Producers Sarah Bond and Katy Roberts have joined VicScreen as First Peoples strategic lead and production executive, respectively.
Bond is a Wakka Wakka/Waanyi woman who has produced multiple festivals and celebrations over the past two decades, including the Black Arm Band, Moomba Waterfest, Next Wave Festival, Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival, Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival, and YIRRAMBOI First Nations Festival.
In 2005, she set up Black Ruby Productions, and produced her first documentary film My Brother Vinnie in 2006, before going on to associate produce Murundak – Songs of Freedom in 2011.
Bond joins VicScreen from Creative Victoria, where she worked with the First People’s team. In her new role, she will be responsible for project planning and early strategic development of VicScreen’s First People’s approach, particularly concerning establishing a stakeholder consultation framework.
Roberts comes to VicScreen after more than four years at production company Sweetshop & Green, working as a development and production executive while gaining producer credits on Sara Kern’s Moja Vesna, Eddie Martin’s Fire Front, Sonia Dauger and Renée Mao’s sports docuseries Second to None, Hilla Medalia and Amos Roberts’ documentary Prisoner X , and true crime Audible Original documentary series No Gangsters In Paradise.
Her experience also includes seven years at global youth media company Vice where she spearheaded the setup of their Australian and New Zealand production departments and original programming. As head of video for Australia and New Zealand, Roberts initiated and produced the territories’ tentpole documentary series broadcast globally on Viceland, before leading Vice’s development for Asia Pacific as their head of development.
Both Bond and Roberts have commenced their respective roles.