With Jess Scully, Festival Director.
Vivid Ideas is all about the work that goes on behind the scenes to produce the events, projects, TV shows or records we love: it’s about the business of creativity. I’m excited because we’re bringing dozens of visionary people to Sydney to connect with hundreds (OK, more like thousands) of imaginative local creative people, and you never know what’ll come out of it when makers get together. They’re scientists, designers, inventors, artists, musicians, game writers, digital gurus, architects, and they’re the people whose names you might not know, yet – but they’re shaping what tomorrow will look like for all of us who love creative content, technology, entertainment and media.
1.ADAM ZWAR & JULIAN MORROW IN CONVERSATION
Vivid Ideas Exchange, MCA, Thursday June 5
Did you know that Wilfred (a TV show about a talking stoner dog who’s the tormentor/figment of an insecure guy’s imagination) is being remade for Russia after four seasons in the US? Adam Zwar is the creator of that show, plus Lowdown, and The Agony Aunts and Uncles series. Julian Morrow is the EP of The Chaser and all their shows, including his own show, The Checkout. Together they’ve made some quirky and interesting TV, and they’re going to be chatting about what it takes to get original stuff on our screens.
Tickets available here.
2.BATTLEROY & DAMON SHARPE: IN CONVERSATION
Vivid Ideas Exchange, MCA,Wednesday June 4
These guys have sold something like 50 million records between them, but they’re the secret producers/writer brains trust behind songs we know and love (or love to hate) by Eminem, Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Shakira and Kylie. They’re going to write and record a song live onstage in this event, and they’ll be taking lyrics and ideas from the audience: great for anyone who wants to learn the alchemy behind writing a hit song.
Tickets availablehere.
3.HAO LI: ON THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL CHARACTERS
Vivid Ideas Exchange, MCA,Sunday June 8
It’s getting cheaper and easier to do full 3D scans, in real time – so how is this changing the way we watch (and make) films, play (and design) games? Hao Li worked for George Lucas at Industrial Light and Magic, and now he’s at the forefront of making easy, real-time scanning part of our daily entertainment lives. He’s a real character and this is a great session in which he’ll demo some mind-blowing tech, great for anyone who wants to know what we’ll be playing tomorrow.
Tickets available here.
4.SOFLES & SELINA MILES: IN CONVERSATION
Vivid Ideas Exchange, MCA,Wednesday May 28
He’s the street artist that street artists namecheck, she’s the filmmaker who takes street art to the world. Sofles started out as a graffiti artist in Brisbane and now shares his work on walls all over the world. He and Selina Miles collaborated on an incredible stop-motion film called Limitless, which has now clocked up close to nine million views on Vimeo (if you haven’t seen it, check it out). They’re going to be talking about how you document an underground culture and what it takes to make art go viral.
Tickets available here.
5.AUSTRALIAN INTERIORS: OBJECTS, FURNITURE, TEXTILES
Vivid Ideas Exchange, MCA,Saturday May 24
How do you create stunning design in Sydney? Is there a particular style that defines this town? Is there an Australian aesthetic, and who is taking it to the world? We’ll be asking all these questions of the people who make the furniture and objects we drool over, while we’re drooling over their beautiful objects. Great for anyone who browses interiors blogs and imagines living a more beautifully designed life.
Tickets available here.
