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doco2012
documentary and the digital future
Documentary production is in many ways a hallmark of a developed democratic nation. It is one of the most important means of creating a considered national record that extends beyond the reportage of news and current affairs. Good documentary programs interpret and contextualise, challenge and inform, inspire and entertain. They further understanding and provoke dialogue. Great documentaries promote democracy and leave a legacy.
However digital technologies have transformed the world into one of many screens. The moving image is no longer contained to a cinema or a television set. It is now available on our desktops, phones, classrooms, shopping centres and the world of ‘planes, trains and automobiles’. Educators, researchers, community groups and individuals now access programs through television, DVD and online.
The developments in digital media impact on everything we do: production, financing, distribution, narrative styles and access to audiences.
How can the values of the documentary maker continue to be expressed? Will documentary survive in an era of social media where everyone with a mobile phone has the capacity to document their stories? What is the place of Australian documentary in this cluttered media environment - international, multilingual, interactive and personal?
We welcome you to the discussion and look forward to continuing it as we move into the digital future.
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