About

Hackett Films decided it was time to have a name that suits its multi-disciplinary approach, hence Studio Hackett. We still love motion graphics, animation and live-action but we also love design, digital education and illustration and our new name encompasses all that we do.

If you have a project, let’s work together!

Our Team

  • James Hackett

    Creative Director

    James has guided the studio creatively and as a business since the early 2000s. His eye for design is remarkable. His technical knowledge, second to none. James is internationally regarded for his work and his skills and experience have enabled Studio Hackett to work in sectors that range from broadcast TV to educational games. His expertise is the lynchpin between story and design. James loves getting to the heart of a character and is happy directing live-action talent or animated characters. In his spare time, he has written a young adult fiction novel set in 2041 (coming to a bookstore and your Kindle very soon!).

  • Jake Duczynski

    Director

    Jake is an animator, lecturer, writer and director. A proud Indigenous man, with Gomeroi and Mandandanji descent — his work explores Indigenous culture through animation, revealing how this can establish cultural collaboration, facilitate preservation and visualize unseen worlds and untold stories. Jake has been working with Studio Hackett on Cooked and other projects since since 2019. He has won many awards for his animation work and also Best Responsive Website at SXSW for MY GRANDMOTHER’S LINGO and the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) Young Alumni of the Year Award and Walkley Award for Multimedia Storytelling in 2016. Jake holds a Bachelor of Design with Honours in Animation (2015) from UTS where he lectures one day a week across the Animation degree.

  • Sabina Pjetrovic

    Senior Producer & Business Development

    Sabina comes to us all the way from the great state of Texas y’all, with a university degree in Video/Film Production. She has a wealth of content agency and account management experience, working on content for clients such as Volkswagon, United Airlines (US), Cancer Council & Stockland. From TVCs to magazines, Sabina has worked with brands strategically to create meaningful content that does everything from entertain to educate. She has always been a world traveller, calling Argentina & the UK home for brief stints and finally settling in Sydney for the past 8 years. She recently spent two months traveling around Africa and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, where she claims she almost died. We are glad she didn’t, as she has been a bubbly and energetic addition to the Studio Hackett team.

  • Darcy Green

    Producer

    Darcy graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and holds a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). As a director, Darcy is interested in Australian stories and, in particular, new Australian work. Darcy is always ready for a quick game of ping pong if you’re up for it.

     

  • Michael Mascarenas

    Animator / Designer

    Whether it’s animating, compositing, shooting stop-mo, or modelling 3D characters Michael’s inspired by all forms of animation. He’s comfortable working in 2D and 3D and if there’s a technical challenge out there that he hasn’t yet got his head around, then he’ll be on it while listening to 80’s disco bangers! After six months freelancing with us and six months at the ABC, Michael joined Studio Hackett full-time. His love for finding a creative and/or technical solution was a major influence on his time tutoring and demonstrating a 3D course over at UTS, from which he also graduated with honours. Got a problem? Not a problem! Like a cuppa? He’s got mad tea skillz too!

  • Jodie Austin

    Animator

    Jodie is a proud Ngunnawal woman, who incorporates pattern work and thoughtful expression into her personal illustrations and work projects. She’s a super enthusiastic and adaptable animator. Jodie was across the Cooked series 1 project from design concepts through to delivery. Recently Jodie graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animation with Honours from University of Technology Sydney (UTS), where she continues to tutor students through the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS), alongside work at Studio Hackett.

What our clients say

  • "Hackett Films are fantastic at turning raw concepts in to reality. They worked really closely with us at BLOKE to turn a character idea we had for the Maritime Museum in to a fully realised TVC and they added so much to the process along the way. Nothing is ever too much for James, Sarah and the team and they always go the extra mile."

    Bloke — Mike O’Rourke

  • "We have been particularly delighted with the collaborative and iterative approach the team at Hackett have taken to working with us, and we have loved the new ideas they have introduced that have challenged us to think about how we expand our brand."

    Orygen – Kerryn Pennell

  • "In 2010 I came up with an idea for a humorous kids’ science book, How to Make a Planet. I asked a colleague in TV: “If I wanted Pixar in Australia, where would I go?”, and Hackett Films was suggested. From the very first meeting I knew I’d come to the right place."

    Klepac Publishing – Ariana Klepac

  • "The combination of talents they bring to the table - highly original thinking, a deep sense of commitment to making ideas work within sometimes limited resources, and an unblemished record of delivering on time and at the highest possible standard - makes them, in my view, the gold standard of creative companies in Australian television."

    Zapruder’s Other Films – Andrew Denton

Facilities

Studio Hackett is based at The Commons in Chippendale, only a 5 minute stroll from Central Station. In this beautifully refurbished brick warehouse we have access to a photography studio, a maker space, a podcast studio, and an outdoor basketball court, not to mention that the entire building is powered by 100% renewable energy. Come around for a meeting, we’ll make you a great cup of tea.

Contact us