This week on my radio show/podcast Download This Show we did something a bit different. Online Porn producer & director Michelle Flynn and Adult Performer Lucie Bee talk about the push to make ethical adult entertainment and how technology has been changed by erotic content and how porn is changing with new digital innovations like VR and more.
From Illegal Immigrant Kid to Stand-up Comedian
in Film, The Feed, SBS, Interviews
Umit Bali entered Australia on a tourist visa as a child, and spent the next decade hiding from authorities as they tried to gain residency. He's now a comedian who proudly calls Australia home.
Shot by Peter Mullins & Chloe Angelo
Edited by Marc Fennell
Andy Samberg & The Lonely Island on YouTube Fame, Kanye and Zuckerberg
in Interviews, SBS, The Feed
The SNL comedy stars Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer talk about how an accidental YouTube upload changed their careers. We also work out which company should buy Twitter and Snapchat release their own version of Google Glass. Sort of.
The interview is recorded as part of Marc's ABC Radio programme Download This Show which you can find on iTunes, Stitcher and where all good podcasts live.
The Director of Antz & Madagascar Thinks the Future of Film is Virtual Reality
in Film, The Feed, SBS, Interviews
What can you learn about human nature from animation? That is what Eric Darnell wants to know.
Eric is one of the pioneers of computer-generated movies, he was the director of blockbuster animations like ANTZ, the Madagascar movies, Penguins.
He's now decided the future of filmmaking is this: he has passed up the big bucks of Hollywood to run his very own Virtual Reality studio start-up Baobab.
He's realised that in order to make the ultimate Virtual Reality film, you need to understand the core elements of human nature.
Shot by David May
Edited by Marc Fennell
A Little Note about SBS Viceland
in blogpost, Feed Forum, Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Hi,
As you may have read, on November 15, my tv home SBS2 will be transforming into a new channel in partnership with the one-time hipster bible turned Peabody and Emmy-winning youth publisher Vice.
The channel will be called....
My nightly programme The Feed will be a lynchpin of the channel alongside a bunch of shows. Some of those will be from Vice and some you already know from SBS2.
For me, It’s been super interesting to see the reaction to the SBS Viceland announcement. I kinda expected the usual “Ugh, why is SBS selling a channel to some US hipster douchebag corporation owned by Murdoch” garbage that comes with these things.
Translation: "Open your eyes, sheeple!"
For the incredibly-easy-to-Google record, 21st Century Fox has a 5% stake in Vice Media who, in turn, SBS is partnering with to build a new channel which SBS 100% owns and operates. No precious publicly owned spectrum is being auctioned off to Uncle Rupert. We are creating something new out of two broadcasters that have an incredible amount in common.
And special note for my beloved ABC colleagues who seem to forget that the ABC's entire publishing arm ABC Books is an actual part of News Ltd. I know this because they are lovely and I've released two books with them... which you should absolutely buy. #RIPMySoul.
And as for the hipster douchebag charge….. just you wait. When the Viceland move was first discussed internally at SBS months ago I took the time to go through all of the shows that Viceland had produced and I was floored. SBS will make an announcement very soon about the shows that will launch on the channel but let me assure you that I have seen stunning programmes on music, sexuality, feminism, technology, sports, food, alcohol, terrorism and yes, good ole fashioned drugs that simply blew me away. Beautiful filmmaking, great characters and stunning storytelling. There are programmes that both revel in hipsterism and utterly challenge it by showing you a world that almost never gets shown on tv. And certainly never shown with this panache.
For those wondering how the Viceland content fits within the SBS charter....
....I totally get it. It seems like an odd fit, right? Except when you see the content you will realise that the whole goal of Viceland is to explore a multicultural world through the prisms of music, sex, the environment, film, food and more. It’s globally focussed, it’s diverse, it’s fun and defiantly open-minded journalism and entertainment. As some of you know, I've been a passionate SBS presenter since I was a teenager with questionable choice in neckwear (see below). I believe deeply in SBS's capacity to capture the diversity of the world in a way that is informative and utterly entertaining. Frankly, this move will bring SBS2 far more in-line with our charter than some of our existing content. Certainly not "losing our way" as some have suggested.
Marc Circa A Time We'd Rather Forget.
Is a lot of the Viceland content produced by UK & US producers? Yeah. But we’re also bringing you a lot of those iconic programmes that only SBS can. That’s why it’s a partnership.
Oh and as an aside: By simple virtue of having The Feed, SBS Viceland will still have more first-run, live, original primetime Australian content per week than ABC2 has ever had per week.
Ever.
Don't get me wrong, I love my weekly dose of Good Game and those sassy Tom Tilley specials but - on a per week basis - they don't add up to 3 years of live, nightly original journalism, comedy, forums and documentaries that The Feed has (and will) deliver.
Come November 15, SBS Viceland & The Feed will bring you Walkley and Logie-nominated Australian storytelling every night that is diverse, fun and generally bats way above its average for a multichannel. And as for the shows around us on the channel and on SBS OnDemand? Well, as I said…. just you wait.
Or give us a call and tell us what you want to see.
Nicola Scott: The kickass Aussie Artist behind Wonder Woman
in Film, The Feed, SBS, Interviews
Around five years ago, Nicola Scott realised that all she loved to draw Wonder Woman all day, and there was an actual, real-life job where you got to do that. She talks about how she sold all her stuff and went and got it her dream.
Shot by David May
Edited by Marc Fennell
Gang of Youths frontman David Le'aupepe on God, suicide and butt-injections
in music, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Shot by David May
Edited by Marc Fennell
Margaret Cho talks vaginas, rape jokes and Robin Williams
in Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Outspoken comedian Margaret Cho talks about sexism, misogyny and the shock of losing Robin Williams
Shot by David May
Edited by Marc Fennell
William Shatner: Life, Death, Alcoholism and Star Trek turning 50
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Shot by Miles Bence
Edited by Marc Fennell
Henry Rollins: A very intense conversation with a punk legend about death, rage and DNA
in Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Legendary punk rocker Henry Rollins talks to Marc Fennell about the enduring impact of his father and how death has changed him.
Shot by Pete Mullins + Mark Tadic
Edited by Marc Fennell
'People don't know how sensitive and emotional I am': Jean Claude Van Damme
in Film, Interviews, SBS
He was one of the skinniest kids in his martial arts class as a kid. He went on to be one of the defining action men of the 80's and 90's. But what is JCVD *really* like in person? Well, the answer is below.
Shot by David May & Mark Tadic
Edited by Marc Fennell
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak pranks the Pope, races Segways and is a solid, rolled-gold legend.
The joke is that Steve Wozniak is the "Other Steve" in the history of Apple. But while Steve Jobs may have gotten all the attention for co-founding one of the most transformative companies of our time, Woz has crafted his own path that is inspiring, surprising and occasionally just odd.
And his unvarnished thoughts on Steve Jobs are gold.
Shot by David May & Mark Tadic
Edited by Marc Fennell
And if you want to hear a full unedited version of that discussion you can hear it in this episode of Download This Show
Comedian Scott Aukerman on writing jokes for Barack Obama (and Justin Bieber)
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed, music
He is one of the key comedic brains behind Between Two Ferns and Comedy Bang Bang. We caught up for a coffee to talk about comedy economics, how podcasting has really changed the game and, yes, how to do comedy with the President of the United States and the Canadian God Prince Justin Bieber. If you are keenly interested here is the full raw 20 min interview with Scott.
Shot by David May
Edited by Marc Fennell
"Snark has replaced clever" Renee Zellweger wants to change news media
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Renee Zellweger has many opinions about the state of modern news media. In this interview her Bridget Jones' Baby co-star Patrick Dempsey also opens up about the death of his mother and why he felt the need to open a cancer wellness centre.
From dealing with media criticisms to helping fight cancer, the stars of Bridget Jones's Baby Renee Zellweger and Patrick Dempsey cover all bases.
Tickled is the most incredibly weird doco. Also, there's toe lube.
in Interviews, SBS, Film, The Feed
New Zealand filmmakers Dave Farrier & Dylan Reeve stumbled across the story of the year in this film. I sat down with the director and things got... weird.
That one time James Cameron made fun of me for not being able to clap
in SBS, The Feed, Interviews, Film
This happened in 2014. I'm doing just fine, now, thanks.
Adrien Brody on how hard the Australian accent is and his deep love of Notorious B.I.G
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Back in 2014 Adrien Brody quietly made a ghost story movie called Backtrack in Australia. It was emotionally taxing & he talks about the challenges of stepping out of a dark, pained character, he explains just how hard it is learning the Australian accent and why he thinks Biggie Smalls is one of America's finest poets.
Meet the new Lara Croft: Alicia Vikander on Brexit, winning an Oscar & making Ex Machina.
in The Feed, SBS, Film, Interviews
Swedish actress Alicia Vikander has had a bloody good year. She was out in Australia promoting the latest Bourne movie but she has a swag of titles in the last few years including Ex Machina and her Oscar winning tilt in The Danish Girl. And she is about to take on the role that turned Angelina Jolie into a bankable star: Lara Croft. Vikander talks about Brexit, Oscar quirks and much more.
Twitter will be sold in 6 months: Silicon Valley legend Kara Swisher
in Interviews
Kara Swisher, executive editor of Recode is easily among the best connected, most feared journalists in Silicon Valley. I had the pleasure of sitting down with her at the Walkley's excellent Storyology conference. It's a great listen. She explains why Twitter is likely to be sold in the next 6 months, explores the companies that she believes are true innovators and also explains why she gave birth holding a Blackberry. That part I liked best. As always you can subscribe to more interviews like this in the Download This Show podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocketcasts and Omny
Down Under director Abe Forsythe on racism, comedy & kebabs
in Film, Interviews, SBS, The Feed
Down Under is bound to be one of the most talked about Australian films of 2016. The black comedy is set in the aftermath of the infamous 2005 Cronulla riots and has divided critics, challenged theatres and - it has to be said - made many, many people laugh. So, we took the director out for kebabs to talk about whether dangerous filmmaking is doable in this day and age.