2015– 2016 ANNUAL REPORT AUSTRALIAN FILM, TELEVISION AND RADIO SCHOOL AUSTRALIAN The text in this Annual Report is released subject to FILM, TELEVISION a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND licence, except for the AND RADIO SCHOOL text of the independent auditor’s report. This means, in summary, that you may reproduce, transmit and otherwise Building 130 use AFTRS’ text, so long as you do not do so for commercial The Entertainment Quarter purposes and do not change it. You must also attribute the Moore Park NSW 2021 text you use as extracted from the Australian Film, Television PO Box 2286 and Radio School’s Annual Report. Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 For more details about this licence, see Tel 1300 131 461 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Tel +61 (0)2 9805 6611 deed.en_GB. This licence is in addition to any fair dealing Fax +61 (0)2 9887 1030 or other rights you may have under the Copyright Act 1968. You are not permitted to reproduce, transmit or otherwise www.aftrs.edu.au use any still photographs included in this Annual Report, © Australian Film, Television without first obtaining AFTRS’ written permission. and Radio School 2016 The report is available at the AFTRS website: Published by the http://www.aftrs.edu.au Australian Film, Television Cover image: Still from VR Noir: A Day Before the Night, and Radio School created by AFTRS in partnership with Start VR and FSM. ISSN 0819–2316 Image design Kain Tietzel. Image copyright Start VR 2016. LETTER FROM THE CHAIR 2 September 2016 Senator the Hon. Mitch Fifield Minister for 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 2016. The Annual Report 2015–16 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 2 September 2016. Yours faithfully, Professor Julianne Schultz AM FAHA Chair of Council Australian Film, Television and Radio School Contents AFTRS Annual Report 2015–16 Letter from the Applications Chair and 59 1 Enrolments Academic Governance 62 1 Chair’s Introduction 4 Educational Compliance 62 2 CEO’s Perspective 10 Technology and 63 Infrastructure 3 Vision, Values and 10 Corporate Purpose Governance 16 64 Council 65 4 Strategic Direction 18 Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee 68 5 Award Course Program Academic 20 Board 70 Diploma Program 22 Executive Team 71 Bachelor of Arts Organisation Screen Chart 72 23 Graduate Diploma in ScreenPortfolio Budget Statements Business and Key Performance 24 Indicators 2015–16 73 Graduate Certificates 24 Statement of Preparation 75 Radio 25 Annual Performance Statement 2015–16 76 Masters Program 26 11 Statutory Reports 84 Teaching and Learning Equal Employment 28 Opportunity (EEO – Workplace Diversity) 85 Academic Governance 30 Staffing, Establishment85 and Appointments Graduation 2015 31 Staff Training and Development 89 Student Radio Achievements Industrial 32 Relations 90 Student Film Achievements Work 33 Health 90 and Safety 6 AFTRS Open 37Disability Reporting 92 Industry and National Freedom Program of 40 Information 92 Television Unit 41 Privacy 92 Schools and 41 Youth Ministerial Programs Directions and Government Policies 93 Judicial Decisions and Reviews by Outside Bodies 93 7 Indigenous Unit 42 Fraud Control 93 8 Collaboration and Engagement Indemnities 46 and Insurance Premiums for Officers 93 Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation 94 VR Noir: 48 A Day Before the Night An Evening with 12 Appendices Jamie Brewer 96 49 ARTS8 Community of 1. Practice Enabling 50 Legislation 96 Networking Initiatives 51 2. Financial Resource Summary 97 Public Program 51 3. 2015 AFTRS Graduates 101 Industry Guilds and Associations, Festivals and 4. Conferences 53 2015 Graduation Prizes 103 Industry Use 54 of 5. AFTRS’ FacilitiesPublic Program 104 Teaching Staff and Guest Lecturers: Industry6. Practitioners Industry 54 107 Use of AFTRS’ Facilities 9 Operations 55 7. Industry Practitioners at AFTRS 110 8. Student 113 Film Achievements Workplace Culture and Communication 56 9. Financial Statements 117 Jerzy Toeplitz Library 57 Production Delivery, Technical and Tutorial Support and VideoIndex Post 57 151 Student Services 58 AFTRS Annual Report 2015–16 1 Chair’s Introduction THERE IS A NEED FOR A NEW GENERATION OF CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS WHO HAVE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, PLUS DEEP CULTURAL INSIGHT, UNDERSTANDING OF NARRATIVE AND BUSINESS ACUMEN. This year marked the consolidation Under the leadership of the new In this environment, the role of Australia’s needed the opportunity to... “see our of the repositioning of the Australian Chief Executive Officer, Neil Peplow, national cultural institutions is more own landscapes, hear our own voices Film Television and Radio School that the School has combined insights from important than ever, but in need of and dream our own dreams.” 1 commenced when it moved to a bespoke best international practice to enhance contemporary restatement. Not long after It is helpful to remember the past and building at the Entertainment Quarter, and reimagine the founding, and enduring, his arrival Mr Peplow asked the School assess how things have changed, yet the Moore Park in 2008. In this location, it is ambition of the School. Using all the community and the industry to consider essential truth remains: whoever creates strategically located close to the hub of means at our disposal the School, its staff a series of big questions: What is the role our stories, shapes our culture. The purpose screen production and creative innovation and students are determined to ensure of AFTRS in 2016? What is its remit? What of the School is to nurture great Australian in Sydney. The School this year refocussed that Australian culture, life and stories are are the traditions that can be revived? storytellers, to provide them with excellent its education and training offerings, comprehensively represented and available What is different? How should our purpose education and training, and the opportunity investigated and addressed the needs on many different screens, heard on radio be restated? What does industry need? to develop the knowledge and skills to of industry, broadened its cultural remit, and transmitted on new digital platforms. How do we ensure that the full diversity of imagine and produce great stories for and sought to engage actively with a Under Mr Peplow’s leadership the education Australia is present in the School and in the screen and broadcast. As film, media and more diverse mix of students. and training programs offered by the School work produced by students and graduates? entertainment become more globalised have been refreshed, to ensure that they As the only national institution dedicated Going back to the origins is always a helpful and homogenised, having a clear sense of meet the contemporary and emerging needs exclusively to educating and training tool when thinking about how the future Australian cultural uniqueness is important. of industry, the expectations of students talented and creative people seeking to might be shaped. In doing this Mr Peplow In the Age of FAANG 2 (Facebook, Apple, and address the changing nature of society work in the screen and broadcast industries, reminded us that when the School was Amazon, Netflix and Google), the role and the screen and broadcast sectors. The AFTRS is more important than ever in founded 43 years ago it was to address of national cultural institutions remains aim is to inspire and challenge Australia’s the internet-age in which screen-based a very real need – there was no national important. Digitisation makes storytelling future digital storytellers and filmmakers communication is the new normal. training institution able to educate and available as never before. But to succeed in and equip them with the skills to succeed. train would-be filmmakers, almost no this global environment there is a need for At a time of intense globalisation there is The leadership of the School, including the Australian film production, and very limited a new generation of creative entrepreneurs a need for skilled storytellers and creative Council and Executive, are acutely aware local television production. At the time who have technical knowledge and skills, entrepreneurs equipped to ensure that of the changing nature of the industry and international films – and stories – dominated plus deep cultural insight, understanding Australian stories reach audiences at the increasing importance of screen-based Australian screens. In the words of the 2015 of narrative and business acumen. home and abroad. The internet-enabled communication in many other sectors. AFTRS Honorary Degree recipient Phillip age, which has made screens ubiquitous, Globalisation has also provided new Adams AO FAHA, who was a co-author presents new challenges and opportunities. opportunities, but increasing challenges of the report that lead to the formation in ensuring that Australian cultural identity of the School, Australians desperately is fully and comprehensively represented in compelling and engaging ways. 1 “How Phillip Adams, Barry Jones and Hector Crawford helped start our film industry”, Phillip Adams, The Australian; 17 November, 2014. 2 The Idea of Australia in the Age of FANG, Julianne Schultz, The Brian Johns Annual Lecture; 2 May 2016. 4 5 Section 1 Chair’s Introduction AFTRS Annual Report 2015–16 Equipping students with this mix of skills As well as providing targeted training for The School’s alumni continue to succeed Dalgaard when they were AFTRS students and capacity is an exciting opportunity. This women, She Shoots provided an opportunity locally and internationally. At the 2015 has gone on to be supported by Fresh year the School undertook a comprehensive for AFTRS to partner with industry to AFI/AACTA Awards, nine AFTRS graduates Blood, an initiative of Screen Australia and survey of the training needs of the screen create employment opportunities for the received peer-voted awards.