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Documentary filmmakers
Activity 

Activity of producers, directors and writers of Australian documentaries, 1980–2014

Next update May 2016

All | Males | Females

Regardless of sex or role, producers, directors and writers of Australian documentaries between July 1980 and June 2014 were more likely to have multiple credits than makers of feature films.

While there were fewer female documentary makers overall, female producers and directors of Australian documentaries were more likely to have two or more credits than their male counterparts.

In a similar pattern to feature films, documentary writers (both male and female) were the least likely to have two or more credits.

Number and proportion of producers, directors and writers with one credit or more for Australian documentaries made between 1980/81 and 2013/14

All

  1 credit 2 credits 3 credits 4 credits 5+ credits Total no.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
Producers 1,415 60% 375 16% 168 7% 109 5% 290 12% 2,357
Directors 1,237 61% 309 15% 173 9% 75 4% 227 11% 2,021
Writers 1,390 65% 324 15% 150 7% 74 3% 190 9% 2,128

Males

  1 credit 2 credits 3 credits 4 credits 5+ credits Total no.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
Producers 834 61% 215 16% 90 7% 64 5% 160 12% 1,363
Directors 816 62% 183 14% 108 8% 46 4% 158 12% 1,311
Writers 839 64% 199 15% 92 7% 43 3% 135 10% 1,308

Females

  1 credit 2 credits 3 credits 4 credits 5+ credits Total no.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
Producers 541 57% 158 17% 76 8% 45 5% 128 14% 948
Directors 400 59% 125 18% 64 9% 29 4% 65 10% 683
Writers 514 66% 122 16% 58 7% 30 4% 53 7% 777

Source: Screen Australia analysis of credits of theatrically released and television broadcast Australian documentaries shot between July 1980 and June 2014.

Notes:
Gender unknown for 116 people: 46 producers, 27 directors and 43 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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