In this, the final episode of the CH3 podcast series, hosts Lauren Bailey and Nick Cain sit down with writer, director and actor, Madeleine “Mads” Dyer to discuss the moment at the end of the “Hero’s journey” where our hero finds the freedom to live ultimately before the next creative call to adventure and the journey beginning again.

Mads has worked on some great Australian stories being produced over the last few years, including credits directing across Colin From Accounts, Austin, and Ghosts: Australia, as well as her AACTA nominated debut feature A Savage Christmas which cemented her as a filmmaker to watch. From co-writing and directing indie comedies to steering major studio productions, her path has been one of craft, growth, curiosity, and fearlessness and in this episode she shares some great advice to use on the creative screen storytelling career path

In This Episode We Talk About:

• Why we look to the next project
• The making of 'Sexy Herpes'
• Navigating the creative industry
• Mads’ transition into directing
• Embracing fear in any role
• Finding connection in projects
• The importance of inclusion
• Theatre vs. film
• Balancing creativity and business
• The value of taking breaks
• Conundrum remaking classic stories
• What’s next for TAOS?

Connect with Mads on IG @madsdyer

Listen to the full interview with Throwback Guest, actress Elke Berry in CH01.Podcast26

This episode was edited by Nick Cain & Lauren Bailey with assistance from Sound Producer, Matt Perrott @ Mighty Sound, our interview with Mads was filmed at DM Podcasts, Sydney and the chats between Nick and Lauren were filmed at Session In Progress, Melbourne with theme music expertly crafted by Jared McFarlin, aka PartyThieves, inspired by the sounds of Anita Quayle from Ch2 of TAOS. A big thank you to throwback guest and good friend of TAOS, Elke Berry, from Ch1 Podcast 26 and of course to Mads for her authenticity, passion and insight.

In TAOS Chapter 3, Nick & Lauren connect to a bunch of great artists at different phases of their artistic journey, and unpacking some wisdom and tangible tools during each episode, ultimately inspiring us all to tell better stories.

Each episode features a catch up with our hosts, interviews with diverse creatives, throwback to wisdom from previous guests, a conundrum about the industry or the pursuit of storytelling, reflections on the creative journey and inspiration. Season guests include: Esther Anatolitis, Emma Monk, Dr Simon Longstaff AO, Matt Zeremes, Guy Edmonds, Tea Uglow and more.

Connect with us on IG:

• @actstorytelling
• @laurenbaileycreative
• @nickcainofficial

This podcast was recorded across the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and the Wurundjeri, Woi-wurrung and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We wish to pay our respects to Elders past and present. For over 60,000 years this land has been a place of storytelling, learning and community and we are privileged to continue that tradition on these unceded lands.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for Ch3 Podcast 11 is the wonderful Andrea Denholm - a creative producer in the Australian entertainment industry, an inspiring female in a position of leadership, and a passionate storyteller in her own right. Nick and Lauren sit down with Andrea to explore her journey from corporate lawyer to accomplished creative and executive producer, and some of the knowledge that she’s gained from her career so far.

Her fingerprints are across some defining Australian television shows from SeaChange, at the start of her career, to more recent bold, ambitious, sometimes fun, and always deeply human series at Tony Ayres Productions - including Fires, Spooky Files, and The Survivors, which was in the top 10 in 85 countries on Netflix for over four weeks this year.

We Talk About:

• The role of a Producer
• Essential Producer attibutes
• Career highlights and a “seachange”
• Curiosity and the call to adventure
• Inside a writers room
• Corporate law to creative producing
• Throwback wisdom from Sue Maslin
• Mentorship and championing emerging talent
• Self-care and avoiding burn-out
• Some tangible tools for our future selves
• Conundrum: Ethical manipulation and truth

Listen to the interview with Throwback Guest, Screen Producer, Sue Maslin in Ch2 Podcast 6

Sound Designer Matt Perrot at Mighty Sound and Audio Editor, Brandon Bourke, who assisted with the edit of this podcast, our interview with Andrea was filmed and the chats between Nick and Lauren were filmed at Session In Progress, with theme music expertly crafted by Jared McFarlin, aka PartyThieves, inspired by the sounds of Anita Quayle from Chapter 2 of TAOS. A big thank you to throwback guest and good friend of TAOS, Sue Maslin, from Chapter 2 Podcast 6 and of course to Andrea for his wisdom, warmth and generosity.

In TAOS Chapter 3, Nick & Lauren connect to a bunch of great artists at different phases of their artistic journey, and unpacking some wisdom and tangible tools during each episode, ultimately inspiring us all to tell better stories.

Each episode features a catch up with our hosts, interviews with diverse creatives, throwback to wisdom from previous guests, a conundrum about the industry or the pursuit of storytelling, reflections on the creative journey and inspiration. Season guests include: Esther Anatolitis, Emma Monk, Dr Simon Longstaff AO, Matt Zeremes, Guy Edmonds, Madeleine Dyer and more.

Connect with us on IG:

• @actstorytelling
• @laurenbaileycreative
• @nickcainofficial

This podcast was recorded across the lands of the Awabakal people of the Eora Nation, and the Wurundjeri, Woi-wurrung and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We wish to pay our respects to Elders past and present. For over 60,000 years this land has been a place of storytelling, learning and community and we are privileged to continue that tradition on these unceded lands.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosts Nick Cain and Lauren Bailey sit down with renowned philosopher, author, Executive Director of The Ethics Centre, and Co-Founder of The Festival of Dangerous Ideas, Dr Simon Longstaff AO for Episode 10 of the TAOS podcast, to discuss “the resurrection” step of the TAOS Chapter 3 hero’s journey, and how to find answers to some of the hardest questions about morality, meaning, and how leaders, artists, and communities can re-imagine what it means to live a good life.

Simon has written books on ethics and philosophy, including children’s book, A Spider’s Song, as well as helping pioneer the option for 40,000 NSW school students to study Ethics instead of religion. He brings that same clarity and creativity to our conversation, as we talk about identity, shaping a better world, and what it takes to walk through the fire… and emerge renewed.

In This Episode We Talk About:

- Origin stories

- Rocky and the concept of death and rebirth

- Dr. Simon Longstaff AO’s Origin Story

- The Ethics Centre and the personal journey

- The Festival of Dangerous Ideas

- A trick to managing multiple roles

- The Brain as a Radio: Parallel Processing

- Conceptual vs. Intuitive Thinking

- Learning to see the world through patterns

- Creative outlets and artistic identity

- Conundrum: Ethical manipulation and truth

Resources:

• Check your own morality at The Ethics Centre @ethics_centre
• Find out about The Festival of Dangerous Ideas @festivalofdangerousideas
• Listen to our full interview with Throwback Guest Skye Gellmann in TAOS Ch1.Podcast 16

Sound Designer Matt Perrott at Mighty Sound assisted with the podcast edit, our interview with Simon was filmed and recorded at DM Podcasts, and the chats between Nick and Lauren at Session In Progess, with theme music expertly crafted by Jared McFarlin, inspired by the sounds of Anita Quayle from Chapter 2 of TAOS. A big thank you to throwback guest and good friend of TAOS, Skye Gellmann, from Chapter 1 Podcast 16 and of course to Simon for his clarity, wisdom and curiosity about the human condition.

In TAOS Chapter 3, Nick & Lauren connect to a bunch of great artists at different phases of their artistic journey, and unpacking some wisdom and tangible tools during each episode, ultimately inspiring us all to tell better stories.

Each episode features a catch up with our hosts, interviews with diverse creatives, throwback to wisdom from previous guests, a conundrum about the industry or the pursuit of storytelling, reflections on the creative journey and inspiration.

Connect with us on IG:

• @actstorytelling
• @laurenbaileycreative
• @nickcainofficial

This podcast was recorded across the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and the Wurundjeri, Woi-wurrung and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We wish to pay our respects to Elders past and present. For over 60,000 years this land has been a place of storytelling, learning and community and we are privileged to continue that tradition on these unceded lands.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TAOS CH3 Podcast 9 brings us on “the road back” from creative success with guests Guy Edmonds and Matt Zeremes - Emmy® Award-winning Creators, Writers, Directors & Performers. Together, they co-created the Emmy® Award-winning comedy series Hardball (ABC/Northern Pictures) and the AACTA-nominated supernatural comedy Spooky Files (BBC/ABC, Tony Ayres Productions & Matchbox Pictures). Their shows have aired on major global platforms including Netflix, BBC, and ABC, earning recognition at festivals worldwide and awards such as the Prix Jeunesse International, BANFF Rockies, and Japan Prize.

We Talk About:

- Starting out with success

- Life in LA and pilot season

- Early collaboration

- Measuring success

- Facing challenges and building resilience

- How to handle reviews

- The children's entertainment space

- Spooky Files and exploring resilience

- Pitching

- Balancing multiple creative projects

- Conundrum - Does the Medium Matter

Resources:

• Watch Spooky Files & Hardball on ABCiview
• Listen to our full interview with Throwback guests Sarah Hamilton & Justine Campbell in TAOS CH1.Podcast23

Connect with Guy & Matt on IG:

• @guyedmonds
• @mattzeremes

Connect with us:

• @actstorytelling

This episode was edited by Nick Cain & Lauren Bailey with assistance from, Matt Perrott @ Might Sound, the chats between Nick and Lauren at Wisecast Studio, Sydney, with theme music crafted by Jared McFarlin, inspired by the sounds of Anita Quayle from TAOS Chapter 2. A big thank you to good friends of TAOS, Sarah & Justine, from Ch01.Podcast23, and of course to Guy & Matt for their wise words and a few laughs.

In TAOS Chapter 3, Nick & Lauren connect to a bunch of great artists at different phases of their artistic journey, and unpacking some wisdom and tangible tools during each episode, ultimately inspiring us all to tell better stories. Each episode features a catch up with our hosts, interviews with diverse creatives, throwback to wisdom from previous guests, a conundrum about the industry or the pursuit of storytelling, reflections on the creative journey and inspiration. Season guests include: Emma Monk, Esther Anatolitis, Dr.Simon Longstaff, Andrea Denholm, Madeleine Dyer and more.

This podcast was recorded across the lands of Awabakal and Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We wish to pay our respects to Elders past and present. For over 60,000 years this land has been a place of storytelling, learning and community and we are privileged to continue that tradition.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Podcast 8 and the reward step of the Hero’s Journey. Nick Cain and Lauren Bailey sit down with the incredible Esther Anatolitis; a journalist, writer, arts advocate and civic leader. Co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement, founder of Test Pattern, and editor for literary cultural magazine, Meanjin, and author of "When Australia Became a Republic" (Monash University Publishing), she's a powerhouse in the arts industry.

In this episode we explore how art is inherently political, the rewarding process of championing artists, and why a flourishing arts scene requires both strong voices and stable policy. We also dive into a range of practical tips and creative tools — from freehand writing and mind-mapping, to Esther’s own epic “Indexing System” that turns fragments of ideas into finished work.

In This Episode We Cover:

- The Common Thread in Esther’s Journey

- Art, Politics, and Advocacy

- Navigating Public Advocacy and Social Media

- Challenges in the Australian Arts Scene

- The Decline of Investigative Journalism

- Esther’s Book: When Australia Became a Republic

- The Artist's Process: Choosing Topics and Indexing

- Daily Writing Practices and Techniques

- Conundrum: Artistic Integrity vs. Wider Reach

Listen to our full interview with Throwback guest Budi Miller in TAOS Ch02.Podcast02

Connect with Esther on IG @estheranatolitis

This episode was edited by Nick Cain & Lauren Bailey, our interview with Esther Anatolitis was filmed and recorded by Simon at Visual Culture @visualculture10 and the chats between Nick and Lauren at Wisecast Studio, Sydney, with theme music crafted by Jared McFarlin, inspired by the sounds of Anita Quayle from Chapter 2 of the podcast. A big thank you to throwback guest and good friend of TAOS, Budi Miller, from Ch02.Podcast4, and of course to Esther for her wisdom, tenacity and thoughts on finding rewards in creativity

In TAOS Chapter 3, Nick & Lauren connect to a bunch of great artists at different phases of their artistic journey, and unpacking some wisdom and tangible tools during each episode, ultimately inspiring us all to tell better stories.

Each episode features interviews with diverse creatives, throwback to wisdom from previous guests, a conundrum about the industry or the pursuit of storytelling, reflections on the creative journey and inspiration. Guests include: Dr.Simon Longstaff, Andrea Denholm, Matt Zeremes, Guy Edmonds, Madeleine Dyer and more.

Connect with us on IG:

• @actstorytelling
• @laurenbaileycreative
• @nickcainofficial

This podcast was recorded across the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We wish to pay our respects to Elders past and present. For over 60,000 years this land has been a place of storytelling, learning and community and we are privileged to continue that tradition.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast 7 is packed full of so much insight and joy that it’s hard to believe we’ve reach “the ordeal” stage of the hero’s journey where the hero faces their greatest challenge. Our Podcast 7 guest - author, artist and LGBTQIA+ trans activist, Tea Uglow - shares all the tools and wisdom that you require to meet life’s really big challenges.

Former Creative Director at Google Creative Lab (Sydney), Peabody Award winner and TEDx speaker, Tea has spent her innovative career collaborating with cultural and creative organisations around the world. In this powerful and deeply honest hour, Nick Cain and Lauren Bailey, dive with Tea into radical acceptance, doubt as a creative catalyst, mental health, autism, and the transformative forces of hitting rock bottom.

In This Episode We Talk About:

- Effort, Attitude, and Vulnerability in Transformation

- The Mutability of Labels

- Exploring Ownership and Value in Digital Art

- The Challenge of Reflection

- Exploring the Creative Process

- Radical Acceptance and Rock Bottom

- Throwback wisdom from Douglas Briggs

- Shifting Perspectives on Creativity and Suffering

- Tools for Creativity and Leadership

Resources:

• Listen to Tea on the Seen Podcast on SBS Audio
• Check out A Universe Explodes: A Blockchain Book by T.L. Uglow
• Find out more about Tea on her website at teauglow.com
• Listen to our interview with Throwback Guest Douglas Briggs Ch1.Podcast24

Connect with Tea on IG:

• @teaelleu

This episode was edited by Nick Cain & Lauren Bailey, our interview with Tea was filmed and recorded at DM Studios, Sydney, and the chats between Nick and Lauren at Wisecast Studio, Sydney, with theme music expertly crafted by Jared McFarlin, inspired by the sounds of Anita Quayle from Chapter 2 of The Act of Storytelling. A big thank you to throwback guest and good friend of TAOS, Douglas Briggs, from Chapter 1 Podcast 24, and of course to Tea for her inspiration, joy and insight on facing some of our biggest challenges.

In TAOS Chapter 3, Nick & Lauren connect to a bunch of great artists at different phases of their artistic journey, and unpacking some wisdom and tangible tools during each episode, ultimately inspiring us all to tell better stories.

Each episode features a catch up with our hosts, interviews with diverse creatives, throwback to wisdom from previous guests, a conundrum about the industry or the pursuit of storytelling, reflections on the creative journey and inspiration. Season guests include: Esther Anatolitis, Dr.Simon Longstaff, Andrea Denholm, Madeleine Dyer and more.

Connect with us on IG:

• @actstorytelling
• @laurenbaileycreative
• @nickcainofficial

This podcast was recorded across the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We wish to pay our respects to Elders past and present. For over 60,000 years this land has been a place of storytelling, learning and community and we are privileged to continue that tradition.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode officially marks halfway for TAOS Chapter 3, and our hero’s journey style focus on having a creative career in the arts industry!

In this episode, hosts Lauren Bailey and Nick Cain head toward the heart of darkness with content creator, voice artist & podcast producer, Pariya Taherzadeh. A multi-award winning podcast producer, AFTRS guest lecturer and mentor for the MAS Documentary and Postgraduate Radio Courses, Pariya’s journey started as a child refugee from Iran and has grown to encompass a successful career in Australian media industry, a passion for telling diverse stories and helping people find their voice.

This step of the hero’s journey marks a turn inward to face the journey ahead, and what better guest to help us uncover the magic of this moment than this wonderful mentor, creative leader and mother, with a penchant for exploring the taboo and working out the next creative step ahead.

In This Episode We Talk About:

- Pariya's Early Life and Escape from Iran

- Adjusting to Life in Australia

- Finding a Voice in Media

- Pursuing a Career in Radio and Broadcasting

- Tackling Taboos and Embracing Diversity

- Creative Superpowers: Turning Challenges into Strengths

- Navigating Storytelling and Career Growth

- The Golden Nugget Theory: Embracing Change in Storytelling

- Balancing Motherhood and Career in the Creative Industry

- Ep.6 Conundrum: Short vs. Long Form Content

Resources:

• Listen to our full interview with Throwback Guest Douglas Briggs in TAOS Ch2.Podcast04
• Find out more about Pariya at pariya.com.au
• Listen to the Cumming of Age podcast with Sophie Sluttery, produced by Pariya

Connect with Pariya on IG:

• @pariya_peach_p

This episode was edited by Brandon Bourke, our interview with Pariya was filmed & recorded at DM Studios, Sydney, with chats between Nick & Lauren at Wisecast Studio, Sydney, theme music expertly crafted by Jared McFarlin, inspired by the sounds of Anita Quayle from Chapter 2 of The Act of Storytelling. A big thank you to throwback guest and TAOS friend, Douglas Briggs, from Ch2 Podcast 4, and to Pariya for her wisdom, warmth and attitude or embracing strength in order to move forward..

In TAOS Chapter 3, Nick & Lauren connect to a bunch of great artists at different phases of their artistic journey, and unpacking some wisdom and tangible tools during each episode, ultimately inspiring us all to tell better stories. Each episode features a catch up with our hosts, interviews with diverse creatives, throwback to wisdom from previous guests, a conundrum about the industry or the pursuit of storytelling, reflections on the creative journey and inspiration.

Connect with us on IG:

• @actstorytelling
• @laurenbaileycreative
• @nickcainofficial

This podcast was recorded across the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay our respects to Elders past and present. For over 60,000 years this land has been a place of storytelling, learning and community and we are privileged to continue that tradition on these unceded lands.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 5 of TAOS Chapter 3 is a fabulous mix of fun and games, as our hosts Nick Cain and Lauren Bailey sit down with writer, director & producer, Tristram Baumber - to talk all things story structure, getting to the heart of a character, navigating a screen writing career and finding an equal measure of discipline and fun in creativity.

Trit is an award-winning comedy writer and producer; he co-created, wrote and EP’d Fremantle Media’s critically acclaimed political satire, The PM’s Daughter, for ABC TV, and has been nominated for two AACTA Awards for his work on the series. Trit is also a writer on hit TV series Mother and Son, the heartwarming family comedy for Wooden Horse and ABC TV.

In this episode we talk about:

- Fun and games in storytelling

- Trit’s personal journey and creative challenges

- Navigating the creative cndustry

- Advice for aspiring actors

- Script writing techniques

- Comedy as a creative foundation

- Trit’s transition to directing

- Co-directing a feature film

- Blending horror and comedy

- The importance of structure in storytelling

- Networking and building industry relationships

Resources:

• Listen to our full interview with Throwback Guest Natasha Pincus in TAOS Ch1.Podcast 06
• Connect with Tristram on IG @tritbaumber

This episode was edited by audio editor, Brandon Bourke, our interview with Trit was filmed and recorded at Sawtooth Studios, Newcastle, and the chats between Nick and Lauren at Wisecast Studio, Sydney, with theme music expertly crafted by Jared McFarlin, inspired by the sounds of Anita Quayle from Chapter 2 of The Act of Storytelling. A big thank you to throwback guest and good friend of TAOS, Natasha Pincus, from Chapter 1 Podcast 6, and of course to Trit for his time, sparkling sense of humour and delight in the structure of storytelling.

In TAOS Chapter 3, Nick & Lauren connect to a bunch of great artists at different phases of their artistic journey, and unpacking some wisdom and tangible tools during each episode, ultimately inspiring us all to tell better stories.

Each episode features a catch up with our hosts, interviews with diverse creatives, throwback to wisdom from previous guests, a conundrum about the industry or the pursuit of storytelling, reflections on the creative journey and inspiration. Season guests include: Esther Anatolitis, Dr.Simon Longstaff, Andrea Denholm, Matt Zeremes, Guy Edmonds, Madeleine Dyer and more.

Connect with us on IG:

• @actstorytelling
• @laurenbaileycreative
• @nickcainofficial

This podcast was recorded across the lands of the Awabakal people, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay our respects to Elders past and present. For over 60,000 years this land has been a place of storytelling, learning and community and we are privileged to continue that tradition on these unceded lands.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.