Australian Film Television and Radio School Annual Report
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2017- 2018 Annual Report Australian Film Television and Radio School The text in this Annual Report is released subject to a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND licence, except for the text of the independent auditor’s report. This means, in summary, that you may reproduce, transmit and otherwise use AFTRS’ text, so long as you do not do so for commercial purposes and do not change it. You must also attribute the text you use as extracted from the Australian Film Television and Radio School’s Annual Report. For more details about this licence, see http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en_GB. This licence is in addition to any fair dealing or other rights you may have under the Copyright Act 1968. You are not permitted to reproduce, transmit or otherwise use any still photographs included in this Annual Report, without first obtaining AFTRS’ written permission. The report is available at the AFTRS website: http://www.aftrs.edu.au Letter from the Chair 25 September 2018 Senator The Hon. Mitch Fifield Minister for Communications and the Arts Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Dear Minister, It is with great pleasure that I present the Annual Report for the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) for the financial year ended 30 June 2018. The Annual Report 2017–18 has been prepared pursuant to section 46 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. The report was adopted by resolution of the Council of AFTRS on 24 September 2018. Yours faithfully, Mr Russel Howcroft Chair of Council Australian Film, Television and Radio School Contents 01 Chair’s Introduction 7 02 CEO’s Perspective 11 03 Vision, Principles and Purpose 14 04 Strategic Direction 16 05 Award Course Program 18 Diploma Program 20 Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production 21 Graduate Certificates 22 Radio 23 Masters Program 24 Teaching and Learning 25 Student Services 26 Applications, Enrolments and Completions 29 Academic Governance 32 Educational Compliance 33 Graduation 2017 34 Graduation 2018 34 Student Radio Achievements 35 Student Film Achievements 36 AFTRS Annual Report 2017–18 3 06 AFTRS Open 38 11 Corporate Governance 67 Industry Short Courses 40 Council 68 Industry Program 41 Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee 71 Outreach 41 Academic Board 74 Talent Camp 42 Executive Team 76 Media Lab 43 Organisation Chart 77 Schools and Youth Programs 43 Portfolio Budget Statements and Key Performance Criteria 78 Corporate Partnerships 44 Statement of Preparation 79 Annual Performance Statement: AFTRS 2017–18 80 07 Indigenous Unit 45 12 Statutory Reports 101 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO – Workplace Diversity) 102 08 Collaboration and Engagement 48 Workplace Culture and Communication 102 ABC iview 49 Staffing, Establishment and Appointments 103 ARTS8 Community of Practice 50 Staff Training and Development 105 Australians in Film 50 Industrial Relations 106 David Lynch Exclusive Australian Q&A 51 Work Health and Safety 106 Digital Hub and Broadcaster 51 Freedom of Information 108 The Other Art Fair 51 Privacy 109 Top Tips 52 Ministerial Directions and Government Policies 109 What’s Your Flava? Web Series 52 Judicial Decisions and Reviews by Outside Bodies 109 Virgin Australia In-Flight Entertainment 53 Fraud Control 110 Public Programs 54 Indemnities and Insurance Premiums for Officers 110 Teaching Staff and Guest Lecturers: Industry Practitioners 58 Environmental Management 110 Industry Guilds, Associations, Festivals and Conferences 58 Industry Use of AFTRS’ Facilities 58 13 Appendices 112 1. Enabling Legislation 112 09 Applied Innovation Research 59 2. Financial Resource Summary 113 Precipice 61 3. 2017 AFTRS Graduates 117 Biometrics 62 4. Public Programs 121 CSIRO Data61 Data Ideation workshop 62 5. Industry Guilds and Associations, Festivals, Conferences and Partnerships 124 10 School Resources/Technology and Infrastructure 63 6. Industry Use of AFTRS’ Facilities 126 Jerzy Toeplitz Library 65 7. Industry Practitioners at AFTRS 130 Production Operations 65 8. Student Film Achievements 132 Technical Systems Provision 66 9. Financial Statements 134 Facilities 66 Index 161 Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 168 4 AFTRS Annual Report 2017–18 5 Chair’s Introduction 2017–18 has been an exciting year to take on the Chair of AFTRS Council. We have clarified AFTRS’ strategic direction and how we will prepare our graduates, and the broader industry, with skills for a changing media environment. The screen and broadcast industries are no longer confined to radio, feature film and television. We are in an age of video and audio everywhere, where 82% of internet traffic is expected to be in video in the next few years. From art to brands to schools to government, media production skills are fast becoming the essential communication tools of the new era. As the national education, research and training institution for the screen and broadcast industries, AFTRS will play a key role in all this change. We will empower the next generation with creative storytelling, problem solving and production skills. AFTRS is working proactively to find and nurture new talent into pathways for screen practice. We are finding new ways to reach schools, communities and creative hubs across Australia. And we are inspiring new storytellers, from diverse backgrounds, to find their voice. In April 2018, AFTRS launched Media Lab, providing free online resources for teachers from Kindergarten through to Year 12. Media Lab brings creativity and storytelling practices into classrooms across the country. It inspires young Australians to create media forms like mini-documentaries and stop-motion animation about subject areas as diverse as science and history. We hope Media Lab’s creative educational approach will engage the next great storytellers and attract them to study at AFTRS. 01 7 Early 2018 also saw the first national Talent Camp, an opportunity to find and We continue to host important conversations about creative work and business development develop new talent from across Australia, whatever their background and in the current landscape. Late 2017 saw the first AFTRS RE:FRAME event, an inspiring new whatever their story. Talent Camp was established in 2017 with 100 emerging platform for exploring the opportunities of future creative media practice, informed by some media practitioners, from diverse and under-represented communities, of the industry’s most cutting-edge thinkers and practitioners. participating in AFTRS-led development camps in every state and territory. We hosted industry-facing conversation series on current issues around creative practice. From this pool, 15 talented practitioners were selected for a week at AFTRS These included TV Talks, Black Talks and a public-facing festival of rare cinema and restored in May 2018 to further develop their skills and networks, including access prints called Cinema Reborn. to senior industry practitioners and decision-makers. Our commitment to nurturing the creativity of our practitioners, businesses and approaches We are focused on excellence in the School. is embedded in all this activity. Creativity is key. It is the limitless resource we have yet to We are a world-class education and training institution, offering well- harness in our population. And it is vital in making great work and equipping us for the future. resourced, practical experience in production. Our students and graduates I thank my fellow Council members for the energy they bring to this commitment. I would like have high-level internship and placement opportunities with over 50 to thank departing Council members Kate Dundas and Darren Dale for bringing their great companies and productions each year. We draw on applied industry experience and knowledge to the fore in Council discussions, and for their ongoing support knowledge and experience and the latest pedagogy in creative education. of the School. Also retiring from her formal appointment to Council in 2017–18 was Professor We use this to develop the talents of our students, build industry awareness Robyn Ewing, although she continues to contribute her considerable expertise as Chair of and equip them for the future of screen work. Academic Board, and remains a regular attendee at Council meetings in this capacity. AFTRS also has a remit to support the broader community of Australian I welcome Annabelle Herd, Carole Campbell and Peter Tonagh to Council, who all bring creative practitioners. We do this through practical, skills-based industry invaluable knowledge and strategic insights from senior levels of industry. training, innovation research insights, public talks and thought leadership I would also like to thank the AFTRS Executive team, led by CEO Neil Peplow, for their events. Our new Industry Certificate training is informed by Industry resourcefulness and tremendous enthusiasm in managing a high-impact, public-facing Advisory Panels made up of senior industry leaders and employers. They program alongside the business as usual of running one of the world’s most respected inform course development with insights about the skills they need today fi lm, TV and radio schools. and are likely to need in the future. Our latest Industry Skills survey told us that our sector wants better support in business skills and engagement Yours sincerely, with new technology. We have acted on this with new course offerings and targeted interventions. The School has explored a new terrain of technology and storytelling through platforms such as biometric audience engagement, binaural podcasting and VR storytelling. We have continued to share insights Mr Russel Howcroft around these new frontiers of screen and audio practice with the industry. Chair of Council Australian Film Television and Radio School We are a world-class education and training institution, offering well-resourced, practical experience in production. Section 1 Chair’s Introduction 8 AFTRS Annual Report 2017–18 9 CEO’s Perspective AFTRS today is more relevant than ever. We play a vital role in our cultural landscape, inspiring the next generation of talent and developing the skills of our creative community of storytellers.