Accords, Slates, Slots, Strands and Series: Australian Television Takes on Independent Documentary

The importance of television as an outlet for independent documentary production has radically shifted in Australia over approximately the past fifteen years. This article traces in broad outline the intersection of Australian television with the independent documentary sector over this period, focusing particularly on the developing forms of that engagement – the accords, slots, slates, strands and series of the title. It then makes some suggestions about what this evolving television-focused production environmnt has meant for audiences, filmmakers, the works themselves and the category of independent documentary filmmaker.