D1.6 Indigenous Community Stories

Applicants please note: It is important that applicants DO NOT USE the form found at the link titled 'click to download PDF application form' in the right hand column of this page. Applicants should instead download the form at the two (2) links provided, in either MS Word format or Adobe PDF format . Applicants who wish to use ScreenWest's Online Application service are required to include and upload a completed copy of this form with their submission.

Indigenous Community Stories is a new initiative which aims to film 100 Western Australian Indigenous stories and digitally archive them so they can be viewed over the next 100 years and beyond.

Indigenous Community Stories will enable Indigenous communities across Western Australia to record, archive and maintain their culture through professional broadcast-quality digital video recordings.

Indigenous Community Stories is a partnership between ScreenWest and the Film & Television Institute (FTI).

ScreenWest will be managing the applications and selection process of the community stories that will be filmed. FTI will be coordinating a film crew to visit the successful applicants' communities, to film and digitally archive the stories.

ScreenWest and FTI have a strong history of supporting Indigenous storytelling in Western Australia.

This project has been funded with assistance of Lotterywest and the Department of Local Government and Regional Development.

Purpose and Scope:

There is a great urgency to record the stories, accomplishments and reflections of communities and senior Indigenous community members across Western Australia.

Cultural maintenance has never been more pressing and the opportunities to record these stories and events with high definition digital video equipment have never been so great.

This initiative will digitally record Indigenous heritage, culture and history for future generations as well as creating invaluable records of Australia's national cultural identity.

This is the beginning of what is hoped to be an ongoing program to collect Indigenous stories from across Western Australia.

Definition of a Story:

Story should centre on the community and it's 'country's' stories. In selecting these, the community should identify stories they want to be remembered in 100 years time - and beyond for future generations.

Stories may be dreamtime stories; purely biographical; about a particular period in time; an event or other social history. This may include song form or dance, or a story told in language. The oral history recordings may be of life experiences, culture or history with individuals or groups that matter to the community.

The stories will be audiovisual recordings, preferably recorded in country, and may also contain supporting material such as photographs, paintings, drawings, newspaper clippings and maps.

The story should be told by the most appropriate person as agreed by the community to tell the story. We appreciate that this may be by a group of people but priority will be given to filming fewer rather than more people.

Consultation:

It is vitally important that the applicant consults appropriately with all relevant people involved. When obtaining consent it is assumed that all people have been fully informed of all aspects of the project, and any issues that could potentially arise. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure this is done thoroughly and in a manner that is suitable to all parties.

Copyright:

Copyright ownership of the recordings shall remain the property of the interviewee who has been recorded. The interviewee will also be asked to nominate relatives, descendants or a community organisation that can authorise use of the material.

Copyright of the stories belongs to the people who tell them.

Only with permission from the copyright owners can the audiovisual recordings be viewed and/or repurposed.

All copyright (including interviewee's words and images) in the recording shall remain the property of the interviewee. He/she must agree to participate in the interview.  See the Indigenous Community Stories application form, (Schedule 5) available in MS Word and Adobe PDF formats.

Digital Preservation Archive:

Copies of the stories will be kept with the interviewee who owns the story and/or a nominated Community organisation. These recordings can be used for community events, reference or education. Copies of the material can also be used for films, television or online, should the interviewee, or nominees wish to explore these options in the future.

A condition of the initiative is that copies of the stories will also be archived in a state and national facility. To ensure adequate long term management and safe keeping, communities will need to consent that digital copies of their stories, be archived in the following locations:

• FTI (Film & Television Institute)
• AIATSIS (Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies)

Eligibility:

Indigenous Community Stories seeks Indigenous individuals and communities that have a strong desire to record their stories at professional broadcast-quality, as a cultural record and to be preserved for future use for at least the next 100 years.

Individuals and communities applying to have their stories recorded must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

• Must be a Western Australian resident. (refer to ScreenWest General Guidelines )
• Interviewees must be Indigenous.
• All projects must nominate a dedicated Community Liaison/Coordinator as part of the application. This Community Liaison/Coordinator will work closely with the project Producer, film crew and the community/interviewees to ensure the story is recorded successfully.

Assessment Criteria:

All applications will be assessed by a specially convened panel against relevant criteria. In order to be assessed, all applications must comply with the eligibility requirements outlined. It will take approximately one month for ScreenWest to assess and authorise successful applications.

The panel will assess the applications based on the following criteria:

• How the recorded stories will reflect cultural significance in the community (for at least the next 100 years and beyond).
• Interviewee's standing within the community.
• Urgency of the story to be recorded now.
• The significance of the intended locations to be filmed and why.
• Demonstration that any local protocols for storytelling will be adhered to.
• Demonstrated ability by the Community Liaison/Coordinator to manage their part of the production (see Role of Community Liaison/Coordinator).
• The foreseeable future uses for the recorded story.

Only one application per community will be considered per application round.

Financial Assistance:

The community will receive up to $2,000 to help cover any costs associated with the Indigenous Community Stories initiative. This includes any fees paid to the interviewees. The Community Liaison/Coordinator will need to provide a budget showing how the money will be spent, as part of this application.

Role of Community Liaison/Coordinator:

Successful applicants will be sent an information package to assist the Community Liaison/Coordinator carry out the following tasks, including:

• Identifying interviewees and the story to be recorded.
• Obtaining written permission from interviewees to tell their story.
• Undertaking background research about the story and collecting research material to be used in the filming such as: maps, library searches, archive photographs.
• Identifying locations to film the story in, and seeking permission to film there.
• Coordinating the shooting schedule (locations, dates, times etc.) with the interviewee/s and FTI project producer.
• Introducing the film crew to the interviewee prior to filming, as well as (where required) visiting locations to ensure that filming there is feasible. Assisting film crew with finding accommodation and transport in locations.
• Coordinating screening of the footage to the interviewee (storyteller) and the final sign-off of copyright documents, once the story is recorded.
• Ensuring that the story is accessible to the storytellers, as well as safely stored (such as out of dust and humidity and in a cool temperature) once delivered to the community.
• Organising the invoicing of the community fee.

Application Requirements:

• A description of the project, including a story outline.
• A list of interviewees and written agreement of their participation (see application form)
• A budget indicating how the $2000 community fee will be allocated towards the project expenses.
• Other funds/resources that the community can bring to the project including: accommodation; transport; additional research; translation and transcription services; and any other logistics or elements that would assist the project.

 (A community's inability to support this request will not jeopardise its chances)

• Details of any other content such as locations, paintings or photographs intended to be included in the recording. (see application form, available in MS Word and Adobe PDF formats.)
• Details of any previous film/video footage or audio recordings relevant to the story that the applicant would like to include in the digital preservation archive.

How to apply:

To apply please fully complete the Indigenous Community Stories application form, available as both a Adobe PDF file and Microsoft Word Document.

Please return the application form (MS Word or Adobe PDF) to ScreenWest Indigenous Project Officer Debra Miller by email, fax or post:

• Email: debra@screenwest.com.au
• Fax: (08) 9224 7341
• Post: PO Box 8349, Perth Business Centre, WA 6849

Applications closed 5pm Monday 17 November 2008.

Contact Details:

Any queries regarding completing this application, please contact ScreenWest Indigenous Project Officer Debra Miller by phone (08) 9224 7340 or Fax (08) 9224 7341 or email debra@screenwest.com.au