Tag Archives: Cairns

Travis Bain: Terrifying and Thrilling on a Tight Budget – Episode 84

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Independent film maker Travis Bain has been in love with movies and the making of them most of his life. His day job is filming weddings and corporate videos, but he pours his spare time into movies like the indie horror film Throwback, the upcoming disaster thriller Landfall, and a currently in preproduction love letter to the works of H. P. Lovecraft, Starspawn.

We chat about how a Mexican singer led to Travis committing to the course of his life, the difference between producers and directors, how hard it is to get your hands on the works of H.P. Lovecraft outside a major city and how kids these days substitute ambition for genuine love and curiosity.

A Life of Magic: Sam Powers – Episode 59

Leave a reply

Sam Powers is a stage illusionist of international acclaim. Since witnessing his first magic show at the age of three, Sam has delved into the world of illusion as entertainment. His slick, stylish shows have taken the breath of audiences across the continent and the globe and earned Sam the respect of his peers!

Even though Sam was lucky enough to discover his calling young, it still takes commitment to make that calling a reality. It was a privilege to spend some time with Sam, the managing director of International Magic, discussing just what it means to manage the business side of show business.

Thanks to Matt Bond for getting Sam and I in touch!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

YouTube

Continue reading →

Love of the Eighties on Camera: Dez Green – Episode 53

Leave a reply

Cairns filmmaker Dez Green pays the bills by shooting video for local artist collectives and indigenous groups, but his passion project is a love letter to Eighties movies and TV called Dimension Man!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Chat-Only Version on YouTube

Continue reading →

Retailing Two-Wheeled Joy: Linc Biggins, ScootaCo – Episode 51

Leave a reply

Linc Biggins is a longtime petrolhead, driving, riding and modifying vehicles on two wheels and four for as long as he can remember. after discovering the simple joy (and lack of expense) of commuting to work on a 50cc scooter, Linc decided to open a shop dedicated to the sit-down two-wheel market. The result, ScootaCo, is Cairns’ largest dedicated motor scooter retail and service store.

I had occasion to use ScootaCo’s services myself after the tyre inflation valves on The Foxy Lady, my 150cc scooter, gave way, and I got chatting with Linc about his business. The next step was, naturally, to interview him for the podcast!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Chat-Only Version on YouTube

Continue reading →

Pop Culture Conventions in the Sticks: Charlie Kennell and Grant Robinson – Episode 46

Leave a reply

We geeks are every where, and in force. That, I reckon, is the main takeaway from this chat with Charlie Kennell and Grant Robinson. One is about to do what conventional wisdom would dictate as impossible – organise a pop culture convention in a semi-rural Queensland city. The other is about to do it again.

In this episode, I chat with Charlie Kennell, the organiser of Cairns’ first pop culture convention, Tropicon, and Grant Robinson, organiser of Sugar City Con, which had its first outing in Mackay last year and returns to Mackay this year, about just what it takes to manage and run a convention in your off-hours.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Chat-Only Version on YouTube

Continue reading →

Creating on Skin and in Costume: Ash Chain – Episode 42

Leave a reply

Forty-two episodes! Does that mean my guest for this episode is the Answer to the Question of Life, The Universe and Everything?

Even if not, it’s great to chat with someone who’s found some pretty good answers to the Question of Getting Paid to Play – and I mean answers, plural! Ash Chain is not only monetising her hobby of cosplay through print sales at conventions, she’s also been able to get into a day job that is all about artistic expression and her personal interests: Tattooing.

Ash has already made her name in both the Brisbane ink and cosplay scenes, and just recently she made the move from the Big Smoke to Cairns, where she will be running a stall at our first ever pop culture convention, Tropicon!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Continue reading →

Paying Sight and Sound Forward: Matt Bond – Episode 38

Leave a reply

I’m pretty sure that I said that Matt Bond puts the rest of us to shame when I first chatted with him at the beginning of 2013. At the time, Matt had successfully overcome the ongoing pain from a pair of broken legs that had put an end to his career in the music industry by becoming a freelance photographer.

Since then, Matt’s photography business has only flourished, but he’s also got back into music, returning to his beloved guitar and becoming a studio producer for local talent. On top of those, he’s added video shooting and editing to his already well-strung bow and is paying his success forward by helping community charities and fellow artists (not to mention the odd podcaster) out wherever he can. And he does all this while being a part-time Dad! I just had to get him back on the podcast for another chat.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Continue reading →

Long Distance Sex Therapist: Isiah McKimmie – Episode 36

Leave a reply

Becoming a sex therapist in the cosmopolitan environment of a major city is one thing, but it’s another thing entirely to start a sexual health practice in a tropical town with canegrowing and industrial roots a good two thousand kilometres from anywhere.

Nonetheless, Isiah McKimmie has established a solid business helping the people of Queensland’s Far North and beyond with their most intimate troubles and has found that sometimes, a little distance can work to your advantage.

Though this interview was recorded in July of 2013, Isiah’s business – now rebranded from “Passionate Spirit” to simply Isiah – is still going strong, and there seems no better time to release our chat than just before the traditional celebration of love and intimacy on St. Valentine’s Day.

(UPDATE 7PM February 2nd, 2015: Isiah just told me that she’s relocated herself and her business to Sydney. I still reckon this chat has value for those looking to start a venture in a location considered out-of-the-way.)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Continue reading →

A Friendly Local Game Store in the Tropics: Mick Archer, The Wicked Goblin – Episode 35

2 Replies

Opening a friendly local game store in an out-of-the-way, tropical tourist town might seem downright crazy, but Cairns boy Mick Archer has not only done it, he’s made The Wicked Goblin a success. He focuses his store on the people who play tabletop games as much as, if not more so than, the products themselves.

Exterior of Wicked Goblin friendly local game store

The exterior of The Wicked Goblin.

In my latest location recording, Mick and I chat about his background in both gaming and hospitality, how Mick built his war chest for The Wicked Goblin and the importance of not just having friends and family in your corner but also having a true partnership in your business.

Thank you again, Adam at Sprue Grey, for your questions! I hope my chat with Mick helps you open your own Friendly Local Store soon!

Please stick around after the interview for an update on my own paid to play progress!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Continue reading →

Solopreneur Style Maven: Gerlinda Aras, Mirror Image Consultations – Episode 31 / Brazen Episode 3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Gerlinda Aras of Mirror Image Consultations.

Gerlinda Aras, owner, operator and chief stylist of Mirror Image Consultations. Image provided by Gerlinda.

Welcome back for the third edition of The Paid to Play Podcast released in conjunction with Brazen!

Having a child tends to put a cramp on your ambitions – a stable, secure income from an employer looks more attractive than the unreliable income of a freelancer when you need to feed, clothe and educate your kids.

Cairns local Gerlinda Aras, though, used the impetus of wanting more family time than her day job would allow to create her own business as a style consultant for individuals and clothing store chains. With a little help from family and friends, Gerlinda is now completely self-employed and has no shortage of work!

Listen in to find out how Gerlinda does it – and how I’m applying the lessons I’ve learned from her in my own search to get paid to play!

Styling Her Way to Self-Employment: Gerlinda Aras, Mirror Image Consultations – The Brazen Careerist

As this is cross-posted from the Brazen Careerist web log, I’ve closed all comments on this page. Can you place any comments on the Brazen page linked above, please?

Continue reading →