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TRANSCRIPT
Documentary proDuction
in australia, 2010
a collection of key Data
www.screenaustral ia .gov.au
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CONTENTSSUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
PRODUCTIONDocumentary as a proportion of audiovisual production . . . . 4
• In Australia, 2006/07 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
• In Australia, Canada and New Zealand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Production activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
• Businesses involved in producing documentaries. . . . . . 5
• Hours produced and production budgets . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
• Budget ranges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
• Cost per hour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
• Activity by state. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
EMPLOYMENT• Documentary filmmakers: Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
• Documentary filmmakers: Activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
FUNDINGSources of finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
• Sources of finance in Australia, Canada and France . . . 8
Government funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
• Federal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
• State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
• Domestic non-theatrical sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
ON SCREENCinema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
• Theatrical release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
• Top documentaries at the box office . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
• Sales of documentaries on video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
• Top documentaries on video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
• Free-to-air TV release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
• Programming by public broadcasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
• Program spending by commercial broadcasters . . . . . 15
• Top documentaries on TV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
This report is based on key data from Get the Picture Online, Screen Australia’s comprehensive web-based
statistics collection.
ABOUT THE DATA
Data in this section is based on documentary production by Australian
production companies, including those productions filmed wholly or
partially overseas. These are projects under Australian creative control (i.e.
where the key elements are predominantly Australian and the project has
been originated and developed by Australians). It includes official and
unofficial co-productions with foreign partners (i.e. where creative control
is shared between a mix of Australian and foreign partners and there is a
mix of Australian and foreign elements in the key creative positions). It
also includes projects that are 100 per cent foreign financed if they are
under Australian creative control. It does not include productions made in
Australia by foreign production companies, or foreign projects where an
Australian production company is operating in a service capacity. Although
programs made by New Zealand companies are counted as local by the
Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for compliance
with the Australian content quota, they are not included in Australian
production figures. In-house production by free-to-air and subscription
television broadcasters is included only where indicated.
Figures are based on when principal photography commenced, even
though series, in particular, may be shot over more than one financial year.
What is a ‘documentary’?
Screen Australia's definition of ‘documentary’ follows that used by ACMA,
specifically ‘a program that is a creative treatment of actuality other than a
news, current affairs, sports coverage, magazine, infotainment or light
entertainment program, and corporate and/or training programs’. Screen
Australia data covers documentaries intended for cinema and/or TV
release. Non-broadcast documentaries are not included, nor are online
documentaries.
In practice, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish documentaries
from programs such as infotainment, travelogue or light entertainment
programs, which adds to the difficulty of gathering data on this area of
Australian production activity. ACMA released guidelines on the
interpretation of its definition of documentary in December 2004; see
www.acma.gov.au
Data sources
Screen Australia has collated research from a number of sources,
including the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Screenrights, the free-
to-air and subscription broadcasters, GfK Retail and Technology Australia,
OzTAM and state film agencies.
Screen Australia continues the monitoring of documentary production
previously undertaken by the Australian Film Commission throughout the
year via an extensive range of sources, including funding agency
announcements, production reports and media monitoring. Many titles are
located through the monitoring of Australian documentaries screened on
Australian free-to-air and subscription TV. A point of contact first needs to
be established; then data can be requested from the filmmakers, including
details of the producer, director, writer, production company, sales contact,
synopsis, duration, budget, location, sources of finance and subject
headings. The agency also monitors festival screenings, awards, cinema
and Australian TV screenings, ratings and box office.
Documentary production is also included by the ABS in its Services
Industry Surveys of the film and video production and post-production
services industries. Variations between Screen Australia and ABS data are
due to differences in survey methodology.
Data limitations
Because of the difficulties involved in monitoring documentary production,
particularly in-house production by the television broadcasters, Screen
Australia includes some estimates in the number of titles, hours and
budgets for some years.
Data updates
This report includes data from Get the Picture Online. Data on Get the Picture Online is updated as it becomes available, which may lead to
discrepancies between this report and Get the Picture pages.
Cover picture:SALT: Lake Eyre, South Australia.
Courtesy Jerrycan Films Pty Ltd.
© Screen Australia 2010
Screen Australia is grateful to all those that contributed data to the
compilation of this report.
ISBN: 978-1-920998-10-3
Also available online via the Screen Australia website at:
www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp/docos
See also Get the Picture Online at: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp
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SUMMARYDOCUMENTARY AS A PROPORTION OF AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTIONDocumentary makes up 2-3 per cent of audiovisual production in Australia, compared to 11 per cent in
New Zealand and 21 per cent in Canada.
HOURS PRODUCED AND PRODUCTION BUDGETS
Documentary production in Australia peaked in 2007/08. A total of 509 hours (239 titles) were produced,
with production budgets totalling $138.6 million, compared to an annual average of 331 hours and
$74 million. For the last three years, activity by production companies has been well above average, largely
due to documentary series, whereas in-house production by broadcasters has remained relatively steady
over the 13-year survey period.
BUDGET RANGESNot including broadcaster-produced titles, 85 per cent of single documentaries made between 1996/97
and 2008/09 had budgets of less than $500,000, with nearly half made for less than $200,000.
ACTIVITY BY STATEMost documentaries (55 per cent of titles, 64 per cent of hours) are made by production companies in NSW.
EMPLOYMENTAround 220 producers, 170 directors and 140 writers have made two or more documentaries in the last five
years. However, the majority of documentary filmmakers (66 per cent of producers, 67 per cent of directors
and 71 per cent of writers) made only one.
SOURCES OF FINANCEGovernment sources have provided the highest proportion of funding to the annual documentary slate in
Australia over the last 10 years (46 per cent), with broadcasters providing 27 per cent and foreign finance
13 per cent.
153 provisional and 64 final Producer Offset certificates have been issued to 18 February 2010.
DOMESTIC NON-THEATRICAL SALESAround $9 million was collected from educational institutions for off-air copying and retransmission of
documentaries in 2009.
THEATRICAL RELEASEEight Australian documentaries were released in cinemas in 2009.
SALES OF DOCUMENTARIES ON VIDEOOf the top 500 documentary titles sold on video in 2009, 12.2 per cent were Australian. The three
highest-selling Australian documentary titles were Love the Beast, Fat Belly: Chopper Unchopped and
First Australians.
FREE-TO-AIR TV RELEASEA total of 428 hours of first-release Australian documentaries were broadcast on Australian free-to-air TV
in 2009 – significantly higher than the annual average of 312 hours.
TOP DOCUMENTARIES ON TVEight of the top ten documentaries in 2009 were Australian, with World’s Strictest Parents at no. 2.
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PRODUCER OFFSET
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PRODUCTION
DOCUMENTARY AS A PROPORTION OF AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION
According to the ABS, documentary production made up 2–3 per cent of total audiovisual production in Australia in 2006/07.
IN AUSTRALIA, 2006/07
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Television, Film and Video Production and Post-production Services 2006/07 (cat. no. 8679.0).
Notes:
Includes film and video production and post-production businesses, free-to-air and subscription television broadcasters and subscription television channel
providers. Unlike previous years, includes significant non-employing businesses.
^ Estimate has a relative standard error of 10–25 per cent and should be used with caution.
* Estimate has a relative standard error of 25–50 per cent and should be used with caution.
** Estimate has a relative standard error greater than 50 per cent and is considered too unreliable for general use.
n.a. Data not available.
IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA AND NEW ZEALAND
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Statistics New Zealand, Statistics Canada, Documentary Organisation of Canada and Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).
Notes:
1. Documentary as a proportion of total production costs for film and video production and post-production businesses, free-to-air and subscription television
broadcasters and subscription television channel providers in 2006/07.
2. Documentary as a proportion of funding received by screen production companies in 2006/07. RBA’s annual average of daily exchange rate with New Zealand in
2006/07: AUD$1.00 = NZD$1.15.
3. Documentary as a proportion of total content production in 2005/06. RBA’s annual average of daily exchange rate with New Zealand in 2005/06: AUD$1.00 =
CAD$0.87.
Sport 14%
News and current affairs 22%
TV drama (excludes children’s) 8%
Commercials 13%
Feature films 10%
Light entertainment and variety 16%
Quiz, panel and game shows 4% TV and other documentaries 2%
Corporate/marketing/training videos 4%
Other TV programs(includes children’s) 5%
Other 2%
Type of audiovisual activity No. businesses Production value ($m) Share of value (%)
News and current affairs *63 411.5 22%
Situation and sketch comedy 8 15.1 <1%
TV drama (excludes children’s) ^22 152.9 8%
Sport *50 268.4 14%
Commercials n.a. 243.1 13%
Feature films 78 183.8 10%
Light entertainment and variety *84 306.1 16%
Quiz, panel and game shows 8 74.8 4%
TV documentaries ^67 ^39.8 2%
Other TV programs (includes children’s) n.a. 97.5 5%
Corporate/marketing/training videos ^454 *71.7 4%
Other non-TV programs *74 ^4.1 <1%
Documentaries (other than for TV) **46 4.8 <1%
Short films ^33 1.4 <1%
Music media *27 ^1.3 <1%
Educational media *107 *6.0 <1%
Total 1,882.4
% $m (local currency) $m (Aus)
Australia1 2 45 45
New Zealand2 11 45 39
Canada3 21 440 506
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PRODUCTION ACTIVITY
BUSINESSES INVOLVED IN PRODUCING DOCUMENTARIES
In 2006/07, according to the ABS, there were approximately:
• 67 Australian businesses involved in producing documentaries for TV, down from 98 in 2002/03, and
• 46 businesses involved in producing documentaries other than for TV, up from 21 in 2002/03.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). See Documentary as a proportion of audiovisual production (page 4)
HOURS PRODUCED AND PRODUCTION BUDGETS
Documentary production in Australia peaked in 2007/08. A total of 509 hours (239 titles) were produced, with budgets
totalling $138.6 million.
Average annual documentary production in Australia is estimated at around 331 hours (364 broadcast hours), with a
production value of approximately $74 million (based on combined production budgets). Although television
broadcasters play a significant role in Australian documentary production, most documentary activity occurs in the
independent sector. An average of 226 hours, totalling $61.3 million, have been produced annually by production
companies in the 13 years from 1996/97 to 2008/09, compared to 105 hours, totalling nearly $13 million, by
broadcasters.
After a peak in 1990/00, boosted by titles made for the Centenary of Federation, independent documentary activity fell
in both 2000/01 and 2001/02, but subsequently rose again to an 11-year high in 2006/07, and higher again in 2007/08.
That year saw the continuation of many series including Mythbusters, RSPCA Animal Rescue and Family Footsteps, as
well as the introduction of several new titles with high budgets and/or long running times to the production slate, such
as Two in the Top End, Find My Family, Outback Wildlife Rescue, Voyage to the Planets and Snake Crusader.
The generally high levels of production since 2003/04 have been due to an increase in documentary series. Apart from
the peak in 2007/08, production of single documentaries (in titles and hours) has remained at lower levels since
2003/04; however, there was a strong increase in their total production value in 2005/06 due to several high-budget
titles made that year. Activity by broadcasters has remained relatively steady over the surveyed period, with a peak in
hours and production value in 2006/07.
.
Source: Screen Australia.
Notes:
Figures include some estimates.
Duration calculated on actual running time of program in minutes rather than broadcast hours.
Figures are based on year when principal photography commenced; this also applies to series, even though series are often shot over more than one financial year.
Activity by broadcasters refers to productions where television broadcasters are the only production companies involved. Includes free-to-air and subscription
broadcasters. Does not include subscription television channel content providers; these are included with production companies.
Includes Australian productions and productions with overseas partners where creative control is shared (i.e. with a mix of Australians in key creative positions).
Includes IMAX documentaries but excludes magazine-format documentaries, current affairs, news, information programs, online documentaries, and corporate and
training films/programs.
HOURS MADE PRODUCTION BUDGETS
0
100
200
300
Do
cu
me
nta
ry h
ou
rs
19
96
/97
19
97/
98
19
98
/99
19
99
/00
20
00
/01
20
01
/02
20
02
/03
20
03
/04
20
04
/05
20
05
/06
20
06
/07
20
07/
08
20
08
/09
400
Hours made by production companies
Hours made by broadcasters
Documentaries made by production companies
Documentaries made by broadcasters
0
20
40
60
80
Pro
du
cti
on
bu
dg
ets
($
m)
100
120
140
19
96
/97
19
97/
98
19
98
/99
19
99
/00
20
00
/01
20
01
/02
20
02
/03
20
03
/04
20
04
/05
20
05
/06
20
06
/07
20
07/
08
20
08
/09
For comprehensive data, see Get the Picture Online: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp
This report online: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp/docos
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BUDGET RANGES
Eighty-five per cent of the single documentary titles made by production companies over the 13 years between
1996/97 and 2008/09 had budgets of less than $500,000 (in 2009 dollars), with nearly half made for less than
$200,000.
For series, budgets vary with the number of hours produced, but on average 30 per cent of titles were made for less
than $500,000, and 37 per cent for more than $1 million.
Source: Screen Australia.
Notes:
Current dollar figures have been adjusted for inflation using the Non-farm GDP Deflator. This index has been used in preference to the Consumer Price Index as it
more accurately reflects the cost increases experienced by the film industry.
COST PER HOUR
For single titles, the average cost per commercial broadcast hour initially rose from 1996/97, then fell in 2001/02 and
subsequent years when no large-format titles were produced, before rising again in 2005/06 with the production of
several high-budget titles, such as The Secret, Bom Bali and Night. For documentary series, the average cost per
commercial broadcast hour has ranged between $110,173 in 1997/98 ($161,803 in 2009 dollars) and $262,952 in
1998/99 ($384,893 in 2009 dollars).
Over the 13-year period since 1996/97, 74 per cent of series hours have been made for less than $300,000 per hour
(actual running time) and 16 per cent for less than $100,000 per hour. Only 6 per cent cost more than $600,000
per hour.
Source: Screen Australia.
Notes:
Current dollar figures have been adjusted for inflation using the Non-farm GDP Deflator. This index has been used in preference to the Consumer Price Index as it
more accurately reflects the cost increases experienced by the film industry.
BUDGET RANGES FOR SINGLE DOCUMENTARY TITLES BUDGET RANGES FOR DOCUMENTARY SERIES
2001/02
2002/03
2000/01
1999/00
1998/99
1997/98
1996/97
2003/04
2004/05
2006/07
2005/06
Percentage of single documentaries in these ranges
Under $200k $200k–$499k $500k $1m– $1m+
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
2008/09
2007/08
2001/02
2002/03
2000/01
1999/00
1998/99
1997/98
1996/97
2003/04
2004/05
2006/07
2005/06
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
2008/09
2007/08
Percentage of series in these ranges
Under $200k $200k $499k– $500k $1m– $1m+
AVERAGE COST PER COMMERCIAL BROADCAST HOUR FOR SINGLE TITLES
AVERAGE COST PER COMMERCIAL BROADCAST HOUR FOR SERIES
100
200
300
400
500
Ave
rag
e c
ost
pe
r b
’ca
st
ho
ur
( $
’00
0)
0
19
96
/97
19
97/
98
19
98
/99
19
99
/00
20
00
/01
20
01
/02
20
02
/03
20
03
/04
20
04
/05
20
05
/06
20
06
/07
20
07/
08
20
08
/09
100
200
300
400
500
0
Ave
rag
e c
ost
pe
r b
’ca
st
ho
ur
($’0
00
)
19
96
/97
19
97/
98
19
98
/99
19
99
/00
20
00
/01
20
01
/02
20
02
/03
20
03
/04
20
04
/05
20
05
/06
20
06
/07
20
07/
08
20
08
/09
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ACTIVITY BY STATE
In the 13 years between 1996/97 and 2008/09, most documentaries (excluding in-house productions by broadcasters)
were made by production companies based in NSW (55 per cent of titles, 64 per cent of hours), followed by Victoria,
Queensland and Western Australia.
Source: Screen Australia.
Notes:
Documentaries may have two or more production companies; where the production companies are located in different states, each state is counted.
Productions with foreign partners are allocated to the Australian production company’s state of residence.
Calculated as a 13-year average, 1996/97–2008/09.
Hours are calculated on actual running time of programs in minutes.
Overall total may be less than 100 per cent due to a small number of titles of unknown origin.
EMPLOYMENTThe main sources for film industry employment data are the ABS Census and Service Industries Surveys.
Unfortunately, these don't categorise occupations by genre. However, some data is available from other sources.
DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS: NUMBER
All credits, 2004/05–2008/09
Based on Screen Australia analysis of 914 Australian documentaries, including broadcaster-produced titles,
shot between July 2004 and June 2009:
• 641 people produced a documentary (46 per cent of these were women)
• 525 people directed a documentary (38 per cent women) and
• 489 people wrote a documentary in this period (39 per cent women).
Source: Screen Australia analysis of the credits of 914 Australian documentaries, including broadcaster-produced titles, shot between July 2004 and June 2009.
Notes:
Sex unknown for 11 producers (2%), 8 directors (2%) and 6 writers (1%).
Two or more credits, 2004/05–2008/09
Analysis of filmmakers who have made two or more documentaries in the last five years indicates that there are
around 220 producers, 170 directors and 140 writers currently making documentary films/programs in Australia.
Source: Screen Australia analysis of the credits of 914 Australian documentaries, including broadcaster-produced titles, shot between July 2004 and June 2009.
Notes:
Percentages may not total exactly due to rounding.
Sex unknown for 1 producer (<0.5%), 1 director (1%) and 2 writers (1%).
SHARE OF DOCUMENTARY TITLES BY STATE SHARE OF DOCUMENTARY HOURS BY STATE
NSW 55%
Queensland 9%
SouthAustralia 3%
Victoria 20%
WesternAustralia
8%
ACT, NT & Tasmania 5%
NSW 64%
Queensland 7%
SouthAustralia
2%
Victoria 15%
WesternAustralia
8%
ACT, NT & Tasmania 4%
5-year profile: 2 or more credits
Men Women
Total no.No. % No. %
Producers 112 51% 105 48% 218
Directors 107 61% 67 38% 175
Writers 89 63% 50 35% 141
For comprehensive data, see Get the Picture Online: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp
This report online: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp/docos
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DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS: ACTIVITY
Analysis of the producer, director and writer credits for documentaries made in the five years between July 2004 and
June 2009 shows that a high proportion of documentary filmmakers made only one title over this period, with producers
the most likely to have multiple credits – 34 per cent, compared to 33 per cent for directors and 29 per cent for writers.
Source: Screen Australia analysis of the credits of 914 Australian documentaries, including broadcaster-produced titles, shot between July 2004 and June 2009.
FUNDING
SOURCES OF FINANCE
SOURCES OF FINANCE IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA AND FRANCE
Government sources (excluding public broadcasters) provide the highest proportion of funding to the annual
documentary slates in Australia and Canada (46 per cent and 34 per cent of the slate respectively), and the second
highest in France (20 per cent), where producers provide around the same proportion.
The largest contribution to the French slate comes from broadcasters (including public broadcasters) – 42 per cent,
compared to 30 per cent in Canada and 27 per cent in Australia. Australia has the highest level of foreign finance –
13 per cent, compared to 11 per cent in Canada and 8 per cent in France.
SOURCES OF FINANCE FOR DOCUMENTARY SLATE (% SHARE)
Source: Australia: Screen Australia, ten-year average 1999/00 to 2008/09.
Canada: Getting Real Volume 2, 2004 and Volume 3, 2007, Documentary Organisation of Canada, CFTPA Profile 2005 and 2006, ten-year average 1996/97 to 2005/06.
France: CNC Results May 2008 and Production Audiovisuelle 2009, 11-year average 1998 to 2008.
Notes:
Includes Screen Australia estimates.
Australia government includes direct funding from federal and state film funding agencies and other non-film government sources such as the National Council for
the Centenary of Federation and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC).
Australian producers includes Producer Offset from 2007/08.
Producers
Directors
Writers
Production companies
Percentage of documentary filmmakers with:
1 credit 2 credits 3 credits 4 credits 5+ credits
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Australia Canada France
Foreign
Other local
Producers
Distributors
Broadcasters
Private
Government
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GOVERNMENT FUNDING
Government funding for documentaries is available
directly, through the federal and state government
film agencies, and indirectly, through federal tax
incentives.
FEDERAL FUNDING
The federal funding landscape has undergone substantial
change in recent years, with the creation of the new agency,
Screen Australia – a merger of the Australian Film
Commission, the Film Finance Corporation and
Film Australia – in July 2008, and the 2007 introduction
of the new Australian Screen Production Incentive,
comprising three streams – the Producer Offset, Location
Offset and Post, Digital and Video Effects (PDV) Offset –
which supersedes earlier incentives such as 10BA. In
addition, SBS Independent (SBSi), which commissioned
Australian documentaries from the independent sector for
screening on SBS Television, was incorporated into SBS’s
Content (Television and Online) Division in 2007/08 and
no longer receives separate funding.
Screen Australia
Screen Australia provides direct funding for documentaries
through various development and production funding
programs, continuing many of the programs of the Australian
Film Commission, the Film Finance Corporation and
Film Australia, including Film Australia’s National Interest
Program and Making History Initiative (now incorporated
into the National Documentary Program). In 2008/09,
Screen Australia provided $1.1 million in documentary
development funding, and committed $17.6 million in
production funding to 61 new documentary titles, both
one-off and series.
Producer OffsetThe Producer Offset is available to producers of projects
with ‘significant Australian content’ or official co-productions.
This refundable tax rebate is accessed via the Australian
production company’s income tax return once the project is
completed. For eligible non-feature documentaries that meet
the ‘qualifying Australian production expenditure’ (QAPE)
threshold of $250,000 per hour, it is worth 20 per cent of
QAPE. While the Location and PDV Offsets are open to
documentary series, it is rare that a documentary would
meet the required thresholds.
CERTIFICATES ISSUED FOR NON-FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES TO 18 FEBRUARY 2010
Source: Screen Australia
Federal funding to the 2008/09 documentary slate
2008/09 is the first full year of simultaneous operation of
Screen Australia and the Producer Offset. Below is a
snapshot of the number of documentary titles starting
production in 2008/09 (including titles made in-house by
broadcasters), broken down by cost per hour, indicating those
with direct funding via Screen Australia and indirect funding
via the Producer Offset. Many of the titles under $250,000
per hour with no government funding are documentaries
made in-house by broadcasters. Titles with the Offset
comprise those that had applied for provisional or final
certificates by 17 February 2010 rather than to all eligible titles.
As some producers don’t apply for a provisional certificate,
ultimately, the number of titles in the 2008/09 slate with the
Producer Offset may be higher.
Source: Screen Australia
STATE FUNDING
While the majority of direct funding for documentaries comes
from the federal agencies (now Screen Australia), the state
and territory film agencies also provide development and
production funding. Annual production funding from this
source has grown from around $1 million in the mid-1990s
to around $5 million since 2003/04.
ANNUAL DOCUMENTARY FUNDING BY STATE/TERRITORY FILM AGENCIES
Notes: Participating state/territory agencies are: ArtsACT; ACT Department of the
Environment and Cultural Heritage; ScreenACT ; Arts Tasmania; Screen
Tasmania; Screen NSW; Northern Territory Film Office (NTFO); Pacific Film
and Television Commission (PFTC); South Australian Film Corporation
(SAFC); Film Victoria; ScreenWest.
PROVISIONAL
Number of certificates issued 153
Total budgets $138.53 million
FINAL
Number of certificates issued 64
Total QAPE $48.72 million
Total Offset $9.74 million
0
20
40
60
80
100
None ineligible for Producer Offset–
None – no Offset certificate to date
Producer Offset only
Screen Australia only
Screen Australia and Producer Offset
No
. do
cu
me
nta
rie
s
120
140
<$250,000 $250,000–$500,000
$500,000–$1 million
>$1 million
Cost per hour
0
1
2
3
4
$ m
illi
on
19
94
/95
19
95
/96
19
96
/97
19
97/
98
19
98
/99
19
99
/00
20
00
/01
20
01
/02
20
02
/03
20
03
/04
20
04
/05
20
05
/06
20
06
/07
20
07/
08
20
08
/09
ProductionDevelopment
5
6
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SALES
DOMESTIC NON-THEATRICAL SALES
Documentaries are distributed non-theatrically by small educational distributors that specialise in supplying
educational institutions, libraries, community groups and other niche markets. It is a labour-intensive and
low-returning activity. However, documentaries often have a long life. For example, many popular older titles, such as
The Back of Beyond (1953) and Exile and the Kingdom (1994), have continued to sell to educational users and in niche
markets looking for Australian content.
Another source of revenue for documentary makers is off-air copying of programs for educational use. Screenrights
promotes documentaries to the education sector via its website, enhancetv.com.au, and collects and distributes
royalties for the copying of programs from TV and radio by schools, TAFEs and universities for teaching purposes.
Documentaries comprised 26 per cent of audiovisual material copied by educational institutions in 2008/09. In 2009,
$34 million in royalties was collected by Screenrights, including $25.4 million for educational copying throughout
Australia and New Zealand and $5.1 million for retransmission. An estimated $8.8 million of this will be allocated to
documentaries.
Royalty returns from the off-air copying of programs for educational purposes can be substantial for documentaries.
For example, Screenrights returns to date for the three-hour Film Australia Federation series, which first screened in
1999, have totalled more than $285,000, higher than the $240,000 domestic free-to-air television licence fee. The
one-hour documentary Seeking Asylum (2002), made by Piper Films with a budget of $260,000, generated $50,000 in
royalties through Screenrights, or 35 per cent of its total returns. And Screen Australia’s Captain Cook: Obsession and Discovery has so far earned more than $160,000 in Screenrights royalties since its initial 2007 broadcast, with further
royalties expected.
Royalty returns from the off-air copying of programs can vary greatly. For resource centre copying, royalties can
typically range from $9–27 for schools to $60–139 for universities for a 60-minute program. For survey copying
reported through the annual sample, royalties for a 60-minute program typically vary from $900 to $8,000.
Factors that affect the value of a royalty payment include the type of program, the format used to make the copy
and the type of educational institution.
SHARE OF EDUCATIONAL OFF-AIR COPYING BY TYPE, 2008/09
Source: Screen Australia, Screenrights.
Notes:
Includes Australia and New Zealand educational institutions.
Documentary 26%Dedicated educational 12%
News and current affairs 33%
Infotainment andlight entertainment 13%
TV drama 5%
Radio 6%
Feature films 2%
Music and variety 1%Sport 1%
For comprehensive data, see Get the Picture Online: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp
This report online: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp/docos
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ON SCREEN
CINEMA
THEATRICAL RELEASE
Eight Australian documentaries were released in cinemas in 2009. Between 1988 and 2009, an average of seven
Australian documentaries (including co-productions) were released annually in Australian cinemas, totalling 159 titles.
A total of eight Australian documentary titles were released in the UK over this period and 18 in the US.
Source: Compiled by Screen Australia.
Notes:
Includes Australian productions and productions with overseas partners where creative control is shared (i.e. with a mix of Australians in key creative positions).
25
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19
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19
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19
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19
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19
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19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
20
07
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08
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TOP DOCUMENTARIES AT THE BOX OFFICE
Large-format films dominate the top Australian documentaries at the Australian box office.
There are two Australian-made IMAX titles in the all-time top 20 to December 2009: Antarctica and Africa’s Elephant Kingdom. The most successful non-IMAX Australian documentary is Bra Boys, which has grossed
$1,698,976 since its release in March 2007.
TOP 10 FROM ANY COUNTRY (AUSTRALIAN TITLES LISTED IN BOLD)
TOP 10 NON-IMAX (AUSTRALIAN TITLES LISTED IN BOLD)
TOP 10 AUSTRALIAN
Source: Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia (MPDAA), Nielsen EDI (Australia) and Ronin; compiled by the Screen Australia.
Notes:
Includes Australian productions and productions with overseas partners where creative control is shared (i.e. with a mix of Australians in key creative
positions).
World Safari 2: Adventure Bound (released 1984) is not included as national box office figures are unavailable.
1. Cumulative box office, reported on 3 February 2010 in current dollars (i.e. not adjusted for inflation). These figures may include revised MPDAA box office
earnings.
Rank Title Distributor Release date Box office ($)1
1 Michael Jackson’s This Is It Sony 29 Oct 2009 9,574,115
2 Fahrenheit 9/11 Hopscotch 29 Jul 2004 8,404,378
3 Everest IMAX 18 Mar 1998 6,334,124
4 Space Station 3D IMAX 6 Jun 2002 5,457,957
5 Deep Sea 3D IMAX 6 Apr 2006 5,189,744
6 Extreme IMAX (CPL/Extreme) 18 Mar 1999 5,152,785
7 Bowling for Columbine Icon/Hopscotch 26 Dec 2002 4,852,301
8 Mysteries of Egypt IMAX (CPL/Destin) 21 Jan 1999 4,507,547
9 Titanic 3D: Ghosts of the Abyss IMAX 4 Sep 2003 4,477,494
10 Antarctica IMAX 26 Sep 1996 4,475,438
Rank in top 50 Title Distributor Release date Box office ($)1
1 Michael Jackson's This Is It Sony 29 Oct 2009 9,574,115
2 Fahrenheit 9/11 Hopscotch 29 Jul 2004 8,404,378
7 Bowling for Columbine Icon/Hopscotch 26 Dec 2002 4,852,301
12 March of the Penguins Roadshow 30 Mar 2006 4,345,437
13 An Inconvenient Truth UIP/Paramount 14 Sep 2006 4,190,159
17 Touching the Void Hopscotch 24 Jun 2004 3,080,689
19 Super Size Me Dendy 3 Jun 2004 2,907,204
22 The Travelling Birds Hopscotch 19 Jun 2003 2,564,215
23 In Bed with Madonna Columbia 13 Jun 1991 2,241,064
32 Bra Boys Hopscotch 15 Mar 2007 1,698,976
Rank in top 100 Title Distributor Release date Box office ($)1
10 Antarctica IMAX 26 Sep 1996 4,475,438
15 Africa’s Elephant Kingdom IMAX 21 May 1998 3,491,995
32 Bra Boys Hopscotch 15 Mar 2007 1,698,976
56 Australia: Land Beyond Time IMAX 6 Mar 2003 887,251
60 Love the Beast Madman 12 Mar 2009 777,351
62 Sydney: Story of a City IMAX 18 Aug 1999 709,231
67 Cane Toads: An Unnatural History Ronin 1 Mar 1988 613,910
87 ABC of Love and Sex Australia Style Roadshow 29 Mar 1978 447,000
90Unfolding Florence: The Many Lives of Florence Broadhurst
Dendy 24 Aug 2006 429,243
94 Forbidden Lie$ Palace 13 Sep 2007 401,027
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SALES OF DOCUMENTARIES ON VIDEO
GfK Retail and Technology tracked approximately 47,000 video releases sold in Australian retail outlets in 2009. These
sales accounted for around 70 million units at a value in excess of $1.3 billion in revenue. Around 4,300 of these were
documentary titles, with a combined value of over $54 million, compared to approximately 4,000 titles worth $50
million in 2008.
When ranked by value, the proportion of sales achieved by Australian titles within the top 500 documentaries sold on
video during 2009 was 12.2 per cent (just over $5.3 million). Although the Australian proportions have remained steady
over the last two years, they have fallen significantly from the 2006 peak in units sold and sales value and the 2007
peak in the number of titles. Contributing to this have been the growing dominance of the foreign Top Gear titles while
sales of popular local series Mythbusters and Crocodile Hunter have softened. Nevertheless, the value of 2009 sales
remains above the six-year average of $4.9 million.
The highest selling Australian titles in 2009 were the DVD editions of Love the Beast and Fat Belly: Chopper Unchopped, while First Australians made the top three for the second year. Since 2004, among Australian
documentaries, the top-selling individual titles have been The Secret, Wild Australasia and Bra Boys; the top-selling
series when sales of all seasons and editions are combined are Mythbusters, Crocodile Hunter and Food Safari.
AUSTRALIAN SHARE OF TOP 500 RETAIL DOCUMENTARIES ON VIDEO (DVD, BLU-RAY AND VHS),1 2004–2009
Source: Screen Australia analysis of GfK Retail and Technology Australia data.
Notes:
Includes DVD and VHS in 2004–2007, DVD and Blu-ray in 2008–2009.
Includes Australian productions and productions with overseas partners
where creative control is shared (i.e. with a mix of Australians in key
creative positions).
1. Documentary does not include reality, light entertainment, music
performance, sports coverage, infotainment or instructional titles. It does
include documentary features, TV series and made-for-video titles.
2. Refers to the number of titles sold during each calendar year (first-
release titles issued that year and continued sales of previously issued
titles). This may include multiple editions of the same movie or program.
3. Although box sets are counted as a single title for ranking purposes, their
units and value are proportioned according to the origin of discrete titles
included in the collection.
TOP DOCUMENTARIES ON VIDEO
TOP 10 AUSTRALIAN DOCUMENTARY TITLES ON VIDEO (DVD AND BLU-RAY),1 2009
TOP 10 DOCUMENTARY TITLES FROM ANY COUNTRY ON VIDEO (DVD AND BLU-RAY),1 2009
Source: Screen Australia analysis of GfK Retail and Technology Australia data.
Notes:
All titles DVD unless stated.
Includes Australian productions and productions with overseas partners where creative control is shared (i.e. with a mix of Australians in key creative positions).
1. Documentary does not include reality, light entertainment, music performance, sports coverage, infotainment or instructional titles. It does include documentary
feature, TV series and made-for-video titles.
2. Ranked by value of retail sales (value ranking has been adjusted to reflect Australian proportion of collections).
Titles Units Value
Sh
are
of
reta
il v
ide
o (
%)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Rank2 Title Distributor Release date
1 Love the Beast Madman 15 Jul 2009
2 Fat Belly: Chopper Unchopped Aztec 5 Oct 2009
3 First Australians SBS 3 Dec 2008
4 Bombora: The Story of Australian Surfing ABC 2 Apr 2009
5 Gangs of Oz: Season 1 Universal 3 Jun 2009
6 Food Safari: Series 3 SBS 18 Mar 2009
7 John Safran’s Race Relations ABC 3 Dec 2009
8 Not Quite Hollywood Madman 3 Dec 2008
9 The Howard Years ABC 5 Feb 2009
10 Bra Boys Hopscotch 16 Aug 2007
Rank2 Title Distributor Release date
1 Top Gear: The Great Adventures Collection (The Helmet Edition) BBC 5 Nov 2009
2 Top Gear: The Complete Series 10 (Steelbook Edition) BBC 6 Aug 2009
3 Planet Earth: The Complete Series BBC 7 Nov 2007
4 Top Gear Collection 2.0: Challenges, US Special and Polar Special (Steelbook Edition) BBC 6 Nov 2008
5 Top Gear: The Great Adventures – Vietnam Special BBC 4 Jun 2009
6 Long Way Round: The Three Complete Series (Collectors Edition) EMI 20 Oct 2008
7 Grand Designs: Series 5 Fremantle 20 Aug 2009
8 Top Gear: Challenges Volume 3 BBC 5 Nov 2009
9 Top Gear: Challenges Volume 2 BBC 6 Nov 2008
10 Planet Earth: The Complete Series (Blu-ray) BBC 5 Dec 2007
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TELEVISION
FREE-TO-AIR TV RELEASE
A total of 428 hours of first-release Australian documentaries (including productions with overseas partners) were
broadcast on Australian free-to-air TV in 2009, significantly higher than the annual average for the 12 years back to
1998 (312 hours).
HOURS OF FIRST-RELEASE AUSTRALIAN DOCUMENTARIES ON TV, 1998–2009
Source: For commercial broadcasters, Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) Compliance Reports to 2008; Seven, Nine and Ten Networks for 2009.
For public broadcasters, Screen Australia databases, ABC and SBS.
Notes:
Includes Australian productions and productions with overseas partners where creative control is shared (i.e. with a mix of Australians in key creative positions).
Figures may not total exactly due to rounding and, for ABC and SBS, may not match previously published data due to subsequent adjustments by the broadcasters.
Hours are broadcast hours rather than actual running time of program in minutes.
1. Commercial free-to-air networks hours calculated using five-city average for the relevant year.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
ABC SBS Nine Seven Ten
Ho
urs
bro
ad
ca
st
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
HO
NE
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EE
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S: J
ulia
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with
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s. P
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y S
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PROGRAMMING BY PUBLIC BROADCASTERS
On ABC1, 566 hours of documentaries (including repeats) were screened in 2008/09 (6.5 per cent of total hours
broadcast). Australian documentaries comprised 2.1 per cent (185 hours) of total programming in 2008/09, compared
to 4.3 per cent (381 hours) for foreign titles.
In addition to this, ABC2, one of ABC’s digital-only channels, broadcast 425 hours (including repeats) of documentaries
in 2008/09 (6.8 per cent of total hours broadcast on ABC2). Australian documentaries accounted for 60 hours (1 per
cent of total programming), compared to 365 hours of foreign documentaries (5.9 per cent).
The ABC is required to report across numerous genres and therefore some documentaries screened in genres such as
arts and culture, education, Indigenous, natural history, religion, and science and technology are not included in these
documentary genre figures.
On 1 June 2009, SBS Television's main channel was renamed SBS ONE, and SBS TWO – a digital-only, free-to-air
channel – began broadcasting. On SBS ONE, 1,039 hours of documentaries (including repeats) were broadcast in
2008/09 (15 per cent of total hours broadcast). Australian documentaries accounted for 286 hours (4.1 per cent of
total programming), compared to 753 hours (10.9 per cent) of foreign documentaries. In addition, in its first month of
broadcasting, SBS TWO broadcast 20 hours of foreign documentaries (3.4 per cent of total programming).
Source: ABC Annual Report, SBS Annual Report.
PROGRAM SPENDING BY COMMERCIAL BROADCASTERS
There was $9 million spent on Australian documentary programming by commercial free-to-air broadcasters in
2006/07, down from a high of $12.4 million the previous year.
EXPENDITURE BY COMMERCIAL FREE-TO-AIR BROADCASTERS ON AUSTRALIAN DOCUMENTARY PROGRAMMING, 1996/97–2006/07
Source: Broadcasting Financial Results, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Pro
gra
m e
xpe
nd
itu
re (
$m
)
1996
/97
1997
/98
1998
/99
1999
/00
200
0/0
1
200
1/0
2
200
2/0
3
200
3/0
4
200
4/0
5
200
5/0
6
200
6/0
7
9
10
11
12
13
For comprehensive data, see Get the Picture Online: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp
This report online: www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp/docos
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TOP DOCUMENTARIES ON TV
Australian productions have dominated the free-to-air television ratings for documentaries in recent years. Eight of
the top ten documentaries in 2009 were Australian, with World’s Strictest Parents in the no. 2 position. Between
2005 and 2008, the top three documentaries each year were local titles.
Source: OzTAM; compiled by Screen Australia. 2000–2004 based on Sydney only. Since 2005 based on five-city averages. 1 January-31 December of each year, except
2009 which is Weeks 1-48.
TOP-RATING DOCUMENTARIES ON TELEVISION, 2009 (AUSTRALIAN TITLES LISTED IN BOLD)
Source: OzTAM; compiled by Screen Australia.
No. of Australian documentaries in top 10 Rank of top-rating Australian documentary
2000 5 * * * * * RPA (no. 1)
2001 2 * * RPA (no. 1)
2002 2 * * RPA (no. 2)
2003 3 * * * RPA (no. 2)
2004 4 * * * * Australian Story – Into the Forest: Part 1 (no. 3)
2005 5 * * * * * Border Security Series 3 (no. 1)
2006 8 * * * * * * * * Border Security: Australia’s Front Line (no. 1)
2007 9 * * * * * * * * * The Force: Behind the Line (no. 1)
2008 7 * * * * * * * Find My Family (no. 1)
2009 8 * * * * * * * * World’s Strictest Parents (no. 2)
Rank Title Network Viewers ('000)
1 A Lion Called Christian 7 1,587
2 World’s Strictest Parents 7 1,510
3 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line 7 1,499
4 Miracle of the Hudson Plane Crash 7 1,490
5 Find My Family 7 1,488
6 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line (Monday) 7 1,480
7 The Zoo 7 1,475
8 RSPCA Animal Rescue 7 1,433
9 Surf Patrol 7 1,415
10 Triple Zero Heroes 7 1,389
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Tel: +61 2 8113 5800 | Freecall: 1800 213 099 | Fax: +61 2 9357 3714
Level 4, 150 William Street, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011 Australia | GPO Box 3984, Sydney NSW 2001
[email protected] | www.screenaustralia.gov.au
index.fm Page 16 Monday, February 22, 2010 12:26 PM