ACTF

Upcoming live-action, fish-out-of-water comedy, Hardball, begins this April on the ABC. With it comes a father-son relationship with a lot of heart. Sydneysiders will be able to spot a range of familiar locations in Hardball. The series is filmed and set in Sydney's western suburbs and features its diverse local communities.

A whole year off the mark, how is it that the Internet has got Round The Twist's 30-year anniversary so wrong — and why can no one remember when this iconic program went to air? It’s because in Australia, Round The Twist was buried. Here’s the story behind it.

Crash Zone’s Nikolai Nikolaeff revisits the world of OzKidsTV and tells us how kids' TV kick-started his international career. “It’s a cultural treasure, this place… kids around the world need content like this to learn to interact with each other and to develop as people. I think it’s really important.”

Although Australian children’s television is the most vulnerable form of Australian content, it has the best story to tell and provides the greatest public benefit. Here’s why Australian children’s television is so important.

“It didn’t seem weird at the time.” In the '90s, faceless dolls, talking elevators and all-seeing plants were just normal parts of growing up Australian. Actor Luke Carroll remembers his time on the wacky and lovable OzKidsTV series, Lift Off!.

In a powerful keynote address at the 2018 Children’s Media Conference, screen director Beeban Kidron explains why we must fight for the rights of children and young people in a digital world. 

Australian children’s television holds a special place in many hearts around the world. We've scoured the web to bring together some of the #OzKidsTV fan art and tributes we love.

Storytelling is one of the oldest and one of the most common of all human traits. It is also one of the strangest and one of the least understood.

In this Q&A with the ACTF’s Head of Education, Peter Maggs and Curriculum Officer, Janine Kelly, we learn how the ACTF Education team connect schools with the stars.

In this Q&A with International Sales Managers, Roberta Di Vito and Tim Hegarty, we learn how the ACTF Sales Team work together to sell Australian television series across the globe.

During 2017, the ACTF played a pivotal role in supporting distinctly Australian programs, and advocating for the support mechanisms required to produce locally-made children's television. As another exciting year begins, we have rounded up our most read posts of 2017.

Heidi Arena (Mrs Gonsha) from Little Lunch delivers a lesson on the importance of stories for children on Australian screens.

If you care about Australian children’s content we encourage you to contribute to the Commonwealth Government’s review of the way it supports Australian content, including children’s content.

Excitement is building for many fans across Australia as the April release of the Dance Academy feature film approaches.

Watch Miranda Tapsell, Deborah Mailman and fellow cast talk about why it’s important to make a show like Little J and Big Cuz - that young indigenous kids can relate to - and how it might help close the education gap