Jason Roberts

Jason Roberts (06.03.68) is an award winning filmmaker, polar expert, worlds leading authority on Polar Bears and a dedicated environmentalist. He has devoted over two decades of his life to both Arctic and Antarctic, working with the production of natural history films specialising in the polar regions. Recent films included, Frozen Planet, Planet Earth, The Reindeer Girls, Spy on the Ice and The Polar Bear Family. Raised in Australia, between the city and the bush he gained many practical skills that would be put to good use in later life exploring the polar regions 'born and bred on the land, can turn my hands to anything' is a favourite saying of his. After completing schooling and relocating to Melbourne he accomplished the position on the Australian Stock Exchange as senior trader at a record young age. However, in 1989 he took a 'period' free to try to fill the young 'explorers' virus. A few weeks lead into adventures around the globe and a longer period residing in Sámi land (Lapland) Norway. He then relocated to the high arctic community of Longyearbyen, on the Svalbard archipelago, (Spitsbergen) where he has been a resident for over twenty years; 'Living in the world's northern most community changes your perspectives in life'. Prior to filmmaking he worked for research institutes doing field studies on number of projects concerning our polar regions. An experienced ice diver, he has worked extensively as a rescue diver and is an accomplished sea kayaker and mountaineer. Jason has also worked on many Hollywood feature films that require a frozen background, such as Die Another Day -Bond, Eight Below, The Golden Compass, and many others. Working with polar bears as a subject and 'a passion' over the last two decades has lead to him being often quoted as the human that has spent 'more time living with polar bears than any other in history'. His expertise is rare, and his devotion to portraying the plight of what he calls the world's most beautiful creation, the polar bear, is extraordinary. A winner of the prestigious 'Panda' award for best natural behaviour program with Polar Bears - Shadows on the Ice. Through the production services company, jason roberts productions, Jason promotes awareness of our world's natural history.