This is your front row pass to the world's most intriuging storytellers, as powered by you.

This week on The Storymakers Institute, say hello to one of Australia's finest writers, Lucy Treloar, who recently joined me live-on-stage at Wurdi Youang, Geelong Library and Heritage Centre (The Dome) for a fascinating 1 hour conversation.

Lucy’s latest book, Days of Innocence and Wonder, is story of reckoning with fear and loss and a recognition of the power of belonging. Lucy tells me why this was the hardest book she’s ever written, we explore her forensic writing process and mull over the realities faced in publishing today.

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This is your front row pass to the world’s most intriguing storytellers, as powered by you.

Last week, we wrapped up season four of The Storymakers Institute podcast, and what a ride it was: Tracey Spicer told me what she did after her work got ripped off by AI, we ventured into the Congo Basin with Nsah Mala, Jonathan Hirsch told me how growing up in a cult made him a better storyteller and Meshel Laurie told me why she handed her voice over to a robot.

It takes an enormous amount of work to bring this show to you each week. And it is supported, entirely by you, generous paid subscribers. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank you for listening to the show, and a special shout out to paid subscribers who help keep the lights on.

When you take the plunge to become a paid subscriber, you not not only gain access to full-length weekly episodes and the full show archive, but you also have the satisfaction that your support goes directly to me, so that I can continue to independently make this show. If you are not a paid subscriber, and value the show in your life, you can upgrade to paid at the storymakersinstitute.substack.com/subscribe.

This week on Substack for paid subscribers, I’m continuing the conversation about whether in fact storytelling can prevent civilisation from destroying itself. You can write to us with your thoughts about the subject, and your guest suggestions for next season: thestorymakersinstitute[at]gmail.com.

Catch you on Substack.

Become a paid subscriber to unlock full-length episodes, explore the full show archive, and more. If you're not a paid subscriber, you're only getting half the story.

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This is your front row pass to the world's most intriuging storytellers, as powered by you.

This week on The Storymakers Institute, say hello to Jonathan Hirsch, an award-winning producer, host, writer, and journalist based in Los Angeles. His acclaimed podcasts include: Dear Franklin Jones (Stitcher), and Smoke Screen: I Am Rama, and Smoke Screen: My Fugitive Dad (The Binge).

Jonathan grew up in a cult with a spiritual teacher called Adi Da otherwise known as Franklin Jones (and a bunch of other names), spending years trying to unravel the whole thing later. How did growing up in a cult influence his life? And why did this experience prepare him for his latest assignment?

Want to hear the full episode? Become a paid subscriber of The Storymakers Institute to unlock full-length episodes, explore the full show archive, and more. If you're not a paid subscriber, you're only getting half the story.

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This is your front row pass to the world’s most intriguing storytellers, as powered by you.

This week, say hello to Spanish-Australian writer, documentary maker, journalist, and anthropologist Belinda Lopez who embeds herself deep into the world of her stories, from Indonesia, Australia, Europe and Latin America.

In this episode, I sit down with Belinda to roam through the things she’s learnt as a multi-award-winning globe trotting storymaker, and we tackle one meaty conversation starter (sent in by a Substack subscriber) that tips the cap to French existential philosopher Albert Camus: can storytelling prevent civilisation from destroying itself?

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This is your front row pass to the world's most intriuging storytellers, as powered by you.

This week on The Storymakers Institute, say hello to Australian TV and radio broadcaster, podcaster, writer, and Buddhist, Meshel Laurie.

Last month, Meshel Laurie and Simon Baggs launched the world’s first daily news podcast, Real News using artificial intelligence to clone their voices 😱🤖🎙️. Has the future already arrived?

I sit down with Meshel to find out what it’s like to hand your voice over to a robot, whether this will undermine journalistic credibility forever, and what Buddha might say about it all.

Want to hear the full episode? Become a paid subscriber of The Storymakers Institute to unlock full-length episodes, explore the full show archive, and more. If you're not a paid subscriber, you're only getting half the story. Subscribe: thestorymakersinstitute.substack.com/subscribe/

This is your front row pass to the world's most intriuging storytellers, as powered by you.

This week on The Storymakers Institute, say hello to author, journalist, and storyteller, Shannon Molloy. Optioned for a major film and now adapted for the stage, Shannon’s acclaimed novel "Fourteen" is touring across Australia in 2024 (more info) with Shake & Stir Theatre Co. I sit down with Shannon to talk about the year 1999 and the chain reaction that followed.

Want to hear the full episode? Become a paid subscriber of The Storymakers Institute to unlock full-length episodes, explore the full show archive, and more. If you're not a paid subscriber, you're only getting half the story. Subscribe: thestorymakersinstitute.substack.com/subscribe/

This is your front row pass to the world's most intriguing storytellers, as powered by you.

This week on The Storymakers Institute, say hello to Vox Senior Correspondent, Rebecca Jennings, who covers social media and the creator economy from NYC. Recently, she put a cat among the pigeons in an article for Vox about art in the age of personal branding: Does art get worse when you ‘sell out’ to big tech? Do you need to ‘sell out’ in order to ‘make it’?

Want to hear the full episode? Become a paid subscriber of The Storymakers Institute to unlock full-length episodes, explore the full show archive, and more. If you're not a paid subscriber, you're only getting half the story. Subscribe: thestorymakersinstitute.substack.com/subscribe/

This is your front row pass to the world’s most intriguing storytellers, as powered by you.

This week on The Storymakers Institute, say hello to Nsah Mala - Cameroonian poet, writer, author of children's books, and researcher-scholar who writes in English, French, and Mbesa.

The Congo Basin in Central Africa is often described as Earth’s “second lungs” (after the Amazon) - scooping up the world’s carbon emissions including storing some 20 years of US fossil fuel emissions.1 Unsurprisingly, its a region that faces huge issues arising from global climate change, logging, mining, poaching, urbanisation (and so on).

A couple of years ago, Nsah Mala went to investigate - writing and defending a highly-praised and award-winning doctoral dissertation about whether Literature can save the Congo Basin. So what did Nsah uncover, and why does this have ramifications for you?

If you're not a paid subscriber, you're only getting half the story. Become a paid subscriber of The Storymakers Institute to unlock full-length episodes, explore the full show archive, and more. Subscribe: thestorymakersinstitute.substack.com/subscribe/

This is your front row pass to the world’s most intriguing storytellers, as powered by you.

This week on The Storymakers Institute, say hello to award-winning UK documentary maker and executive producer, Jane Ray. As Artistic Director of The Whickers, Jane champions filmmakers with funding and production opportunities, made possible by visionary British broadcaster Alan Whicker.

However, beneath any glitz and glamour of the industry lies a sobering truth. In this episode, we delve into the joys and true costs of documentary making, uncovering a startling truth that absolutely floors me (available only in the full-length episode).

Audio makers: Applications closing soon for The Whickers Podcast Pitch. Apply here (deadline extension requests: [email protected]).

Film & audio makers: Indicate your interest in participating in Whickers Cost of Docs survey by emailing: [email protected].

Become a paid subscriber of The Storymakers Institute to unlock full-length episodes, explore the full show archive, and more. If you're not a paid subscriber, you're only getting half the story. Subscribe: thestorymakersinstitute.substack.com/subscribe/

This is your front row pass to the world's most intriguing storytellers, as powered by you.

This week on The Storymakers Institute, say hello to the uproarious Australian writer, director, performer, and investigative humorist, Dan Ilic from A Rational Fear podcast - who tells me how to find the funny in the midst of a global existential crisis, we take a temperature check on the year ahead, and Dan floors me on what he’s just seen on X (Twitter).

You can follow Dan Ilic around the internet - from Youtube to X (Twitter) from Instagram to Substack.

Become a paid subscriber of The Storymakers Institute to unlock full-length episodes, explore the full show archive, and more. If you're not a paid subscriber, you're only getting half the story. Subscribe: thestorymakersinstitute.substack.com/subscribe/