Two Words with Taku

My special guest for this episode is Selene Dudley-Bateman, the Chief Executive Officer of Auspicious Arts Projects (AAP), a not-for-profit creative community management organisation. They provide independent artists with a secure and accessible framework to assist them with creative developments and producing work. AAP were fantastic last year when I wanted to apply for some funding through my local council. I was so impressed by them and thought other artists I know might wanna know more about them, so I invited Selene to chat with me. I hope you find her insights useful too! About Selene Bateman Selene Bateman is a highly regarded arts administrator, producer and project manager who has worked in the creative sector for nearly 20 years. She has produced animated tv series, queer cabarets and comedy shows for children. As the CEO and Senior Client Manager at Auspicious, she has worked with hundreds of artists across art forms and career stages, helping them navigate the funding landscape, get budgets into shape, and manage their projects. She is also an experienced grant writer, workshop facilitator, and financial manager. Connect with Selene on LinkedIn. About Auspicious Arts Projects Auspicious Arts Project Inc. was established in 1993 to assist artists undertaking projects within the arts. The intention was to provide artists with all the protection and advantages of working with a larger organisation while still remaining independent and in control of their work. Auspicious Arts Projects offers financial and administrative management for individuals and small art organisations. This includes assistance with the day-to-day financial aspects of the project. In addition Auspicious offers advice and guidance to artists to the most likely sources of funding, as well assistance preparing budgets for funding applications. Auspicious Arts Projects work with artists from across the spectrum of the arts, and has watched many of its artists grow into fully fledged companies of their own right. This Two Words with Taku podcast episode was recorded virtually in December 2023 in Melbourne. Follow Two Words with Taku at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoWordswithTaku/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twowordswithtaku/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twowordswithtaku See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Two Words: YOUNG FIRE In this episode, hear our first ever guest host Adongwot Manyoul in a conversation with Devon Lewis. He’s a pioneering IT professional and the Chapter Lead for Blacks in Technology Australia, a non-for-profit championing diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, providing invaluable resources, and a safe space for black professionals to connect. Recorded in late November as an ode to World Youth Day, these two special people share their insights on leadership on their terms. They discuss everything from managing workplace friendships to curating your own social media algorithms to navigating fear when starting new challenges to how running 43km marathons can help instil you with professional discipline…and much more. Our audience included writers, performers, filmmakers, a lawyer and a few Shout Out public speakers from the Centre for Multicultural Youth. About Adongwot Manyoul Adongwot Manyuol is an experienced communications professional, youth advocate, and thought leader. As a bi-cultural consultant, public speaker, radio host, and MC, her passions lie in supporting the community to achieve social cohesion through the elimination of racism and discrimination and promoting intergenerational dialogue. As a South Sudanese-Australian woman, Adongwot speaks from a combination of experience navigating traditional and Western culture in Australia and her academic standing in Communications and Journalism. In 2019, Adongwot was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to travel the world investigating ways in which other Western Societies have successfully achieved social cohesion- the African Diaspora as the focal point to further bolster her contribution to the Australian fabric. Adongwot now shares her stories and experiences to inspire and empower. She spends her time mentoring the youth, hosts a radio show that provokes conversation on a range of social justice issues, provides consultancy services to government and community organisations dedicated to change, and sits on a number of advisory and steering committees. In 2022, Adongwot started a disruptive social enterprise, which aims to radically change the approach to racism/ diversity and inclusion training. Providing a series of workshops, seminars, and keynotes aimed at diverse age groups and divergent backgrounds, she explores the concepts of race and prejudice by walking in each other’s shoes through interactive activities and conversations that challenge young people to critically assess their identity. About Devon Lewis Devon Lewis, a resilient individual, has carved an extraordinary path from Guyana to Australia at the age of 17, making Melbourne his cherished home for nearly two decades. With a background in Telco as a Data/Geospatial analyst, he has transitioned his career towards two key pillars. Firstly, Devon is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, currently serving as the Chapter Lead for Blacks In Technology Australia, a non-profit. His leadership extends far beyond authority, emphasising empowerment and support. Secondly, as an Implementation Lead at Coles Group, he skilfully manages IT projects, striving for optimal results and continuous improvement. His commitment to professional growth is evident through his pursuit of a Diploma in Project Management. Beyond his professional endeavours, Devon's adventurous spirit is showcased in his love for challenging activities like hiking, camping, bush survival training, and marathon running. He firmly believes in the transformative power of venturing into the unknown, both in his personal and professional life. Devon Lewis is a true testament to the rewards of embracing uncharted territories and unwavering growth. This Two Words with Taku live podcast event was recorded in November 2023 in Melbourne. Thanks to the crew: Kishani, Rizky, and Ali from 24 Moons for hosting us. Follow Two Words with Taku at: Facebook:...

Today's Two Words: FUNNY BUSINESS In this episode, I’m joined by Janet McLeod, the Fairy Godmother of Melbourne Comedy. Janet runs Local Laughs, which at 20 years, is the longest running comedy room in Australia with a sole operator/programmer...and one of my fave spots to perform. We discuss comedy in all its glory — what is comedy, really? What makes a great comedian? How do you filter out the a**holes to make comedy rooms safe workplaces? Janet shares all her magical insights and wisdom, much to our audience’s delight. A special note: this episode was recorded a week before beautiful and kind Cal Wilson suddenly passed away. Cal is one of my comedy heroines and she introduced me to Janet after we met through The Moth storytelling community in Melbourne. One of my favourite Cal memories is performing with her at Local Laughs in 2018 and she gave me the biggest hug after I got off the stage. So special! In this episode, Janet and I speak of Cal’s kindness. I’m grateful to have met and worked with her and she’ll always be one of my faves. ABOUT JANET MCLEOD With over 25 years' experience producing and programming live shows, Janet's curatorial skills are frequently called upon by organisations and arts festivals across Australia and in the UK including Edinburgh Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Glen Eira Storytelling Festival, Soho Theatre, Melbourne Fringe, and Fringe World in Perth. She has managed over 60 separate projects in her professional career, including long-standing weekly comedy events Planet Comedy and Local Laughs. (Image credit: Alan Moyle — Local Laugh's 20th birthday celebration, June 2023) An active champion of women in comedy, Janet was one of the originators of Upfront Comedy - now a hallmark event at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival - and has since produced all-women comedy show like Miss (you) and Frockin' Hilarious in Melbourne. This Two Words with Taku live podcast event was recorded in October 2023 in Melbourne. Thanks to the crew: Jan, Oscar, and Ali from 24 Moons for hosting us. Join our community at twowordswithtaku.substack.com and follow Two Words with Taku at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoWordswithTaku/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twowordswithtaku/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twowordswithtaku MY 2024 COMEDY SHOW Shine My Light is my debut one-woman solo comedy show, presented in the week of International Women’s Day 2024. In my show, I’ll tackle motherhood, entrepreneurship, societal norms, and everything in between. All are welcome to my unique celebration of womanhood. Dates: Mar 6 – Mar 10 AT La Mama Theatre, Melbourne Buy tickets: https://lamama.com.au/whats-on/summer-2024/shine-my-light/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Two Words: MADE IT In this episode, hear Esther Fwati and Ratidzo Mambo share about their careers as actors, producers and writers based in Australia. We discuss story ownership, collaborating with an abundance mindset and how being an actor influences their approach to writing their own stories. About Esther Fwati Esther Fwati is an actor, writer and producer based in Melbourne, Australia. In 2022 her Web Series NO ORDINARY LOVE, presented by Screen Australia was released to an international audience with great reception. Esther acted as Producer, Marketing, Strategist, Writer & Actor on the Series. In 2023 the series won BEST WEB SERIES at the LA SUN FILM FEST and Esther was awarded BEST ACTRESS in a Series/Pilot/Web for her role as series lead - Beck. Esther is inspired by the work of strong black creators such as Issa Rae and Quinta Brunson who created pathways for themselves as actors, and created opportunities for so many others in the process. Follow Esther: https://www.instagram.com/estherfwati/ About Ratidzo Mambo Zimbabwean-born actor, producer, writer and former distribution consultant, Ratidzo Mambo has extensive experience as a sales agent and consultant for distributors including Vision Films, Switch International, Looking Glass International and Big Media TV where she managed film and TV content rights working with broadcasters across free-to-air, subscription TV, digital, mobile and inflight platforms. In her career, Ratidzo has acted in dozens of productions across screen, stage and radio. Her screen credits include Yellow Card, Stan drama series The Gloaming and feature film Escape from Pretoria with Daniel Radcliffe. She was the winner of the 2016 Best Actor Award for the Hollywood Short + Sweet Festival, was awarded the 2018 16th Street Actors Studios Larry Moss Scholarship, was a 2017 Heath Ledger Scholarship finalist and selected to participate in Screen Australia and Equity Foundation’s first diversity workshop in 2018. Follow Ratidzo Mambo: https://www.instagram.com/ratidzomambo/ This is the first ever live podcast event for Two Words with Taku, recorded in February 2023 in Melbourne. Thanks to comedian Jasmine Francis for audience warm-up, tech crew Toby, Dale, and Kristina, and Tim at LongPlay for hosting us. Join our community at twowordswithtaku.substack.com and follow Two Words with Taku at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoWordswithTaku/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twowordswithtaku/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twowordswithtaku See you soon! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hi, I'm Taku and welcome to Season 5 of Two Words with Taku. Whether you're a seasoned listener or stumbled upon this podcast for the first time, I'm genuinely thrilled to have you here. The podcast Two Words with Taku is a safe space for writers and storytellers navigating the labyrinth of creativity, from books and films to plays and podcasts and even stand-up comedy - all works-in-progress waiting to be written and shared. Since 2017, Two Words with Taku has been my platform to unpack the uncharted territories of my life as a writer. But this podcast is your home too. In this welcome episode, I give you a quick tour of the seasons so far — so you can familiarise yourself and get comfy. And I’m right here at twowordswithtaku.substack.com if you have any questions. Season 1 - Go Deep (Episodes 1-87) A candid reflection on the journey of a new writer finding her voice in a new city. Season 2 - Take Two (Episodes 88-100) Interviews, insights and wisdom from screen industry professionals in Australia. Season 3 - Keep Writing (Episodes 101-105) Reflections on what it means to be a writer, inspired by an intimate life-affirming writing group formed during the COVID pandemic. Season 4 - My Film (Episodes 106-110) Get the behind-the-scenes lowdown of how I made my first kids film for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Season 5 - We're Live New inspiring conversations, deep community connection and encouragement from live in-person and virtual podcast recordings with our community of writers and storytellers. Join our community at twowordswithtaku.substack.com and follow Two Words with Taku at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoWordswithTaku/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twowordswithtaku/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twowordswithtaku See you soon! Podcast produced and recorded on the traditional country of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, Australia. We pay respect to their elders past and present. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s Two Words: Blast Off! Thanks to everyone who's watched my film Gugu naGogo and shared their lovely messages of support. I'm so pleased you're enjoying it! Here are a few fun bloopers for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26wnTc3wcJU It was also pretty magical celebrating our film launch at Melbourne Planetarium. Gugu naGogo played on the large dome, surrounded by twinkly stars in a dark night sky. It was wonderful hearing people’s different reactions as it played and I was so emotional afterwards. After our speeches, as a special treat, we were transported across the universe in a night sky tour. We saw stars and planets, galaxies and constellations - our collective oohs and aahs were glorious! ✨ Special thanks to astronomer Dr Tanya Hill, Kate Barnard, Sophie Oakes and Catriona Nguyen-Robertson from Scienceworks for making our first screening so special. Our community is over the moon! ⭐️👏🏾🌔 More photos coming soon. Watch Gugu naGogo in Australia on iview at https://iview.abc.net.au/show/gugu-nagogo. Music by Audius Mtwararia Vox Pop interviews at start of podcast by Amanda Mudege-Fleischer from It's Layered Podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Two Words: Film Community What does the future of community-led content creation look like in Australia? My filmmaker friends and I discuss the Kaleidoscope Project, our films and much more. Watch all our films Viv’s Silly Mango, Gugu naGogo, Namaste Yoga, and Yaz Queens on ABC iview: linktr.ee/kaleidoscopeproject and our video chat here. Our Collective Viv's Silly Mango Gugu naGogo Namaste Yoga Yaz Queens More at https://taku.com.au/film-community/ Music by Audius Mtawarira See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's two words: Safe Space In this episode I discuss how I handled creative, business, emotional and cultural safety during the making of my film Gugu naGogo. I also give special thanks to some of the black and African women who have supported me and my project along the way. More at https://taku.com.au/safe-space Watch Gugu naGogo on ABC ME and iview from 20 November 2022. Music by Audius Mtawarira See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Escape velocity requires an object to propel itself with enough speed and thrust to break through a barrier. — NASA Today's Two Words: Escape Velocity In Season 4, I'm going behind the scenes to break down how I made my first short film Gugu naGogo, premiering on ABC ME and iview on World Children’s Day, 20 November 2022. More at https://taku.com.au/escape-velocity Original music composed by Audius Mtawarira. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Two Words: Casting Call I'm joined by guest co-host Tariro Mukando to share the casting call for my short film Gugu naGogo. We discuss the film synopsis, what we're looking for and how you can apply for the roles. Shoot date: September 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. More information at https://tsvaga.com/gugunagogo/. Timestamps: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's two words are: Access Granted and in this episode I'm answering your question, "How do I find the money to write my story?" More at https://taku.com.au/access-granted/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s two words are: Canon Eyes and in this episode I ponder, “Where do we want our stories to sit amongst others like them?” More at https://taku.com.au/canon-eyes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s two words are: Same Same and in this episode we explore, “How do we know when a story’s dead and it’s time to write a new one?” More at https://taku.com.au/same-same/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s two words are: About Face and in this episode I ask, “What do we want the world to know about us?” More at https://taku.com.au/about-face/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, you call yourself a writer, huh? Where’ve you been published? Can we watch your films? What’s on your IMDB profile? Oh... you’ve self-published… on your blog? Oh, you’re just, sort of starting out? Oh, so are you even a real writer? Ignore all that. You are a writer. You love words. You find them delicious and eat them for breakfast. You love putting them together and tearing them apart. You love testing and teasing them. You. Love. Words. Except sometimes your own words terrify you. What do you actually do with them? This might be you. Seeing those other writers, crowding your timelines with their awards and ...and... joy, because they’ve finished something and shared it with the world. The whole world. Now you’re looking at your writing, thinking, “Screw it! It’s too hard to get these words out to the whole world!” You’re right. It is hard. Hi, I’m Taku Mbudzi, a writer like you. If I have to describe this podcast in two words, I’d say PIT STOP. Two Words with Taku is a show about writing, but unlike other shows about writing, only we are the pit stop for writers you’ve never heard of, giving them rest when they’re about to give up on their words and extra fuel for when they’re ready to keep writing. And why? The doors are slowly starting to open for unknown writers like you and me. Competitions, writer call outs, guest spots, magazine submissions — OMG so many new places to throw our words. But now we’re overwhelmed by how to write, package or present our writing in the best way, especially if we haven’t studied the industry, inherited legacy within the industry or just gone ‘viral’ around the world. I say come and rest your mind. It’s okay. The truth is our writing will need good time to make it good. We’re going to write a lot of shitty first drafts, but we’ll keep writing. We’re going to pitch here, and pitch there and hear back from nowhere, but we’ll keep writing. We’re even going to get tired of our own unfinished stories, but I don’t know about you, mine sit on my heart till they’re out. They come out eventually and the best feeling is when I can put my pen down. But beyond ‘keep writing’ is more work until you can finally put your pen down. What that looks like and who you collaborate with will look different – for me that’s TV producers, film directors and my book publisher. My stories are taking time. Your stories are going to take time. And that’s perfectly fine. Every word you write means something to you and you know it’s good not just for yourself but for the people in your world. Yes, in your world, not the whole world. And that changes everything. Now imagine writing from that perspective. Of course, you’re going to shout, “Screw it — I’ll keep writing!” because you’re just excited to write for your people. And that’s what this show is about. I’m a writer and I’ve got some other writers here with me. We see you, we hear you and we’re in this together. For more stories, subscribe to Two Words with Taku in your fave podcast app or visit https://taku.com.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 100! I finally took to Instagram LIVE to answer your burning questions about podcasting. Watch the whole video, complete with show-and-tell of my recording gear at https://www.instagram.com/takumbudzi. Thank you for listening and supporting Two Words with Taku since 2017 — here's to 100 more episodes! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've finally made it to Episode 99 of this podcast! Here's a quick update on what's happening with my TV stuff and what I'm planning for my 100th podcast episode. Thanks for listening and stay safe! x See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Pitching is a verbal way of selling your story, and I like to leave something visual so they remember my pitch." — Sher-Li Tan I thought I was the Queen of Pitch Preparation until I met producer and filmmaker Sher-Li Tan. We first met at YouTube conference VidCon and she blew me away with how passionately she spruiked her projects. In this episode we talk about how she prepares for pitching her shows — everything from the documents she creates to how she researches her audience and the people she's pitching to. We also discuss how pitching can be a way to test the market for your ideas, and different ways to measure the success of your pitches. Sher-Li's full of great insights and stresses the importance of nurturing relationships with the people you pitch to along the way. Podcast Guest Profile Sher-Li Tan is an early-career producer with an interest in storytelling and production excellence. She strongly believes in the power of the film to connect and engage. Raised in both Mauritius and Singapore, she aspires to use her exposure to different cultures and backgrounds to inform her filmmaking. She is also a trained speech pathologist and hence a vocal advocate for communities from various under-represented populations. Time Stamps 0:53 | How I've approached pitching my TV ideas 5:45 | Interview with Sher-Li Tan Interesting Links https://www.passport-productions.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherlitan/https://vidconaustralia.com/https://www.screenforever.org.au/ Say Hello! I'm at taku.com.au, Instagram/Twitter: @takuspeaks or Facebook: @TakuTV. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Children's television is wonderful for people starting out in the industry because there tends to be more opportunity for people who don't have a long list of credits." — Wendy Gray I've fast-tracked a few skills after discovering the short courses offered by the Australian Film Television Radio School (AFTRS). In this episode, I chat to Wendy Gray from AFTRS about their courses and who they're designed for. We also chat about Wendy's career in the screen industry, including her extensive experience working in children's television. Friendly manners: this is not a paid endorsement. Podcast Guest Profile Wendy Gray currently runs the short course and industry certificate programs at the Australian Film Television Radio School (AFTRS). Over the last seven years she has been Head of the Open Program, Head of the TV Unit and began life at AFTRS as the Industry Program Manager. In her current role she liaises with Industry through the Industry Advisory Panels, runs industry-related events and oversees the development and delivery of industry short courses and industry certificates. Wendy started her career in the media at ABC TV, where she worked for twelve years in a wide variety of production roles, across all genres. Her final years at the ABC saw her devising, producing and directing a number of children’s television series including AFI-award winning series The Ferals and forty episodes of Play School. Subsequently as a freelance producer Wendy worked on a wide range of television productions, including documentary series Greatest Cities of the World with Griff Rhys-Jones, and The Upside Down Show, an award-winning children’s series with The Umbilical Brothers, Nickelodeon US and the Children’s Television Workshop. She returned to the ABC joining the (then) New Media Division to work on the launch of ABC2, designing and executing channel branding and program development and production. Wendy has also worked on a number of online projects including working as Online Content Producer in the marketing department for Southern Cross and as a senior website producer for Gadfly Media, supervising website content for clients such as SOCOG and NRMA. She also worked for the Australian Film Commission (now Screen Australia) on a major online content project Australian Screen Online and taught production at SAE Byron Bay. She has a BA (Communications) from Macquarie University and a Grad Dip in Interactive Multimedia from UTS. Time Stamps 0:53 | Why I've been doing short courses through AFTRS 8:01 | Interview with Wendy Gray Interesting Links https://www.aftrs.edu.au/https://www.awg.com.au/https://www.film.vic.gov.au/ Say Hello! I'm at taku.com.au, Instagram/Twitter: @takuspeaks or Facebook: @TakuTV. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"…without the proper documentation proving the ownership of the work, there’s no protection from legal action." The world of television is full of great ideas and magic...and contracts and legal agreements that underpin how all that magic comes together. In this episode, lawyer Dee Mbugua explains what 'chain of title' means and why it's so important in the media industry. She also gives useful tips for seeking legal advice, especially when it comes to the fineprint. If in doubt, don't make a wild guess and definitely don't sign anything! Podcast Guest Profile Dee Mbugua is the Deputy Director, Industrial, Advice and Advocacy at Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. She’s an experienced lawyer and writer with a demonstrated history of working in the alternative dispute resolution industry. Dee enjoys sharing her stories via social media, radio broadcasting, digital media, public speaking, and writing. Time Stamps 0:53 | Why I needed to find a lawyer 3:07 | Interview with Dee Mbugua Interesting Links https://www.instagram.com/thingsdeesays/https://www.meaa.org/https://www.artslaw.com.au/ Say Hello! I'm at taku.com.au, Instagram/Twitter: @takuspeaks or Facebook: @TakuTV. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.