Coming Up Next

E141 | Phillip Noyce (Director)

The Quiet American. Patriot Games. Salt. The Bone Collector. Newsfront. Revenge. A few days after being awarded the AACTA Lifetime Achievement Award, legendary film director Phillip Noyce turns his home into the ramble room. From being part of a groundbreaking new wave of filmmakers in Australia, to working with the biggest stars in Hollywood, Phillip's pretty much seen it all. 

E140 | Choichun Leung (Artist)

The Young Girl Project is an autobiographical exploration of memory and the subconscious. It's an evolving project of drawings, paintings, video and sound. In the YGP, Choichun Leung takes you into the personal world of the 'young girl’, the silence of sexual abuse and the system of patriarchy in the control of women and children. Here, she tells the story behind the project.

For more of Choi's work, visit www.choichun.com or find her on instagram, @choichunleung.

E139 | Genevieve Brock (Actor//Producer)

Bernie Brown is a series built on the very grit and determination that inspired the beginning of this podcast. A team of people putting their money where their mouths are, to force the creative life that they have dreamed of. Today, one of the shows producers, and it's lead actor, enter the chat cave to tell me the story.

E138 | Neil Triffett & Lee Matthews (Emo The Musical)

Emo The Musical is a new spin on a old tale. It's Romeo & Juliette, but with an Emo & a Christian. You can find it on all On Demonad services via www.emothemusical.com. It's part of a brilliant new wave of commercially viable, slightly subversive, Australian feature films, and it's writer/directr Neil Triffett isn't shying away from all the tropes. Along with producer, Lee Matthews, Emo The Musical comes under a rambly microscope, as I find out what it takes to get your first feature film up off the ground.

E137 | Eli Erez (Teacher)

Eli Erez, my high school drama teacher & the director of countless productions i was in, gave me the chutzpah necessary to pursue my artistic passion.  A big through line of this podcast has been "that teacher that put an arm around my shoulder, and made it safe for me to follow my creative impulses". So today, 15 years since I last stepped into a drama class room, I go to the source - as Eli steps into the chat cave, and I find out what it's like to inspire young minds.

E136 | Tegan Higginbotham Returns! (Actor//Comedian)

From Sideliners to Who's Line is it Anyway, Whovians, Bounce, and the controversy around the Liverpool vs Sydney FC match, Tegan Higginbotham returns to the chat cave to catch up on the last 3 years. Naturally, it gets silly.

E135 | Grace Quealy (Model//Actor)

The life of a model isn't just about looking good on camera. They train their bodies like elite athelets, and make big sacrficies to keep their careers in flow. But the mental anxiety and strain placed on these young women is too often overlooked. Grace Quealy got close to the pinnacle in NYC - Victoria's Secret - before coming back to Australia to make a shift in her career. In this very honest appraisal, she reflects on her years in the modelling industry, and the road to becoming an actor slash model.

E134 | Lulu McClatchy (Actor//Writer)

Supergirly created a storm in the United Kingdom for Lulu McClatchey, going from a small venue performer, to Madonna & Elton Johns' parties, seemingly overnight. Her story takes us from Ringwood to London, and back again, as she jumps in the chat cave for the first new ramble of 2018.

E133 | Steph Rice (Replay)

3x Olympic Gold Medal winner, Stephanie Rice rounds out the CUN Retrospective. The chance to speak with her was, pardon the pun, golden, and certainly one of my favourite conversations. Her views, her achievments, her evolution - all mind blowing. 

E132 | Sleeping At Last (Replay)

Sleeping at Last's Ryan O'Neal is one of my favourite musicians, and getting him on the show represented something of a coup. Come this way for some soul filling reflections, for day 4 of the CUN Retrospective.

E131 | Julie Benz (Replay)

Day three of the New Year retrospective, and we revisit a moment when the star of Buffy, Dexter, and Hawaii Five-0 invited me into her Los Angeles home to ramble on.

E130 | Kat Stewart (Replay)

Continuing the week long retrospective, and I turn to the 20th Episode of Coming Up Next, when I was joined by one of the most prolific actors in Australia, Kat Stewart.

E129 | Dylan Lewis (Replay)

Recovery. Just what everyone needs on New Years Day. Following on from my replay of episode 2 with Michala Banas from last week, I've decided to dedicate this week to 5 episodes from the first 18 months of Coming Up Next, starting with the former host of ABC's Recovery, Dylan Lewis.

E128 | Michala Banas (Replay)

Upper Middle Bogan. McLeod's Daughters. Avenue Q. As the year 2017 draws to a close, instead of a clip show, I decided to step into the time machine, and go all the way back to Episode 2, when I welcomed Michala Banas into the chat cave. It's a trip down memory lane, without the alternate reality.

E127 | Simon Starr (Musician)

YID! have not yet been together for a year, but already they are attracting the interest of the broader Australian music audience. They'll be hitting the stage at WOMAdelaide in 2018, and are currently raising money to fund their first recording. The brain child of the 22 piece fusion band, Simon Starr, jumps into the ramble room, to talk on his dual lives between Australia & Israel, a 25 year career in music, and the thinly veiled mask of normality that hides his silly.

E126 | Shan Ogilvie (Filmmaker)

Oscar Winning Producer, Shan Ogilvie, never thought he'd hear his film's name called at the Academy Awards. When he & his team set out to make their short film, Stutterer, they just wanted to get it into one film festival. 4 months later, they were holding the grand daddy of all awards. Step into the ramble room to hear how it all happened. 

E125 | Terry Virts (Astronaut)

Space. The final frontier. Not many people get to traverse the earth's atmosphere, and see this big blue marble in all it's glory. Not many people get to circumnavigate it once every 90 minutes. Terry Virts, author & photographer for National Geographic book, View From Above, is one of the rare few. And today, he joins me in the chat cave for a zero gravity ramble.

E124 | Frank Murray Pt2 (Producer)

Paul Schrader's latest film, First Reformed, could be his last. Come get the inside word before it hits cinemas in 2018, as the film's producer, Frank Murray, joins me for the first Pubcast, and we talk shop.

E123 | Sam Hirschfelder

Chet Faker. Benjamin Booker. Playing to arenas of over 70, 000. Or on Ellen. Life on the road isn't easy, except when you get to ramble on Coming Up Next in London. Sam Hirschfelder (son of well known composer & musician, David) invites me to sound check while he's touring with rock/punk project, Benjamin Booker, and we get into it.

E122 | Mark Holden (Musician)

The Carnation Kid. Australian Idol. These are two of the pillars of the creative life that Mark Holden has lead. His book, My Idol Years, starts at a critical point in 2007 when he was about to be fired from Australian Idol, which would springboard him over to a career as a barrister. He welcomes me to set up a chat cave in his home, and we ramble.

E121 | Jason Silva (Wonder Junkie)

As the Emmy-nominated host of National Geographic Channel’s #1 rated and Emmy-nominated series, Brain Games, Jason Silva left audiences in state of wonderment. Audiences have enjoyed his mind-bending insights through TED talks, SXSW lectures, Microsoft TechEd Australia presentations, a guest feature on Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Star Talk, and an appearance on Australia’s Q&A in 2012. Like all the best communicators, Silva’s strength is a tangible excitement for his subject matter. In his signature rapid-fire delivery style, he pulls from a vast mental repository of tech knowledge and quotes from fellow futurists and artists to create an exhilarating, immediate experience. In November, let Think Inc. and Jason Silva pull you out of your intellectual comfort zone and launch you into a flight of possibilities. 

Get tix: WWW.THINKINC.ORG.AU

More on Jason: https://www.thisisjasonsilva.com

 

E120 | Damien Chestnut (Creative)

The year is 2005. The location is Prahran in Melbourne. Day 1 of film school. Day 1 of Damien Chestnut. He's a writer, a musician, a filmmaker, and a full time joke thinker-uperer. From Mooroolbark to Los Angeles and all the way to Ireland, a pun fuelled ramble takes us on his crazy adventure. Come this way, as he sifts through his creative constipation.

E119 | Maria Angelico (Actor)

Sisters, the new Channel 10 series from the creators of Offspring, begins October 25th 2017. During her busy shooting schedule, one of the leading ladies, Maria Angelico, made the time to come and have a good old ramble, and chat about her experience leading the line, creating her own show, Movement, as well as working with Chris Lilley, and on the stage. 

E118 | Vicki Madden (Storyteller)

The Kettering Incident. The Bill. Water Rats. Blue Heelers. Storytelling runs through the veins of Vicki Madden. As a writer, Showrunner, and producer, she is doing some amazing things for the screen industry in Australia.

E117 | Jared Osborne (QiGong)

QiGong is a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for health, spirituality, and martial arts training. If you could feel in your power, present & grounded at will, what difference would it make? Long time listners will know what an impact QiGong has had in my life, so I've turned to my teacher for this week's podcast, as he lifts the lid on the practice. For more information, visit https://www.embodyingman.com/.

E116 | Darcy Prendergast (Filmmaker)

Having worked with bands such as Gotye, Aloe Blacc, Greenday and more, Darcy Prendergast is an internationally recognised music video director. He is the founder of Melbourne based production company, Oh Yeah Wow, who have made some ground breaking music videos, as well as moving into narrative work, and TV commercials.  He's the creator of the Nickelodeon mini series, 'Supa Phresh', and the director of the whimsical 'Gary & Gabe'. To check out their work, including pieces we chat about in this episode, head to ohyeahwow.com.

 

E115 | Dr Bruce Lipton (Developmental Biologist)

Bruce H. Lipton, PhD is an American developmental biologist best known for discovering that genes and DNA can be manipulated by a person's beliefs and environment. He is the author of the bestselling book, The Biology of Belief, and is a former researcher at Stanford University’s School of Medicine. He is an internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit. For more info, visit www.brucelipton.com

 

E114 | Samuel Johnson (Replay)

Tribute: http://www.loveforconnie.org.au

As long time listeners will know, I’ve been working with Samuel & Connie Johnson on the filmmaking side of their Love Your Sister charity for over 6 years. And with Connie’s passing this past week, I wanted to share an episode that I think is one of the most intimate, as Sam & I speak on the year we spent together on the road for Love Your Sister, as well as a whole lot of philosophical nonsense. This one is dedicated to the mother of Love Your Sister. She showed me how to jam it all into life, and I’ll forever be grateful for that, and for letting me point a camera in her face for 6 years.

E113 | Alice Foulcher & Greg Erdstein (Filmmakers)

That's Not Me opens in Palace Cinemas this Thursday, September 7th, across Australia. The writers-directors-actors-producers-distributors of the film drop into the chat cave, to talk about their pathways to their first feature, writing the thing in Paris, and an unfortunate, shitty, gastro story. For more info on the film and sessions, visit www.thatsnotmefilm.com.

 

E112 | Charles Henri Belleville (Writer//Director)

The Inheritance. Jet Trash. Tom Hardy. Charles Henri Belleville made his debut feature film, The Inheritance, featuring one Tom Hardy, for 5 thousand pounds, in 11 days. It would take him a further 10 years to get his next feature film, Jet Trash, out into the world. He's now completing his third film, and in preproduction on his fourth. How did he get here?

E111 | Anis Mojgani (Poet)

Anis Mojgani is a two time National Poetry Slam Champion, winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, and multiple-time TEDx Speaker. His work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in the pages of such journals as Rattle, Forklift Ohio, Paper Darts,Thrush, and Bat City Review.  Anis is the author of three poetry collections, all published by Write Bloody Publishing: Songs From Under the River, The Feather Room, Over the Anvil We Stretch. His latest book, The Pocketknife Bible, is a fully illustrated poetry-memoir. You can find all his works and tour info at thepianofarm.com. Poems featured in this episode: 1. Closer; 2. Shake The Dust; 3. For those who can still ride an aeroplane for the first time.

E110 | Annie Goldson (Filmmaker)

Kim Dotcom: Caught In The Web is the expertly crafted documentary from veteran filmmaker, Annie Goldson. It tells the story of Kim Dotcom, the founder of MegaUpload, and presents the case (compellingly) for both sides of the argument. You can find information about upcoming screenings & talks at miff.com.au.

E109 | Sami Saif (Filmmaker)

GG Allin. Bjork. Tommy Seebach. These musicians all have one thing in common -- they've been put under the microscope by documentary filmmaker, Sami Saif. Sami is out in Melbourne as a part of the Melbourne International Film Festival. He stopped by the chat cave to speak on his film The Allins, as well as his career, and what makes him silly. You can find info about upcoming sessions at miff.com.au

E108 | Gabe Klinger (Writer//Director)

Porto. Double Play. Working with Jim Jarmusch. Richarld Linklater & James Benning. Discovering films as a means of escaping a lonley life in Barcelona, indie film force Gabe Klinger finds himself at the Melbourne international Film Festival with his second feature, Porto. How did he get here? What does he really think about pirating films? And what makes him silly?

E107 | Sharon Salzberg (Lovingkindness)

Sharon Salzberg is a central figure in the field of meditation, a world-renowned teacher and NY Times bestselling author. She has played a crucial role in bringing meditation and mindfulness practices to the West and into mainstream culture since 1974, when she first began teaching. She is the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society and the author of ten books including NY Times bestseller, Real Happiness, her seminal work, Lovingkindness and, Real Love, her latest release by Flatiron Books. Acclaimed for her humorous, down-to-earth teaching style, Sharon offers a secular, modern approach to Buddhist teachings, making them instantly accessible. She is a regular columnist for On Being, a contributor to Huffington Post, and the host of her own podcast: The Metta Hour. For more information, visit www.SharonSalzberg.com.

E106 | Cris Jones (Writer//Director)

The Death & Life of Otto Bloom is the debut feature film from Writer/Driector Cris Jones. After attending the VCA, Cris began collaborating with academy award winning Producer, Melanie Combs, the two having created quite a formidable creative partnership. The Death & Life of Otto Bloom is set to be released for consumer content on August the 9th, you can purchase the film on DVD, as well as on all your digital platforms, including Foxtel On Demand, Google Play, Bigpond Movies, and iTunes.

E105 | Michael League (Bokante)

Snarky Puppy's frontman, Michael League comes back to the chat cave to talk about his new project, Bokante. Bokanté – meaning ‘exchange’ in Creole – is eight outstanding musicians from four continents. Their debut album, Strange Circles, goes from a Zeppelin-esque blues stomp to folkloric Caribbean kaladja. Lyrically, it reflects struggles we all face, and what Bokanté wants to see in the world – connection, unity and love through exchange. And now, they’re taking that sound around the world. You can purchase their album at www.bokante.com

E104 | Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson (Rabbi)

Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson is the rabbi of Beit Baruch and executive director of Chabad in Belgravia, London. Mendel was an editor at the Judaism Website—Chabad.org and is also the author of the popular books Seeds of Wisdom and A Time to Heal. You can find Rabbi Mendel’s writings at chabad.org, and his books are available at jemstore.com.

Theme song composed, performed and produced by nicholas marks, featuring Yotam Ben-Or (Harmonica) and Almog Sharvit (double bass)

E103 | Laura Waters (Producer)

Summer Heights High. Angry Boys. Open Slather. Laura Waters is the woman behind one of Australia’s foremost production companies, Princess Pictures. She’s the woman behind the man that is Chris Lilly, having produced all of his shows, and establishing herself as one of the preeminent figures in Australian film and television. One of her latest projects, My Year 12 Life, which we talk about in this interview, is available to watch on YouTube, and you can get the Chris Lilley collection on iTunes, which includes Angry Boys, Summer Heights High, and We Can Be Heroes. 

E102 | Scott Corfield (Producer)

Crooked Business. Don't Tell. At the age of 19, Scott Corfield set himself the task of producing his first feature by the time he hit 30.  While in post production on his debut feature film, Crooked Business, Scott hit the 3-0, and fulfilled that. Now, having just turned 40, he’s completed his second feature, Don’t Tell, a court room drama starring Jack Thompson, Rachel Griffiths, and Gyton Grantley. Having had it’s initial cinema release earlier this year, Don’t Tell is now doing a festival circuit. To find out when it’s playing at a festival near you, check out the facebook page at facebook.com/donttellmovie.

 

E101 | Sandra Sciberras (Writer//Director)

Sandra Sciberras is the writer/director behind the great Australian films Caterpillar Wish and Surviving Georgia. Only months after graduating from the VCA, she received her first New Writer’s grant from The Australian Film Commission for a feature film which led to her debut feature, Deeper Than Blue, which premiered at the 50th Sydney International Film Festival. With several features in the pipeline both at home and abroad, Sandra also now lectures at the VCA, and 16th Street Actors Studio, and has taken on a mentoring role to aspiring filmmakers in both Malta & East Timor.

E100 | Robyn Butler + Wayne Hope (Creators)

Upper Middle Bogan. Little Lunch. The Librarians. Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope are two of the most prolific creators in the film industry. From Stories From The Golf, The Librarians, Very Small Business, through to Upper Middle Bogan, and Little Lunch, the couple have created some truly iconic Australian television. 

E099 | Joanna Werner (Producer)

Dance Academy. Ready For This. Secret City. Joanna Werner is one of the most successful children’s television producers of the last 20 years. Her credits include Dance Academy, Elephant Princess, & H20 Just Add Water. The Dance Academy feature film will be available to download on iTunes on July 5th 2017.

E098 | Declan Fay (Writer//Podcaster)

Rove. Sam Simmons' Problems. International Student. Fancy Boy. Declan Fay has been working as a writer in the Aussie comedy scene for 15 years. Getting his first big gig on Rove, he has built a remarkable body of work, including Sam Simmons' show, Problems, Your Skitting Me, Dirty Laundry Live, and Fancy Boy. His latest show, Ronny Chieng: International Student, hits TV screens on ABC in Australia on June the 7th. You can also hear his dulcet tones on the podcast The Sweetest Plum, available at https://thesweetestplum.com.au.

 

E097 | Chris Edmund (Teacher//Director//Writer)

Hugh Jackman. Frances O'Connor. Jai Courtney. All of these extraordinary actors share one thing in common - they learned their craft under Chris Edmund. Chris has directed over 150 productions, and has a 30+ year association with one of Australia’s most prominent performing arts schools, WAAPA. He himself is a writer, director, and painter. You can see his work at chrisedmund.net, and be a part of one of his classes at Melbourne’s 16th Street Actors studio. 

E096 | Marg Downey (Actor)

Fast Forward. Full Frontal. Open Slather. Marg Downey is as iconic as they come in the comedy space of Aussie TV. She started her career as part of the D-generation, and went on to write & act in pivotal parts on Fast Forward, & Full Frontal in her early years, and onto things like Blue Heelers, House Husbands, Open Slather, and, most recently Top of The Lake. She is a part of the Melbourne theatre troop, The Kin Collective, who’s current show, Shrine, by Tim Winton, is playing from May 24th through to June 18, at FortyFive Downstairs in Melbourne. Tickets can be purchased from fortyfivedownstairs.com. 

E095 | Ella Hooper (Killing Heidi)

Killing Heidi. RockWiz. The Verses. At the age of just 13, Ella Hooper was ripping up the Aussie rock scene, as the front woman of legendary band, Killing Heidi. At it’s release, their debut record, Reflector, was the fastest selling album of all time. Since the band hit pause in 2006, Ella has gone on to have a hugely successful career on TV & radio, in shows like Spicks & Specks, & RockWiz. Today, 20 years after Killing Heidi began, she steps into the chat cave, to talk about the band reuniting for a national tour. The band are coming to a venue near you, you can see them in WA on June 2nd at the Store Theatre, with shows on the 3rd of June at The Gov in South Australia, The Metro Theatre in Sydney on the 8th, a sold out show in Melbourne on the 9th at 170 Russell, and rounding it out on the 10th of June in Brisbane at the Tivoli. You can get more info and tickets at ticketmaster.com.au. Songs featured in this episode include Ella’s solo tune, Shard off the New Magic album, and Killing Heidi’s smash hits Weir, & Living Without It. 

E094 | Jesse Hooper (Killing Heidi)

Killing Heidi are one of the biggest musical acts to grace Australian shores. Today, to chat about 20 years of Killing Heidi, and their upcoming reunion tour, founding member, Jesse Hooper, jumps into the ramble room. The  tour kicks off on June 2nd at the Store Theatre in WA, with shows on the 3rd of June at The Gov in South Australia, The Metro Theatre in Sydney on the 8th, a sold out show in Melbourne on the 9th at 170 Russell, and rounding it out on the 10th of June in Brisbane at the Tivoli. You can get more info and tickets at ticketmaster.com.au. Songs featured in this episode include Mascara, I Am, and Kettle.

E093 | Kim Krejus (Teacher)

16th Street Actors Studio is one of Australia's foremost acting schools. Kim Krejus new from age 19 that she wanted to teach actors. Following on from an incredibly success and sustained career,  which included studying in Australia, the USA, and UK, as well as performing on stage & screen, she retired from acting in pursuit of teaching. In 2009, she opened 16th Street Actor’s Studio. You can find out more information on the school at www.16thstreet.com.au.

 

E092 | WILK (Photographer)

Sarah Blasko. Ella Hooper. Jack Ladder. Hiatus Kaiyote. The Middle East... When these musicians want new visuals, they all go to one person. WILK is one of Australia’s foremost, but mysterious, portrait photographers. He’s developed his own style, and works with some of the worlds best known musicians and artists. You can find his work on social media, @w_i_l_k on instagram, and at www.wilk.com.au.