Arie started filming with a super-8 movie camera at the age of ten, often gathering his family and friends to make mini-productions; making genres such as disaster films, martial arts, and horror. Those early creative collaborations sparked his boundless passion for film making. In his 20s Hirsh audaciously made humanist documentaries about the most controversial subjects of the time. He then went on to create short films such as the multi-award winning short film, 'Gem'.
By 2005 Hirsh earned a scholarship for the prestigious screenwriting course at Amsterdam’s Binger Filmlab, and on returning to Sydney he received the postgraduate diploma in screen writing at Australian Film Television and Radio School, gaining a high distinction in the genre 'Horror'.
On graduating, Arie chose to collaborate other filmmaker’s ideas in both short and long-term projects. Among many roles, he was co-writer for Max Hemming’s short, ‘Wanderlust’; script editor and contributing writer for Ben Mathews multi-award winning short ‘Emily’, producer for Gregg Hacket’s award winning short ‘Macadamia’, and director & writer for award winning futurist horror called 'doKtor'.
Hirsh is in an exceptional position as a trained screenwriter who is also an intrepid producer and director. This dexterity proves invaluable for working with the many screen professionals who he knows well, to which he provides his own unique understanding of filmmaking's role to communicate the essence of the story.
Arie is currently a Screen & Media teacher at RMIT University.
Doktor
(
Film (short)
by Arie Hirsh (Horror and Sci-Fi)
Director, Writer, Producer, Actor An ancient man reminisces as he is operated on, slipping into a hallucinatory dream state where memory and delusion morph into a dystopian nightmare.
Emily
(
Film (short)
by Benjamin Mathews (Thriller)
Miscellaneous Crew Emily's coming home... But is she still a threat? Her mother's not taking any chances.
Macadamia
(
Film (short)
by Greg Hackett (Horror)
Writer, Producer
Wanderlust
(
Film (short)
by Maximillian Hemmings (Drama, Horror and Romance)
Writer Eva is a beautiful drifter who propositions couples to make love in front of her. George is a young recluse who fills his days creating soundscapes in his bedroom. They are two misfits from very different worlds but with one thing in common - Synesthesia, a rare condition of feeling one sense as another. Thrust into each others lives by a misguided psychiatrist, they are forced to take their search for sensory fulfilment to visceral new depths, confronting their innermost fears and desires. Written by Anonymous
Waking Up the Nation
(
Film
by Agostino Imondi (Documentary)
Miscellaneous Crew
Arachne
(
Film (short)
by Mathew Bergan (Fantasy)
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director A fantasy dance film about an idyllic love affair suspended in the most disturbing way.
Gem
(
Film (short)
by Arie Hirsh (Comedy)
Director, Writer, Producer, Art department A short tribute to a comedy vinyl album and what it meant to one kid and his vivid imagination.
Rabbit
(
Film (short)
by Tina Havelock Stevens (Comedy)
Sound department Rabbit could be described as an Australian flavoured road kill film for the rurally challenged. A man from the city encounters a strange case of country wit and a rabbit's paw.
Hate Crime
(
Film (short)
by Arie Hirsh (Documentary)
Director, Producer, Camera and Electrical Department Documentary about the lethal violence perpetuated against gays and lesbians, the motivations of 'poofter bashers' and the varying opinions and stark facts that pervade the issue of gay bashing in Sydney.
Hidden Injuries
(
Film (short)
by Kaya Finlayson (Drama)
Camera and Electrical Department
The Prostitutes Collective of Victoria
(
Film (short)
by Alexandra Holt (Documentary)
Director, Producer, Editor A short documentary about a cooperative formed to promote and educate the health and safety of sex-workers in Victoria. Many of the progressive measures that were introduced at the collective were considered radical at the time, such as needle exchanges at the St Kilda office of the PCV, cultivating and promoting health and safety guidelines for brothels and organising safe-houses for workers across Victoria. Written by Hirsh
Sugar and Spice
(
Television
(Comedy, Drama and Family)
Editorial department
Philadelphia House
(
Film (short)
by Arie Hirsh (Documentary)
Director, Writer, Editor Philadelphia House was the terrace house that lodged PLWHA's who had become homeless because of fear, loathing and suspicion from their families or loved ones.