Podcast

ORIGINAL 250 WORD PITCH – ABC Listen/Podcast Application

POP CULTURE CREATIVE

Insights relevant to Australian geek culture, though weekly news updates about comics, movies/TV, events, and interviews with creative industry professionals from Australia and overseas.

The podcast will provide original, entertaining, informative, and engaging “geek” content, via the experienced hosts, and unique guests. It aims at a contemporary, niche, Australian audience of passionate fans, who are immersed in genre TV shows and blockbuster movies based on comics, and pop culture conventions filled with national/international stars. We aim to reach these fans, from the casual to dedicated, via this podcast and across social media platforms.

Each podcast will commence with short news/events segment, followed by an interview with an industry professional, discussing their background in their field (comics, film, art, writing, publishing etc.). The discussion will be broad enough to provide an introduction to each specialised industry, advice for novices, and illuminating anecdotes regarding their creative lives (this layout is in response to the highest audience numbers at OZ Comic Con panels over 3 years, and is negotiable).

Presented by creative advocate Amanda ‘Backflip’ Bacchi: PR/Media/Journalism Degree, Brisbane Library Assistant & co-host of Brisbane Square Library monthly pop culture meetup group (since 2013), Oz Comic-Con panel moderator (2014-17); Pop culture correspondent on 31 Digital’s The Late Nite Show, weekly (2012-2015); and Brisbane Zombie Walk MC (since 2014). Co-hosted by Dr. Paul Mason, comic book artist on series Kid Phantom for Frew Publications, and Lecturer/Course convenor of Animation and Comics at the Griffith Film School, Griffith University.

More info on interviewees, selection criteria & segment ideas: www.backflipbacchi/podcast

Presenter links:

Amanda ‘Backflip’ Bacchi
www.backflipbacchi.com/bio

Dr. Paul Mason 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmason83/

————————————————————————————————————–

Specific Audience Information:

The audience is predominantly all ages but specifically 15-40, both male and female, who have dispensable income (middle to upper class), who are involved in specific fandoms such as Dr Who, Lord of the Rings ,Star Wars, comic companies such as Marvel & DC, etc, and who may attend pop culture conventions across Australia and the world to meet their heroes who design these worlds. It will also appeal to the casual movie goer, the casual book reader, or anyone interested in pop culture, who would like to stay up to date with the latest comic book, tv/movie, convention news and reviews.

————————————————————————————————————–

Other Segment Ideas:

• Week in Geek – News from the Pop Culture world (Aus & Int’l)
• Origin Stories – ‘How did you get started?’ – Interviews with creatives about their beginning in their chosen industry.
• What’s old is new again!’ – Retro Reviews: the latest reboots & re-tellings!
• Middle School Mania – with parents & kids who are pop culture savvy
• Nerd Cave – Discussing fans most beloved treasures.
• Trailer Breakdown – in anticipation of upcoming movies.
• Reactionary Tales – discussion of recently released movies (either cinema or dvd).

(these are just a few of the more general ‘tried and tested’ ideas – would love to brainstorm more)

—————————————————————————————————————–

Possible Creative Interview Options (based on personal contacts):

· Nicola Scott – Artist for DC Comics, notably for the 75th Anniversary run on Wonder Woman 2016. Currently on Creator Owned project Black Magick for Image Comics.

· Isabelle Carmody: Author. Obernewtyn Series, Kingdom of the Lost series. Australian Booktopia author of the year 2016. Writes science fiction, fantasy, children’s literature, and young adult literature.

 

· Kylie Chan: Fantasy author. Dark Heavens, Journey to Wudang, and Celestial Battle  series.

· Mariannne De Pierre: Sci-fi, crime, YA: Parrish Plessis series, Peacemaker series, Tara Sharp series, Sentients of Orion series.

· Rand Ratinac – Creator & previous Owner/Showrunner of OZ Comic-Con pop culture convention

 

· Dean Rankine – Comic book artist for The Simpsons & Futurama comics, Creator owner Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixy Candy Land.

· Glenn Ford – Owner of Frew Publications (publisher of The Phantom comic book series)

· Dan Fraser – Creator of ChronicleChamber.com, the Phantom Phan Site and Podcast.

· Andrew Constant – Comic book writer on Kid Phantom for Frew & The Demon for DC Comics.

 

· Wolfgang Bylsma – Executive producer of The Deep animated series (on ABC Me), Owner/Editor at Gestalt Publishing, one of Australia’s longest running comic book and graphic novel publishers (publishers of the ABC show Cleverman comic book tie-in).

· Justin Randall – Former Art Lecturer at Curtin University & comic book artist with Gestalt Comics. Currently experimenting with comics and virtual reality software.

· Doug Holgate – Artist for comics and kids books (Scholastics, Boom! Studios). Last Kids on Earth NY best sellings series and upcoming animated series.

 

· Tom Taylor – Comic Book Writer for Marvel & DC Comics. X-Men, Wolverine, Injustice comics and video game series etc.

 

· Mark Sexton – Comic Book artist for 2000AD (Judge Dredd). Storyboard artist for Mad Max: Fury Road, Happy Feet, Star Wars episode 2: The Clone Wars, Black Panther.

· Tristan Jones – Freelance artist. Comic Book Artist on Alien for Darkhorse comics, writer on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, covers for Archie comics.

· Robbie Miles – Movie Producer (Sydney)

· Ben Bawden – Animal Handler at Cockatoo Chaos currently working in northern NSW on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Europe Editions.

Possible International Guests:

· Freddie Williams III – Marvel, IDW, Darkhorse artist. Artist on Batman vs TMNT, He-Man & Thundercats. Author of the DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics.

· Agnes Garbowska – Artist on My Little Pony and DC Superhero Girls.

· Neil Caplan – Voice Actor: Transformers: Robots in Disguise (Optimus Prime), Digimon, Power Rangers, Naruto, Bleach, Marvel & many more.

· Paul Eiding – Actor/Voice Actor: Ben 10 (Grandpa Max), Metal Gear Solid ( Snake), Star craft, Fallout 4, Transformer (Perceptor), tv appearances (& many more).

· Monica Rial – One of the world’s most experienced voice actress in amine inc. Hello Kitty, Soul Eater, & Black Butler.

 

There are many more to add…

—————————————————————————————————————–

Selection Criteria

• Pop Culture Creative is original, entertaining and important to its audience
• There are no contemporary podcasts that are similar in tone or depth in Australia right now, nor with diverse voices, nor with such a wide range topics
• If longevity of the content of the podcast is an issue, the segments could be separated into smaller pieces, with news and interviews kept separate. We also have several other ideas for segments (see above).
• As we have said earlier, the podcast appeals to a very passionate, targeted and niche audience which is established through the intensity of fandom discussion, who are roughly 15-40, internet active and want to get involved with their community.