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...

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 N...

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...

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...

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 wa...

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...

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 Mary Duong (Wri...

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. Karine Larché – costume designer Ratidzo Mambo – actor, producer Portia Jamu – set nurse Rufaro Ndoro – actor Aunty Emi...

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 Audi...

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: 3:26 — How to apply 4:30 — About our projec...

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 togeth...

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...

"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 the...

"…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 g...

"The way that we can tell stories if we use audio, specifically fiction, is so interesting and diverse. Audio is such a freeing medium."  I joined the Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG) so I could meet inspiring young screenwriters like Evrim Şen. We met at an Animation Writing Workshop and hit it off instantly — we're both fired up about stories for and about young people. In this e...

"I love that this younger generation is being more expressive and feeling their emotions, instead of trying to not feel things. " We keep hearing that we need more authentic voices telling their own stories. But what does that look like when you’re creating a TV show with different characters? How do you, as a writer, make their stories feel authentic, if you haven’t personally lived t...

"Read scripts from the shows you like and shows you don't like. Have a good look at how they lay things out. "  Wendy Hanna's episode is full of great tips about writing, finding other writers, growing your community of writers and even entering writing competitions. Hear how we first met at an Animation Writing Workshop and how the mock writers' room she created inspired me to re-think how I...

"The key thing is, these funding bodies want you to contact them. They'll give you the time to explain what's required because they want people to succeed as well. " How can you fund your creative projects whilst working a day job? Who do you need on your team to make your funding applications more competitive? How important is it to create a proof of concept to get more funding? In this episode I...

"Don't settle for a relationship with your accountant or bookkeeper that isn't working for you. " I know too many artists and creative people who don't feel comfortable talking about money — how much to charge, how to get more of it, how to manage it, how to grow it etc. I've finally had to confront my own fears and insecurities about money because my creative projects need proper funding to...