Australian Film Television and Radio School Annual Report 2002–2003 Australian Film Television and Radio School Annual Report 2002–2003 Australian Film Television and Radio School Cnr Epping and Balaclava Roads North Ryde NSW 2113 PO Box 126, North Ryde NSW 1670 Tel +61 (0)2 9805 6611 Fax +61 (0)2 9887 1030 [email protected] http://www.aftrs.edu.au http://www.aftrs.edu.au/school/reports.html State Offices and Representatives Queensland Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts 420 Brunswick Street PO Box 1480 Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 Tel +61 (0)7 3257 7646 Fax +61 (0)7 3257 7641 [email protected] Contact: Alex Daw South Australia 3 Butler Drive Hendon SA 5014 Tel +61 (0)8 8244 0357 Fax +61 (0)8 8244 5608 [email protected] Contact: Ann Walton Tasmania Level 3, 33 Salamanca Place Hobart TAS 7000 Tel +61 (0)3 6223 8703 Fax +61 (0)3 6224 6143 [email protected] Contact: Craig Kirkwood Victoria 1st Floor, 144 Moray Street PO Box 1008 South Melbourne VIC 3205 Tel +61 (0)3 9690 7111 © Commonwealth of Australia 2003 Fax +61 (0)3 9690 1283 ISSN 0819-2316 [email protected] Contact: Simon Britton This work is copyright. Apart from any use as Western Australia permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part 92 Adelaide Street may be reproduced by any process without earlier Fremantle WA 6160 written permission from the Commonwealth Tel +61 (0)8 9431 6700 available from AusInfo. Requests and enquiries about Fax +61 (0)8 9335 1283 reproduction and rights should be addressed to [email protected] the Manager, Legislative Services, AusInfo, GPO Box Contact:Tom Lubin 1920, Canberra ACT 2601. Senator the Hon Rod Kemp Minister for the Arts and Sport Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Dear Minister It is with great pleasure that I deliver to you my third annual report as Chair of the Australian Film Television and Radio School. AFTRS continues to consolidate and extend its reputation as a centre of excellence in the provision of training and education services to the film and broadcast industries both nationally and internationally. It is a mark of the success of AFTRS’ approach that a recent survey showed that 95 per cent of our graduates are employed in the industry within 12 months of graduation. To meet the future needs of the industry and the broader Australian economy, AFTRS has revised its corporate plan to embrace the new technologies while retaining its focus on the core skills required of any artistic endeavour. Strategies address the key areas of curriculum review, relationships with industry and the development of leadership roles in international activities. Under the banner Celebrating 30 Years of Creative Excellence, AFTRS marked this milestone in 2003 with a number of special activities including an Open Day, the production of a CD-ROM showcasing the talent developed over the last thirty years and a 30th Anniversary trailer which included film clips dating back to 1973. This year’s Academy Awards® nominations included producing graduates Steve Pasvolsky and Joe Weatherstone in the Short Film (Live Action) category for the AFTRS short Inja (Dog) and 1990 Cinematography graduate Dion Beebe, for his work on Chicago.The nomination of Inja was particularly significant, as this was the first time an AFTRS short has been nominated for an Oscar®. It was also the first time an Australian short has been nominated in this category. Following the resignation of Rod Bishop, AFTRS welcomed the appointment of Malcolm Long as Director. We thank Rod for his hard work and commitment to AFTRS over the last seven years and look forward to working with Malcolm who brings his considerable experience in the screen and broadcast industries. The 2002–2003 Annual Report has been prepared in accordance with section 9 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997. Yours sincerely D T Gilbert Chair of Council Contents Director’s perspective 7 Corporate governance 9 Organisation chart of AFTRS 16 Report of operations Introduction 18 Objective 1 19 Objective 2 32 Objective 3 38 Objective 4 43 Objective 5 47 Appendixes 1. Statistics 56 2. Graduates 62 3. Guest lecturers 64 4. Film Festival awards and recognition 70 5. Sponsored awards, grants and scholarships 72 6. Corporate sponsors 75 7. AFTRS legislation 77 8. Glossary 79 9. Sales of student productions 81 Financial statements 83 Index i Director’s Perspective The past year has seen a range of initiatives at AFTRS to ensure that the School will continue to lead in industry-relevant advanced education and training for the screen and broadcast industries. A major survey of AFTRS’ full-time students over the School’s thirty-year history provided invaluable information on graduate employment patterns and career paths.Three out of four of all graduates were working in the industry at the time of the survey.They exhibit a very wide range of industry experience, with film and television production being the major employer. AFTRS also conducted the first of what will be a comprehensive annual exit survey of current graduating students. This survey showed that almost 70 per cent of the 2003 graduating class had already found work in the industry following completion of studies. Initiatives to further develop relationships with the industry – focusing on TV networks, post- production houses and the distribution/exhibition sector – were aimed at strengthening the partnership approach whereby the School, its students and industry organisations could benefit from ongoing contact. Such initiatives will continue over the coming period. AFTRS together with the Australian Film Commission established the first Spark Script Development Program designed to provide intensive assistance to selected teams of writer/ director/producers. This residential professional development workshop, and others planned, enhanced AFTRS’ program providing high-end career development support to current industry professionals. The new, digitally driven screen and broadcast environment has prompted AFTRS to explore other initiatives too. One venture – the Global Film School, undertaken with film schools in the United States and the United Kingdom – was discontinued during the year. However, the GFS provided a highly valuable opportunity to explore online learning strategies. AFTRS’ own online courses in scriptwriting, screen studies and industry occupational health and safety were successfully delivered. Important course development work in the areas of digital interactivity and screen business skills was undertaken. AFTRS’ forward-looking strategies, developed during the year, will bear additional fruit as the industries we serve continue to undergo very significant change in this rapidly evolving Information Age. Malcolm Long Corporate Governance AFTRS is a federal statutory authority Responsibilities established by the Australian Film Television and of the Council Radio School Act 1973. AFTRS is governed by a council, responsible to the Federal Parliament The principal functions of the Council are to: through the Minister for the Arts and Sport. • Develop and review policy about training programs and other AFTRS activities. AFTRS Council structure • Monitor the effectiveness of AFTRS' The operations and activities of AFTRS are overall performance. overseen by the Director, who manages affairs • Monitor financial matters including annual according to general policy determined by the budget estimates. Council.The Council has nine members: •Oversee matters about the internal structure of AFTRS and senior staff • Three members appointed by the appointments. Governor-General. • Provide and maintain strong • Three members from convocation communication links with the film appointed by Council. and broadcasting industries. • One AFTRS member of staff elected by • Review AFTRS’ strategic objectives. staff. • Ensure that systems are in place to • One AFTRS student elected by students. monitor and control: • The Director, ex officio. i. compliance with the law and ethical standards ii. financial performance iii. accountability to the Federal Government. 9 • CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Council members Appointed from convocation The Council held six meetings in the reporting period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003. Council Mark Carnegie members as at 30 June 2003 were: BA (Hons), Oxford University Appointed by the BSc (Hons), University of Governor-General Melbourne Principal of Carnegie,Wylie & Company Daniel Gilbert, Chair 12 September 2002 to 11 September 2005, LLB Solicitor first term Managing Partner, Attended four meetings Gilbert & Tobin, NSW Director of the Bangarra Dance Theatre David Elfick (current) BA, University of Former Chairman of the Law Foundation of New South Wales New South Wales, 1997–2000 Independent filmmaker Former Chairman, Public Interest Advocacy 30 August 2002 to 29 August 2005, first term Centre Attended three meetings 26 November 2000 to 25 November 2003, first term Rachel Perkins Attended six meetings Specialist Extension Certificate, Producing, AFTRS, 1995 Jo Lane Executive Producer, ABC Film and Television Director, Television 1980–1998 Executive Producer, SBS Television Creative Director, Multimedia Director, Indigenous Screen Australia Inc Productions,1995–2002 3 July 1998 to 2 July 2001, first term Director,Vixen Films Pty Ltd 3 July 2002 to 2 July 2004, second term Director, Film TV and Media Production Attended four meetings Company,Tribal Pty Ltd Director,Web Company,Think Internet Ex officio Technology Pty Ltd trading as Design IT Malcolm Long 11 October 2000 to 10 October 2003, first term Director,