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FEature filmmakers
Activity

Activity of producers, directors and writers of Australian feature films, 1970–2014

Next update May 2016

All | Males | Females

Analysis of the producer, director and writer credits for Australian feature films made in the 44 years from July 1970 to June 2014 reveals that a high proportion of filmmakers made only one title over this period: 71 per cent across the three roles.

Directors were the most likely to have two or more credits at 33 per cent, followed by 31 per cent of producers and 25 per cent of writers.

Number and proportion of producers, directors and writers with one credit or more for Australian feature films made between 1970/71 and 2013/14

All

  1 credit 2 credits 3 credits 4 credits 5+ credits Total no.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
Producers 720 69% 138 14% 76 7% 44 4% 71 7% 1,049
Directors 454 67% 97 15% 60 9% 30 4% 39 6% 680
Writers 810 75% 139 14% 69 6% 30 3% 32 3% 1,080

Men were more likely than women to have multiple credits as producers, directors and/or writers of Australian feature films.

Between July 1970 and June 2014, 33 per cent of male producers and 28 per cent of female producers made two or more Australian feature films. In the last 44 years, 35 per cent of male directors and 23 per cent of female directors made two or more Australian features.

Writers, both male and female, were the least likely to have two or more Australian feature films credits with 28 per cent of male writers and 15 per cent of female writers having multiple credits.

Males

  1 credit 2 credits 3 credits 4 credits 5+ credits Total no.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
Producers 483 67% 103 14% 52 7% 31 4% 56 8% 725
Directors 364 65% 82 15% 53 9% 28 5% 37 7% 564
Writers 604 72% 115 14% 65 8% 27 3% 30 4% 841

Females

  1 credit 2 credits 3 credits 4 credits 5+ credits Total no.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
Producers 220 72% 35 11% 23 8% 10 4% 15 5% 306
Directors 84 77% 15 14% 6 6% 2 2% 2 2% 109
Writers 186 85% 24 11% 4 2% 4 1% 2 1% 219

Source: Screen Australia analysis of credits of theatrically released Australian feature films shot between July 1970 and June 2014.

Notes:
Gender unknown for 45 people: 18 producers, seven directors and 20 writers.
Figures include credits for co-productions but exclude overseas productions made by Australian producers, directors and writers.
Percentages may not total exactly due to rounding.

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