Appleseed Productions Series Overview (1990-2000)
Australia at Work (1989-90)A series meeting the needs of teachers in Victoria for the newly introduced compulsory subject, Australian Studies. This series secured interviews with a number of prominent organisations including: the ACTU, Office for the Status of Women, Equal Opportunity Commission, Industrial RelationsCommission as well as a wide range of employees in a range of industries: building, manufacturing, retail and service. (4 programs)
The World of History (1991)
Essentially a well written and narrated script accompanied by static images dissolving one into another which gather together images from many aspects of our past. Titles include Ancient Egypt, The Renaissance, Ancient Greece, The Age of Exploration, The Rise and Fall of Rome, The European Settlement of Australia, The MIddle of Ages and The Discovery of Gold. (8 programs)
Inside Information Technology (1991)
A broad examination of the state of play of the IT industry. Interviews with Sun Microsystems identified the leading role Unix was playing in academic and business settings. Other key interviews were secrured with The Commission for the Future, the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centre, IBM, Swinburne Institute of Technology, Victoria University, RMIT, AT & T, Telecom and dozens of exhibitors at the PC Show and the Unix - Systems Integration conference. (18 programs)
Taking Care of Business (1991)
This series grappled with the underlying concepts of accounting and used extrensive graphics to break down these concepts into easily understandable screens. Key interviews were obtained with organisations such as Price Waterhouse, Arthur Anderson and Associates, KPMG Peat Marwick (Touche Ross), Deloittes Ross Tohmatsu, The Small Business Association, The Australian Chamber of Manufacturing, Franchise Developments, The Small Business Centre, The Commonwealth Bank, The Australian Stock Exchange. (15 programs)
Religious Studies (1991-93)
This is a variety of programs covering some of the major issues in this field. Titles include The Old Testament, The New Testament, Faith, The Catholic Mass, Ceremonies of the Christian Church, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Alternative Religions and Hinduism. (17 programs)
Maths in the Real World (1992)
The emphasis here was on the practical application of mathematical methods and concepts in jobs and professions. Field work was done with surveyors, buidlers, architects, bookmakers, statisticians and so on. titles include Area, Using Your Calculator, Volume, Percentages and Decimals, Triangles, Fractions and Ratio, Sets, Trigonometry, Mode, Median and Mean and Probability. (10 programs)
Physical Education (1992-4)
A number of sports were covered with interviews with participants and demonstrations of technique: netball, gymnastics, basketball as well as track and field events such as distance running, hurdling, long jump, javelin, discus and shot put. Extensive close-up look at competitors in the World Police and Fire Games held in Melbourne for much of the material on the athletics side. Also a series of four programs on motivational matters. (12 programs)
Woodwork (1992)
A series of videos supplying information on tools, materials and procedures used by woodworkers today. Featuring interviews and demonstrations with woodwork teachers and workers from within the industry. A lot of on-site filming at building sites of carpentry work. An insight into the creation of wooden objects and lathework.
Metalwork (1992)
This series looked at tools, procedures, materials and operating styles in the crafting, fabrication and repair of metallic objects. Featuring pouring of molten metal in casts. Arc welding procedures - with detailed safety considerations. Topics include tools used, soldering preparation and technique, welding preparation and technique, furnaces, finishing off and planning and executing projects. (8 programs)
Art / Printmaking series (1993)
Specific programs looking at practitioners and their work in the areas of Raku and Blackware Pottery, Stoneware, Tapestry, Sculpture and Oil Painting. A talk and look at the techniques used by professional painters. Also a series of four printmaking videos covering the four main printmaking techniques: Etching, Lithography, Relief Printing, Monoprinting. (13 programs)
Computer Graphics (1993)
Looked at areas such as mapmaking and general design as well as emerging IT design tools like Adobe Illustrator, Quark Express and Photoshop. General principles of hardware and workflow page layout principles and CAD examined. (5 programs)
Economics in Action (1993)
Featuring interviews with: John Stone - former Head of Treasury, Kenneth Davidson columnist for The Age and The Australian, Ed Shann - Head of Access Economics and contributor to the Business Review Weekly, the Australian Stock Exchange, The Tasman Institute, teaching economists, union leaders, employers groups and numerous other interest groups. Titles include Introduction to Economics, Fiscal Policy, The Trade of Nations, The Labour Market, The Banking System, The Stockmarket, Monetary Policy and Inflation and Economic Case Studies. (8 programs)
Speaking and Debating Skills (1993)
Made with the assistance of the University of Melbourne Debating Team and Rostrum. Titles include That's Debatable: A Guide, That's Debatable: A Model, Public Speaking, Public Speaking II, Get it Right! and Get the Facts! (6 videos)
Writers Blocks (1993)
Novelists, film scriptwriters, radiowriters, copywriters, poets, playwrights, journalists, essayists, critics, travel writers, researchers, columnists, publishers, editors, and sub editors....They all have their say. How do they take a blank sheet of paper and turn it into a literary masterpiece? What is the fine line between divine inspiration and purple prose? All these and more wre answered in this series. Titles include: Method, Genre, Inspiration, Factual Writing and Audience, Fiction, Editing, Publication, Criticism and Responding to Texts.
The Law of the Land (1993)
A look at the Australian legal system in all its glory including industrial law, criminal law, the court system, the jury system, consumer and family law. Key interviews were secured with The Law Reform Commission, The Council for Civil Liberties, The Legal Aid Commission, The Australian Industrial Relations Commission, Community Legal Centres, The Police Schools Involvement Program, The Childrens' Court, The Small Claims Tribunal, The Inner South Dispute Settlement Centre, and The Law Institute . (9 programs)
Health and Human Development (1993)
A series for senior school health classes dealing with the fascinating field of human growth and development. Made with the co-operation and participation of a number of young families. Titles included Preparing for Birth, The First Few Months of Life, Infant Development, The Age of Two, Nutrition, The Family, Socialisation, Teenage Girls, Teenage Boys and Self Esteem. (10 videos)
Farming Case Studies (1993)
An on-site look at the routines - daily, weekly and seasonal that are followed by farmers in their specific agricultural pursuits. Emphasis on following the farmer around with the camera as they go from job to job. Titles in the series are:A Wheat Farm, A Vineyard, A Sheep Farm, An Orchard, A Dairy Farm, Cattle Farming and A Market Garden. (7 programs)
Job Search Skills (1993)
Series of instructional programs with titles like Choosing a Career, Job Interviews, Writing a Resume, Using the Telephone and so on. Extensive use of graphics and dramatised examples.
Musical Instruments (1994)
Individual programs profiling musicians at virtuoso level in performing their musical instrument. Musicians are featured in interview, rehearsal and performance. Titles include The Piano, Rock Guitar, The Recorder, Drums, The Flute, Solo Singing, The Trumpet, Singing in a Group, The Saxophone, Composition, The Violin Family and A Career as a Working Musician.
Career and Course Planning (1994)
A series that looked at the process of deciding on big decisions like choice of vocation and/or further education after secondary school. Extensive liason with higher education institutions like the University of Melbourne and RMIT enhanced the content of these programs. (6 programs)
Job Skills (1994)
Specific vocational skills like retail selling, bar work, waiting and waitressing and telephone sales and reception some common basic skills for part-time and fulltime work. Filming behind the counter and the bar. (4 programs)
Playing a Part (1994)
This covers the process and development of acting techniques. It features interviews with Michael Veitch (Fast Forward, D-Generation), Sophie Lee (Muriel's Wedding, Flying Doctors), Sarah Chadwick (G.P, Priscilla), David Roberts (Law of the Land, Phoenix), Syd Brisbane (Struck by Lightning), David Pledger (Isabel Eberhardt), Jane Bayly (Midsummer Night's Dream), Vince Colosimo (Moving Out, Country Practice), directors Jean-Pierre Mignon (Anthill Theatre), Rolf De Heer (Bad Boy Bubby), David Carlin (Arena Theatre ) and writers Richard Murphett (Slow Love), Harry Cripps (Tanya & Kit) and Jema Stellato-Pledger (See You In Heaven). (6 programs)
Theatre Studies (1990-94)
Individual programs looking at practtical theatrecraft skills such as Costume Making, Lighting Design, Set Design, Make-up and Mask Making as well as specific skills like Mime, Clowning, Juggling and Improvisation were produced at various times over the nineties as well. Made with the involovement of mime artists, theatre troups (Anitpodes) and Ashton’s Circus. (8 programs)
Behind the Scenes (1994)
A look behind the scenes at a number of media related areas. “Fly on the wall”, observational footage together with interviews. A local suburban newspaper, a community television station (RMITV), a filmed TV advertisement (Italian pasta sauce) and a commercial radio station (FOX FM). 4 programs)
Interviews with Writers (1990-94)
Writers profiled in interview are Paul Jennings, Robin Klein, Tim Winton, John Marsden, Alex Miller and Kerry Greenwood. ((6 programs)
Office Skills (1994)
Much of this series was produced in co-operation with the Quit campaign office. A look at real life office environments and the management of workflow together with the practicalities of getting things done. Titles include Typing, Filing an Indexing, Invoicing and Ordering, Accounts Payable, Shorthand, Handling the Telephone, Managing the Mail and Photocopying. (10 programs)
Personal Development , Life Skills (1994)
These were very interesting to film. Lighthearted with some good commonsense advice. The titles include Male Grooming, Female Grooming and Make-up, Male Clothes Selection and Dress Sense, Female Clothes Selection and Dress Sense, Paperwork, Bill paying and Income Tax, Buying and maintaining a Car, Shopping and Renting, Driving Skills, Surviving on a Low Income,Cycling Safety and Bicycle maintenance. (7 programs)
Study Skills (1994)
A look at the very necessary organisational and time management skills that come into play in achieving academic success. Titles include Space Management , Time Management for Students, Note Taking, Preparation for the Exam, Reading Skills, Examination Strategies and Conserving your Energy.(7 programs)
Management and Marketing. (1995)
These programs looked at business planning, financial management, staff selection on the management side and the media mix, market planning and some specifics of advertising on the marketing side. Key interviews were obtained with Michael Schildberger (Business Essentials), Robert Gottliebsen (BRW), Effective Leadership International, The Australian Institute of Management, DEET, The Small Business Training Company, Transfield Defence Systems, ANZ Small Business Division. Australia Post, Mojo Australia, The Yellow Pages, 3AW radio station, The Small Business training Company. (8 programs)
The Science Series (1995)
Looked at the state of play of research and many medical and industrial developments in the science arena. It was made with the co-operation of The Great Australian Science Show as well as The School of Physics at the Australian National University, the John Curtin Medical Research Centre and the CSIRO.
A feature of the Science series is interviews with practising research scientists working in top level Australian research establishments. Looking in detail at particular projects you gain an insight into the practice and theory of research - as well as a feeling for their motivation and passion.
The Biology Series included programs on Animals, Plants, the Ecosystem, The Digestive System, The Circulatory System, Cell Structure, Genetics, Genetic Engineering and the Nervous System, the Immune System and Infections.
The Chemistry Series included: the periodic Table, Chemical reactions, Gases, Metals, Acids and Bases, Food Chemistry, Organic chemistry and Plastics.
The Physics Series included a look at Wave motion, Mechanics, Matter, Electromagnetism - Fields, Electromagnetic radiation, Thermal Physics and Electricity and Electronics.
Scientific instruments looked at the Oscilloscope, Multimeters, Microscopes and Telescopes.
Pets (1996)
A round up of the fun side of looking after - grooming, feeding and generally loving animals. Dogs, cats, Horses and Chickens. Lots of footage and interviews at the Royal Agricultural Show.
The Cutting Edge (1996)
A broad look at the audio and video production and post-production industries. Demonstration of camera and sound equipment in action including Miller head tripods, 35 millimetre film cameras and so on. Comments and insights were obtained from industry leaders: Avid, Yamaha, Samuelsons, Fujinon, Ikegami, Sony, JVC, Panasonic, Miller, Steadicam, Quantel, Collage, Silicon Graphics, Digiteyes (Shotlister), Future Reality, Techtel, Phillips, BASF, Audio Sound Centre (ASC), Fairlight, Lako Vision, Ampex, Miller Professional, Tektronics, Samuelsons, Lemac and many others. (10 programs)
English Basics (1996)
Totally unsuccessful series looking at the basics of English sentence construction and spelling. Some of the most boring programs produced in television history. But effective nonetheless. Programs could be used to cure insomnia if not improve basic English skills. Titles include Punctuating the Sentence, Spelling Blitz I-IV, Word Punctuation, Basic Sentence Grammar, Dictionary Use, Basic Word Grammar.(9 videos)
European Languages - French, Italian, German (1996)
Asian Languages - Indonesian, Japanese and Chinese (1996)
An attempt to get insights not only into the mechanics of grammar and vocabulary of the languages, but into aspects of society and culture such as the education and political system, family values, youth culture etc.This involved extensive interviews with native speakers as well as a lot of location footage overseas. The camera crew (one person - Greg Shepherd) went on his own mini- Race Around the World. Filming sites included The Eiffel Tower, the Paris Metro, the Berlin Wall, the Collisseum and the Roman Forum, Milan cathedral and the high fashion district, downtown Tokyo subway system, Hong Kong and Canton, the rice paddies of Bali just to name a few. (28 videos)
City Centres (1997)
This is a series profiling the CBD areas of Australia’s major capital cities: Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. Interviews with citizens - shoppers, workers, tourists enlivened the videos. (6 programs)
The Internet (1997)
A series which traced details of the establishment and growth of the internet. Individual titles addressed the principal need of beginning users: e-mail, searching and the integration of the internet with other library resources. (4 programs)
Guest Speakers (1997) A series of one off interviews with speakers from diverse community and professional groups. One or two speakers from each of the following organisations appeared in their own individual video:
The Australian Wheat Board, The Rural Finance Corporation, The Bureau of Meteorology, The Australian Horse Council, The Academy of Grain Technology, The Australian Veterinary Association, The International Wool Secretariat (Wool Corporation),
Conservation and Environment Organisations
Keep Australia Beautiful, Permaculture Australia, Ceres - Model Permaculture Farm, Bureau of Meteorology, Australian Conservation Foundation, Town and Country Planning Association, Friends of the Earth, Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers.
Health Awareness Organisations
The Asthma Foundation, The Spastic Society, The Epilepsy Foundation, The Australian Drug Foundation, Breaking the Cycle, Anorexia and Bulimia Association, The Australian Quadraplegic Association, The Mental Health Foundation
Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers; Australian Association of Social Workers; National Electrical Contractors Association; The Institute of Professional Secretaries; The Building Industry Group (Training) Scheme; Engineering Skills Training Board: Master Plumbers Association; Council of Textiles and Fashion Industries of Australia; The Australian Music Therapy Association, The Australian Psychological Society, Industry Group Training (bricklaying).
The Red Cross, Austcare, Community Aid Abroad, World Vision, The Overseas Service Bureau
Sports and Cultural Organisations
The Australian Softball Federation, The National Basketball League, Athletics Australia, Tennis Australia, Table Tennis Australia, Swimming Australia, Rowing Australia, The Weightlifting Federation,
Women’s Information and Referral Exchange, Women’s Electoral Lobby, Relationships Australia, The Endeavour Forum and The Australian Family Association.
The Young Australian of the Year, Young Achievement Australia, The Youth Business Initiative, The Girl Guides, The Scouting Association, The National Book Council, Chess Australia,
The Big Issues (1997)
A series of ten videos addressed some of the major issues debated in Australian society - topics like The Republic, Euthanasia, The Environment, The Legal System, Poverty and Wealth, The Family and Feminism came under the microscope. Key interviews were secured with leading thinkers, celebrities and writers including: Phillip Adams, Don Chipp, Dr Jim Cairns, Rabbi John Levi, Professor Peter Singer, Tricia Caswell (ACF), Dr Brendan Nelson, Phil Cleary, Doug Aiton, Peter Couchman, Bettina Arndt, Andrew Denton, Stan Grant, Neil Mercer, as well as commentators from Greenpeace, Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy, the Australian Republican Movement, the National Children’s and Youth Law Centre, the Brotherhood of St Lawrence, The Right to Life Australia and The Voluntary Euthanasia Society.
Attitude is Everything (1998-99)
Extensive series of programs in the area of health and personal development. mainly based on vox pops interviews with people in the street, but also involved inerviews with drug addicts, reformed alcoholics (Alcoholics Anonymous) - some identified and some in silhouette. Issues dealt with in the series included sex, puberty, trust, relationships, families, motivation, physical and mental health, confidence, achievement and relating to peers and others. Designed to stimulate discussion and debate in the classroom - by breaking the ice on taboo subject areas. (22 programs)
IT2000 (2000)
With almost a decade elapsing since the original IT series “Inside Information Technology” time was well and truly overdue for an update on this fastmoving industry. The strategic value of IT decision-making in business had increased enormously and the pace of change - turbo-charged by “internet speed” - had increased exponentially.
Interviewees secured for this series include Microsoft, Novell, Adobe, Fujitsu, Telstra, Yahoo, Sybiz, Sausage Software, Anderson Consulting, Interim, Looksmart, Oracle, Apple, Sony, Australian Information Industry Association, Iomega, Hewlett Packard, Pioneer, Canon Australia, Drake Personnel, World Wide Web Institute, CSIRO, Sold.com.au, Connect.com.au, SMS Consulting, Candle Personnel, Comsyst, Cambridge Technology Partners, WSA Online, Startup.com, Broadcast Boffins, Connect, The Australian Computer Society, Autodesk, Advanced Software testing, Lemac, The Australian Communications Authority, University of Melbourne, RMIT, Internet.au magazine.
Individual titles include:
Operating systems, Linux, Networking, Databases, Software Development, Programming Languages, Information Systems, Jobs in Technology, The Internet, Internet strategy, Search Engines, A Look at an ISP, E-commerce, E-commerce: Behind the Scenes, E-marketing, Telecommunications: Telephone Technologies, Telecommunications: Broadcasting and the Internet.
Graphics, Media and Multimedia
Graphics: Image Manipulation, Graphics: Hardware & Workflow Management, Graphic Design: Concept to Print, Desktop Printing: Evolution of Printing Technology, Computer Aided Design, The Multimedia Revolution, Designing Websites: Client Considerations, Designing Websites: Designers Tools, Video Editing, Video Tape, Digital Stills Cameras and Sound Editing.