waiting in the Wings, along with fellow student John-Paul Santucci.

Jayne said other tasks had included reading scripts and researching images for animated films.

A former student of Willoughby Girls High, Jayne has a Bachelor of Media and Communications and last year studied at the Sydney Film School, specialising in production.

As part of the course, she produced three short films and laughs at the contrast.

“In Hollywood, the biggest challenge is getting finance,’’ she said.

“It wasn’t for my films because I had a nil budget and had to do everything — even organising the food.’’

Melanie is working for the team behind The Great Gatsby ...

... and The Lego Movie.

Bright lights calling

THE internship program began in 2014 as part of the Australians in Films’s mission to bridge US and Australian screen industries. Details: australiansinfilm.org