Educational

Market

Documentaries in Australia are most commonly seen on television, particularly the ABC and SBS. Two other important organizations whose work enhances the broadcast of documentaries are Screenrights and its subsidiary Enhance TV with ATOM (Australian Teachers of Media) who work closely with filmmakers to produce study guides to accompany the documentaries into the educational market.

SCREENRIGHTS was set up in 1990 to administer provisions in the Copyright Act that let schools, TAFEs and universities copy from TV and radio for teaching, provided they pay a fee. They monitor copying, collect royalties and distribute this money to the members on a non-profit basis. Screenrights' educational copying licences now give more than 10,000 Australian and New Zealand educational institutions access to this valuable resource. They also bring in more than $20 million a year for distribution to the filmmakers who make the programs educators copy.

They notify schools and universities with a weekly newsletter to 7000 subscribers with what's coming up on free to air and pay television, categorised into learning areas. Subscription is free if you are a licensed educator and is sent to the primary, secondary and tertiary sector. Educational institutions pay an annual fee to copy off air programs that they will then use within their own institutions. The ATOM study guides (see examples in Case Studies) are posted on the Enhance TV website for the teacher or librarian to download for use in the classroom. If you miss the broadcast date you can also purchase it directly from Screenrights.
www.screen.org

AUSTRALIAN TEACHERS OF MEDIA (ATOM)
ATOM is an independent, non-profit, professional association for Teachers of Media and Teachers who wish to use media effectively in their classroom. ATOM aims to foster and encourage a generation of students who are both multi-literate and technologically savvy. www.atomvic.org

ENHANCETV lets educators know about upcoming programs relevant to them, and helps filmmakers improve their reach into this market for free. www.enhancetv.com.au

Other key distributors and exhibitors of documentaries in Australia are;

ABC Consumer Publishing and Content Sales
GPO Box 9994, Sydney NSW 2001
700 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007
Tel: (612) 8333 1500

BBC Worldwide
50 Berry St, North Sydney NSW 2060
Tel: (612) 9957 3777 .

Becker Entertainment
Level 1, 11 Waltham Street
Artarmon NSW 2064
Tel:(612) 9438 3377

Beyond Distribution - Sydney
109 Reserve Road
Artarmon, NSW 2064 Australia
Tel: (612) 9437-2000
Website: www.beyond.com.au

Film Australia
101 Eton Road
Lindfield NSW 2070
Tel: (612) 9413 8777
Website: www.filmaust.com.au

Southern Star International
10th Floor, 8 West St
North Sydney NSW 2060
Tel: (612) 9202 8506

Video Education Australasia (VEA)
111A Mitchell Street
BENDIGO VIC 2550
Ph: (613) 5442 2433
Website: www.vea.com.au

Ronin Films
PO Box 1005
Civic Square ACT 2608
Tel: (612) 6248 0851
Website: www.roninfilms.com.au

Marcom Projects PTY LTYD
PO Box 4215
LOGANHOLME QLD 4129
Tel: 07 3801 5600

Madman Entertainment
Tel: (613) 9419-5444
Website: www.madman.com.au

DV-1
This is the Home Entertainment DVD label of Independent Entertainment - part of the Entertainment Media Group www.DV1.com.au

For a full list of distribution companies, production companies, producers, directors, production teams, suppliers refer to the Encore Directory www.encoremagazine.com.au