Average duration per title and average cost per hour for Australian documentaries (not including broadcaster-produced titles) (current and 2009 dollars), 1996/97–2008/09

The average duration per title for single documentaries has remained unchanged at around 0.9 commercial broadcast hours over the 13-year period from 1996/97 to 2008/09, but for series it has ranged from a high of 5 hours (in 2003/04) to 3.4 hours (in 2000/01).

The last three years have seen documentary series production reach new highs, peaking in 2007/08 with 68 titles and a total of 317 broadcast hours. These increases were due to a combination of new and ongoing series. Prior to this the highest level of documentary series production occurred in 2003/04 (166 hours) when several new reality-style titles were launched, such as Desperately Seeking Sheila. The high result in 1999/00 (146 hours) was due to an overall increase in the number of series produced (nine of the 12 documentary titles financed by the National Council for the Centenary of Federation were produced that year), as well as several long series including Australians at War (8 x 60 minutes), Journey to the Ends of the Earth (13 x 60 minutes) and American Journey (13 x 60 minutes).

For single titles, the average cost per commercial broadcast hour initially rose from 1996/97, then fell in 2001/02 and subsequent years when no large-format titles were produced, before rising again in 2005/06 with the production of several high-budget titles, such as The Secret, Bom Bali and Night. For documentary series, the average cost per commercial broadcast hour has ranged between $110,173 in 1997/98 ($161,803 in 2009 dollars) and $262,952 in 1998/99 ($384,893 in 2009 dollars).

Over the 13-year period since 1996/97, 74 per cent of series hours have been made for less than $300,000 per hour (actual running time) and 16 per cent for less than $100,000 per hour. Only 6 per cent cost more than $600,000 per hour.

See Proportion of series hours in various budget ranges below.

Average cost per commercial broadcast hour for single titles (2009 dollars)	Average cost per commercial broadcast hour for series (2009 dollars)

Source: Screen Australia.

Notes:
Includes Australian productions and productions with overseas partners where creative control is shared (i.e. with a mix of Australians in key creative positions).
1. Duration calculated on commercial broadcast running time of program in minutes.
2. Calculated by dividing total number of hours by the number of titles.
3. Calculated by dividing total production budgets by the number of hours.
4. Calculated by dividing total adjusted production budgets by the number of hours. Current dollar figures have been adjusted for inflation using the Non-farm GDP Deflator. This index was used in preference to the Consumer Price Index as it more accurately reflects cost increases experienced by the film industry.

Proportion of series hours in various budget ranges

Source: Screen Australia.

Notes:
Figures may not total due to rounding.
Includes Australian productions and productions with overseas partners where creative control is shared (i.e. with a mix of Australians in key creative positions).
1. Hours are calculated on actual running time of programs in minutes. Current dollar values have been adjusted for inflation using the Non-farm GDP Deflator. This index has been used in preference to the Consumer Price Index as it more accurately reflects cost increases experienced by the film industry.