Melanie Russell
38 Mangerton Rd, Wollonogong,NSW
Summary
Dynamic professional with extensive experience in the Arts and Media industries, excelling in strategic planning and project management. Proven ability to handle multiple tasks effectively and efficiently in fast-paced environments. Adept at managing diverse teams and streamlining workflows, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality images and fostering collaboration among stakeholders. Known for reliability and adaptability, with swift capacity to apply new skills. Committed to leveraging these qualities to drive team success and contribute to organisational growth.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Deputy Photo Editor
Australian Associated Press (AAP)
07.2016 - Current
- Management of a diverse team of photographers and post-production team members ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality content across multiple platforms.
- Liaise with the news desk to ensure that the agency’s image output is complemented by text, video and graphics.
- Guiding photographic assignments for staff photographers and freelancers Nationwide in consultation with News Directors.
- Sourced and managed freelance photographers, ensuring no compromise on quality.
- Planning of photographic and video coverage for National breaking news events.
- Procured rights for images by contacting image owners to obtain documentation rights and copyright permissions.
- Proactive approach to sourcing photos for breaking news stories from a variety of government and other agencies.
- Ensure fast delivery of images to clients, illustrating the key stories of the day.
- Enhanced user engagement by selecting and editing compelling images for social media platforms.
- Liaise with subscribers to ensure we satisfy their requirements.
- Trained junior photo editors on editing techniques and software tools, contributing to team skill development.
- Collaborated with marketing teams to create compelling visuals that effectively communicated editorial content.
- Negotiated contracts with freelancers while maintaining budgetary constraints.
- Scouted locations for photoshoots and obtained appropriate permits.
- Maximized performance by monitoring daily activities and mentoring team members.
- Streamlined workflows by identifying bottlenecks in existing systems and implementing appropriate solutions.
- Ensured accurate record-keeping with meticulous attention to detail in data entry tasks.
- Creation of rosters for Image and Photographic Staff, created reports and other general administrative duties.
- Mentored junior photographers, fostering a collaborative team environment that improved overall productivity.
Visual Media Researcher
Australian Associated Press (AAP)
01.2012 - 12.2016
- • Developed and maintained digital asset management system, improving accessibility of photo archives for future projects.
- • Processing and sourcing images from staff photographers and other suppliers for website and Social Media.
- • Locating images to match stories, meeting quotas where applicable.
- • Create galleries and uploading images and content on AP image website to match current affairs domestic and international.
- • Proficient in image correction across Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom.
- • Experience in basic video editing across Abode Premiere Pro.
- • Effective communication skills, time management skills with excellent attention to detail.
- • Optimized images for web usage by adjusting resolution and file formats while maintaining aesthetic quality.
- • Proven ability to work to tight deadlines in a rapidly changing technology and editorial environment.
Arts Administrator
Ausdance NSW
01.1998 - 12.2000
- Managed content creation and production across the Ausdance monthly Dance magazine including all areas of production, design, photography and proofreading to meet strict deadlines.
- Streamlined administrative processes for increased efficiency and improved service to artists, staff, and patrons.
- Supervised a team of volunteers to assist with various aspects of arts administration tasks and event coordination.
- Served as a liaison between the arts organisation and its board of directors by providing regular updates on operations, financials, programs, successes, challenges faced by the organisation.
- Processing customer fees and banking using MYOB.
- Management of NSW Dance library and archiving.
Arts Administrative Assistant
Sidetrack Theatre
01.1996 - 12.1998
- Collaborated with colleagues to create new Theatre Works alongside the Artistic Director and General Manager.
- Support General Manager to implement budgets.
- Create marketing for promotion of productions.
- Facilitated the implementation of Theatre productions by communicating objectives across client, teams, and departments, assigning multi-phase activities to appropriate personnel and coordinating time lines to ensure successful launch.
- Liaising with the media for promotion of upcoming and current shows.
- Manage ticket sales on performance nights.
- Answered multi-line phone system, routing calls, delivering messages to staff and greeting visitors.
- Ensured accurate record-keeping with diligent data entry and database management for vital company information.
Education
Bachelor of Creative Arts - Technical Theatre/Theatre Design And Technology
University of Wollongong
Wollongong, NSWCertificate III - Arts Marketing And Management, Cultural Industries
TAFE NSW
NSWCertificate II - Arts Administration
TAFE NSW
NSWAssociate Diploma of Fine Arts - Photography
TAFE NSW
NSWSkills
- Plan, budget, and deliver community events
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Strong administrative and communication skills
- Strategic task management
- Ability to coordinate, organise and prioritise multiple tasks
- Drafting correspondence to managers, staff and stakeholders
- Meeting competing deadlines
- Event documentation
- Staff roster management
- Reporting, contributing to performance reviews
- Effective communication with stakeholders
- Processing and assist with funding applications
- Photography and videography
- Facilitating filming and photography authorisation
- Digital asset management
- Creative direction
Accomplishments
- Co-ordination a team of photographers and planned extensive media coverage for numerous Federal and State Elections, the Northern Rivers Floods, the Victorian Brushfire's, New Years Eve Fireworks and Australia Day Celebrations.
- Assistant, Australian Dance Week, The Australian Dance Awards.
- Co-ordinated the production of numerous Theatre Productions.
- Event curation for the Thirroul Seaside and Arts Festival.
My Kamilaroi heritage has instilled in me a strong work ethic and a commitment to community.
As a Kamilaroi woman, I am passionate about creating more opportunities for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities. With an extensive background working in the non-for-profit sector, I have a wide skill set with experience in community cultural events and improved community engagement.
Small Business Owner
Unicorn Studios Photography (2010- Current)
Specialising in Corporate Events, Weddings and Portraits.
Clients include; Wollongong City Council, Bluescope Steel and Tumbling Waters Retreat, Stanwell Tops.
Publications
AAP - Australian Associate Press - National Wire Agency
The Illawarra Flame Magazine
2508, 2515 lawarra Magazines
The Illawarra Mercury and The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media
The Australian, The Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Nationwide News, The Courier Newspaper Group, Nationwide News community publications include; Sydney Weekly, City, Wentworth Courier, Southern Courier, C.V Magazine, 9 to 5 Magazine,
Readers Digest
Certification
Certificate - Women in Leadership Course: Foundation Skills, University Of Sydney, 2025
Certificate - News and Conflict Course, Charles Sturt University, 2007
Events
Event Coordinator
Federal Election coverage, 2025, 2022
State Election coverage, every State, from 2016.
Flood Coverage, NSW Northern Rivers, Statewide
Bushfire coverage, Statewide
Australia Day, Statewide
New Years Eve, Statewide
Australian Fashion Week, Sydney and Melbourne
Event Assistant
Olympic Games coverage, Paris, Tokyo
Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, Birmingham.
Australian Dance Week
Aboriginal & Islander Dance Conference, NADOC
Bodies, Contemporary Dance Festival
Producer and Curator
Thirooul Seaside and Arts Festival, Photography Exhibition
Production Assistant
Belvoir Street Theatre, Edmund
Sidetrack Theatre Group, Flight Path Days, Remembrance Day, Marrickville Eyes, Nobody's Daughter
Photographer
Sirius Theatre, Hilegard
Etcetera Theatre Company, CPW 8.
Pact Theatre, A scene from Three Sisters
Meme Thorne, Chit/Chat
Frumpus, Tarantism
Carolyn Connors, A Glass and a Half
Deborah Leiser- Moore, Thank God
Amanda Stewart, Extended Vocals
Social Interiors, Spacial Circumference 2
Kristen Boys, Nikki Bridger, TV TV
Katia Molino, Words
Catherine Farger, Tiny Boxes
Sue Broadway, Alice the Antipodean Amazon
Mark Rogers, Western
David Williams, The Lovesick Idiot
Ari Ehrlich, Memory and Sacrifice
Alice Talbot & Jo Kerrigan, Simply Irresistable
Bangarra, Conference Showcase
Mornington Island Dancers
National Sorry Day
Carnivale Multicultural Festival
A Sea Change Festival
One Extra Dance Company
NAISDA, Graduates Exhibition
Dancers; Bernadette Walong, Claire Hague, Lou Harwood, Martin del Amo, Monica Wolf, Gay Gaynor, Tuula Roppola.
Wollongong University, Graduates Handbook.
Awards
Australia's Top 50 Photographer/Capture Magazine
Best News Photograph - NSW South Coast Newspaper Media Awards
Nominated, Australian Suburban Newspaper Awards
Timeline
Deputy Photo Editor
Australian Associated Press (AAP)
07.2016 - Current
Visual Media Researcher
Australian Associated Press (AAP)
01.2012 - 12.2016
Arts Administrator
Ausdance NSW
01.1998 - 12.2000
Arts Administrative Assistant
Sidetrack Theatre
01.1996 - 12.1998
Bachelor of Creative Arts - Technical Theatre/Theatre Design And Technology
University of Wollongong
Certificate III - Arts Marketing And Management, Cultural Industries
TAFE NSW
Certificate II - Arts Administration
TAFE NSW
Associate Diploma of Fine Arts - Photography
TAFE NSW
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