David Corke

{{Short description|Australian documentary film maker, naturalist and educational author}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = David G. Corke | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image =  | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1930|2|13}} | birth_place = Straits Settlements | death_date =  | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates =  | other_names = | citizenship = | known_for = Documentary films, wildlife films, educational resources | employer = University of Melbourne<br>CSIRO<br>Educational Media Australia | alma_mater = | awards = Australian Film Institute awards, ANZAAS Orbit Award, Creative Excellence Awards US | signature = | signature_alt = | website = | footnotes = | spouse = | children = Fiona Corke, Peter Corke, Richard Corke }}

'''David Corke''' (born 13 February 1930) is an Australian documentary film maker, naturalist and educational author. He filmed first-encounter between Europeans and the aboriginal Pintupi people, and was the first person to film the birth of a red kangaroo.<ref name="red-kangaroo">{{cite web |title=Birth of the red kangaroo (1965) |url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/birth-red-kangaroo-1965/ |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}}, Silver Award, Australian Film Festival (1963); Orbit Award, ANZAAS (1966)</ref>

== Career ==

Corke began making wildlife and natural history films in 1952, alongside colleagues Peter Bruce, Graham Pizzey and Gil Brealey. Films included ''Raak'' about Wedge-tailed eagles, ''Edge of The Deep'' about the pattern life along the tidelines; ''Baama'' about bird life along the edge of the Murray River; and ''Sunset Country''.

From 1959 to 1970 he worked for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Film Unit,<ref name="film-unit">{{cite journal |last1=Hughes |first1=John |s2cid=158840016 |title=From cold war to hot planet: Australia's CSIRO film unit |journal=Studies in Documentary Film |date=2018 |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=72–96 |doi=10.1080/17503280.2017.1420416 }}</ref> making a range of scientific films<ref name="csirac">{{cite web |title=The computer "CSIRAC" (1965)|url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/the-computer-csirac-1965 |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="parkes">{{cite web |title=Window into space: the Parkes radio telescope (1965)|url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/window-into-space-the-parkes-radio-telescope-1965 |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}} Bronze Award, ISFA Padua (1965)</ref><ref name="red-kangaroo"/><ref name="fire">{{cite web |title=Flight Line One: Controlled Burning from Aircraft (1971) |url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/flight-line-one-controlled-burning-from-aircraft-1971/ |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bird banding in Australia (1964) |url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/bird-banding-in-australia-1964/ |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="skeleton-weed">{{cite web |title=A skeleton in the crop (1969) |url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/a-skeleton-in-the-crop-1969/ |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref> that were widely distributed as 16mm film prints to community groups, clubs and schools.

In 1963, Corke was seconded to the University of Melbourne as director/cameraman for an expedition led by Dr. Donald Thomson<ref>The second Bindibu expedition</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Thomson |first1=Donald |title=Bindibu Country |date=1975 |publisher=Nelson |location=Melbourne |isbn=0170050491 |pages=129–154}}</ref> into the Great Sandy Desert to study the Pintupi people living a traditional lifestyle in the area around Lake Mackay.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Bindibus |journal=The Australian Women's Weekly |date=22 January 1964 |pages=10–13 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/55471806/5797327 |accessdate=4 May 2020}}</ref> A documentary, ''People out of time'',<ref>{{cite web |title=1968, English, Sound, Other sound, Video edition: People out of Time British Broadcasting Corporation (Production company) |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/229522408?q=People+Out+of+Time&c=music&versionId=252343757 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}</ref> resulted from the expedition.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://digitised-collections.unimelb.edu.au/handle/11343/64109 |title=Donald Fergusson Thomson |publisher=University of Melbourne |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref>

In the 1970s Corke made films and other AV resources for Educational Media Australia<ref>{{cite journal |title=Production Survey |journal=Cinema Papers |issue=23 |pages=81–83 |url=https://issuu.com/libuow/docs/cinemapaper1979sepno023 |accessdate=4 May 2020}}</ref> to support the "Web of Life"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Morgan |first1=David G. |title=Biological Science: The Web of Life |date=1967 |publisher=Australian Academy of Science}}</ref> national biology program for schools – an initiative of John Stewart Turner and the Australian Academy of Science.<ref>{{cite web |title=1973, English, Video edition: The Waterhole |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/229549660?q=The+Waterhole&c=music&versionId=252374157 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="late-in-a-wilderness">{{cite web |title=1973, English, Video edition: The Waterhole |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/229549660?q=The+Waterhole&c=music&versionId=252374157 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, AFI Jedda award (1973)</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1984, English, Video, Captioned edition: Egg laying mammals : the echidna and platypus [videorecording] | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/17378586?q&versionId=46149722 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, Chris Plaque, Columbus Film Festival (1985); Merit Award, Wildlife Film Festival, Montana, US (1985); Creative Excellence award, US Film Festival, Illinois (1983)</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1982, English, Video edition: Desert hopping mouse [motion picture] / Educational Media International in conjunction with The Australian Academy of Science. School Biology Project. | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/15582167 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, Silver Award, Australian Conservation Foundation (1983)</ref><ref name="wetlands-problem">{{cite web |title=1900, English, Government publication, Video edition: The wetlands problem [motion picture] |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/204226666?q&versionId=224206879 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1979, English, Video edition: Animals of Australia [videorecording] / editing and script by David Corke; production by Ken Widdowson. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/16576328?q&versionId=19454164 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}Creative Excellence Award, US Film Festival (1979); Award of Merit, Information Film Producers, USA (1979); Award of Merit, US Industrial Film Festival (1979)</ref><ref name="National Library of Australia">{{cite web |title=Yirrititja [videorecording] : the way of the desert people |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8390052?selectedversion=NBD5694455 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref>

Corke has also made several freelance natural history films (including the AFI Jedda award-winning film ''Late in a Wilderness'',<ref name="late-in-a-wilderness" /> ''Shed Tears for the River,''<ref name="shed-tears">{{cite web |title=1973, English, Government publication, Video edition: Shed tears for the river [motion picture] |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/22049502?q&versionId=26593765 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, sponsored by South Australian Film Corporation</ref><ref name="Shed Tears for the River - Review">{{cite web |title=Shed Tears for the River - Review |url=https://www.ozmovies.com.au/movie/shed-tears-for-the-river |website=Ozmovies |accessdate=4 May 2020}}</ref> and ''Eudyptula minor!''<ref>{{cite web |title=1971, English, Video edition: Eudyptula minor! [motion picture]|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/22038267?q&versionId=26576132 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, sponsored by Comalco</ref>) and written several series of books for school history and social studies programs. He has also written about the Burke and Wills expedition including books<ref>{{cite book |year=1985 |title=Partners in Disaster, the story of Burke and Wills|publisher=Thomas Nelson Australia |isbn=978-0-17-006496-5 }}</ref> and journal articles<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Corke |first1=David |title=Brahe's Cache |journal=Victorian Historical Journal |date=2016 |volume=87/1 |issue=285 |pages=58–75 |url=https://www.historyvictoria.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/VHJ-Vol-87-No-1-Jun-2016.pdf |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref> <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Corke |first1=David |title=Where did they Bury Charlie Gray? |journal=Victorian Historical Journal |date=June 1994 |volume=65/1 |issue=24 |pages=45–56}}</ref> and was the founding president of the Burke and Wills historical society.<ref name="burke-wills">{{cite web |url=https://www.burkeandwills.org/index.htm | title=Burke and Wills Historical Society}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

* ''Raak'' (1956)<ref>{{cite web |title=1956, English, Government publication, Video edition: Raak [motion picture] |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/22036770?q&versionId=26573985 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, British International Amateur Film Festival, top amateur film prize (1957)</ref> about Wedge-tailed eagles<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Corke |first1=David |title=Photographing the wedge-tailed eagle |journal=Walkabout |date=1956 |volume=22 |issue=5 |pages=15–18 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-743159844/view?partId=nla.obj-743162847#page/n16/mode/1up |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref> * ''Edge of The Deep'' (1959)<ref>{{cite web |title=1959, English, Video edition: Edge of the deep, Boolari Films (Production company); Peter Bruce (Co-director); David Corke (Co-director) |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/229542393?q&versionId=252366118 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}</ref> about the pattern life along the tidelines, winner of Australian Film Award<ref>{{cite web |title=Past Awards |url=https://www.aacta.org/aacta-awards/past-awards/range/1958-1969/year/1959/ |publisher=AFI, AACTA |accessdate=26 January 2020}}</ref> * ''Baama'' (1962)<ref name="baama">{{cite web |title=1962, English, Video edition: Baama: land of the red gums, Boolari Films (Production company); State Film Centre of Victoria (Production company)|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/229540456?q&versionId=252363902 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, Commendation Australian Film Institute (1961)</ref> about bird life along the edge of the Murray River * ''Sunset Country'' (1963)<ref>{{cite web |title=1963, English, Video edition: Sunset country, State Film Centre of Victoria (Production company); David Corke (Producer/director) |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/229548573?q&versionId=252372931 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}</ref> * ''Bird banding in Australia'' (1964)<ref>{{cite web |title=Bird banding in Australia (1964) |url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/bird-banding-in-australia-1964/ |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref> * ''The computer CSIRAC'' (1965)<ref name="csirac">{{cite web |title=The computer "CSIRAC" (1965)|url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/the-computer-csirac-1965 |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref> * ''Window into space'' (1965)<ref name="parkes">{{cite web |title=Window into space: the Parkes radio telescope (1965)|url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/window-into-space-the-parkes-radio-telescope-1965 |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}} Bronze Award, ISFA Padua (1965)</ref> about the Parkes radio-telescope * ''Birth of the red kangaroo'' (1965)<ref name="red-kangaroo"/> about reproduction of the Red kangaroo * ''A skeleton in the crop'' (1969)<ref name="skeleton-weed">{{cite web |title=A skeleton in the crop (1969) |url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/a-skeleton-in-the-crop-1969/ |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref> about the introduced invasive skeleton weed * ''In Central Australia with Crosbie Morrison'' (1970) * ''Flight Line One: Controlled Burning from Aircraft''(1971) <ref name="fire">{{cite web |title=Flight Line One: Controlled Burning from Aircraft (1971) |url=https://csiropedia.csiro.au/flight-line-one-controlled-burning-from-aircraft-1971/ |publisher=CSIRO |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref> about controlled burning for bushfire prevention * ''Eudyptula minor!'' (1971)<ref>{{cite web |title=1971, English, Video edition: Eudyptula minor! [motion picture]|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/22038267?q&versionId=26576132 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, sponsored by Comalco</ref> about Fairy Penguins. * ''Late in a Wilderness'' (1972)<ref name="late-in-a-wilderness" /> about wildlife at a waterhole near Broken Hill, AFI Jedda award-winning film * ''The Waterhole'' (1973)<ref>{{cite web |title=1973, English, Video edition: The Waterhole |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/229549660?q=The+Waterhole&c=music&versionId=252374157 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}</ref> an edited, educational version of the film ''Late in a Wilderness'';<ref name="late-in-a-wilderness">{{cite web |title=1973, English, Video edition: The Waterhole |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/229549660?q=The+Waterhole&c=music&versionId=252374157 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, AFI Jedda award (1973)</ref> * ''Shed Tears for the River'' (1973)<ref name="shed-tears">{{cite web |title=1973, English, Government publication, Video edition: Shed tears for the river [motion picture] |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/22049502?q&versionId=26593765 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, sponsored by South Australian Film Corporation</ref> about "the degradation and destruction of the natural environment of the Murray river system in South Australia by human activities"<ref name="Shed Tears for the River - Review"/> * ''The Wetlands Problem'' (1979)<ref name="wetlands-problem">{{cite web |title=1900, English, Government publication, Video edition: The wetlands problem [motion picture] |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/204226666?q&versionId=224206879 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}</ref> * ''Animals of Australia'' (1979)<ref>{{cite web |title=1979, English, Video edition: Animals of Australia [videorecording] / editing and script by David Corke; production by Ken Widdowson. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/16576328?q&versionId=19454164 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}Creative Excellence Award, US Film Festival (1979); Award of Merit, Information Film Producers, USA (1979); Award of Merit, US Industrial Film Festival (1979)</ref> * ''Desert Hopping Mouse'' (1982)<ref>{{cite web |title=1982, English, Video edition: Desert hopping mouse [motion picture] / Educational Media International in conjunction with The Australian Academy of Science. School Biology Project. | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/15582167 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, Silver Award, Australian Conservation Foundation (1983)</ref> about the spinifex hopping-mouse (Notomys alexis) of inland Australia; * ''Egg-laying Mammals'' (1984)<ref>{{cite web |title=1984, English, Video, Captioned edition: Egg laying mammals : the echidna and platypus [videorecording] | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/17378586?q&versionId=46149722 |publisher=National Library of Australia |accessdate=25 January 2020}}, Chris Plaque, Columbus Film Festival (1985); Merit Award, Wildlife Film Festival, Montana, US (1985); Creative Excellence award, US Film Festival, Illinois (1983)</ref> about Australian monotremes * ''Yirritidja'' (1986)<ref name="National Library of Australia"/> based on footage taken on the Bindibu expedition.

== Memberships == * Founding president (2005-8) of the Burke and Wills historical society.<ref name="burke-wills"/> * Accredited member<ref>{{cite web |title=ACS Accredited Member List |url=https://www.cinematographer.org.au/cms/page.asp?ID=21015 |publisher=Australian Cinematographers Society |accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref> of the Australian Cinematographers Society. * Member (and assistant secretary in 1948/1949) of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (now BirdLife Australia).

== References ==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corke, David}} Category:Australian documentary filmmakers Category:Australian cinematographers Category:Australian ornithologists Category:1930 births Category:Living people