Production still from Spiderman 2 2004 / Director: Sam Raimi /Image Courtesy: Sony Pictures

Drawn To Screen: Graphic Novels, Comics and Serials is screening at the Australian Cinémathèque at GoMA, from 6 January – 4 March 2012. Assistant Curator, Amanda Slack-Smith, gives you an insight into what to expect from this unique program. For your chance to win a free double pass to one of the films, post a comment telling us which is your favourite comic/graphic novel/serial to film adaption. Winners will be notified by 10 February.

‘Flash, Flash, I love you, but we only have 14 hours to save the Earth!’ The Gallery’s Australian Cinémathèque celebrates the adaptation of graphic novels, comics and serials to screen in Drawn to Screen from 6 January to 4 March 2012. From the guilty pleasures of Flash Gordon, the heroics of Superman and celebration of the mundane in Tamara Drew and Ghost World, the program brings together over 60 films from around the world and delves into the rich world of the drawn narrative and its translation to cinema and television.

Due to their big budget nature, the adaptation of comics to film is often perceived to be a North American invention focused solely towards superheroes. While Drawn To Screen: Graphic Novels, Comics and Serials touches on this recent phenomenon seen in Hollywood in a thematic strand titled ‘Gods and Monsters’ this program also highlights the rich diversity of themes explored by comic creators.

Animations such as Marjane Satrapi Persepolis 2007 and Joann Sfar’s The Rabbi’s Cat 2011 explore issues surrounding religion, cultural displacement and persecution.  Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta 2006 (directed by James McTeigue) and Raymond Briggs’s When the Wind Blows 1986 (directed by Jimmy Murakam) offer commentary on the political structure of the times – V for Vendetta a scathing response to the Thatcher Government in the United Kingdom and When the Wind Blows a chilling look at the fear engendered during the Cold War.  Other films in the program simply question life such as American Splendor 2003 (directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini) is an autobiographical recounting by working-class everyman Harvey Pekar.

For comic-book film lovers’ familiar with many of the North American titles this program is an opportunity to revisit old favorites and to discover new titles For non-comic book readers it offers an introduction into a diverse exploration of the medium presented in both animation and live action films.

Never has it been easier to come up with an innovative product idea and deliver it to the world. In a two hour salon style presentation we will be exploring the complexities of conceiving, designing, funding and launching online products to an international audience.

We’ll be joined by Leni Mayo, founding investor of 99designs, the world’s largest online marketplace for crowdsourced graphic design who have recently raised over $35 million in investment. Joining Leni is Shainiel Deo, CEO of the game design company Halfbrick , who’s behind some of the world’s most popular mobile game apps, and whose title ‘Fruit Ninja’ has had over 100 million downloads. Both will draw upon their own success stories in designing products for international audiences, while also highlighting the most important global trends in product design.

This Portable Talks series has been especially curated for creative individuals and companies wanting to make the leap into designing online products for international audiences. Designed to be a conversation, the event will run through the main points of starting and scaling a product business, from conception, to investment and future planning. In doing so, Portable Talks will provide a comprehensive forum for networking with designers, product developers, technologists, entrepreneurs and investors.

Speakers
Leni Mayo, Founding Investor, 99designs
Shainiel Deo, CEO, Halfbrick
Simon Goodrich, Co-Founder Portable

When: 3pm, 14 Feb
Where: Edge Auditorium, The Edge
Cost: $40 (with discount code BRISBANE)
Bookings: Online click here.

Making robots at The Edge is no longer the stuff of dreams. During our DIY tech quarter you can expect some hands on interaction with elements of robotics culture.

International robotics artist Kirsty Boyle, is one of our DIY Tech Residents. Over the next three months she will be bringing her knowledge of Japanese robot puppetry back to her base, Brisbane. During her residency Kirsty will curate live robotics theatre, showcasing local and international artists, as well as host workshops and present a screen based exhibition, abstraction contraption.

We asked Kirsty some questions about her craft and the wonderful world of robots:

Tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?
I grew up here in Queensland and I originally trained as a puppeteer. I’ve always worked with technology as well, so I went and studied mechanical and electrical engineering and decided I wanted to make robots. I also studied the Japanese language and later found out about this mechanical doll making tradition, Karakuri, in Japan. In 2002 I had an opportunity to go to Japan and train with the only remaining master of this tradition.

Why did you decide to learn more about Japanese robotic puppetry?
What really motivated me was that there was only a really small amount of information available in English. I just wanted to go to Japan and find out myself what it was all about. The Japanese people see mechanical doll making tradition as their secret to being creative. This is one of the reasons why I love robots; this whole idea of starting with puppets, something real that’s tactile and that I can touch and I can physically interact with. For me working with robots is an embodied form of technology, it’s real.

Why did you choose to bring your skills to The Edge?
It’s exciting for me to be back here [in Brisbane]. I’ve been based overseas for many years now, and growing up Queensland, I would have loved to have access to a place like this. When this residency came up I was so excited, and I really want to try and make some connections with contacts I have overseas and build this network but connect it back here to Australia. I’ve learnt a lot being away, and I want to work here with young people and try and encourage and inspire them to pursue their creative practices.

What will you be doing during your residency at The Edge?
I’m going to be making lots of robots. There is a six-week screen-based exhibition of different robot artworks that I’m going to be showing.

I’m also doing a live show; it’s called Love the Robots that I developed last year in Switzerland. Most of the artists I’ve involved in the Love the Robots network are all very hands on and DIY, we all physically make our own robotic art works and we see working with electronics and programming as our craft. The network is based remote participation; most of these artists are working in their studios in whatever country they’re in. You’ll get a really intimate view of their practice, and often the public doesn’t get to see inside the studios.

I’ll also be doing some workshops, which I haven’t quite finished devising yet.

How can Edge users get involved?
Sign up for the workshops when they become available.

Come along to the live shows. During the shows you will be able to ask questions and interact with the artists, also everything is streamed online and people will be able to ask questions and chat. You won’t have to physically be here at The Edge to be a part of this.

What will Edge users be able to learn from you during your residency?
I hope that they learn more about DIY art and robot art in general and I hope to inspire people and de-mystify what it is to be working with technology in a creative way. I plan to spend much of my time working up here [Level 1] and having stuff out so that people come up and watch me and just have a chat.

For those playing at home who want to know more about you, and what you do, where should they look?
My website, it’s very basic at the moment but it’s all about to change.

Finally a few quick questions.

What are the first three tabs you open in a new browser window? Gmail, make, reddit.
What is the first mobile phone you ever owned? Nokia.
The one piece of technology you couldn’t live without? Computer.
Geekiest habit or hobby? Being online.

Want to learn more? Here are some links that Kirsty suggests as good resources for DIY robotics:
Karakuri is focussed on archiving and making information available about the Karakuri Ningyo tradition in English. Onnai is Kirsty Boyle’s website and contains information about her creative practice, past works, and down other interesting paths her life has taken her.

You can also register to be attend the Love the Robots live shows on 15 or 28 January.

The world as we know it is no longer, the Zombie Climate Apocalypse is upon us; it’s survivalists vs zombies in a alternate reality showdown.

The Edge is getting on board with real-time, real-world game play, ARGs (Alternate Reality Game).  The 36 hour Zombie Climate Apocalypse will send survivalists on a mission against the marauding hordes of zombies, testing endurance, brain power and overall stealth. Only the best will survive the challenge ahead. Which team will you choose?

When: 10am 17 Dec to 6pm 18 Dec
Where: The Edge, State Library of Queensland, Stanley Place, South Brisbane
Cost: Free
Applications: Close 5 Dec, see below for details

Team Survivalist: Fight for life
Employ your wit to protect your brains and survive in a game un-like any you’ve played before. Survivalists will prove their prowess and play as a team to try and ultimately prevail in a climate ravaged, zombie infested world. Over 36 hours on 17 and 18 December the survivalists will make camp at The Edge and face mission impossible after mission impossible. Do you have the skills to find sustenance, shelter and weapons in a zombie ridden world? Do you have what it takes to defend your city against the undead?

To apply to be a survivalist call the help line (07 3102 6511) and lodge your application plea. Can you convince us that you are really in the midst of a zombie attack and have the nerve to survive? Make sure to communicate the following:
-         Briefly describe the zombie apocalypse as you see it
-         Share how you’ve managed to survive so far
-         Give a piece of advice to anyone about to enter the zombie apocalypse
-         Tell us how to contact you should you be successful (phone number and/or email preferable)

Creative entries will be rewarded, limited positions available. Applications close 5 December.

Team Zombie: Join the horde
No longer is it all about the survivors. The Zombie Climate Apocalypse is also recruiting A-Grade zombies and only the best will do. Show us your passion for all things gory and deck yourself out in your best zombie attire. Post a photo of your zombie self to the Zombie Climate Apocalypse page to be in the running for the best un-dead gig in town.

Zombies will be:
-         Expected to arrive looking the part (costume and makeup)
-         Available for a minimum of 4 hours on either 17 or 18 December
-         Allocated to one terrorising shift per day

Creative entries will be rewarded.  Applications close 5 December.

Which team will you choose?

When: November 5, 12pm – 7pm
Where: The Edge, State Library of  Queensland
Cost: Free
Bookings: Not required

____________________________________________

SCHEDULE

Independent Games Festival competitions [12pm - 7pm]
Fast-tracked from the Independent Games Festival (IGF) in San Francisco, a shipment of 14 of the world’s best independent games has arrived at The Edge. Showcasing the talents of indie developers from Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands, USA, South Africa, UK and Australia, these games are ready and waiting for your highest scores.

• Nidhogg – Round robin sessions 2:30pm and 3:30pm, email Colleen to register for a session.
• Dungeons & Desktops – Highest score at 4:30pm wins. Have your score verified by a staff member and note it on the leaderboard.
• Bit Trip Runner – Highest score at 4:30pm wins. Have your score verified by a staff member and note it on the leaderboard.

IGF winners will be announced: 4:45pm in the Auditorium.

League of Extraordinary Gamers [CANCELLED]

ARGs (Alternate Reality Games) [12pm - 7pm]
Blurring the boundaries between performance and play, Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) are the perfect platform for collaboration for gaming novices and masters alike. For the last six weeks a dedicated group of developers have been designing and producing a range of ARGs ready for your play.
Do You Remember Me?
MATE: Mystery At The Edge
What Happens in BrisVegas
Send Me The Code

Life Size Games [12pm - 4pm]
In the world of bigger is better, these games are the best of all. The Life Size Games team have taken your favourite board games and super sized them. Get your fix of old favourites Scrabble, Connect Four, Chinese checkers, dominoes, Jenga and more.

LanSmash, King of The Edge Competition [1pm - 3pm]
Prove your prowess in the LanSmash Kind of The Edge competition. Playing Street Fighter and Marvel vs Capcom, players will join with the Brisbane LanSmash crew to crown the ultimate champion.

Brisbane Regional Youth Orchestra [5pm - 6pm]
The Brisbane Regional Youth Orchestra strays a little from the typical classical playlist, choosing to instead dive into hits from classic video games in the final performance of An 8-Bit Collection: Music from Anime and Video Games. Hear a new twist on old favourites from Banjo-Kazooie, Battlefield 1942, Bounty Hunter, Civilisation IV, Donkey Kong, Halo, Final Fantasy VII (Advent Children), Kingdom Hearts, Mario, The Legend of Zelda and more.

The launch was a chance for the iStreet crew to showcase their talents and the gear in the Lab, with performances, DJ sets and a photography exhibition featuring crew member Terii’s work.

It was also a opportunity for project sponsors to see the project in action. Michael Harte, CIO of Commonwealth Bank of Australia was quick to recognise the potential the iStreet Lab has for showcasing culture around Australia.

“I believe our target community will rise up and take pride by showing the world what they are truly individually and collectively made of, through art, language music and film,” he said. “They will learn new skills and finally realise their talents so they can go on to lead rich lives, fell included and be able to participate in building their communities.”

Professor Betts commented that “Seeing local folk with no training make some great music and perform at this event was great.  Seeing a young girl passing by, ask if she could join in and dance, and then us all marvel at her performance showed me the great value in giving opportunity to someone with a passion”.

“The iStreet Skills xChange project is an innovative initiative that extends opportunities to our lower socio-economic communities by providing them with direct access to technological equipment and skills training”.

Helen Brodie, Acting CEO of State Library of Queensland, explained that the Lab was fulfilling State Library’s goal of finding new and innovative ways to make information and resources as accessible as possible.

“We are proud to be providing innovative opportunities for young people to generate work that is truly reflective of the community in which they live, some of which I’m sure will find a natural home in the Library collections for future generations to enjoy.”

The iStreet Lab will be out and about in the Inala region over the coming weeks, making the Lab available to the community and running workshops in how to use all the technology it contains. If you would like to see the bin in action or participate in upcoming events, contact Project Coordinator, Mick Byrne.

IAD 2011 Opening Party
When: 5:45pm – 8pm, 29 Oct
Where: Edge Auditorium
Cost: See ticketing options below
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

_________________________________

Keynote: Frantz Kantor
Special guest, Frantz Kantor discusses his career as illustrator and animator and his recent work as the graphic illustrator/ animator for the set design for the Australian production of Hairspray: The musical.

If you ever held a Mad Magazine in the early 90’s chances are staring back at you on the cover was a Frantz Kantor illustration. Perhaps you remember the Rat-Monkey and the Mother Zombie characters from Peter Jackson’s early horror flick Brain Dead – again Frantz’s. Maybe you were in awe of the vibrant animated sets of the recent Australian stage production of Hairspray the musical in Sydney and Melbourne – you guessed it, that’s Frantz again. Yet this is the tip of a very big iceberg when you consider Frantz’s vast body of work in illustration, animation, advertising, niche marketing, production and creative art direction.

Frantz will visit Brisbane as part of International Animation Day, sharing insights and stories from his twenty years of experience in the animation industry.

When: 4:30pm – 5:30pm, 30 Oct
Where: The Edge Auditorium
Cost: See ticketing options below
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

_________________________________

FILM SCREENINGS

Panorama Portuguese
When: 12:15pm – 1:50pm, 29 Oct
Where: The Edge Auditorium
Cost: See ticketing options below
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

Order of screenings:

Independence of Mind Clélia is a woman who is comfortable with her solitude. With it, she fills her Lisbon house, patio and garden. She attends to her plants and one day, almost without noticing, she begins talking to them… What am I doing? Now I’m talking to flowers?! Questions Clélia. The reply comes from her neighbour who talks to her pots and pans…

My Music My Music is a small comedy starring a young man whose nickname is steve16. Steve16 looks everywhere for a quiet place where he can listen to music on his mp3. The narrative is structured on a division between the character’s inner world and the outside, which he always considers to be invasive and aggressive.

The Millionaires Five characters and the deadly sin of greed. A vicious cycle. A animation short film noir about avarice, with a texture that gives another dimension to the story. Five times greed. If anyone tells you that money brings happiness, distrust.

The Eyes of the Lighthouse In a rocky island exposed to the elements, a lighthouse keeper lives alone with his daughter. From the top of his tower, the father keeps vigil to the horizon line and for the safety of the passing sails. With no other company, the girl develops a unique complicity with the sea, which brings her toys in the shape of debris on the shore. Following the rhythm of the waves, these objects will unveil previous events, memories that the tide cannot erase…

Who is this hat? A hat reveals the different personalities we assume in different situations.

Inadvertantly A young woman receives a postcard with a picture of a painting that her father used to show her during her childhood, as a life lesson. She decides to go see it so long and so many times that the painting disappears. Was it a robbery or too much desire?

The Shoemaker A shoemaker wrapped up in memories of his life and the demands of his job, experiences a crucial moment in his existence. We accompany him through an enormous day in his life which will determine his future.

Journey to Cape Vert This is the story of a sixty day long walk in Cape Verde. No mobile phone, no watch, no plans for what to do next – only the bare essentials in the backpack. Out traveller explores the mountains, the villages, the sea, a talking tortoise, the goats, the music, the dry haze, the people of Cape Verde and an essential part of himself.

_________________________________

75 Years of Egyptian Animation
When: 2:00pm – 3:45pm, 29 Oct
Where: The Edge Auditorium
Cost: See ticketing options below
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

Order of screenings:

National Defense -Frenkel Brothers (1939)
Abu Alfasad Birthday -Ahmed Saad
Gold- Ali Moheeb
Never Mind! Vladimir Lichki
1 & 5 -Noshi Iskander
Meastro-Mansour Elshreef
My horse -Housain Alnimer
HM HM -Mohamed Ghazala
Shamandoora-Trik Rashed
Male & Female -Ahmed Adel
Humburgun- Ahmed Belal
Passenger-Amr Wagih
Give me Spray -/Mostafa Abd El Gawad
Warda-Ahmed Eid
I’m still Fine -Mamoud El-Masry
The Great Escape –Mohamed Sabry

_________________________________

Australian Animation Vol. 1 2011
When: 4:00pm – 5:28pm, 29 Oct
Where: Edge Auditorium
Cost: See ticketing options below
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

Order of screenings:

The Lost Thing Awards: 2011 Academy Award, Best Animated Short Film
While out collecting bottle tops at the beach, a boy discovers an enormous, bizarre and lonely creature that nobody else appears to notice. Feeling sorry for it, he decides to find a home for this new friend, even as others warn that ‘some things don’t belong anywhere’.

Dukes of Broxstonia – Strong Arj Arj quits the band to front his own strong man show at a music festival.

Glossy An animated musical set in a dressing table world of glam kitsch cosmetics, where a gang of teenage products rendezvous at a party, blue-berry lip-balm sings her way to a new identity.

Sumo Lake Awards: 2011 SA Screen Awards, Best Animation
An animated re-telling of the story of Swan Lake…with sumo wrestlers.

The Show Awards: 2011 RMIT Student Film Awards, Best Comedy
A hand-drawn animation surrounding the routine lives and pre-show practices of a small traveling carnival troupe as they prepare for ‘The Show’.

The Missing Key
In a richly re-imagined Venice of the early 1920s, young composer Hero Wasabi and his faithful oboe-playing cat Jacuzzi compete against the unscrupulous Count Telefino in the prestigious Abacus Scroll musical competition.

Polo’s Robot Awards: 2011 Melbourne International Animation Festival, Best Australian Film
A dark fairytale set in a strange land where Polo, an inventor, hides away in his workshop with only a bird for a friend. When Polo builds himself another friend, a robot, there are dire consequences for all.

_________________________________

Croatian Animation Film Festival 2010
When: 12:05pm – 1:22pm, 30 Oct
Where: The Edge Auditorium
Cost: See ticketing options below
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

Full listings available shortly.

_________________________________

Australian Animation Vol. 2 2011
When: 1:30pm– 2:35pm, 30 Oct
Where: The Edge Auditorium
Cost: See ticketing options below
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

Order of screenings:

Scamalot: Flick go the leaders Animated send up of the Australian Election 2010 set to the legendary Australian folk tune of “Click Go The Shears”. Starring “Queen Julia” Gillard, Tony “The Abbott” Abbott, deposed “King Kevin” Rudd and the thoroughly plucked, bathrobe-clad “Umpire” Bob Hawke. Once upon a time, in the mythical kingdom of SCAMALOT, the story unfolds of a palace coup, leaky revenge, divine intervention and pesky moat people. Will it end unhappily ever after?

Clockwork Gentleman A tale between father and ‘mechanized’ son. As the frail inventor’s life draws near to a close, the tired old man spends his remaining days scheming plans in the hope to repair the damage that time has passed onto him. With the Clockwork Gentleman at his side as both companion and loyal servant the inventor has the power to perform such wonders. But all great actions have their consequences.

Cigar Right? Awards: 2010 VCA Graduation Screening, Best Production Animation
A simulated documentary, where 3 people have been interviewed about how smoking has affected their lives.

Maddie and Monty Awards: 2010 Griffith Film School Graduate Screening, Audience Choice
A trip to the kitchen becomes a fantastic adventure when 5-year-old Maddie decides to take her toy dinosaur Monty for a midnight snack.

The Wendy Lady Awards: 2011 RMIT Student Film Awards, Best Animation
Inspired by Wendy’s adventures in ‘Peter Pan’, this is a delicate tale of love, wine, bath-time and never forgetting where you left your rubber ducky.

Rippled Awards: 2011 Black Stump Animation Festival, Best Music Video
In a dystopian landscape, a new breed of creature evolves.

The Umbrella Awards: 2011 Black Stump Animation Festival, Best Student Animation/2010 Griffith Film School, Best Overall Animation
For a father it is never easy to say goodbye to his daughter.

Flash An old tourist is exploring and taking photographs when his enthusiasm gets him tangled up with a local running race.

The Batchelor Experience Well-groomed business man Albert throws caution to the wind and visits ‘The Batchelor Experience’, an exclusive establishment that caters to his unique appetite.

The Comeback  Awards: 2011 Los Angeles Underground International Film Festival, Best Director Animation, Honorable Mention, 2010 Cinemarket, Orloff Family Trust screenwriting award (VCA)
Following an instance of public humiliation, Angus devises a foolproof, high-tech, retort-delivery system only to learn the hard way that timing is everything.

Wait for Me A small 16 bit computer game character experiences the worst day of his life.

Cockroach Awards: 2011 WOW Film Festival, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, 2011 Jaipur International Film Festival, Best Upcomer
When Charlie is accidentally run over by his own wedding car, he is given another chance at life. Reincarnated as a cockroach he does everything in his power to convince his grieving widow that he has returned. He must woo her back or risk losing her forever.

The Gradual Demise of Phillipa Finch: Tired of Being an Oak Tree After 5 years of bushwalks, a collection of romantic escapes, 42 dinner parties, endless video nights, 3 betrayals and 5 house moves, the love between Phillipa and Mr Lonely Planet finally ends.

_________________________________

Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film: Best of Animation Baden-Wurttemberg
When: 2:45pm – 4:18pm, 30 Oct
Where: The Edge Auditorium
Cost: See ticketing options below
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

Full listing available shortly.

_________________________________

International screening program
When: 12pm-2pm; 4pm-6pm, 29 Oct
12:30pm – 4:30pm, 30 Oct
Where: Lab 2, The Edge
Cost: Free
Bookings: Not required

This screening series will present selections from across the animated program. This program is free and no bookings are required.
_________________________________

WORKSHOPS

From Blue-pencil to pixels: A cartoon characters journey with Frantz Kantor
When: 2pm – 4pm, 29 Oct
Where: Lab 2, The Edge
Cost: $15 adult/ $10 concession
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

The design of a character is a crucial element in animation.  In this workshop, special guest, illustrator and animator, Frantz Kantor will guide you through the process of character design and its different applications for a show, a webseries, games or products, toys, etc in different mediums. Participants of the workshop are welcome to bring along their own character designs to discuss with Frantz.

 _________________________________

Build your own Game with Gordon Moyes
When: 2-4pm, 30 October
Where: Lab 2, The Edge
Cost: $15 adult/$10 concession
Bookings: Tickets at the door (cash only)

Gordon Moyes, Director of Curious Bear Productions, will take you through the step by step process of building a computer game. In this session, we’ll create a simple asteroids style game in a step-by-step walk through of the Unity 3D development environment. The focus is on creating the game play through scripting, not on creating 3D models – existing 3d models will be used.  Topics covered are an overview of Unity3D, creating a player space ship, creating enemies (asteroids), collision detection, weapons and particle effects.  No 3D art or 2D texturing knowledge is required, however basic familiarity with computers is assumed.

_________________________________

TICKETS

Auditorium sessions (including Frantz Kantor)

Individual tickets*:
$5 for 1 x session
$6 for 2 x sessions
$8 for 3 x sessions
$10 Festival pass (excludes workshops)

Group tickets*:
1 session of choice
$6 for group of 2 people
$8 for group of 3 people
$10 for group of 4 people

2 sessions of choice
$8 for group of 2 people
$10 for group of 3 people
$12 for group of 4 people

* Buy tickets and instantly be in the draw for some great prizes such Madman DVD packs. New prizes drawn every session in the auditorium. One prize awarded per ticket only. Increase your chances of winning with extra raffle tickets which can be purchased at the ticket sales.

Animation Alliance Australia Inc and ASIFA members free entry (membership at ticket sales).

The project centres around the iStreet Lab, an ingenious mobile multimedia tool box built into a 240-litre wheelie bin built by international resident, mervin Jarman. The iStreet Lab, designed as a mobile production hub and training resource, contains a suite of high-end laptop computers, video and stills cameras, music recording equipment, an Xbox, projector, printer and scanner, all run off a battery and invertor.

The Lab supports a crew of young Inala locals, aged between 15 and 25. Some, like brothers MC Murriz and singer songwriter Hayden Maurirere, are emerging artists with a background in the creative arts. Others, like Dre and Terii had never before had the opportunity or inspiration to consider a career in media making.

As Hayden explains, the iStreet Lab represents a new future for many of its crew. “I grew up with nothing; I was bored and did bad things. I want to give kids a chance to have a different life.” Hayden is keen to use the Lab and the equipment that it offers to teach a new set of skills to the local Inala youth. “I never thought a chance like this would come; it’s really opened my eyes to new stuff.”

The Lab is also a point of pride for its young users. “I’ve told everyone in Inala already,” says Terii. “I told my brothers they didn’t believe me. I took a photo and showed him, and still didn’t believe, so I brought him here and that changed his mind.”

When he was younger Terii was a keen photographer. The gear in the iStreet Lab has given him the opportunity to reignite his passion and begin to pursue it with purpose and support. “When I carry that camera around I feel changed, and I want people to know what I can do.”

Join mervin and the crew as they celebrate with the Inala community at the launch of this inspiring project. Bring your mates and head on down to the Inala Civic Centre. Try your hand at being a DJ for a day, have a chat to the crew and see what the iStreet Lab can really do.

When: 3pm, 26 October
Where: Inala Civic Centre, Inala Avenue, Inala

The iStreet Skills xChange project is sponsored by Commonwealth Bank Australia and Queensland University of Technology. For more information on the project, see the project page.

The workshops will look at what zines are and how you make them. Jeremy and Elouise will take you through a history of zines and highlight what creative publishers throughout the country are doing right now.  They’ll also give you the run down on how to to create and reproduce zines, as well as the skills to distribute them and get them noticed.

Rosewood-based musician, and songwriter Steve Towson, will also be on the tour bus with Jeremy and Elouise. Steve will be helping out with the music workshops, covering the importance of community, creativity and event management basics.

The tour also coincides with the launch of the retrospective zine book, Bizoo: The Best, The Worst and the Trash that Never Made it. The team will be handing out free copies as they go.

Tour dates and details
All workshops are free. To book your place, contact Jeremy at bizoozines@gmail.com

20 October: Song writing and Community workshop
6-9pm, Walter Reid Centre, Rockhampton

22 October: Zine Workshop
10am-1pm, Rockhampton Regional Library, Rockhampton

27 October: Zine workshop (invite only)
Palm Island

28 October: Zine workshop (invite only)
Townsville

29 October: Zine workshop
10:30-1pm, Crate59, Cairns

29 October: Music Workshop
3:30-5:30pm, MOFO, Cairns

6 November: Zine workshop
12 – 3pm, Artspaced, Townsville

7 November: Zine meet up and Gocco printing
3:30-5pm, Crossroad Arts, Mackay

24 October: Zine Fair
3:30pm-5pm, Crossroad Arts, Mackay

11 November: Music Workshop
4-7pm, Longreach Youth Club, Longreach

12 November: Zine Workshop
12:30-3pm, Longreach Youth Club, Longreach

13 Nov: Music and Zine workshops
12-5pm, Blackall Memorial Hall, Blackall

16 November: Zine workshop
4-7pm, Roma Community Hall, Roma

17 November: Music workshop
4-7pm, Roma Community Hall, Roma

Throughout The Edge’s gaming quarter, regular LanSmash events are coming to a Tuesday near you. Hosted by the Brisbane LanSmash crew, these training style sessions are open to gamers of all ages interested in improving  their fighting skills in Street Fighter and Marvel vs Capcom. With all the gear provided, you don’t need to worry about anything except improving your sonic boom.

When:  5:30pm-8pm, each Tuesday from 25 Oct to 29 Nov
Where:  The Edge Auditorium
Cost:  Free
Bookings:  through the LanSmash meetup page

Join founder, Alison Tickell, for a practical discussion on sustainability within the creative industries. Drawing on her experience working with the likes of EMI, Sony, Universal and Warner music, Alison will establish some guidelines for best practice, show you how to develop and implement a sustainability plan in your organisation and share some of the powerful free tools and resources that Julie’s Bicycle have created.

Tailored for small to medium arts organisations, independent artists and cultural workers, this session is presented by The Edge in proud partnership with the British Council Australia.

When: 6-7:30pm, 12 Oct
Where: The Edge Auditorium
Cost: $10 +BF
Bookings: http://greeningci.eventbrite.com

About Julie’s Bicycle
Established in 2007 by and for the UK music industry, Julie’s Bicycle is a non-profit company working with the arts and creative industries to understand and reduce their environmental impacts.

Together with research partners, Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute and Surrey University’s Centre for Environmental Strategy, Julie’s Bicycle produces research papers and practical guides, run events, workshops, seminars, training sessions and networks to maximise the reach and relevance of our work.

About Alison Tickell
Alison is the founder of Julie’s Bicycle and an Associate Professor at Buckinghamshire New University. She is a part of the Global Reporting Initiative, and a founder of the United Nations Environmental Programme Encore initiative. She is also a trustee of Sound Connections, a school governor and a fellow of the RSA.

Alison trained as a professional musician and combined performing and teaching before embarking on a more prosaic career. Her previous roles include Music Director at Creative and Cultural Skills and Director at Community Music, founding Board of Creative and Cultural Skills and lead consultant for the National Skills Academy.

Oaktree Foundation, Australia’s largest youth run organisation, is calling for entries to Peace.Poverty.Photography. To enter, take a photo exploring the theme of “peace and poverty”. Write a short caption explaining how your photo expresses the theme and check that you’ve met the criteria outlined in the competition rules.

Email you photos, registration details and captions to peace.poverty.photography@gmail.com by 5pm, 30 September.

There are no age restrictions. There is no entry fee. So get inspired and start snapping.

Entries will showcased at the exhibition and awards night, hosted at The Edge on 1 October. Entry to the event will be $15, with proceeds supporting Ba Futuru, one of the Oaktree Foundation’s partners in East Timor. Purchase your ticket online.

The Libraryhack Lock In brought about surprising new collaborations with teams of enthusiastic ICT creatives working through the night to produce iPhone apps and web mash-ups. The high calibre of work presented at 8am the next morning took us all by surprise.

The Lock In was a 24 hour mashup event held at The Edge where coders, designers and artists were invited to re-purpose data-sets provided by State Library Queensland (SLQ) into user friendly apps or data mash-ups.

A chance meeting between two participants resulted in a collaborative work that won the Digital Media mashup category. John Howland (artist, designer and coder) and Mark Bilandzic (PhD student, Urban Informatics) met and devised a way to combine both their skill sets to produce an interactive digital mashup that projects Picture Queensland images onto everyday items with an iPhone control interface. Their ‘Glorious Image Viewer’ is currently being exhibited at The Edge.

The 3D Glorious Image Viewer will be exhibited at The Edge until 31 August along with the photo-mashups from the Libraryhack competition.

Historical photographs from Picture Queensland, old music scores and convict records were just some of the data sets available. These data sets are still available in the public domain and are part of the movement towards making government data openly accessible to the community.

Some of the other cool projects to be created include:

Convictbook: mashes SLQ convict data sets and photographs into a facebook format where people can add information about individual convicts on their “wall”.

Geohunt  mashes Google Maps and the geocoded Picture Queensland datasets into a game format that notifies your iPhone when you’re getting close to the spot where a historical photograph was taken. It also allows you to share, collect and re-view the photographs you’ve stumbled across.

Data Australia builds upon the datasets from Michael Henderson’s suburban trends, Picture Queensland and State Library of South Australia photographs, Wikipedia, Victorian and Western Australian public library datasets. It will even direct you to the nearest public toilet!

When: 3-5pm, 26 August
Where: The Edge Auditorium
Cost: Concession $75 + BF ($59 + BF with discount code belskyedge), full price $85 +BF
Bookings: http://portabletalksbrisbane.eventbrite.com/

Based out of New York, Scott Belsky is one of the world’s most influential creative leaders. He is the founder of online platform, Behance, which caters to millions of designers and creative professionals each month. He is also the author of the best selling novel Making Ideas Happen, described by the creative director of Facebook as a “Swiss army-knife for ideas”.

Working with some of the biggest media and Fortune 500 companies, Scott has presented around the world on the art of harnessing creativity and technology to produce better projects for business and consumers.

Scott will be touring Australia as part of the Portable Talks series. He will share insights and practical tips that individuals and companies alike can use to push bold creative projects to completion. After years of research, Scott and the Behance team have found a series of best practices used across some of the world’s most productive creative people and teams. Behance puts the focus on actions and real work, changing the way recruitment happens for creative professionals the world over.

In 2010 Scott Belsky was named in the Fast Company Magazine’s “100 Most Creative People in Business”. He is also a frequent contributor to MSNBC and works with some of the world’s leading companies including General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, the United States State Department and the CIA.

Tickets to Scott’s talk are strictly limited, so book early to secure your place.

Proudly presented by Portable.

Who: The Jungle Giants, Ball Park Music & Regurgitator
What: All ages show (unlicensed)
When: 12.30pm, Sat 20 Aug
Where: Auditorium
How much: $25 + BF – limited pre-sale tickets on sale through Oztix from 1 August

Brissy bands Ball Park Music and The Jungle Giants will join local legends Regurgitator for a long overdue all ages afternoon extravaganza.

With Regurgitator’s Unit coming in at #10 on triple j’s Hottest 100 Australian albums, their latest release, Superhappyfuntimefriends, will be met with much anticipation. Superhappyfuntimefriends will hit the net (and a local store near you) 5 August, available on digital, vinyl, cassette, CD and even Playbutton.

Joining the boys on the bill will be Ball Park Music. Fast becoming known for their ruckus ways, killer hooks and impressive stage shows, their singles, ‘iFly’, ‘Sad Rude Future Dude’ and ‘Rich People Are Stupid’ are getting a workout on many a personal-music-playing-device, as well as the radiowaves around the country

Rounding out the set will be Brissy four- piece, The Jungle Giants. This indie pop quartet, in only eight shows and one EP, are impressing music industry pundits and music-loving audiences all over the country with their recklessly enjoyable and exuberant live show and songs with the depth and maturity of a band twice their age.

Head to www.pressrecord.com.au for full details