‘LOOK’ AND LOOK BACK: Using an auto/biographical lens to study the Australian documentary film industry, 1970 - 2010
Creators: name: Davies, Llewellyn Willis
Publisher: name: Canberra, ACT : The Australian National University
Year: 2018
Subjects: Australian Film Industry Australian documentary industry Arts and Entertainment Network Australian Broadcasting Authority Australian Broadcasting Corporation Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Broadcasting Tribunal Australian Content Standard Australian Film Commission Australian Film Development Corporation Australian Film Institute Australian Film Television and Radio School Australian International Documentary Conference Australian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society Australian Performing Rights Association Australian Taxation Office Audiovisual Copyright Society (Screenrights) Australian Writers Guild British Broadcasting Corporation Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Commonwealth Film Unit (Film Australia) Department of Information Experimental Film and Television Fund Film Australia Film Finance Corporation Film Licenced Investment Company Film Victoria Free to Air Film and Television Office (NSW) Homes Using Television Independent Communications Associates Independent Programme Producers Association Independent Television (UK) Los Angeles PBS Television Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Marché International des Programmes de Télévision (April) Marché International des Programmes de Communication (October) Memorandum of Understanding National Association of Television Program Executives National Film Board of Canada National Films Council National Film and Sound Archive National Geographic Television National Interest Program Oregon Public Broadcasting Public Broadcast Service (USA) Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television Provisional Certificate Pacific Film and Television Commission Post Office Film Unit South Australian Film Corporation Special Broadcasting Service SBS Independent Significant Australian Content Screen Producers Australia The Discovery Channel The History Channel Washington PBS Television Boston PBS Television New York PBS Television

description: While much has been written on the Australian film and television industry, little has been presented by actual producers, filmmakers and technicians of their time and experiences within that same industry. Similarly, with historical documentaries, it has been academics rather than filmmakers who have led the debate. This thesis addresses this shortcoming and bridges the gap between practitioner experience and intellectual discussion, synthesising the debate and providing an important contribution from a filmmaker-academic, in its own way unique and insightful. The thesis is presented in two voices. First, my voice, the voice of memoir and recollected experience of my screen adventures over 38 years within the Australian industry, mainly producing historical documentaries for the ABC and the SBS. This is represented in italics. The second half and the alternate chapters provide the industry framework in which I worked with particular emphasis on documentaries and how this evolved and developed over a 40-year period, from 1970 to 2010. Within these two voices are three layers against which this history is reviewed and presented. Forming the base of the pyramid is the broad Australian film industry made up of feature films, documentary, television drama, animation and other types and styles of production. Above this is the genre documentary within this broad industry, and making up the small top tip of the pyramid, the sub-genre of historical documentary. These form the vertical structure within which industry issues are discussed. Threading through it are the duel determinants of production: ‘the market’ and ‘funding’. Underpinning the industry is the involvement of government, both state and federal, forming the three dimensional matrix for the thesis. For over 100 years the Australian film industry has depended on government support through subsidy, funding mechanisms, development assistance, broadcast policy and legislative provisions. This thesis aims to weave together these industry layers, binding them with the determinants of the market and funding, and immersing them beneath layers of government legislation and policy to present a new view of the Australian film industry.