“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.

Visit The Stories Project website for more videos.

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.

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.

Visit The Stories Project website for more videos.

OJ On Broadway
Directors & Cinematographers: Morika Blijabu & Curtis Taylor
Performer: Owen GibbsSound: Cassandra Nanudie
Boom: Jeremy Sammy
Editors: Desert Stories crew
Music: Living in the Desert by OJ & the Punmu River Band

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

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

You don’t know us. You’ve never heard our story. And we want to tell you.
- Curtis

Over a few days in June 2010, the Urban Stories and Desert Stories crews met for the first time. They shared a meal. They interviewed each other. They began to understand how different the desert was to the city; and yet how similar their feelings and aspirations were.

The First Supper videos are your chance to meet the crews; to get to know a little bit about where they come from. The First Supper: Part Two will be released in August, in which Anna asks Lazare what exactly what will happen if someone other than a mother cooks that dish…

Visit The Stories Project website for more videos.

The First Supper
All Roles (interviews): Urban Stories and Desert Stories crews
Producer (supper shoot): Urban Stories crew
Music: Punmu Lakeside Band featuring Monkey Marc and Ozi Batla (Part One)

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

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

This is a teaser video showing some of the research being conducted for The Lanka Project, centred around the diverse Sri-Lankan Australian community. Hear stories from some of the people I’ve been meeting and listen to the music I’ve been making and collaborating on!

In 2009, we spent 3 months in Newman, remote Western Australia. Here is a summary video showing the highlights, our process, and lots of heart and soul from the young people of Newman. Enjoy!

UPDATE

As a result of our 2009 project in Newman:

• The Shire of East Pilbara has committed to re-opening and redeveloping a youth centre in town
• BHP, local schools and the Shire are coming together to discuss a position for an ongoing youth worker in town
• The young people of Newman have made another film in their series, completely independently (they are 11-13 years old)
• CuriousWorks will be returning to Newman in 2010, with the support of BHP Billiton Iron Ore

We couldn’t be more chuffed. In 2010 we’ll continue to focus on building capacity in the community, until CuriousWorks becomes completely redundant in Newman. Our goal in each community is for the young people, local partners, local business and government to all be working in mutual benefit, empowering the most marginalised people in their town to sustainably tell the stories of their place.

CuriousWorks Newman 2009 Summary Video from CuriousWorks on Vimeo.

Our time in Newman was made possible through the BHP Billiton Iron Ore – Legacy Project presented by Country Arts WA in association with Curious Works and the Newman Community.

A painter sees a vision in the desert. A tourist learns a lesson. A subtle, beautiful film from the Martu Media mob and CuriousWorks in remote North-Western Australia.

Find more videos like this on All Around You

Pictures from the shoot:

Our time in Newman was made possible through the BHP Billiton Iron Ore – Legacy Project presented by Country Arts WA in association with Curious Works and the Newman Community.

The youth of Newman, remote Western Australia, were on ABC recently. So was Shakthi. Which is cool.

UPDATE: The Newman Media Crew were also on Behind the News!

The ABC don’t let you embed content, so you have to click on this image to go to the video on their site. Our public broadcaster is not so open in this regard.

The Newman Youth crew were also in the West Australian – check it out:

But if you want to see their own site, it’s right here.

Our time in Newman was made possible through the BHP Billiton Iron Ore – Legacy Project presented by Country Arts WA in association with Curious Works and the Newman Community.