AACTAs accused of “downgrading” documentaries

Representatives of Australia’s documentary-making community have responded with concern to recent changes to the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards.

Earlier this month AACTA announced new awards for Best Cinematography in Television; Best Editing in Television; Best Sound in Television; Best Original Music Score in Television; Best Production Design in Television; and Best Costume Design in Television.

But the replacement of six documentary-specific craft awards with general TV categories, has been interpreted as a downgrading of the documentary form.

Documentary craft Awards Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound in a Documentary have been abolished.

Spokespeople from OzDox, Australia’s organisation for documentary professionals, say they find the results of the AACTA’s consultation process and the changes to the AACTA Awards completely unacceptable.

OzDox has called for a representative from the documentary community to be at the table for all future negotiations regarding the AACTA Awards. They have also asked for the lost Documentary Awards reinstated until a satisfactory consultation process has been undertaken.