“This film, Mamu, it’s about right, it’s about wrong. It’s about the past and the future, the new and the old.” – Curtis

In September 2010 the Desert Stories crew embarked on their first professional short film project under the guidance of filmmaker mentor Platon Theodoris. Curtis Taylor speaks about his experience of directing his first narrative based short film, with some sneak peaks of Mamu in between.

The video is made up of interviews with Curtis during the post production phase of Mamu and was filmed on location in Newman and Lake Dora, Punmu Community.

Filmed by: Curtis Taylor & Dave Wells
Edited by: Mark Taylor
Mentored by: Platon Theodoris & Craig Anderson

The Stories Project
Creative Director: Shakthidharan
Producer: Eleanor Winkler
Mentors: Elias Nohra & Platon Theodoris

The Stories Project is presented by CuriousWorks

Content by the Desert Stories crew is produced in partnership between CuriousWorks and Martu Media , a division of Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa.

Curtis is the lead West Australian artist in The Stories Project.

Curtis Taylor, 21yrs, hails from Parnngurr Community, located 400 kms east of Newman. Curtis is an actor, emerging film writer/director and a young Martu leader. He is currently an undergrad at Murdoch University, completing a Bachelor of Culture, Communications and Media. After finishing school in 2008, Curtis worked as Community Coordinator and Youth Development Officer at Martu Media (a division of Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa), where he also spent 18 months working on Yiwarra Kuju as a filmmaker and youth ambassador. Curtis was the recipient of 2011 Western Australian Youth Art Award and Westfarmers
Youth Scholarship.

We met them at Fairfield, Western Sydney. We joked with each other – are we still in Australia?

Listen to Curtis Taylor, Desert Stories crew member, speak about his time in Sydney and the projects on the Desert Stories slate.

Curtis Taylor interview with Rachel Fountain on ABC North West WA radio

Guido Gonzalez (Urban Stories) and Curtis Taylor (Desert Stories)

Country, music and painting stories. Take a 2 minute break and catch a slice of the great desert life!

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Next? Catch a slice of Western Sydney life in 90 seconds.

For family, woman, man and child, going back to the land they know. – Billy Landy aka Butler

Catch a slice of Martu life in 2 minutes.

On a return to country trip to Durba Springs in June this year, Martumili artist Yankura paints his traditional home Puntawarri. The backing track, performed by Butler is also about Puntawarri, a longing to return to their ancestral home.

Puntawarri
Release: August 2010
Location: Western Desert, Western Australia

Producer: Dave Wells
Directors: Curtis Taylor, Anthony Gibbs, Owen John, Carol Macdonald
Directors Photography: Curtis Taylor, Anthony Gibbs, Owen John, Carol Macdonald
Editors: Curtis Taylor, Anthony Gibbs, Owen John

Sound: Anthony Gibbs
Music: courtesy of Billy Landy aka Butler, “Puntawarri”, recorded live

The Stories Project
Creative Director: Shakthidharan
Producer: Eleanor Winkler
Mentors: Elias Nohra & Platon Theodoris

The Stories Project is presented by CuriousWorks .

Content by the Desert Stories crew is produced in partnership between CuriousWorks and Martu Media , a division of Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa.

Listen to OJ, a desert busker, serenade Sydney at Central Railway Station.

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Next? Watch African rhythms meld with Latino passions.

The strangest thing is to walk on concrete. We normally walk on soft sand. – OJ

Within days of arriving in Sydney, the Desert Stories crew began lamenting their distance from home and rueing the pace of the city.

Inspired by the buskers he saw everyday at Central Station, OJ brought a song about his desert home and his people to the endless parade of city-folk moving through the Railway Square tunnel. He made $20.

OJ On Broadway
Release: June 2010
Location: Surry Hills, Sydney CBD

Directors & Cinematographers: Morika Blijabu & Curtis Taylor
Performer: Owen Gibbs
Sound: Cassandra Nanudie
Boom: Jeremy Sammy
Editors: Desert Stories crew

Creative Director: Shakthidharan
Supervising Producer: Eleanor Winkler
Mentors: Elias Nohra & Platon Theodoris

Music: Living in the Desert by OJ & the Punmu Lakeside Band

The Stories Project is presented by CuriousWorks .

Content by the Desert Stories crew is produced in partnership between CuriousWorks and Martu Media , a division of Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa.