Australian Writers' Guild
Encyclopedia
The Australian Writers' Guild (AWG) is the professional association for all performance writers, that is, writers for film
, television
, radio
, theatre
, video
and new media
. The AWG was established in 1962 and is recognised throughout the industry in Australia
as being the voice of performance writers. The AWG is a member of both the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds
and the Australian Council of Trade Unions
.
The AWG gives writers an active political voice by lobbying
government
on such issues as copyright protection
and the provision of adequate support for film and theatre funding bodies and the ABC and protecting Australian content.
The AWG is a democratic organisation run by its members, who each year elect a National Executive Council and State Branch Committees.
The Australian Writers' Guild receives assistance from the Literature Fund of the Australia Council, the State Arts Ministries
in New South Wales
and Western Australia
, the Australian Film Commission
, the Film Finance Corporation, Cinemedia, the South Australian Film Corporation
, Pacific Film and Television, Screenwest
and the NSW Film and Television office.
Since 1967, the AWG confers the AWGIE Awards
for excellence in screen, television, stage and radio writing.
, Ric Aspinall, Kay Keaveney and Lyle Martin.
In late 1962 it registered as a Trade Union in NSW. This was seen as important because it provided recognition and support from other trade unions within the industry, notably Actors' Equity and the Musicians' Union.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
and new media
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
. The AWG was established in 1962 and is recognised throughout the industry in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as being the voice of performance writers. The AWG is a member of both the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds
International Affiliation of Writers Guilds
The International Affiliation of Writers Guilds is an international trade union federation representing guilds of professional screenwriters and playwrights. Some affiliates also belong to national trade union federations....
and the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
.
The AWG gives writers an active political voice by lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
on such issues as copyright protection
Copyright protection
The term copyright protection may refer to two things:* The monopoly granted to authors by copyright, as in "The 1996 act provided additional copyright protection," or "Permission is not granted to use these images, which are protected by copyright."...
and the provision of adequate support for film and theatre funding bodies and the ABC and protecting Australian content.
The AWG is a democratic organisation run by its members, who each year elect a National Executive Council and State Branch Committees.
The Australian Writers' Guild receives assistance from the Literature Fund of the Australia Council, the State Arts Ministries
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, the Australian Film Commission
Australian Film Commission
The Australian Film Commission was an Australian government agency with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a production arm responsible for production and commissioning of films for government...
, the Film Finance Corporation, Cinemedia, the South Australian Film Corporation
South Australian Film Corporation
South Australian Film Corporation is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972. Former State Premier Don Dunstan played an instrumental role in the foundation of the Corporation and its early film production activities....
, Pacific Film and Television, Screenwest
ScreenWest
ScreenWest ScreenWest is Western Australia's screen funding and development agency, committed to working in partnership with the screen industry to develop, support and promote film, television and digital media production in Western Australia. ScreenWest receives funding from the Government of...
and the NSW Film and Television office.
Since 1967, the AWG confers the AWGIE Awards
AWGIE Awards
The AWGIE Awards is an annual awards ceremony conducted by the Australian Writers' Guild, for excellence in screen, television, stage and radio writing. The awards began in 1967....
for excellence in screen, television, stage and radio writing.
History
The Guild was founded in March 1962 when a group of 17 radio writers met at the Australia Hotel in Sydney and decided to form a guild to represent their professional interests. It was originally called The Australian Radio, Television and Screenwriters' Guild, and the interim committee comprised Don Houghton, Richard LaneRichard Lane (writer)
Richard Lane was an Australian writer known particularly for his skillful adaptation of plays and films for radio. He is often called the father of Australian radio drama. His career spanned over 60 years, and he is recognised not only for his writing achievements but for his contribution to the...
, Ric Aspinall, Kay Keaveney and Lyle Martin.
In late 1962 it registered as a Trade Union in NSW. This was seen as important because it provided recognition and support from other trade unions within the industry, notably Actors' Equity and the Musicians' Union.