-We acknowledge and respect the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the Lands on which we live and work and pay respect to the Elders past and present-
“RAW invites Indigenous creatives to submit original concepts for a chance to have it turned into Australia’s next online breakout series. Up to three creator/writers go on as finalists to pitch their concept to the RAW team. One concept goes through to pilot-making phase, which includes a budget up to $60,000 to shoot the pilot episode.
This final concept is in with the potential opportunity to be considered for a first-look series commissioning offer from ABC Indigenous.”
In Partnership with AFTRS, ABC TV Indigenous, and Executive Producers Leah Purcell & Wayne Blair, Artology presents this new Story-developing, Artist-developing, Industry-developing initiative, RAW.
Artology is involved in developing the creative potential of young people through experiential learning in the arts, connecting with thousands of students and schools across Australia. Today we chat with Artology’s Creative Producer for RAW, Liliana Muñoz:
What inspires you?
Human stories that have the potential to make positive change.
Who inspires you?
Those who look at the world with an optimistic view and are not blinded the BS.
What brought you to this particular project?
I couldn’t find an Inidigenous writer to work on another project because every Indigenous professional writer was busy (which is great!) but this also made me ask the question … who is coming up the ranks?
Then the Graeme Wood Foundation saw great potential in creating a platform to train the next generation of Indigenous writers with the right professional support and mentorship running along side of it, Leah Purcell and Wayne Blair.
It’s great to see more tangible support growing for new emerging artists (for new emerging, future Voices of our communities). Did you have a mentor growing up?
On a personal level – my courageously bold and eternally optimistic grandmother who raised me in Chile until I was 15 years of age. I only realised she had been my mentor as a grown up!
On a professional level – most definitely – I have always looked up to people who have an approach to storytelling and business who are unafraid to change the status quo intelligently and for the better (at least from my perspective!).
What was the best piece of advice you ever received and/or greatest lesson learned?
What is for me will not pass me by.
Also getting a “no” is just one step closer to a “yes”.
I believe personally an integral part of education and progress for an individual is Encouragement – would you agree?
Absolutely. Withouth encouragement, many talents may never be developed and therefore shared and experienced with our communities. Also, encouragement is infectious because it feels good – to the one who is receiving and the one who is giving it.
The more one encourages others, the greater the chance for the encouraged to do the same for others.
What was your favourite TV show as a child?
I was raised in Chile, so my childhood TV references are mostly Latin American…
La Madrastra (The Stepmother). A chilean telenovela from the early 80’s. Great drama with a strong, complex female protagonist.
Do you have a favourite TV show now?
The Handmaid’s Tale. But content these days, it changes every 4 weeks!
Exposure to a myriad of storytelling forms and characters – diversity! – is healthy, AND interesting, AND entertaining – for us All. Do you see (enough) Variety in Australian storytelling?
It’s getting there, slowly, but getting there. With local digital platforms like STAN and iView in Australia, niche content is now a good thing. Niche content allows you to tell real, colourful stories and complex and interesting characters. Niche can also bring loyal and dedicated viewers to your content. But you must treat them with respect and always keep the ‘voice’ authentic. People can see right through the BS.
How can we continue to Grow in Content and as Storytellers in this country?
By encouraging young adults who are still at school to be bold and real about their own stories (and I include kids too by the way. The younger we start the better!). We must encourage this attitude to carve the way storytelling of any form or medium, poetry, music, visual arts … find your niche and tell your story. If you’re real about it, you will have those who will listen because your story matters.
Indeed. Story matters. Voice/s matter. Encouragement matters.
Let’s continue the Dialogue – and continue to Share, Communicate, Grow.
Applications for RAW are open until August 28, 2017.
Visit rawfilmmakers.com for details on how to apply.
