ACTF News
December 20th 2018
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What does the ACTF do?

The Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) is a national children’s media production and policy hub that seeks to be the leading body in Australian children’s media. This is achieved through a wide range of functions, including:

  • Investing in the development of, and distributing, high quality Australian children’s television, film and new media content.
  • Developing valuable multimedia education resources based on Australian children’s programs.
  • Operating as a voice in policy matters that relate to the industry, helping to develop policy that ensures Australian children continue to have access to high quality content created for them.

What is the ACTF's ABN number?

93 005 986 952

Can I get an internship (as a tertiary student) at the ACTF?

The ACTF occasionally offers internships within its development and production area, with a focus on script and project development, depending on the projects we are involved in at the time. If you are looking for an internship in development and/or script writing, contact Bernadette O’Mahony, Head of Development and Production, for further details.

Can I get work experience (as a high school student) at the ACTF?

Thinking about your work experience for next year?

We are currently taking work experience applications for year 10 students in 2019! During your week with us (unpaid), you can learn about the ACTF’s role in developing and promoting children's television, discover the process of developing a project from script to screen and (of course) meet all the colourful characters in our office in Fitzroy, Melbourne!

To apply, please send an email to info@actf.com.au with the following:

  • A bit about yourself and your interests
  • Why you’d like to do work experience at the ACTF
  • Your school name and preferred working dates

Who can I speak to about my great idea or script for a children's television program?

The ACTF provides four rounds of the Script Development Funding Program per year, during which writers and producers are invited to submit their projects for ACTF investment. This is a great way to get some feedback on your project. The Program provides funds to assist with the development of children's projects. Examples of the ways in which ACTF development funding has been used include holding writers' workshops, preparing more extensive concept bibles and/or writing a sample script. The Program is designed to assist writers and producers in preparing materials to take to the market.

Please note that we require submitted projects to be more advanced than just an "idea". Unsolicited scripts, except for those submitted via the Program, will be returned unread.

You can also check out the types of support available from Screen Australia, or your State or Territory's screen funding body, such as Film Victoria.

Does the ACTF employ writers, freelance crew or actors?

The ACTF does not directly hire cast and crew for production work. We occasionally hire writers or script editors to assist with a project we have invested in. Writers who would like to be considered for this type of work can send their CVs to Bernadette O'Mahony, Head of Development and Production.

Does the ACTF provide production investment?

Have a look at the Funding Section of our website, which details the kinds of funding the ACTF offers.

How do I become an actor?

Interested in becoming an actor?

  • Start by doing lots of amateur acting or sign up for your school’s drama class
  • Keep an eye out for open casting calls in newspapers or online
  • If you’re really keen, you should get a reputable agent. The Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance has Agent Lists per state on their website (here is the one for Victoria) and may be able to offer further advice.
  • Watch lots of TV/theatre performances/films and be inspired by your favourite actors
  • Never give up!

Where do I get advice about making programs that can be classified C or P?

The Children's Television Standards set out the criteria for the C (children's) or P (preschoolers') classifications. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (the ACMA) administers the C and P classifications. For more information, visit:

How do I make a complaint about inappropriate television programs for children on TV?

You should contact the broadcaster directly to complain about the program. Information about lodging a complaint with a commercial television station is available on the Free TV Australia website. If you want to complain to the ABC, you can send a letter to ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs, GPO Box 9994, in the capital city of your State or Territory, or by making your complaint through the ABC website. If your complaint is about a pay-television channel, we recommend contacting the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association to get appropriate advice and contacts for the complaint. Once you've complained to the broadcaster, if you're not happy with its answer, or you don't receive a reply within 60 days, you can take your complaint to the Australian Media and Communications Authority, by using the form linked at the bottom of this page.

I have purchased an ACTF DVD or Digital Download file for school use. What am I allowed to do with it? 

The purchase price of the digital file or DVD includes a licence to use on teacher and student devices within the school for educational purposes. The DVD, digital file or copies of the digital file (nor any part of them) may not be provided to anyone outside of the school for which the DVD or digital file was bought. You must not copy a DVD or digital file or upload a digital file or any part of it to exchanges that are shared with other schools, or to the internet.

If our school has purchased an ACTF educational DVD-ROM or Digital Curriculum Resource, are we allowed to copy it and distribute it throughout our school, including uploading it to the school’s hard drive? 

The purchase price of the DVD or Digital Curriculum Resource includes a licence to upload the DVD-ROM or Digital Curriculum Resource to the school network/intranet or hard drive for educational purposes. You must not make the Educational DVD-ROM or Digital Curriculum Resource (or a copy) or any part of it available outside the school, including to other schools. You must not copy a DVD or upload a Digital Curriculum Resource or any part of it to exchanges that are shared with other schools, or to the internet.

You may make modifications to the Educational DVD-ROM or Digital Curriculum Resource’s components, such as amending a worksheet or changing the format of a clip. Any such modification remains the property of the ACTF and must be treated like an original component of the Educational DVD-ROM or Digital Curriculum Resource.

If you make hardcopy printouts of the Educational DVD-ROM or Digital Curriculum Resource , such as by printing worksheets or an image contained within the resource, all copies should be recorded and reported to the Copyright Agency Limited, just as you would report a photocopy of an article from a journal.

If I have purchased an ACTF DVD for home use, what am I allowed to do with it? 

All you can do is watch it at home! You can't copy a Home-Use DVD; even for personal use; and you must not make it available to anyone outside of your home.

Can my school copy a program off-air?

Yes, provided you have a Screenrights Licence, you may copy off-air for educational purposes. This includes copying programs to keep in the library, or to show to students as part of a class. Further details can be found on the Screenrights website. Please note that Screenrights licences do not cover the copying of DVDs.

What are the payment options for schools when ordering DVDs or other resources?

You can pay by cheque, Mastercard, Visa or PayPal

Does the ACTF still sell or support the Kahootz software? 

No. Kahootz is no longer supported for PC or Mac operating systems and is no longer available for sale. 

Why is there a price difference for the ACTF's Home-Use and School-Use DVDs? 

School-Use DVDs are more expensive than a Home-Use DVD as they are seen by many more people. A Home-Use DVD is only licensed for home use, not for screening in an educational institution to a larger audience. Please note that schools may not purchase Home-Use DVDs for use within schools. 
 

See also:

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As 2024 fast approaches, it's shaping up to be another big year for the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

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ACTF - Bringing the best of Australian kids' shows to the world

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