When sharing ideas two things count; rigour and manners.
One of Australia’s most outstanding actors, Rob Carlton has starred in a long list of Australian television series including Underbelly III - The Golden Mile, Chandon Pictures, The Hollowmen, All Saints, Blue Heelers, Water Rats, Roar, A Country Practice and E Street. His portrayal of Kerry Packer in Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo was heralded by critics and audiences alike earning him the Most Outstanding Lead Actor award on top of winning the Silver Logie.
Previous experience
ABC: Rob continued his association with ABC TV across a number of dramas and entertainment programs as well as co-productions with Fremantle Media and WTFN productions.
Films: His feature film credits include Any Questions For Ben?, Strange Bedfellows, You Can't Stop the Murders, Muggers and The Year My Voice Broke. He will be seen in the upcoming film Mental.
Awards: A graduate of Sydney University in English Literature, Rob is also a producer, director and writer. His production company Shadowfax TV produced two series of the award-winning comedy Chandon Pictures, seen on both Movie Extra and ABC TV. Rob co-directed as well as taking creator, writer and acting credits in the series.
Chandon: Chandon Pictures is now shown in over 15 territories around the world, including the USA and UK. Both Chandon Pictures and Rob Carlton have been nominated for numerous awards for the show, with Rob winning the Australian Writers Guild Award for Best Narrative Comedy in 2008. Rob's play A-Framed was first produced by his production company in 1998 to critical and box office success. A-Framed has since been produced in Sydney and Melbourne by various theatre companies.
Speaker: As a keynote speaker, Rob's down-to-earth delivery, astute character observations and self deprecating humour are a world away from a corporate presentation... Perfect!
Talking Points
Comedy Keynote
Rob had to wait nearly 30 years, and for the ugliest man in Australian business history to be played, before he would land a lead role in a drama series. But when the chance to play Kerry Packer came, he was ready… but only just!Comedy Keynote
As a jobbing actor life was tough: in his first ever movie role he had his head flushed down a toilet in The Year My Voice Broke, he got called a “Flamin’ Mongrel” by Alf from Home and Away, was shot dead on Water Rats and blew himself up on Blue Heelers. Dying is fun for a while, but something had to change if he was going to make a living out of it.
Rob's story of stepping up from bit part actor to playing an Australian icon, while along the way producing his own shows that now sell all around the world, is a hilarious ride where a chance meeting with Tom Cruise, a romantic moment with Michael Buble and a primal fear of being discovered a fraud are all part of the overnight success that took 25 years to build.
Rob's down to earth delivery, astute character observations and self deprecating humour are a world away from a corporate presentation - Perfect!!
What will the audience get out of it?
• A big laugh for a start.
• Some insights into what made Kerry Packer the toughest deal maker in town.
Then, if they feel like joining the dots, they might find it easer to:
• Stay motivated when the phone isn’t ringing.
• Work better in teams.
• Handle curve balls with joy, not fear.
• Remain fearless in their pursuit of excellence.
• View everything that comes at them as an opportunity, not a block.
Valuable Team Players
Dynamic Employees Valuable Team Players
The challenges an actor faces on set are very similar to those faced by employees. To embody a character an actor has spent hours researching, developing the nuances, and becoming the expert. But when they step on stage, they’re not the boss; they’re one part of a much bigger enterprise.
Similarly, employees are professionals who must work within a set organisational structure with a defined purpose. The challenge is to remain positive, change ready, collaborative and focused on a business goal that may have been decided by someone else.
Rob’s engaging style, insights and stories will inspire employees to stay engaged, share their passion, to be curious and demand excellence from those around them.
Small Business. Big Lessons.
Why an organisation’s culture matters.Small Business. Big Lessons.
Leading through good times is the easy part. How do you maintain optimism and energy during times of hardship or periods of change?
Through real life stories, Rob illustrates the importance of organisational culture - a system of shared assumptions, values and beliefs that have a strong influence on how people feel and behave in organisations. Successful company cultures are typically characterised by a high level of teamwork and engagement.
Rob tells some never before heard stories about Kerry Packer and Alan Bond that are cautionary tales of leadership leading to pyrrhic victories and a life of loneliness. Uplifting and inspiring stories are those from his father who was a quieter champion of leadership through the Hawke/Keating years of economic reform and his internationally recognised contribution to humanitarian services.
People will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of the cultural heart of an organisation and a sense that the world has good people in it, even when the circumstances may seem grim.
The Film Production Model
Creative LeadershipThe Film Production Model
How do you unlock the imagination of every individual and keep the team focused on the main goal? Movies are a profound example of where creativity and brutal logistics collide. They are an excellent example of how a diverse group of people, facing impending deadlines can pull together towards one vision.
The Film Production model takes participants through what directors, crew and cast experience every day. Constantly adapting, learning and fine tuning their craft and their processes so they can meet deadlines and maintain their reputation as the best in the world.
Through fun and engaging exercises and a mix of stories drawn from his own experiences in film and TV, Rob focuses on the behaviour, character traits and skills of successful leaders and team players.
Topics
Since 2006, AFG has had the good fortune of engaging Rob Carlton as Master of Ceremonies for both our national client and internal events. Rob consistently impresses both us and our audience ... keep reading AFG
Rob did an amazing job at hosting our 2012 Microsoft Partner Awards Ceremony. The afternoon flowed beautifully, his reserach prior to the event enabled him to combine wit and humour throughout the proceedings to make the afternoon thoroughly enjoyable. His professional attitude was an integral part of our event planning. He ensured I was happy with the structure and content every step of the way. I would not hesitate to recommend Rob as a Master of Ceremonies.
Rob is an extremely talented and professional MC. His ability to grasp an organisation's business strategy and desired outcome for event, and then translate that into an entertaining, insightful and meaningful experience, is second to none. I highly recommend Rob for any conference or corporate event.
Rob was engaged to host our Optus Small and Medium Business annual 'Kick Off' event across three states recently. These events provide the opportunity to celebrate our achievements and share our strategic direction for the year ahead with a diverse audience from across the team. I was thoroughly impressed with Rob's natural ability to manage his audience with the utmost professionalism, while keeping the event real and interactive, continuously tailoring for each location. He is more than just a host; he added true value throughout the process, from the thorough preparation leading up to the event right through to the event itself. From the moment we met and briefed Rob to his delivery on the day, he was the consummate professional and completely committed to us as a customer. He was meticulously prepared, and had obviously gone to great lengths to be well informed, understand our business, organisation and target audiences. During rehearsals, he provided valuable input that helped focus our messaging. During the event, he kept speakers on track and the audience engaged, while remaining on message and consistent with our script. He skillfully managed curve balls and impromptu changes with ease and dealt with business issues capably as they arose. Throughout, he also displayed a great sense of humour. Rob truly deliver 'over and above the call of duty.' Feedback from our participants has been fantastic; in fact a campaign to bring back Rob next year is well underway!
We have used Rob concurrently for three national conferences and each time he has added value and diversity. Rob puts a great deal of effort into understanding our business in the lead up to the events so that everything on stage is not only enjoyable but relevant to the business imperatives at play. Rob has a unique ability to take a brief and write a script that is humorous and engages the audience. Rob will add value to any conference and I highly recommend his services as MC.
