WE COMMUNICATE, MAKE, TELL STORIES, DESIGN, INNOVATE + SPREAD THE WORD
WE COMMUNICATE, MAKE, TELL STORIES, DESIGN, INNOVATE + SPREAD THE WORD
Our Award-Winning professional team is committed to the best creative resolve across all projects. With many years of tight producing and handling contingencies we stay on budget every time with absolute efficiency. This is what experience brings.
Malinda is a proud Gomeroi woman and Co-Founder of Blackfisch. As a writer, director and producer and creative director, Malinda has over 84 hours of international broadcast TV under her belt and has worked across the globe, namely throughout the USA, all of APAC and Europe.
Malinda was the first employed female director to direct an all-female film crew. From those early beginnings she has written hundreds of scripts and directed both short and long-form projects for TV, film, corporate content and advertising.
In 2022 she added to her already impressive international awards list six more intentional awards from the prestigious New York award shows. She won these for her work for Tourism Australia. Malinda has near 60,000 academic mentions to her name for her work.
Her work for international brands, writing and creating content and TV commercials, tourism commissions in 8 different countries, her long-form films broadcast across the globe and her cinema release films are testament to her passion for the craft.
Malinda is a member of the Australian Directors Guild and the Australian Writers Guild; she is an A-grade Journalist and a Published Author.
Matt is a proud Mehi Murri man from Moree, NSW, a member of the Terry Hie Hie clan of the Gomilaroi Nation.
Matt has a long history of working with contemporary and traditional Indigenous media.
Matt was principal artist of CCD organisation BigHart (1989-99) and AFI Laureat for his short film Hurt in 1991.
Acclaimed in both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous arts industry as a traditional and visual artist, Matt works across media platforms to communicate a powerful message of Indigenous cultural sustainability and development. He sees education as an important tool for empowerment and self-determination.
Matt is a visual artist, film maker, traditional dancer, song writer and theatre-maker.
With his decades-long experience at the top of his field as a global advertising/marketing executive and creative director, Jeremy is an award-winning creative and has won a long list of awards including Cannes Lions, Andys, Mobius, Clios, Clio Health, Globals, RX awards and others. Jeremy hired, mentored, directed and led the creative leaders of the network powerhouses of McCann Worldgroup, building the reputations of multi award- winning consumer agencies and creating McCann Health as the most awarded Healthcare network in the world. His long advertising journey with McCann has been a full life experience in countries, cultures, business and categories, its experiences fed by two successful career challenges, Consumer and Healthcare. Jeremy joined Blackfisch in 2020, inspired and excited by what he sees as a very unique and special group of people who offer up so much more than a standard production company or creative agency. Jeremy’s goal is to add value to Blackfisch content in a more commercial sense, and to that end has created Message Sticks, the Indigenous talent pool – first project launching soon.
Simon is a Content Producer and Director with over 25 years of television, film, branded content, and digital experience. Having directed and produced work around the World for National Geographic Washington, Discovery Channel, History Channel and the BBC.
Simon has an MBA from UTS Sydney, which provides the structure and knowledge to manage high-value projects. Delivering them on time and under budget. Simon has worked with brands such as L’Oreal, Vans Shoes, UNESCO, BMW North America, DFAT (Aust Govt) and 3M. Creating content and campaigns that reached out to millions. Effectively influencing buying decisions, and building a strong regard and reputation for the brands.
Kathryn has a diverse background in the arts and entertainment industry. She graduated from The University of Sydney with a BA where she triple majored in Film, English, and Performance and holds a Diploma of Film and Television.
Kat has worked for a number of arts and entertainment institutions including Australian Performing Arts Grammar School, JYL Gallery, and Song Zu and her writing has been published in The Sydney Morning Herald and Stage Whispers among other publications. Kat has worked on independent short films as a screenwriter, script supervisor and production assistant.
As part of the Blackfisch team, she has co-written an episode of an original series and has acted as production lead for clients including Infrastructure NSW, the City of Sydney and the Department of Workplace Relations among others.
Kat is passionate about the film industry and highly motivated to meet any challenge.
Riona has studied and worked in the film industry for over 6 years, focusing predominantly on producing and production design. She graduated from the University of Technology, Sydney with a double BA in Communications, majoring in Media Arts and Production, and International Studies, majoring in Spanish Language and Culture. Riona was fortunate enough to live in Granada, Spain for a year where she studied
the History of Latin American Film and obtained a C1 level in the Spanish language. She has focussed her time outside of university on freelancing in the art department working with such companies as Storymill Productions, WAS Films, DNSW and, most recently Faxmachine Films. Some of her work was featured in Sydney Film Festival 2022.
Riona has a diverse set of skills and a passion for films and documentaries centred around social equity.
Annabell Rutter-Peters is a proud Gamilaraay woman. Annabell started at Blackfisch during her last semester of University at UNSW, where she is considered an Aboriginal student leader. Annabell only attended one school, Kambala School for Girls in Rose Bay where she excelled at sport and academics, winning 2 distinguished prizes at the end of year 12.
Annabell is an elite sportsperson and plays touch football for the Eastern Suburbs Roosters. She was also picked for the Indigenous All-Stars national team. Annabell’s passion for creativity is in her blood as she is the daughter of Writer/Director Malinda Rutter.
She is proud and passionate about working on projects with purpose, particularly those intertwined with outcomes for her mob.
Max Uechtritz has been an award winning foreign correspondent, program-maker and international executive for over 36 yeras. He has the unique distinction in Australian media
of heading the largest news operations in public broadcasting and commercial television, as well as a major online portal. He managed one of the world’s largest suites of documentary and current affairs programmes while at the global network Al Jazeera English (AJE). He has been a digital-first mover, managed strategic transformations and launched his own company Kundu Productions.
Before founding this documentary company, Max’s career included a five year tenure at Seven as News and Current Affairs Executive, Editor-In-Chief at Ninemsn, Network Director of News (Nine) and a four-year tenure at the ABC as Executive Director of News and Current Affairs. Throughout his career, Max has overseen coverage of many of the most significant historical events in recent history including the 9/11 attacks, the Iraq war and the 2004 Asia tsunami. He reported first hand on Tiananmen Square, the Gulf War, the Soviet Coup and dissolution, all 1990s Balkans wars, Thatcher’s demise, the Mandela and Clinton elections and geopolitical milestones in numerous countries, as well as the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympics.
Ray Martin began his career in journalism at the ABC. After a decade as their North American Correspondent he joined the Nine Network as one of the three original 60 Minutes reporters. He went on to host The Midday Show, A Current Affair, Sunday and a wide range of network specials, including coverage of Federal and State elections.
Martin was awarded an Order of Australia for his journalism and his lifetime work in Aboriginal reconciliation, an Honorary Doctorate from Sydney University, along with an unmatched five Gold Logies.
Since leaving Channel 9, he has done a number of television documentaries for the SBS and Prime networks, as well as writing three best-selling books, including a collection of his photographs over half a century.
After attending NIDA, Adam’s first acting role was with the Sydney Theatre Company. He has since performed in, written and directed a number of regional productions. As well as holding a number of curatorial and administrative roles for various community arts and cultural productions (including curating the first NAIDOC assembly performance for Armidale Schools), Adam also worked with NSW Fair Trading as a negotiator and licencing officer. His respect for the arts and indigenous culture, from the artistic to the administrative, brings unique insight to Adam’s position of Public Officer – supporting the Directors in the operation, fundraising and development work in community for Blackfisch – a registered indigenous entity and arts and cultural development organisation.
Joseph is Photographer & Photojournalist specialising in Editorial, Music, Fashion, Sport, and Portraits. “Try shooting photos out of a light aircraft while controlling an intense fear of flying; or being the only Aboriginal Photographer in the village when US President Barack Obama visited in 2011 and trying to recover from being completely awestruck by his presence. For me, this has all been part of my exciting career in photography.”Joseph has been a professional freelance photographer since 2006 and has photographed many live events including music festivals like the Byron Bay Blues Festival and Groovin’ the Moo. He is currently the official photographer for both. Joseph has captured sporting events including the Indigenous All Stars rugby league matches and the Aboriginal Knockout, and has toured with the Matildas, capturing their awesome on field moments as well as behind the scenes shots for the past three FIFA Women’s World Cups in China, Germany and recently Canada. He has also had regular work photographing for the Koori Mail, and they have given him some of his biggest jobs including photographing US President Barack Obama on his 2011 visit. “Not many media organisations got in there. That was really exciting. There were only about 20 photographers and the Koori Mail had an Indigenous photographer and that was me.” Another assignment for the Koori Mail that has taken Joseph’s breath away was when he went up to Thursday Island for the celebration of 30 years since Eddie Mabo spoke at the Land Rights Conference at James Cook University.
Jamie brings with him a wealth of experience in advertising and production. In the communications sector he has worked across multiple businesses and organisations, including business-to-consumer companies, government and not-for-profit. He is a committed account manager with impeccable project management skills, always focussed on delivering outstanding results to his clients. At Blackfisch, Jamie has contributed to and managed campaigns for an array of clients including Destination NSW, the ATO, the Department of Human Services, and the NSW Department of Education. Throughout his career, he has gained valuable skills and experience in digital marketing, communications, project management, social media marketing, media relations, and brand and management. He brings the team together with his deep knowledge and skills and proven reputation in project management, traffic management, TV production and event coordination for clients. Solution-driven with a no-stress and no-fuss manner, Jamie most importantly has an in-depth understanding of each of the disciplines from which Blackfish’s collection of extraordinary people are drawn. He supports his team with ease to create groundbreaking work for our clients and thinks outside the box to make a real difference.
Johnny has over 25 years of experience as a director, both locally and internationally, with a range of credits from branded content, and TVC to feature-length television programs.
He has worked with most well-established brands. He has a plethora of awards including Campaign Brief’s ‘Best Ads’ for a Movember TVC.
His motorsport heritage had him globetrotting around the world directing for several key series, including F1, Le Mans, Ferrari, Audi and Porsche with his most recent project being the Asian Le Mans Series.
In the entertainment sector, Johnny has worked closely with prominent celebrities including Catrina Rowntree, Antonia Kidman and former Miss Universe, Jennifer Hawkins.
Johnny has been developing an adult comedy TV series BFC along with several long-form documentary series. Big things are on the horizon.
Luke Agius is an emerging director and writer of Dharug and Wiradjuri descent. Having started making his own short films at just twelve years old, Luke has progressed steadily in his career to work with big-name clients such as Meta, Google, ABC and ING.
Throughout his career, Luke has worked on several feature films, short films, music videos, TVCs and corporate films, and has even directed his own feature film which is nearing completion.
Describing himself as a determined and motivated storyteller and artist, Luke has the ambition to make strides in the film industry and has no interest in slowing down. He also is a musician, and radio host and loves a good podcast.
An early interest in painting, art and film led Michael to eventually pursue work in the film industry in 1997, first as a Clapper Loader, then as a Focus Puller. During this time, Michael had the opportunity to work on over twenty feature films including The Matrix, Garage Days, The Worlds Fastest Indian, numerous short films, documentaries, music videos and over 150 TV commercials. In 2006, Michael began work as a Camera Operator on various short films, TVC’s and music videos. In 2010, Michael graduated with a Diploma in Cinematography from the Australian Film Television and Radio School and has since been a cinematographer on a variety of long form TV dramas, feature films, documentary’s and commercials.
In late 2018, Michael had the opportunity to work with up-and-coming film maker, Eugene Alberts, on sci-fi thriller ‘Atlas’ (currently in post-production), which depicts one man’s struggle for autonomy in a future dystopia. ’The Complex’ was also filmed in late 2018, with long-time collaborator and director Dane McCusker.
Michael shot Blackfisch’s internationally award-winning campaign ‘Welcome to My Country’ for Tourism Australia. He’s also worked on numerous others such as; Maths Train Brains for the Department of Education and Supplier Diversity for Google USA.
Margret is recognised as a Tourism Champion by Tourism Australia, Destination NSW, Indigenous Business Council, and endorsed by Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) Supply Nation, Indigenous Business Chamber of Commerce, and the former Governor of NSW, Her Excellency Professor The Honorable Dame Marie Bashir. In addition to translating her cultural knowledge into school curriculums with the AECG, Margret spent 6 years teaching Aboriginal Culture at the Sydney College of Advanced Education on Sydney’s University Campus. In 1993 Margret began her Cultural Tourism Business, Dreamtime Southern X. Margret’s life mission is to build a legacy for all children to see and inherit an Australian landscape as rich in the Dreamtime as it has always been and will always be.
Uncle Noel is a qualified teacher, educator, mentor, horticulturist, chef and historian. Alongside his wife, he has been teaching, delivering programs to and working with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adults and children for over 35 years. He founded an Enrichment Program to nurture Aboriginal people still finding their way home and those who have been denied their traditional history and values. He is able to adapt his teaching methods, content and context to suit the needs of the participants, supported by his own resource materials and traditional Aboriginal artefacts. Uncle Noel’s knowledge and skills are taken from real life experiences. Having been brought up with both Western and Aboriginal Cultures, he contributes unparalleled insight into the differences between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal history, lifestyle and society.
Maddison Rutter-Malley (AKA Mads) is a creative and problem solver. A proud Bundjalung, Gidhabal and Galibal Woman. Maddison’s experience has led her to work in branding, marketing, illustration, animation, print and digital-design, product development, content production and strategy, for clients such as the Australian Federal Government, Woolworths, McDonalds, Brisbane International Tennis, Sandstone Technology, Hills & West, Many Rivers Australia, Education Perfect and SOMA Collection. Maddison in her spare time volunteers in transdisciplinary studios – most recently in Indonesia and Nepal with organisations and change-makers such as: Vital Strategies, Unbound, Abari and Fulbright. In these studios she has co-developed public health campaigns, eco-friendly transport vehicles and communications strategies. Her interests are in the fields of graphic design, design thinking, future scenario building and ideation, and she has a passion for projects with purpose.
Paris is passionate about big ideas and the fine details of craft, with over 30 years in the industry working across a broad range of client sectors: Automotive, Financial, Government, Education, FMCG, Telco, Insurance, Technology, Alcohol, Fashion and more.
A highly versatile and collaborative creative, known for both award winning campaigns and practical approach to problem-solving. Whether the brief calls for an integrated solution, a traditional ad campaign, greater digital engagement, or a PR-worthy ‘big idea’, always happy to step up to the bar – aiming to deliver a great result for the client.
Mukul worked for three years at Wyhldfisch Productions (now Blackfisch) as in-house video editor. Here he edited two TV half hour documentaries. The first, Dear Me: Dangers of Drugs, centred on a letter written by former Bali Nine ringleader Andrew Chan while on Death Row in Kerobokan Prison. The letter is aimed at Australian high school students and depicted Andrew’s life story, hoping to warn students about the perils of illicit drugs. The second film, Connecting to Community, told the story of the redevelopment of the Moree East Public School and the impact the new state-of-the-art school is having on the local community. He continues to work on many Blackfisch projects. Mukul also returned to SIFA to work on the first feature film made at the college, Blackout Bandits, as an Editor & Producer. Constructed from seven separate short stories that were inter-cut together to form one cohesive narrative, the film centres on one night when a blackout throws Sydney into darkness and explores how it dramatically impacts the lives of Sydneysiders. Mukul is experienced in using Adobe Premiere Pro and the Adobe Creative Suite as well as Final Cut Pro X . He also has some experience with DaVinci Resolve and Apple Motion 5. In addition to editing, Mukul can complete simple sound mixes, minor motion graphics and colour correction. He also has on-set experience in various roles along the production, camera and sound departments.
Bill Nelson is an Integrated Product Design graduate from the University of Technology. Bill’s interest lies in challenging the conventional in a playful and empathic manner with a focus on exploring the possibilities of analog objects in an increasingly digital age. Bill is also a talented illustrator thanks to his intrinsic understanding of scale, proportion, and 3D drafting. During his studies, Bill competed in the Democratic Design Days competition in collaboration with Ikea and was a finalist in the 2019 Industrial Design Graduate of the year award.
Experienced Syrian Art director born in Abu dhabi raised on Gadigal land with a demonstrated history of working in the apparel and fashion industry as well as advertising.
Skilled in Art direction, Advertising and Social media & marketing. Strong arts and design professional with an Associate’s Degree focused in Design and Visual Communications from Billy Blue College of Design and an AWARD school graduate.
During her tenure, Dana has accumlated awards such as Finalist Best Emerging Designer 2019 Real Media Awards and Winner Best Emerging designer 2020 Real Media Awards.
Matt Hermans has spent 16 years in the VFX industry, at Fuel VFX, Alt VFX and Weta, and providing bespoke and technically challenging VFX and VR to a variety of clients. Pulling from a history of photo-realistic and high end VFX disciplines, he is furthering the state of VR and Holographics by setting up a strong technical foundation for creativity to sprout from. The team he has built combine the best artists and technicians from across multiple disciplines, from film-making and gaming to the automotive industry. Their combined credits include films like Iron Man 2 & 3, Prometheus, Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. As Mixed Reality and VR continue to grow in market, Matt aims to collaborated with a wide gamut of artists to help support the next phase in human-centric, empathetic communication.
Mik is a self-proclaimed big nerd. From being the first kid in his school to find the chainsaw in Doom, to making a hackintosh out of a Dell ultraportable, just because he could. Mik has forged a career out of understanding high tech and making it accessible for everyone. With nearly two decades in high tech, including production, post-production and broadcast, it has always been about finding the latest and greatest solution. Mik’s very strong suit is making it work smarter, faster, better and stronger.
Alan has 30 years working in both Technical and Marketing areas. As well as working across Channel 7, Channel 9 and Channel 10 during his career, he’s owned several post-produciton companiees including; Independent Post Productions, Television Makers and REM Films. He has hundred of movie trailers and TVCs.
Alan has won numerous awards working on high-end productions for some of the world’s biggest companies such as Toyota, Paramount Pictures and Allianz.
Alan has a solid background in all aspects of post-production.
Jodie is a PCVE strategic communication and behaviour change specialist. She is known globally, having worked with governments, NGOs and media in Australia, South East Asia, Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
She is also a senior strategic communication consultant with the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism.
Her work has included areas such as PCVE capacity-building, crisis and emergency communication, social cohesion and community resilience, and communication to support citizens returning from conflict zones. She brings together the latest theory, evidence and best practice to help pursue and achieve positive change.
Jodie has been a presenter for European Strategic Communications Network (ESCN) and the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) Policy Support Group and was recently awarded a Visiting Fellowship with the International Counter Terrorism Centre (ICCT) in The Hague.
Jodie is also a postgraduate lecturer at the University of Sydney in Crisis Communication and Behaviour Change.
Darren’s experience extends across a broad range of areas including communication, stakeholder engagement, advocacy and media relations, reputation management, change, marketing and brand.
Darren has worked on a range of behaviour change and public health campaigns, programs and strategies. This includes across obe- sity, countering violent extremism and family violence.
Darren is a strategic communication adviser to the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism.
Our awards:
New York Film Festival x 2 FACTS, Logies x 4 years, CLIO, Cannes x 2, Venice Film Festival &
AFI. AEAF Bronze for CCTV10 ident, ChinaTelevision, Science and Culture Channel.
Promax BDA Silver for CCTV10 rebrand, China Television, Science and Culture Channel.
Blackfisch acknowledges the traditional owners of the many lands on which we work and pays respect to elders past and present. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.
