Blak Screen/Blak Sounds (2001)

GJC was approached by the Sydney Opera House Trust ('Trust') to curate and produce the film and music components to the inaugural Indigenous festival at the Sydney Opera House (‘Message Sticks’). GJC’s experience in curating and producing the Festival of the Dreaming Indigenous film festival in 1997 as part of the Sydney Olympic Games, and our successful production of the Dreaming of a Better Future forum were the basis for their approach.

Client’s Problem
The Trust was interested in bringing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the Sydney Opera House, and required our assistance to produce a culturally relevant program and to utlise our contacts to ensure that the event was successful both in content and in attendance.

GJC’s approach
GJC worked on all elements of the festival in conjunction with the Trust to ensure the film and music components of Message Sticks (Blak Screen/Blak Sounds) was interesting, informative, well attended and well produced. This involved:

• Developing and implementing the concept of a combined film and music event.

• Ensuring integrity of the program through production, community liaison, artist liaison and communication

• Developing ideas for the forums

• Arranging for speakers/filmmakers to attend

• Curating the music program so that it would have a thematic link to the film program

• Negotiating with all artists – re travel needs, accommodation needs, fees, arranging for bios and photos to be delivered to marketing as required, liaising with all artists on the days of the event

• Contracting all artists

• Liaising with the Sydney Opera House Marketing Department to ensure the success of marketing component of the program

• Providing copy for any brochures relating to the film/music component of the Message Stick festival

• Arranging licence fees for all films

• Developing a database for marketing purposes.

Project Outcome
Blak Screen/Blak sounds was an interesting, informative and well run event. This was the first time a lot of Indigenous people had attended the Sydney Opera House, and it was a positive experience. It was also a positive event for non-Indigenous attendees.

The festival which was held in the Playhouse featured the premier of Rachel Perkins film ‘One Night the Moon’ and the films of Tracey Moffatt, Catriona McKenzie and Ivan Sen. The musical highlights were a performance by the Pigram Brothers from Broome and Foot Fulla Bindies from Moree.

Materials Delivered
A program, a three-day event with 21 films, 8 speakers and 4 live performances.

Dreaming of A Better Future (1999)

GJC developed and produced a two-day conference focusing on employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the performing arts and entertainment industries.

Reason For Engagement
GJC put forward a proposal and won the tender, based on our understanding of the brief, our creative approach and the quality of our team

Client’s Problem
The Sydney Opera House (the SOH) was interested in hosting a two day forum focusing on employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian entertainment industry. The SOH had the venue, but required the production expertise and the contacts within the industry to ensure the success of the forum.

GJC’s Approach
GJC worked closely with the Human Resources Unit of the SOH and a forum steering committee to develop a work program to implement and produce all aspects of the forum.

We created a program which included 13 sessions over two days and secured the 30 speakers who participated in the forum. We ensured that sessions were informative and engaging, and met the brief from the SOH of addressing the past, present and future.

GJC liaised with all speakers and conducted meetings with each panel to ensure that the sessions would be cohesive and fluid.

GJC provided detailed notes to the MC, Lydia Miller and fully briefed her about all sessions and speakers. This helped her involvement in the forum. An atmosphere conducive to discussion and comments was created.

Travel and accommodation arrangements for speakers from interstate were also arranged by GJC.

GJC also developed a detailed database of potentially interested participants, and oversaw the design, production and distribution of the program and invitation to attend the forum. GJC handled all aspects of marketing and publicity of the forum in conjunction with the SOH.

GJC developed and produced all delegate kits and liaised with, secured all entertainment for the forum, and assisted with the production management of the forum in conjunction with SOH staff.

Project Outcome
The final result was a well run and informative forum. GJC ensured that the forum had a set of speakers who all had a purpose for being at the forum. The focus on discussion was tight, relevant and credible, and the entertainment highly successful.

The event also enjoyed extensive media coverage and strong participation within the entertainment industry.

We felt that the objectives of the forum were met and that it was successful in facilitating debate, raising awareness and pushing for practical solutions to improve employment rates of Aboriginal people within the entertainment industry.

The program has lead to the employment of a number of Aboriginal people in the Sydney Opera House and an ongoing commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment and career development.

Materials Delivered
A forum program, and a two-day forum with delegate kits and speakers notes where relevant.