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Documentary production
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This page is no longer updated by Screen Australia. For recent analysis see People and businesses > Screen careers > Documentary filmmakers

Number and sex of documentary filmmakers credited in various roles, 2004/05–2008/09

All credits | Two or more credits

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 wrote a documentary (39 per cent women).

5-year profile:
all credits		 Men Women Total no.
No. % No. %
Producers 337 53% 293 46% 641
Directors 318 61% 199 38% 525
Writers 292 60% 191 39% 489

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 11 producers (2%), 8 directors (2%) and 6 writers (1%).

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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.

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

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%).

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Proportion of documentary filmmakers with various numbers of credits, 2004/05–2008/09

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.

A similar pattern is revealed in an analysis of feature credits over a ten-year period, although the proportion of filmmakers who had made more than one title is lower than for documentaries – 27 per cent for producers, 20 per cent for directors and 17 per cent for writers.

Graph: Percentage of documentary filmmakers with 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5-plus credits., 2004/05-2008/09. Table following provides the data.

  1 credit 2 credits 3 credits 4 credits 5+ credits Total no.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
Producers 423 66% 110 17% 48 7% 25 4% 35 5% 641
Directors 350 67% 92 18% 42 8% 22 4% 19 4% 525
Writers 348 71% 83 17% 36 7% 12 2% 10 2% 489
Production companies 233 63% 65 17% 29 8% 9 2% 36 10% 372

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.

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