The Paid to Play Podcast

Chris Birch, Founder and Publisher at Modiphius – Episode 123

Wed, 13 Sep 2017 20:00:38 +0000

Tabletop Gaming Company Founder and Publisher Chris Birch loves the tabletop gaming scene, from roleplaing games to wargames and boardgames; he grew up on Dungeons & Dragons, Steve Jackson’s Ogre and 15mm historical wargames. He loves it so much that he long harboured a dream of making and publishing games.

Five years ago, Chris followed his dream to create and run a game company and founded founded Modiphius. The company used Kickstarter to enable their first project, Achtung! Cthulhu; since then Modiphius has become full-time employment for Chris and around twenty employees. Modiphius has created new games and secure the licenses for some of the biggest franchises around, including Infinity, Fallout, Conan and Star Trek.

Join Chris and I for a great chat about headphone-stealing squirrels, what a major convention does to your work schedule, preparing for the tabletop gaming business through the music and fashion industries and making sure you choose projects based on whether you genuinely love them!

Chris Birch and Modiphius

Official Website of Modiphius

Modiphius on Facebook

Modiphius on Twitter

Modiphius’ Games

Achtung! Cthulhu

Fallout: Wasteland Warfare

Star Trek Adventures

Thunderbirds

Games, People and Events

Cubicle 7 (tabletop game company)

David Grant (Wikipedia)

Free League Publishing

Gen Con

The Lord of the Rings – 1981 BBC radio adaptation (Wikipedia)

Matt Leacock

Mike Pondsmith (Wikipedia)

Ogre

Starblazer – Space Fiction Adventure in Pictures (Wikipedia)

Jared A. Sorensen, Roleplaying Game Designer – Episode 122

Wed, 16 Aug 2017 20:00:09 +0000

Tabletop roleplaying and digital game designer Jared A. Sorensen has been a mainstay of the indie scene since the turn of the millennium. He’s probably best know for his roleplaying game InSpectres, about busting ghosts while balancing the budget, but he’s worked across projects across the gaming spectrum.

Jared is one of my classic guests. I first spoke with him for Episode 8, all the way back in 2012, and I’m glad to have him back on to talk about his latest project, a hardcover compilation of his Parsely series of party games inspired by the text-based computer adventures of the seventies and eighties. As of this posting, the Kickstarter for the Parsely book has finished with over 300% of the requested target!

Join us for a chat about nightclubbing spiders, the great screenwriter in the sky, running a game at a planetarium, adjectives and expletives in Australia and the United States and being a travelling mad scientist!

Jared Sorensen

Jared A. Sorensen’s web site and RPG brand, Memento Mori

Jared A. Sorensen on Twitter

Jared Sorensen’s chat for Episode 8

Ian Livingstone, Games Workshop and Fighting Fantasy Co-Founder – Episode 121

Wed, 02 Aug 2017 20:00:23 +0000

Game designer, writer, executive and philanthropist Ian Livingstone is one of the founding fathers of the UK games industry. He co-founded iconic games company Games Workshop in 1975 with Steve Jackson, creating hobby magazine White Dwarf and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, which soon after spawned the juggernaut tabletop miniatures games Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000.

Ian also co-authored The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, the first interactive book in the Fighting Fantasy series, with Steve Jackson in 1982. Since, the series has sold 20 million copies worldwide. Ian has written 15 titles in the series, including Deathtrap Dungeon and City of Thieves. His new book, The Port of Peril, will be published by Scholastic in August 2017.

In 1995 Ian oversaw a merger that created Eidos plc where he served as Executive Chairman until 2002, and later as Creative Director. At Eidos he launched global video games franchises including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Ian co-authored the influential Livingstone-Hope Next Gen review published by NESTA in 2011, recommending changes in ICT education policy. He chaired the Next Gen Skills campaign, working with government to introduce the new Computing curriculum in schools in 2014. He is opening Livingstone Academies in 2019 in association with Aspirations Academies Trust, with a curriculum focused on problem-solving and digital creativity.

Join us for a chat about saying “no” to partnering with the makers of Dungeons & Dragons, retaining control of your intellectual property, the Twittersphere posing a question Ian has never been asked before and Ian throwing a game mastering gauntlet down at the feet of your humble host!

A huge thank you to guest for Episode 111, Neil Rennison of Tin Man Games, who are republishing the Fighting Fantasy series as digital gamebooks for computers, tablets and smartphones, for getting Ian and I in touch!

Thanks also to Twitter fans MalcolmGarcia and furious george ☭‏ for your questions!

Ian Livingstone

Ian Livingstone on Twitter

Official website of Fighting Fantasy

Games Workshop

Tabletop Gaming

Dungeons & Dragons

Video Gaming

Eidos Interactive (Wikipedia)

Tomb Raider (Wikipedia)

Delaney King, Video Game Artist and Miniatures Maker – Episode 120

Wed, 05 Jul 2017 20:00:52 +0000

3D character artist Delaney King has worked on a swathe of triple-A video game titles, including Unreal Tournament 2004. She was instrumental in developing the Australian video game design scene by starting professional courses based on her education during trips to the United States.

Delaney has also started the brands, King’s Minis and Darkling Games, and is preparing Skulldred, a set of tabletop miniatures gaming rules designed specifically to allow those who have impairments with numerical literacy to enjoy the full competitive experience of miniatures wargaming, for release.

If those weren’t enough, Delaney, identifying as queer herself, is a tireless advocate for the LGBTIQ community within the video game industry.

Join us for a great chat about the good old days of miniatures gaming, the struggles of unionising in a digital industry, the three main qualities people look for when hiring game designers, the relative densities of hobbits and lava, how hard it can be to ask for help and how you really, really, really need to back your stuff up!

Thanks again to my guest for Episode 80, Sim Lauren, for recommending Delaney to me, and my fantastic backers on Patreon (including Sim) for the questions!

Delaney King

Official Website of Delaney King

Delaney King on Twitter

King’s Minis

Darkling Games

Skulldred

Enemy Infestation (Metacritic)

Tabletop Miniatures Gaming

Batman Miniatures Game (Knight Models)

Games Workshop

Eureka Miniatures

Hawkmoon

Lead Adventure

Malifaux (Wyrd Games)

Ral Partha

Warzone: Resurrection (the Mutant Chronicles wargame) by Prodos Games

Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Paizo, Inc.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game

Song of Blades and Heroes (Ganesha Games)

Video Game and 3D Design

Academy of Interactive Entertainment

Shoot ‘Em Up Construction Kit (SEUCK) (Wikipedia)

Unreal Engine

Unity

ZBrush

Gender and Gaming

46,XY gonadal dysgenesis (Wikipedia)

Delaney’s post on King’s Minis: An open letter to Rick Priestly and John Lambshead

GX Australia

Proxy Hug Target: Adam Koebel

“What Is Gamergate, and Why? An Explainer for Non-Geeks” (Gawker)

Evgeni Puzankov, Video Game Narrative Designer – Episode 119

Wed, 21 Jun 2017 20:00:03 +0000

Narrative designer for computer and video games Evgeni Puzankov works as a freelancer in the video game industry from his home base in St. Petersburg in Russia.

After working as an employee doing scripting and production for video games and becoming a lead narrative designer on Suricate Games’ title Panoptes, Evgeni went full-time as a freelancer in October 2016.

Since, he’s crafted narratives for the Steam Greenlight game The Long Reach and a few more games yet to be announced.

Evgeni Puzankov

Evgeni Puzankov on Twitter

Evgeni’s Games

Evgeni’s Favourite Games

Darkwing Duck (Wikipedia)

Darkwing Duck Video Game (Nintendo) (Wikipedia)

Video Game Design

Source Engine (Valve)

Unity

Unreal Engine

Fon Davis, Movie Model Maker – Episode 118

Wed, 07 Jun 2017 20:00:43 +0000

Miniature model maker Fon Davis has worked on over thirty feature films across a two decade career. He’s an alumnus of the Industrial Light and Magic Model Shop and Disney, having produced concept art and made models for Starship Troopers, Galaxy Quest, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline. Recently, he’s worked on Interstellar, Guardians of the Galaxy and Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium.

Fon founded his own design and fabrication studio, Fonco Creative, in 1997 in San Francisco, and after setting up shop in the premises of Vanaheim Studios in Los Angeles, he bought the whole 16,000 square foot facility out at the end of first quarter 2017, renaming it Fonco Studios.

Join us for a fantastic chat about the importance of a portfolio in the special effects industry (and why Fon didn’t wind up needing one when he interviewed at ILM), the possibilities of virtual reality in entertainment, how special effects folks insert themselves into the movies they work on and the questions from the show’s Patreon backers!

Thanks again to my guest for episode 86, Lauren Matesic of Castle Corsetry, for getting Fon on the show, and thanks to Patreon backer Matt Dawson for your questions for Fon!

Fon Davis, Fonco Creative and Fonco Studios

Fon Davis on Facebook

Fon Davis on Instagram

Fon Davis on Twitter

Fonco Studios / Fonco Creative

Fonco Creative on Facebook

Fonco Studios on Facebook

Movies

Coraline

Galaxy Quest (Wikipedia)

James and the Giant Peach (Wikipedia)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (Wikipedia)

Starship Troopers (Wikipedia)

Fon’s Projects and Loves

Kaiju movies (Wikipedia)

MORAV

Movie and Effects Companies

Colossal Pictures (Wikipedia)

Henry Selick (Wikipedia)

Disney

Industrial Light and Magic

Mark Anderson (IMDb)

Lucasfilm

Stan Winston School of Character Arts

Tippett Studio (Wikipedia)

Television

BattleBots

Other Projects

Hyper-Reality

MegaBots

David O. Steele, A Quest for Magic and Steele – Episode 117

Tue, 23 May 2017 20:00:36 +0000

Voice actor, narrator and RPG actual play podcast Host David O. Steele is one of the crew of the podcast, A Quest for Magic and Steele. In each episode, David and five others create a tale of sword and sorcery, elves and dwarves, using the fifth edition of the Dungeons and Dragons RPG rules. They get paid to play via a Patreon page created in December 2016.

I’ve been catching up on A Quest For Magic And Steele for the past few months and it’s always fun listening to David portray his character, Gnu Gnu, a gnome bard with a mouth quite big enough to fit both his feet in, which he does regularly and gleeflully.

Join us for a chat about approaching Patreon as a podcaster, David’s next projects, the joy of discovering roleplaying games through your children and repurposing content for Patreon!

David O. Steele

Steele Empire

Steele Empire on Facebook

David O. Steele on Twitter

A Quest for Magic and Steele

A Quest for Magic and Steele

A Quest for Magic and Steele on Patreon

Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Dungeons & Dragons

Podcasts and Resources

Critical Hit

Podcasting Resources

Dave Jackson – School of Podcasting

Voice Resources

Voice123.com

Saffron Bryant, Self-Published Science Fiction and Fantasy Author – Episode 116

Wed, 10 May 2017 20:00:08 +0000

Australian science fiction and fantasy author Saffron Bryant has been writing since she could first hold a pencil but only started getting serious in 2011. Saffron’s first book, The Fallen Star, was released in 2012 after Saffron was forced to take leave from her studies in biomedical science at uni while recovering from surgery to remove a brain tumour.

Now, at the age of twenty-six, Saffron has fifteen novels available for sale on Amazon, a degree in Biomedical Science (with honours) and has just finished her PhD in chemistry at the University of Sydney. As of last year Saffron earned enough royalties to pay all her bills.

In her spare time, Saffron is a huge fan of multiple fandoms, including The Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones and Stephen King (especially The Dark Tower). She also plays Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs and even tabletop ones like Dungeons & Dragons.

Join Saffron and I as we get back together (after our chat for Episode 16) for a great chat about the first fiction you write, how writing is the perfect cure for the boredom of convalescence and the process of screening editors – not to mention a geek-out about Doctor Who!

Saffron Bryant

Official website of Saffron Bryant

Saffron Bryant’s author page on Amazon

Self-Publishing Tools

BookBub

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Black Mirror (Netflix)

Doctor Who

Game of Thrones

The Lord of the Rings (movies)

Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear

Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower series and many more

Supernatural

Games

Dungeons & Dragons (tabletop roleplaying game)

The Legend of Drizzt (board game)

The Lord of the Rings Online (massively multiplayer online roleplaying game)

Pathfinder (tabletop roleplaying game)

State of Play: Thank You for 1,000+ Downloads in April!

Wed, 03 May 2017 20:00:01 +0000

An audio AND video thank-you from your humble host to all the wonderful folks who made April an unexpectedly massive month – even with the schedule change from weekly to fortnightly!

Dean Rankine, Writer and Artist on The Simpsons Comic Books – Episode 115

Wed, 26 Apr 2017 20:00:01 +0000

Australian comic artist and writer Dean Rankine has contributed work to the Dark Horse Comics title Hellboy, the classic UK kids’ comics Beano and Dandy, and the Australian MAD Magazine, but he is best known for his work on the official comic books of the animated mega-hit TV series, The Simpsons, published by Bongo Comics. You can often find him at Australian pop culture conventions creating commissioned “Simpsonised” portraits of con-goers.

Dean has also created his own title, the twisted comic book Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land, published by Action Lab.

Join us for a chat about setting goals for publishing your comic, showing your kids how to follow a creative path and moving from comics to storyboarding!

Dean Rankine

Dean Rankine on Facebook

Bongo Comics, publishers of The Simpsons comics

Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land (Facebook)

Inspirations

Adventure Time!

The Regular Show

SpongeBob Squarepants

Comic Books

Writers and Artists

Gary Chaloner

Jhonen Vasquez

Comic Book Titles

Beano

The Dandy (Wikipedia)

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac (Wikipedia)

Australian MAD Magazine (MADtrash.com website)

Comic Book Labels

Action Lab Comics

SLG Publishing (Slave Labor Graphics)

Featured image provided by Dean Rankine

Ryan Schapals, Head Minion at Hyper RPG – Episode 114

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 20:00:37 +0000

Ryan Schapals, chief minion of the Twitch channel Hyper RPG, talks livestreaming roleplaying games and writing for Open Legend!

State of Play April 2017: Going Fortnightly and GMPreneurship

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 20:00:18 +0000

An announcement of a schedule change for the Podcast and the reason behind it - making more time to explore GMpreneurship!

Mariah Avix, 600 Second Saga – Episode 113

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 20:00:49 +0000

Podcaster, voice talent and author Mariah Avix is the creator of the podcast, 600 Second Saga; a space for developing authors to explore the realms of science fiction and fantasy in 10 minutes or less every week. On March 20th, 2017, Mariah celebrated the first anniversary of 600 Second Saga, having released an episode a week for the last fifty-two weeks! After a short break, the show will return for its second season on April 5th! Mariah also narrates audiobooks and writes magical tales of how technology will change our world, and technologically laced tales of magic that probably isn’t real. Join us for a great chat about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the division of trust between writer and reader, how current references can become future Easter eggs, getting to the meat of the story in 1,000 words, the benefits of pre-planning your podcast and working diversity into your freelance portfolio - and keep listening after the chat wraps for one of Mariah's flash fiction works, "An Axe"! Mariah Avix 600 Second Saga Slippery Fish An Ill-fated Scarf Mariah Avix on Twitter Science Fiction The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Wikipedia) Podcasts Far Fetched Fables Starship Sofa Audiobooks ACX - Audiobook Creation Exchange

S.R. Ringuette, Webcomic Writer and Artist – Episode 112

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 20:00:39 +0000

S.R. Ringuette is author/illustrator/cartoonist and educator who, from his hometown of Calgary, Alberta, attempts to use creativity as a secret staircase to subvert traditional employment. His lifelong love of cartooning turned into making comics as an adult and eventually teaching kids and teens to do the same. Sebastien has created a comic series, The Aversion Bureau, that has become two collections and even a pair of novels. He also created the web comic Gamer Roommates and in November 2016 launched a new web comic, It Has Pictures! Since then, Sebastien has been posting new witty art based on whatever takes his fancy and doing freelance design work for web series, podcasts and friends in between. Join us for a great chat about the perfect storm of arrogance and ignorance, the importance of loving your own work, knowing when to step away from the things you love doing and how nothing matters more than the personal touch! I must thank my guest for Episode 77, Teri Litorco, for recommending Sebastien! S. R. Ringuette Official site It Has Pictures! The Aversion Bureau Gamer Roommates Exploding Wumpus S. R. Ringuette on Facebook S. R. Ringuette on Twitter Inspirations Calvin and Hobbes (Wikipedia) Penny Arcade Starslip by Kris Straub (Sebastien's favourite web comic artist) Computer and Video Games Castle Crashers Conventions Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo

Neil Rennison, Tin Man Games – Episode 111

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 20:00:09 +0000

Game director, producer, writer and designer Neil Rennison is the original founder of Tin Man Games, a company that brings the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks of Eighties childhoods back to life as apps. Neil has worked in the computer and video games industry for over fifteen years. He's been involved in over fifty published games including such high profile titles as the Need For Speed series, Nascar series, The Sims series and the Tiger Woods Golf series for a variety of platforms including iPhone, DS, PSP, and Wii. Neil has had a number of articles published in 3D World magazine & PC Format, has dabbled in university lecturing, is an adjudicator for government funding in games, and has given talks at various gaming conventions and gatherings of the International Game Developers Association. Listen in for a great chat about the snowball effect, going freelance in the video game industry, being asked by the superstar in your business to adapt one of his works and that odd sensation of, "I could be perfectly happy staying where I am now - but..." I have to thank my guest for Episode 11, Gavin Lucan, for hipping me to Tin Man Games via Twitter and, of course, Neil for coming on the show! Neil Rennison, Tin Man Games Tin Man Games The Siege of the Necromancer Miss Fisher and the Deathly Maze Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks Official website of Fighting Fantasy Jonathan Green Video Games and Companies Razorworks (Wikipedia) Total Immersion Racing (Wikipedia) The Sims Conventions Penny Arcade Expo Graphic Design Software 3D Studio Max Maya

Tony Bonner: A Career in Acting – Episode 110

Wed, 08 Mar 2017 20:00:11 +0000

Veteran stage and screen actor Tony Bonner is known worldwide for playing helicopter pilot Jerry King in the classic Australian TV series, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. Tony's had a long career in the performing arts and continues to appear on TV, in movies, in theatres and on the web today. Earlier this year (and after our chat), Tony was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours list. Thanks to my guest Travis Bain, I was lucky enough to catch Tony in late 2016 when he was in Cairns as part of his endeavour to pass his skills and experience on to actors-in-training across the country (and perform in Travis' upcoming film Landfall). We chat about Tony's dream role, the worldwide reach of Skippy and how little an actor's career changes over fifty years! Tony Bonner Official Website of Tony Bonner Save

Zac, a.k.a. The IMP, Pro eSports Team Coach – Episode 109

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 20:00:04 +0000

College eSports team coach Zac, a.k.a. The IMP, chats about playing Heroes of the Storm competitively and coaching Texas A&M's Team Maroon though the Heroes of the Dorm 2017 championship!

Shelli Varela: Saying Yes to Hacking Possibility – Episode 108

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 19:00:32 +0000

Host of The YES Effect podcast, possibility hacker and fire captain Shelli Varela talks saying yes to your gifts!

Top 10 for 2016! Most Downloaded Episodes of Season 4 (Live Stream)

Wed, 18 Jan 2017 21:00:16 +0000

I count the Top 10 Most Downloaded Episodes of 2016 down! Who was your favourite guest?

Kimi, Golden Lasso Girl: Cosplayer and Game Master – Episode 107

Wed, 07 Dec 2016 20:00:09 +0000

Cosplayer and game master Kimi is better known as the Golden Lasso Girl, which ought to tell you that she's a full on geek. She absolutely loves Wonder Woman, not just as an arse-kicking superhero but as an icon of feminine empowerment. Naturally, Kimi's enthusiasm for cosplay has led her to attending many conventions in various iterations of a Wonder Woman costume, but also for creating a YouTube channel for which Kimi records tutorials for cosplay and crafting. Kimi's skill is such that one of her cosplay designs for a "bombshell" version of Big Barda was adopted by DC Comics as Barda's official outfit in their Bombshells comic! On to of that, Kimi loves tabletop roleplaying games, so much so that not only has she assumed the role of game master for her friends, she's also become co-host of the Happy Jack's RPG Podcast. This show features a crew of gamers getting together to answer listeners' questions and have an enthusiastic chat about RPGs over a few bevvies. (Yes, that's alcoholic.) Kimi and I have a great chat about her interest in metalworking, getting into cosplay by wanting to show the professionals how to make a Wonder Woman costume, being one of the cool teachers at school, the joys and struggles of game mastering, sharing your hobby loves in podcasts and how-to videos and the wisdom of deciding not to monetise your passions. Thanks again to my guest for episode 86, Lauren of Castle Corsetry, for getting me in touch with Kimi! Kimi, Golden Lasso Girl Official Golden Lasso Girl Website Golden Lasso Girl on YouTube Happy Jack's RPG Podcast (Pursuing the RPG hobby with reckless abandon. And beer.) Empire's Twilight Actual Play (Star Wars: Edge of the Empire) Mote of Sin Actual Play (Vampire: The Masquerade) Vast Dominions Actual Play (Stu Venable's Moment of Truth system) Cosplay, Costuming, Renaissance Faires, Conventions and Bands Kimi's Bombshell Big Barda cosplay. The Belles of Bedlam (band) Castle Corsetry (Lauren Matesic) (my chat with Lauren for Episode 86) Avengers Angels (San Diego Comic Con 2015), feat. Kimi as the Incredible Hulk and ep. 89 guest Bernadette Bentley as Hawkeye The Merry Wives of Windsor (band) RenFaire.com The Southern California Reniassance Pleasure Faire San Diego Comic Con WonderCon Stan Lee's LA Comic Con (formerly Comikaze) Fan Movie Projects Metroid: The Sky Calls (fan short film by Rainfall Films) Wonder Woman (fan short film by Rainfall Films) Comics Big Barda Wonder Woman Tabletop Roleplaying Games Kimi's cosplay of Big Barda (original design) Dungeons & Dragons Wikipedia: Editions of Dungeons & Dragons Masks Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Vampire: The Masquerade (Wikipedia) Wild Talents Featured image supplied by Kimi.

Steven Meissner, Prop and Replica Maker – Episode 106

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 20:00:05 +0000

Professional prop-maker Steven Meissner owns and operates SoloRoboto Industries as a full-time business. He makes custom and replica props, weapons, and accessories for cosplayers and collectors, and has occasionally made trophies for other companies, as well as worked on projects for the odd TV commercial. Steven and I have a great chat about discovering that other people will pay you to make cosplay costumes for them, running the maths on your passion business, teaching yourself your craft with the help of a community, and what it means to live in a city that no one grew up in and where everyone's pursuing a dream. Thanks to my guest for episode 89, Bernadette Bentley, for recommending Steven! Steven Meissner, SoloRoboto Industries Official website SoloRoboto on Patreon SoloRoboto on Storenvy SoloRoboto on Twitch Costume Making Supplies Apoxie Sculpt TV Shows and Movies 300 (Wikipedia) Batman Beyond (Batman fan wiki) Doctor Strange The Rocketeer (Wikipedia) Cosplayers and Prop Makers Bernadette Bentley (my chat with Bernadette for Episode 89) Bill Doran, Punished Props Frank Ippolito Creature Geek Podcast Tested.com Universal Laser Systems Kit Quinn Conventions DragonCon Palm Springs Comic Con San Diego Comic Con Games Hearthstone Featured image supplied by Steven Meissner

Steven Lumpkin, Game Master and Designer – Episode 105

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 20:00:40 +0000

Veteran video game designer and roleplaying game master Steven Lumpkin has worked for some of the biggest names in the online gaming industry, including Red Storm Entertanment, the makers of the Rainbow Six franchise, and Funcom, the makers of Age of Conan, Anarchy Online and The Secret World, as a level designer. His job was creating the tense action scenes that have challenged players across the globe as they venture through these games' vast virtual worlds. Steven is now working on the Rollercoaster Tycoon franchise, but has gone from creating levels to working on the basic infrastructure of the game itself as a game designer. Steven is also a lover of tabletop roleplaying games. He's been a game master for the RollPlay team on the Twitch channel ItMeJP, where he ran the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition campaign, The West Marches, which featured a huge rotating roster of streaming and YouTube celebrity players. While Steven was on hiatus at the time of recording, he's since returned to gaming with a new campaign on his own Twitch and YouTube channels and is looking forward to GMing for the Misscliks and other channels! Steven and I talk about having a day job in gaming while pursuing a musical hobby in his off hours, the reality of working quality assurance in the video game industry, taking out the trash in online game encounter design, how to manage the "crunch" cycle at the end of pre-release game development and staying chill when gaming with some of the biggest names in live streaming. Thanks to my guest for episode 81, Adam Koebel, for getting Steven and I in touch! Steven Lumpkin, Silent0siris On Twitter On Twitch On YouTube King Arthur Pendragon (streamed roleplaying game) RollPlay R&D and Dark Heresy RollPlay: The West Marches Professional Website The North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir Streamers and YouTubers Day9 InControl ItMeJP TotalBiscuit Game Design Challenges for Game Designers by Brenda Brathwaite and Ian Schreiber (Amazon) "The Door Problem", from the blog of Liz England Roleplaying Games Dark Heresy (Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay) (Wikipedia) Dungeons & Dragons Computer & Video Games Funcom (developer) Age of Conan The Secret World Myst Rollercoaster Tycoon Shadowgate (Wikipedia) StarCraft Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Wikipedia) Red Storm Entertainment Unreal 4 Engine Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade World of Warcraft Deadmines Quest (World of Warcraft Fan Wiki) Trash Mob (World of Warcraft Fan Wiki) Audio Hardware Blue Microphones Snowball Yeti Featured image provided by Steven Lumpkin

“TDot” Anthony Sargent, Podcaster and Evolving Human – Episode 104

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 20:00:01 +0000

Podcaster and creative TDot, also known as Anthony Sargent, is all about helping folk get out and stay out of the nine-to-five rat race and being the best themselves they can be. He created and hosted Bursting Through the 925, a weekly podcast where we interview a different entrepreneurial minded guest to see what they are doing to get or stay out of the nine-to-five, and is working on a new chat-format show, Six Hundred Degrees of Separation. He may even be starting a Fillipino import-export business! This episode is a great, straight up chat, where TDot and I pretty much go on about what comes to mind, including television shows, a three-year struggle with the Philippine authorities to get his wife and child to the States, getting present in everything you do, the "newness" of Kevin Hart, growing vegetables and why aiming to be better than your idols is the best compliment you can give them. "TDot" - Anthony Sargent TYOPod: That's Your Opinion Podcasts Podcasts and Entrepreneurship Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) Pat Flynn John Lee Dumas

Shaun Paulet, Comics2Movies and XCT – Episode 103

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 20:00:00 +0000

Geek collectable company owner Shaun Paulet decided to take a slightly different approach to the collectable market than most vendors. Instead of sourcing all the usual lines of stuff from the producers for the toy and collectable business, Shaun levered his passion for affordable collectibles to create, in conjunction with a collection of top Australian artists, a line of limited edition collectable prints available online or nationwide at Australian conventions for his company COMICS2MOVIES. But after finding success within the artistic world of prints, Shaun decided to bring his own creativity and passion for comic books to the table, and thus was born XCT, a comic book series about clones of mythical monsters and ancient warriors like Spartacus fighting to the death for an audience of billions in the Xtreme Champion Tournament. XCT was successfully launched in Australia, New Zealand and the US in 2014. Shaun and I have a great chat about high school sporting achievements, being the most funded Australian comic book crowdfunding project on Kickstarter, letting other people play with your stories, competing with the iconic American comic books for shelf space in Australian stores and ensuring your daughter shares your love of comics! Shaun Paulet: COMICS2MOVIES and XCT COMICS2MOVIES Deadman's Land XCT: Xtreme Champion Tournament Comics Aquaman Boom Studios Killeroo Comic Writers and Artists Barry Duffield (Listen to Barry's chat for Episode 95!) Brendan Halyday Darren Close Humberto Ramos Jerry Gaylord (DeviantArt) Comic Shops All-Star Comics. Melbourne Cosmic Comics, Perth KerSplatt! Comics and Collectables, Cairns (Listen to KerSplatt's Mal and Amy's chat for Episode 3!) Mac's Comics, Mackay TV Shows and Movies Spartacus Liam McIntyre Barry Duffield (Listen to Barry's chat for Episode 95!) Filmink Magazine Sports UFC: Ultimate Fighting Championship

James L. Sutter, Creative Director of Starfinder – Episode 102

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 20:00:44 +0000

Creative Director for Paizo, inc., James L. Sutter, is one of the privileged few who helps us geeks combine board gaming, improvisation and flights of imagination via the hobby of the tabletop roleplaying game. He co-developed the rules for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, which lets players adventure through dungeons and slay dragons, and was recently appointed as the Creative Director of the upcoming Starfinder Roleplaying Game which will shift the high fantasy world of Pathfinder a few thousand years into the future and add starships, lasers and cyborgs to Pathfinder's elves, dwarves and magic swords. Not only does James write for RPGs, but James is also a keen fiction author. He manages the the Pathfinder Tales novel line for Paizo and has written two novels for it; Death's Heretic and The Redemption Engine, as well as a multitude of short stories for other publications. James enjoys playing with high-concept ideas like the meaning of atheism in a world where deities are objective fact. James and I have a great chat about a high school teacher who encouraged his students to create their own RPGs, getting his arse handed to him in Wheel of Fortune, evolving timelines in game products, the joys of communal living and the spirit of adventure at the heart of tabletop roleplaying games! James L. Sutter James L. Sutter on Twitter Paizo, Inc. Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Pathfinder Tales Starfinder Brides of the Lizard God (Bandcamp) Games Dread Featured image provided by James L. Sutter

JourneyBirds’ Wonderland: Fiction Isn’t – Episode 101

Wed, 26 Oct 2016 20:00:05 +0000

Online fiction authors and multimedia producers Birdy and Mike Diamond follow a concept they call "Fiction Isn't," which they discovered whilst exploring psychic channeling. It's the idea that, when authors say that their characters suddenly started telling their own stories, that's what's really happening: the author has made a mental link to actual people in realms elsewhere from ours. Instead of creating stories, authors are writing the biographies of these people. Birdy and Mike are making early ventures in getting paid to play under their brand, JourneyBirds' Wonderland. They've created a Patreon page to support their works, which include Arrows in Flight, an Arrow-inspired vigilante story; Church of the Guardian Angel, where two unlikely servants of a cat goddess quietly work to keep the world sane; and Crosswell's Flying Circus, an unusual airshow company dragged into a dark conspiracy (all of which feature readings by yours truly)! They've also developed some tools to help writers find inspiration and crank their daily word count out! I chat with Birdy and Mike about getting serious about writing whilst being trapped in a hospital bed, psychic hyperlinks, the struggle to be open about yourself in a society that frowns on the unusual, warbird outfits, winning NaNoWriMo, minimum viable perfection and how fiction facilitates the conversations we need to have about the issues that truly matter. Thanks again to my guest for episode 20, Catherine Caine, for introducing me to Birdy and Mike! Birdy & Mike Diamond, JourneyBirds' Wonderland On Facebook On Google+ On Patreon On Twitter Fan Fiction Bardic Raven on Archive of Our Own Blackbird Tells Tales on Tumblr NaNoWriMo National Novel Writing Month official web site Psychic Functioning and Channelling Mediumship and Channelling (Wikipedia) Featured image provided by Birdy and Mike Diamond

Feisty Cuffs, Cosplayer and Host of Kapow! – Episode 100

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 20:00:38 +0000

Cosplayer and YouTube show host Feisty Cuffs has been in love with the cosplay community since her very first convention. She enjoys the creative process of constructing her own costumes and props, and picks her next cosplay projects based on whether she can learn a new technique or skill. Feisty loves attending conventions as a cosplayer, panellist and cosplay judge, and connecting with like-minded geeks. You may even recognise her as one of the hosts and of the Kapow! Comic Book Show on YouTube. Feisty and I have a great chat about being that friend you invite to a fancy dress party, a love of European comic books, meeting those crazy people you just click with, the awesomeness of being asked to host a cosplay competition at the Rooster Teeth Expo and her favourite comic book character of all time! Keep listening after the chat wraps for a retrospective on the first 100 episodes of The Paid to Play Podcast! Thanks to Glenn Hodges and my guest for episode 76, Twerkin Gherkin, for getting me in touch with Feisty! Feisty Cuffs Official Feisty Cuffs Website Feisty Cuffs on Facebook Feisty Cuffs on Twitter The Kapow! Comic Book Show Video Games Final Fantasy VIII Lulu (Final Fantasy fan wiki) Infinite Crisis (Wikipedia) Cartoons, Comics and Movies Adventure Time Feisty Cuffs' Atomic Wonder Woman cosplay, complete with chainsaw. Photo by Maleficent Images. Angela (Wikipedia) Asterix Guardians of the Galaxy Nightwing Penny Arcade Saga Tintin Wolverine Wonder Woman Atomic Wonder Woman Statue (Big Bad Toy Store) X-Ray and Vav Cosplayers and Conventions Comic Gong Whoniverse (Doctor Who Convention) Evey Dantes - Dantes Inferno (Check out my chat with Evey for Episode 57!) Penny Arcade Expo PAX Australia PAX West Rooster Teeth Expo (RTX) - AU San Diego Comic Con Twerkin Gherkin (Check out my chat with Twerkin for Episode 76!) All photos provided by Feisty Cuffs. Featured image taken by

Scott Doucet, Podcast Coach – Episode 99

Wed, 12 Oct 2016 20:00:49 +0000

Podcast coach and host Scott Doucet loves podcasts. He loves listening to them. He loves making them and helping people make them. He loves them so much that he co-founded and continues to administer a huge community of podcasters on Facebook. And just recently, he's applied his experience and passion for podcasting to launch an all-new show, Podcast Bay, where he invites podcasters new and veteran to talk about the trash, the treasure and the trickery of the podcasting game! We have a great chat about Scott's first job in radio at 14, his discovery that podcasting isn't just guys sitting around talking movies, finding a mentorship on a budget, and being hockey in the streets but Warhammer 40K in the sheets! Thanks to my guest for Episode 75, Ross Barber-Smith, for getting me into the Podcast Discovery Center and giving me the opportunity to meet Scott! Scott Doucet Scott Doucet on Facebook Scott Doucet on Instagram Scott Podcast Coach Down & Dirty with Kim Boudreau-Smith & Scott Doucet Edge-ucation with Scott Doucet and Josh MacKenzie (Stitcher) Podcast Bay Podcast Bay On Twitter Episode: It's Not You, It's Me - featuring Rob Farquhar of Paid to Play! Podcasts We've Been Great But You Gotta Go! SModcast Coaches and Mentors Marc Mawhinney - Natural Born Coaches Mark Black Featured image provided by Scott Doucet Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save

Stephanie L H Calahan, The Business Vision Catalyst – Episode 98

Wed, 05 Oct 2016 21:00:14 +0000

Business Vision Catalyst and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. Stephanie L H Calahan works with busy, purpose-driven entrepreneurs at the intersection of heart and head, to leverage their business and get their message out with power, ease and joy; so they can make a powerfully positive difference in the world, exponentially up-level their profits, shift their mindset towards possibility and take a no-excuses approach to boldly creating a highly successful and meaningful business built around who they are. In short, to enjoy a highly-successful and meaningful business… while working less. After Stephanie chose to leave a successful-on-paper nine-to-five corporate life that was putting her through an emotional and physical wringer, she quickly discovered that if not approached correctly, entrepreneurship could be just as damaging. Ultimately, she stepped back and re-defined everything, and now lives a self-employed working and family life that brings her all the benefits she offers her customers. Stephanie and I have a great chat about being a consultant from childhood, armchair travel, unlocking the golden handcuffs, a blinding flash of the obvious, giving a child the benefits of a stay-at-home mom without being one and the crippling fear of disappointing your spouse. Stephanie L H Calahan, The Business Vision Catalyst Official website of Stephanie L H Calahan Featured image provided by Stephanie Calahan

Lauren Dawes: Hybrid Paranormal Romance Author – Episode 97

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:00:01 +0000

Hybrid paranormal romance author Lauren Dawes writes the Half Blood series, four novels of the Helheim Wolf Pack, and the Dark trilogy, tales of ancient Norse gods living and battling amongst humanity. The Dark series are published by Pan MacMillan, while Lauren self-publishes the Half Blood series. Lauren was born in South Africa to English parents who then raised her and her brother in Sydney. She loves reading, naturally, but also travelling and, perhaps unsurprisingly given the action-packed nature of her novels, muay thai kick boxing. Her love of urban fantasy and paranormal romance sprang from reading authors like Laurell K. Hamilton, J.R. Ward and Charlaine Harris. Lauren and I have a great chat about what Stephenie Meyer did to the vampire genre, the author's burden of the rejection slip, juggling writing with raising a youngster while the armed forces make off with your husband, the work of world building, going from writing a novel in private to speaking at panels in conventions. Huge thanks to my guest for episode 83, Kimberley Clark, for recommending Lauren to me! Lauren Dawes Official Website Lauren Dawes on Facebook Lauren Dawes on Twitter Lauren's Loves Vikings Authors Brandon Sanderson Gemma Arlington (Facebook) Neil Gaiman Larissa Ione (Demonica series) Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter and the Merry Gentry (fae princess) series) Anne Rice The Vampire Chronicles Publishers and Agents Alex Adsett Publishing Services Pan MacMIllan Novelist Resources Query Tracker Romance Society of Australia Conventions Australian Movie & Comic Expo (formerly Armageddon) Book Expo Australia: October 8th-9th, Sydney Oz Comic-Con Supanova Featured image and banner supplied by Lauren Dawes Save

Bajo: Actor, Author and Host of ABC TV’s Good Game – Episode 96

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 21:00:09 +0000

Television host and actor Steven O'Donnell is better known to gamers across Australia as Bajo, one of the four hosts of the ABC television show Good Game. Bajo's prestige amongst the Australian geek community has made him a go-to guest and MC for pop culture conventions. Bajo has acted in close to 40 short films and 6 independent features and is part of a team developing a new children's TV show for the ABC, which has just been green-lit after four years of development. If that's not enough, Bajo and fellow Good Game host Hex have written a children's book series called Pixel Raiders for Scholastic. Bajo and I have a great chat about night-long Counter-Strike marathons four days a week, making children cry at Warner Bros. Movie World, the sheer amount of work involved in making multiple television shows each week, seeking out challenges that make you feel uncomfortable and how community is at the heart of any passion! Thanks to Glenn Hodges for getting Bajo and I in touch, and thanks to Patreon backer Angus Morrison for the great question! Bajo, a.k.a. Steven O'Donnell Official web site of Steven O'Donnell, a.k.a. Bajo Good Game Official web site of ABC TV's Good Game Stephanie "Hex" Bendixsen Games Counter-Strike God of War (Wikipedia) No Man's Sky Quadrilateral Cowboy Quake (Wikipedia) TV and Movies Batman: The Animated Series (Wikipedia) Midnight Zoo (Wikipedia) Books Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith (Wikipedia) Pixel Raiders, Book 1: Dig World Featured image from Bajo's web site. Save Save Save Save Save Save Save

Barry Duffield, Star of Spartacus – Episode 95

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 21:00:26 +0000

Veteran of the acting scene Barry Duffield moved from the UK to Australia with family as a youngster but found acting success after moving to New Zealand, where he studied at the South Seas Film and Television School in Auckland. This led to recurring roles the New Zealand medical drama Shortland Street. Genre fans, though, undoubtedly know him for his portrayal of Lugo, the Germanic warrior in the Starz TV series Spartacus: Vengeance and Spartacus: War of the Damned. Listen in for a great chat about how Berry got his big break thanks to a motorbike, the unique experience that is "Option Hell," working on Young Hercules, his (spoiler warning) epic death in Spartacus: War of the Damned, helping a young boy who had beaten cancer get to a Spartacus convention and how he's just as big a fan as anyone else! Huge thanks to Glenn Hodges for connecting Barry and I up, and also to Patreon backer Paul Cockrem for the awesome question! Barry Duffield Barry's writing / production firm, Dreamchaser Productions Graphic Novels Deadman's Land and Tandoori Apocalypse Barry Duffield on IMDB Spartacus: Vengeance and Spartacus: War of the Damned (Starz TV show) Lugo (Spartacus fan wiki) Rebels Spartacus Convention III - September 24th-25th, 2016, Paris, France Young Hercules (Wikipedia) Kazankis (Hercules & Xena fan wiki) Images provided by Barry Duffield. Save Save Save

Jacinta Maree, Young Adult Author – Episode 94

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 21:00:22 +0000

Young adult dark romance author Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, Japan and video games. Jacinta has created three worlds with which she weaves the stories of her novels: The My Demonic Ghost series, the Immortal Gene series and the upcoming Time Collector series. So far, the My Demonic Ghost series has become a best seller, won the People’s Choice Award Horror of the Year 2013 from Turning the Pages and has been nominated for other multiple Young Adult and Paranormal awards. We have a great chat about her stories, her friends in the publishing houses that take her novels to press, the convention experience and even not letting a difficulty with spelling prevent her from writing!

Bernie Bregman, Nerds Like Us: Episode 93

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 21:00:17 +0000

Geek event organiser and cosplayer Bernie Bregman is the man to thank for making events that aren't just geek-friendly but outright geek-celebratory! Bernie Bregman is one of the best contest/masquerade hosts on the US cosplay circuit with over a decade of experience and several elite-level shows under his belt. Through his company Nerds Like Us, Bernie has organised midnight movie screenings, convention after-parties, meet-and-greets and even a network of nerd nightclubs! Bernie and I have a great chat about making a career out of getting geeks together, from his introduction to geeking out and cosplay via The Rocky Horror Picture Show through first business venture organising a screening of Repo: The Genetic Opera! to the day-to-day ins-and-outs of running a geek culture event entertainment business.

Celia Berrell, Science Poet: Episode 92

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 21:00:54 +0000

Author of Science Rhymes and internationally published poet Celia Berrell has a passion for taking science concepts and presenting them to people – children in particular – as poems. Her work is regularly featured in the children’s science magazine of Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Celia and I have a great chat about a lifelong love of science, the importance of a website to self-promotion, the joy of having a printed, published book, the necessity of checking your facts even when writing poetry and being caught out not being a child when writing poems for a children’s magazine. Celia also reads her poem, “Body Chemistry”!

Nolan T. Jones, Roll20: Episode 91

Wed, 17 Aug 2016 21:00:29 +0000

Roll20 co-creator Nolan T. Jones loved playing tabletop roleplaying games with good mates until relocating across the US almost ended his close friendships. Instead, he and his friends looked online for help with playing the games they loved - and when none of the solutions was good or easy enough to use, they built their own. Now, Roll20 is one of the world's largest virtual tabletop applications, and probably the most well-known.Thanks to Nolan and his mates, gamers across the world are getting together every day to play RPGs from Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder to Star Wars and Traveller. In addition to being part of an industry-leading tabletop gaming company, he's worked in comics, including writing the books 'Colonial Souls' and 'House of ORR.' He has a degree in film and East Asian culture from the University of Kansas, and considers himself a qualified speaker on screenplay structure, Dragon Ball, Vince Guaraldi, and the Mighty Mutanimals.

CJ Ripka, Raw & Real – Episode 90

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 21:00:26 +0000

Veteran podcaster CJ Ripka has been creating audio content for over a decade. He started when it was still just called "audio blogging". His skills as a host and personality have shot up, though, since he started his own shows, Average 2 Awesome and his current show, Raw & Real. CJ has recently expended his podcasting portfolio, joining Ray Rideout, Jr. every day on The Crossroads of Podcasting and inviting Ray to co-host Raw & Real. The two have also started the SDWV Podcast Network, of which this show is an inaugural member, to help podcasts build audiences and earn incomes from their shows! We have a great chat about making podcasts for the national guard, the struggle of setting your own rate, how creating a celebrity persona helps you succeed and what you do when injuries or external forces not just impact your business but prevent you from doing your thing entirely.

Bernadette Bentley: A Princess of Entertainment – Episode 89

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 21:00:13 +0000

All-around geek entertainer Bernadette Bentley is a lifelong performer who never let others crush her enthusiasm. She may be best known for cosplaying Xena: Warrior Princess at conventions around California and the States, but Bernadette is passionately pursuing her dream of enriching lives with entertainment. Bernadette’s nature refuses to let her focus on one thing at a time, which has led her to act on stage and screen, in voice over and web shows. She’s hosted geek events and cosplay conventions. She co-founded Le Geek So Chic, a traveling fashion show that highlights the cream of geek clothing design. Her newest venture is Bernadazzled, a company that allows Bernadette to indulge her love of rhinestoning by creating glamorous fashion items and bringing a little extra sparkle to the world! We have a great chat about the external pressure from well-meaning folks to not just settle down and get a real job but also to focus on One Thing, the power of lists, the epic experience that was both her first convention AND her first cosplay as Xena, meeting Lucy Lawless, working with a community of fantastic fellow creatives and enthusiasts, moving on when people act against you and helping an animal rescue charity take care of their dogs! Featured photo from Bernadette Bentley's website; taken by Estrada Photography

Monte Cook, Monte Cook Games: Episode 88

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 21:00:48 +0000

Game designer and writer Monte Cook has worked on hundreds of roleplaying and board game products. He co-designed the Third Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, served as design consultant on the Pathfinder roleplaying game and, in 2012, co-founded Monte Cook Games, LLC. As Creative Director and Lead Designer, Monte co-created the Cypher System roleplaying game rules that are the heart of The Strange and the award-winning Numenera. Monte also bends his writerly talents to novels and fiction, comic books and nonfiction works. In his spare time, he makes the odd YouTube series with fellow geeks, like the a tongue-in-cheek take on ghost hunting reality shows, Geek Seekers, co-starring Jen Page. Please listen for a great chat about sleeping on couches while interning with an RPG company, some of the dearly departed brands of the RPG industry, why you shouldn't listen to gossip about the "big guys" and the differences between working for and running an RPG company. Huge thanks to my guest for episode 87, Jen Page, for getting me in touch with Monte!

Jen Page: All-In on Geekiness – Episode 87

Wed, 20 Jul 2016 21:00:35 +0000

Full-time multi-talent geek Jen Page is a wonderful example of what can happen when we connect the little dynamo of energy inside us to the things we love to do. She juggles a full-time job managing Microsoft's community of casual gamers with acting in indie films and web series, modelling her own fantasy fashion creations and making mermaid tails on commission! Jen and I have a great chat about the life of someone who has gone all-in on every aspect of herself. We touch on how being a navy brat helped Jen overcome shyness, how stage work is not her thing, her secret desire to be a freelance thief for tabletop roleplaying game groups and just how she manages to make time for all her interests and a day job that doesn't stick to a set nine-to-five! Thanks to my guest for Episode 71, Tonja Davis, for getting me in touch with Jen!

Lauren Matesic, Castle Corsetry: Episode 86

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 21:00:19 +0000

Castle Corsetry owner-operator and cat-lover Lauren Matesic has designed and built hundreds of corsets as well as custom costume orders specialising in expertly tailored spandex suits and impeccable cosplay recreations. As a geeky girl herself, Lauren's enthusiasm makes her work truly exceptional, and fellow geeks have come to know Lauren as the go-to girl for commission cosplays for conventions across the country every year. Her designs have been worn by geek-culture celebrities like Team Unicorn, Ivy Doomkitty and Adrianne Curry! On top of all that, Lauren's latest project is an upcoming web series Pawsplay, which launches on the AWE Me YouTube channel Monday, July 18th! Lauren and I have a great chat about the challenges of working with spandex, how the makers' collective that Lauren lucked into sharing office space with inspire and challenge her (and made her the most awesome office space in the world) and about how keeping your child self's imagination alive after when people say the days of dress-up ought to be over is at the heart of getting paid to play.

Bebo (Brittanie Boe): Working from Home Marketing Board Games – Episode 85

Wed, 06 Jul 2016 21:00:28 +0000

Board game marketer Brittanie Boe, known to pretty much everyone as Bebo, is an example of paid to play success for those of us who feel like life has locked us into the nine-to-five. She is a single mother and lover of board games who had a day job working in the marketing department of an insurance company. Now, Bebo is the marketer for a board game distributor, managing multiple social media channels with a team of fellow enthusiasts, attending industry and fan conventions and generally helping enthusiasts find the right games for their tastes. On top of all that, she works from her home! And if that’s not enough, Bebo joins forces with my guest for episode 77, Teri Litorco; together, they are the blogging, YouTubing and podcasting duo of tabletop gaming, The Board Dames! It was great chatting with Bebo about how she transitioned from day-job dullness to work-from-home wonderment, how Bebo’s friends and family help stop her from losing herself in work and what her next steps will be – as well as her not-so-secret desire to form a country music band!

Travis Bain: Terrifying and Thrilling on a Tight Budget – Episode 84

Wed, 22 Jun 2016 21:00:27 +0000

Independent film maker Travis Bain has been in love with movies and the making of them most of his life. His day job is filming weddings and corporate videos, but he pours his spare time into movies like the indie horror film Throwback, the upcoming disaster thriller Landfall, and a currently in preproduction love letter to the works of H. P. Lovecraft, Starspawn. We chat about how a Mexican singer led to Travis committing to the course of his life, the difference between producers and directors, how hard it is to get your hands on the works of H.P. Lovecraft outside a major city and how kids these days substitute ambition for genuine love and curiosity.

Kimberley Clark: A Self-Published Urban Fantasy Author – Episode 83

Sat, 11 Jun 2016 21:00:32 +0000

Self-published author of urban and erotic fantasy Kimberley Clark is determined to make sure that every item on herbucket list is crossed off. One of those items was to write a novel – yet after completing that project, Kimberley discovered that rather than moving on to the next thing, she had to keep going as a writer. Kimberley is now the self-published author of a trilogy of erotic urban fantasy novels, the Battles in the Dark series, which are on sale on Amazon. We had a great chat about pursuing your dreams, the struggle in finding a good editor and the choice between self-publishing and seeking out a traditional publisher.

Elle Sommerling: Freelance Voice Talent – Episode 82

Sat, 28 May 2016 21:00:51 +0000

Though she’s only 21 years old, Elle Sommerling has almost ten years of experience behind the microphone, the majority of which is as a working voice artist. She’s soon to graduate university in the United States with a degree is in Education, but her passion lies in voice acting. Elle - who, when this chat was recorded, was still using her real name of Ann Tworek in her voice work endeavours - has completed work for international companies as well as small-time amateur character projects and currently has ongoing projects in both the commercial and character acting fields. As an aspiring voice talent myself, it was great to chat with Elle about how her family helped her get started in voice performance, how she juggled study with freelance voice work and how boxes and closets can be vital to good sound recording!

Adam Koebel: A Full-Time Online Game Master – Episode 81

Sat, 14 May 2016 21:00:32 +0000

Tabletop roleplaying game GM Adam Koebel is at the forefront of an explosion of RPG popularity online. Though the creative storytelling hobby of tabletop roleplaying games have been around since the advent of Dungeons & Dragons in the mid-seventies, it’s only in the last few years that people have been able to harness live streaming and YouTube videos to present their play for others’ entertainment. Adam is currently the Game Master in Residence at Roll20, a platform for playing tabletop RPGs across the Internet, and GM of the RollPlay: Swan Song and Rollplay: Balance of Power campaigns for Twitch live-streaming channel itmeJP. Adam also co-designed the award-winning Dungeon World tabletop roleplaying game and streams analytical content and video game play from Vancouver, Canada. Join me as I have a great geek-out over a shared hobby and chat about how modern technology is enabling not just RPGs as entertainment, but all us hobbyists a chance to improve our skills and find our audiences!

Sim Lauren: Painting Miniatures, Knitting Clothes and a Good Day Job – Episode 80

Sat, 30 Apr 2016 21:00:27 +0000

Sim Lauren is in a position that we wish were less unique than it is; not only does she have two hobbies that she gets paid to play with, but she’s also working at a day job that she quite enjoys! Sim has been a gamer for as long as I’ve known her (since the late nineties), and has turned painting miniature figures for wargames into an income stream, having recently completed a sixteen-inch-high Chaos Reaver Titan for commission. Not only that, though, she indulges her love of knitting and creating clothing by doing consignment work for stores across the UK!

Shane Gibson of The Geek Cave – Episode 79

Wed, 06 Apr 2016 21:00:52 +0000

Technologist for hire Shane Gibson has loved technology since he was a kid, and when he was made redundant from a full-time IT job, he decided to put his skills to work for himself as a freelance consultant, helping folks integrate their computers and electronic gadgets into their lives. Shortly afterward, however, he discovered that the paperwork requirements for being self-employed weren’t for him, and he leapt on a job opportunity with a multi-state radio network that allows him to keep plying his skills with technology and computers for a full-time wage! Shane and I have a great chat about not just how well (or not) new technology works, but also how it could help those with impairments due to age or disability overcome those handicaps. We also discuss the struggle of setting and keeping to your own rate, knowing what kind of work is right for you (including nine-to-five or on-call employeedom) and some of the perceived potential negative effects of being surrounded by so much wireless technology.

Wayne Nichols: Penciler of Superheroes – Episode 78

Sat, 02 Apr 2016 21:00:26 +0000

It’s probably the dream of every comic fan to work for one of the major comics brands, and Brisbane boy Wayne Nichols has made it real; he is a penciler, the person creating the line art that forms the base of a comic book’s pages, who has worked on The Incredible Hulk and the official comics for the Orphan Black TV series. His work is not only critically acclaimed; it has also made him a guest at Australian pop culture conventions, where he gets to both be a fan and meet the fans of his work. Wayne also uses his skills in visual art as an illustrator, creating art work for projects and story boards for videos. It was fantastic to finally catch up with Wayne after meeting him at Tropicon and chat about his favourite titles as a reader of comics, his dreams of making it as a bassist in an alt-rock band and just what it’s like to do comics and visual art for a living!

Twerkin Gherkin: Bringing A Little Magic – Episode 76

Sat, 12 Mar 2016 21:00:13 +0000

Cosplayer Twerkin Gherkin has been very busy for the past few years. Not only is she a mainstay of the Australian East Coast scene, becoming an invited guest cosplayer to regional conventions, but she was also the first employee of Brisbane-based children’s party entertainment firm, Ever After Parties, where she enjoys bringing smiles to children’s faces, especially at charity events. Twerkin and I get to have a great chat about her love of comic book villain / anti-hero Harley Quinn, knowing your audience and what you really want from your working life, the weird feeling of not being weird enough and the changes within the cosplay community over the last few years – not to mention fending off a dog invasion!

Ross Barber-Smith, Electric Kiwi – Episode 75

Sat, 27 Feb 2016 21:00:39 +0000

Indie musician's web designer Ross Barber-Smith was studying Popular Music Performance at the UHI Millennium Institute in Perth (Scotland) with an aim to become a working musician when an assignment building a website to promote a band showed him something he’d enjoy even more. Hot out of university, Ross founded his own business, Electric Kiwi, in 2011. Since then he’s been designing web sites and album covers for independent bands and musicians. He’s levered the Internet to get work from clients across the world, and he gets to pick and choose the clients he’ll most enjoy working with. Not only that, he’s co-host of a video podcast, Bridge the Atlantic, featuring chats with musicians and creatives! Listen in for a great chat about starting your own firm, managing a weekly schedule and the trap of niceness!

Joel Zaslofsky: A Regular Dude Living Simple and Free – Episode 74

Sat, 13 Feb 2016 21:00:52 +0000

Organising and simplification specialist Joel Zaslofsky has been spreading the word about removing the un-necessary from your life ever since a personal Renaissance that made him realise that he wanted to set a better example for his firstborn child than working at a job he didn't care for. Since then, Joel has been interviewing people about how to live as sanely as possible in this cluttered, noisy world of ours in his podcast, Smart and Simple Matters. He's also written a book, Experience Curating, aimed at helping people both discover their purpose and cure "leaky-brain syndrome." On top of those, he organises conventions for those who wish to live simply, called SimpleREV. At the time of our chat, he'd just embraced his core passion so much that he'd recently rebranded his site, formerly Value of Simple, to JoelZaslofsky.com.

Crowdfunding Hope for Animated Sci-Fi: Jeff Saamanen – Episode 73

Sat, 30 Jan 2016 21:30:23 +0000

It's my pleasure to kick Season 4 of the Podcast off with this chat with Jeff Saamanen, one of the two minds behind an animated sci-fi epic called Lost Hope. Jeff and his co-creator Natalie Harvey are currently running a Kickstarter to fund the first four episodes of this fusion of Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and Archer, and it's my pleasure to help promote their campaign! It was great fun to have a virtual sit-down with Geoff and geek out about science fiction, animation, independent projects and games in general! Please listen and enjoy! Oh, and: Back Lost Hope on Kickstarter! YouTube Pending Lost Hope Official website Kickstarter Other Projects 4Villains Things Jeff Digs and Other Stuff Mentioned The Arksville Homicides animated web series Deathwatch Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Firefly / Serenity Rooster Teeth Productions Lazer Team Red vs. Blue RWBY Star Wars: Battlefront XCOM: The Board Game XCOM: Enemy Unknown / Within Featured image supplied by Jeff Saamanen

What’s Your Play? – Episode 72

Sat, 02 Jan 2016 22:56:38 +0000

I've spent over seventy episodes talking about my guests' play and my own. But what abut your play? I want to hear from / read you! Please let us know, whether by email, by comment here or on Facebook (including the Fans of the Podcast group), Google+, Twitter or Patreon (if you're a backer - and if not, why not?), about the things that you're doing right now or have been doing that you love to do, that you can't not do, even if you have no idea of the value they might have for anyone else! YouTube Podcaster's Note After editing the video episode in Windows Movie Maker, I decided that I wanted to use that version for the audio podcast rather than re-edit the audio I'd recorded in Audacity. The problem was that, while I can save the show an audio only file from Movie Maker, it's in M4A format, which Audacity doesn't support natively. There's a plug-in library that you can download, but, try as I might I couldn't get Audacity to recognise it. So I went searching online and, after a few false starts, found Maniac Tools' free M4a to MP3 converter programme and it did the job just fine.

2015 in Review and the Podcast in 2016 – Episode 70

Thu, 31 Dec 2015 10:18:36 +0000

2015 has been a great year for the Paid to Play Podcast, with folks backing it on Patreon and even a live panel at Cairns' first pop culture convention! It's had a few rough moments too, mostly of my own making. In this last episode of a solid year, I count down two Top Tens of your favourite episodes, look at how the podcast changed for the better and what I'm looking forward to bringing you, and experimenting with, in 2016! Happy New Year, everyone! YouTube

Keeping It Private – Episode 68

Thu, 24 Dec 2015 06:22:37 +0000

As 2015 draws to a close, I talk about how I want to do things differently in 2016, in the hope of getting more things done. This is the first of the two Lost Episodes of Paid to Play 2015 - in other words, I didn't get around to recording them in time for their release in show order. I intend to record and release Episode 70 before the New Year. This is also the first episode that I've seriously edited together for the YouTube format. The podcast episode itself is twenty minutes of ramble; the YouTube version is half that (with a few slightly dodgy cuts, thanks to Windows Movie Maker). YouTube Episodes of the show I mention Cosplay's Best Mate: Beethy Photography - Episode 39 Bringing Princesses to Life: Sharna, Ever After Parties – Episode 69 Gamified Geeky Fitness: Tonja Davis – Episode 71 Critical Role On Geek & Sundry On YouTube Episode 4

Gamified Geeky Fitness: Tonja Davis – Episode 71

Sat, 12 Dec 2015 22:00:37 +0000

Tonja Davis is an incredible fusion of geek and fitness enthusiast. She's not only worked in technology and for one of the biggest business names in the geek world, she's also taken her own struggles with with chronic illness and injuries - in her own words, "If there's something you can break, I probably broke it!" - and turned them into programmes to help those whom the mainstream fitness industry neglects. The business born of the fusion of these loves is Action Hero Fitness, a comic book-themed body and health coaching business that aims to help geeks struggling with fitness. Tonja levers web technology and even online-enabled game consoles to run coaching sessions for people whose health issues prevent them from going to gyms or outdoor fitness courses. YouTube Action Hero Fitness Official website Superheroes Spider-Man Batman The X-Men (source of the Danger Room) Fitness Aids Xbox One with Kinect Tonja's Loves Dungeons & Dragons The World of Greyhawk Final Fantasy XIV The Nightmare Before Christmas The Princess Bride Previous Gigs Wizards of the Coast Magic: the Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers Magic: the Gathering Online Resources 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey Featured image supplied by Tonja Davis

Bringing Princesses to Life: Sharna, Ever After Parties – Episode 69

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 00:39:57 +0000

It's interesting how things tuned out: The recording order of my chat with Sharna, owner and operator of and performer in Ever After Parties, comes out twelve months after she started the company! Ever After Parties specialises in making make-believe a little more real by bringing beloved characters from animated movies to children's parties. It's cosplay in one of its purer forms; it's no coincidence that Sharna was a cosplayer before she got into performing at kids' parties. We chat about Sharna's love of anime and Disney, going from a princess party company employee to staring her own company at just sixteen years of age (while still at high school) and the support you can get from the most unlikely quarters as long as you stand by your paid play! YouTube Sharna, Ever After Parties Ever After Parties Official Site On Facebook Party Characters Elsa and Anna, the Snow Sisters Alice Sharna's Loves Walt Disney World First Cosplays Ever After Parties performers Summer and Sharna (right) making a princess-to-be's day! Konata, Lucky Star Hatsune Miku, Vocaloid Misa, Death Note Chi, Chobits Artwork Skirtzzz Cosplayers Twerkin Gherkin Featured image and photos supplied by Sharna

Video Game Freelancing: C.J. “Rhykker” Miozzi – Episode 67

Sat, 14 Nov 2015 22:00:36 +0000

C. J. Miozzi is the paid player I want to be when I grow up. He's a writer, graphic artist and voice talent, and he's built his revenue streams around his love of video games, especially Diablo III. He's probably best known for his YouTube channel of advice for players of Diablo III, for which he goes by the handle of Rhykker. We chat about the difference between personalities and content providers on YouTube, the conflict between outsourcing and the desire for complete control, pursuing a career almost completely outside your field of study and planning for the inevitable changes in any modern career, not just freelancing. Oh, and we have a bit of a geek-out about Dungeons & Dragons. YouTube C.J. Miozzi, a.k.a. Rhykker Rhykker Freelancing: Official Site Rhykker's YouTube Channel C. J. Miozzi on The Escapist Rhykker on Twitter Rhykker on Twitch What Rhykker Plays Diablo 3 Heroes of the Storm Dungeons & Dragons Other YouTubers PewDiePie Featured image supplied by C. J. Miozzi.

Executing the Podcast? – Episode 66

Wed, 11 Nov 2015 08:50:09 +0000

The time has come. Execute Order Sixty-Six. - Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, telling his clone army to put the Jedi to death shortly before declaring himself Emperor in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Is this it? The end of the Paid to Play Podcast?! Perhaps not. But I think it's time I tried to crack through my self-doubting ways and throw myself at playing before working out how to get paid to do it. And, for the moment at least, the Podcast has stopped being play to me. Listen as I endeavour to explain why. tl;dr: I'm putting the podcast on hiatus for a few months. I'll publish my outstanding chat episodes every fortnight and do a video / audiolog in the intervening weeks, then take a break over Christmas and see where the show and I are at. YouTube Episodes of the show I mention Cosplay's Best Mate: Beethy Photography - Episode 39 Line and Colour: Nei Ruffino - Episode 49 Podcasts I've listened to lately Video Game Outsiders

From China with Life Orgasms: Frank Macri – Episode 65

Sat, 31 Oct 2015 22:00:01 +0000

Frank Macri has been grappling with the idea of Work since his late teens. He's made it his purpose to help those who are educated and passionate but still not sure where how they can take what they have and make their lives about their true selves. Frank is currently working on a book called Life Orgasm, "a provocative guide to living with passion." You can currently download his free guide, "How to Climax (On Life)" from his website and catch his weekly YouTube show where he vlogs on his experiences in China, to where, as of this writing, he's recently returned after teaching there for a year just after finishing university. We had a great chat about going it on your own in another country, looking at failure in a positive light and how the cliched phrases of positivity and self-help sometimes need a little shaking up! YouTube Frank Macri Frank's blog: The Frank Life Frank Macri on YouTube

Planning and Scheduling: Episode 64

Sat, 17 Oct 2015 23:31:28 +0000

After a fortnight of delayed schedules and projects not quite working out due to lack of planning, I thought it wise to touch on the subject of scheduling again. I also discuss some ideas for the future of the podcast! YouTube

Helping People Get Paid to Play: John Williams – Epsiode 63

Tue, 13 Oct 2015 22:36:08 +0000

Listen to the end of the chat for a special offer on John Williams' Find Your Money-Maker course! John Williams has done all sorts of things. Though he's a writer, blogger and coach at the moment, he's programmed special effects software for movies and TV, done work for the BBC, and even been a stand-up comedian. The one through-line of his recent efforts is his choice to not work to anyone else's job description or schedule for a living. John has taken his experiences in getting out of the rat race and turned them into a blog called "Screw Work Let's Play" which has since become a book (with a second one due in July 2016). The blog and book feed into the coaching courses he offers to help others find their own thing (or selection of things) in life. Naturally, I had to get him on the show! John and I have a great chat about what the process of ditching the nine to five is really like, the conflict between experimenting with work for low pay and not settling for less than pro rates and how the current education system still moulds people for factory-era work. YouTube ... it has never been easier to find an idea, make it happen and make money out of it. The Internet now and all these services out there are like an enormous toy box of things that we can use for little or no money which do remarkable things that weren't available even five years ago. And most people just aren't even bothering. They're spending their time on Facebook reposting other people's jokes... It's kind of like someone giving you a Ferrari and you driving it around everywhere in first gear. Part of the problem is that people imagine you have to have a killer business idea before you do anything... Go and experiment. There are worse things than putting a thing on Fiverr, advertising yourself and trying out a skill, selling yourself for a skill for the first time... and the fact that you sell yourself for something ridiculous for a quick bit of work, doesn't mean you're doomed to do that forever. The reason you're doing it is to give yourself experience and also to play out your ideas. You've got to experiment with: What is it I like doing? What is it I'm good at? What is it the market responds to? - John Williams Special Offer for Paid to Play Listeners Just in case you miss it during the episode, enter the promo code P2P when checking out at the Find Your Money-Maker web site for 50 percent off the entire Find Your Money-Maker programme! What's your play? How many kinds of play have you tried out as money-making initiatives? Screw Work Let's Play Official Site On Facebook On Twitter Find Your Money-Maker Official Site Links Fiverr Featured image sourced from The Ideas Lab website

On Scheduling: Episode 62

Sun, 04 Oct 2015 03:16:15 +0000

In this live streamed episode, I talk about finding time to do the things that will help us get paid to play - and making sure you discuss your schedule with those close to you! Thank you to Birdy and Mike of JourneyBirds Wonderland for coming along! NOTE: While I did livestream this video on YouTube, it had the same audio issues as the last one. Whether it was because I had a second (headset) mic plugged in and active, because I was recording in Audacity at the same time as streaming or because of something else, I'm not sure, but I'm not satisfied with the result. I need to do some more testing before I try streaming seriously again. When that will be, I'm not sure; in the meantime I'll keep to producing a quality audio podcast.

Stories From the Universe: Birdy and Mike Diamond – Episode 61

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 22:00:35 +0000

Birdy and Mike Diamond are keen writers who believe that good stories come from outside the self; that the trick to writing is getting in tune with the lives that the people you're writing about are living and letting them tell their stories through you. One avenue of portraying their stories that they've explored has been Internet TV and audio plays. They'e currently developing several projects and engaging people of various talents to help complete a few key ones - including yours truly as a voice artist! Notes for Listeners: This episode was the first time I'd experimented with using Skype credit to call a land line phone number. I was expecting that my guests' side of the conversation would be phone call quality; it turns out that Skype records us both at that grade. During this episode, Birdy and Mike make mention of a group called the Writer's Circle. Since the recording, they have decided to depart the group. YouTube What's your play? What creation of yours feels as though it came from somewhere outside of your self? JourneyBirds Wonderland On Twitter On Facebook On Patreon On Google+ Birdy and Mike Like Witchblade (TV series) Articles and Links "Famed musician 'channelled dead composers'" - Unexplained Mysteries Featured image supplied by Birdy and Mike Diamond

Keep Showing Up: Episode 60

Sat, 19 Sep 2015 22:45:59 +0000

I don't know how well this experiment of Even Episodes via Live Chat is going, but I'm having fun doing it! In this live-streamed Even Episode, I talk like a pirate about my own progress on getting paid to play! Special Guest Game: FTL! Thank you to all my lovely audience members Lilith and Birdy for coming along! YouTube WARNING: Sound issues present in the video version. Stuff of Interest CosPod Episode 97 (wherein Amber and Val give a shout out to this show for our chat with Evey Dantes!)

A Life of Magic: Sam Powers – Episode 59

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 23:34:27 +0000

Sam Powers is a stage illusionist of international acclaim. Since witnessing his first magic show at the age of three, Sam has delved into the world of illusion as entertainment. His slick, stylish shows have taken the breath of audiences across the continent and the globe and earned Sam the respect of his peers! Even though Sam was lucky enough to discover his calling young, it still takes commitment to make that calling a reality. It was a privilege to spend some time with Sam, the managing director of International Magic, discussing just what it means to manage the business side of show business. Thanks to Matt Bond for getting Sam and I in touch! YouTube What's your play? What play have you loved since you were a child? How do you manage the business side of your play? Sam Powers Official Sam Powers Website On YouTube On Facebook Sam's Appearances The Illusionists 2.0 Australia's Got Talent Fellow Magicians Peter Wood David Copperfield Resources for Magic and Illusion International Brotherhood of Magicians Mark Wilson's Cyclopaedia of Magic (Amazon) Featured image supplied by Sam Powers

On Focus – Episode 58

Sat, 05 Sep 2015 22:40:33 +0000

It's time for a new challenge, and this week it's live streaming! I'm glad just to have got it working properly (though I'm not fond of the grainy quality)! Some celebration of further success on Fiverr and some quick updates on progress with the project I announced last even episode, followed by thoughts on what I need to do in order to progress with getting more voice work. YouTube Show Notes My Fiverr Profile My voice project: Ogre, Revisited Starship Sofa

An Explosive Cosplayer: Evey Dantès – Dantès Inferno – Episode 57

Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:00:03 +0000

Evey Dantès' skill as a cosplayer has got her to the place that many cosplayers wish they were at: Being paid to cosplay. Evey has tried her hand at several ways of earning money from her craft, from commission shoots to children's parties. Nowadays, Evey not only sells prints at conventions, she is also sponsored by an online video game store, a clothing label and a dentist! I've been meaning to get this cosplayer on the show since before Tropicon, and I'm proud to have her episode up a day before Evey's next appearance at Sugar City Con in Mackay! But keep listening for Evey's next venture - helping to organise a geek convention in her own neck of the woods, south of Sydney! YouTube What's your play? How many different ways have you marketed or monetised your play? Who's your favourite comic book character or company? Who have you dressed up / cosplayed as? Evey Dantès - Dantès Inferno Evey Dantes as Duela Dent. Photo by Cosplay Australia On Facebook On Twitter On Tumblr On Instagram On DeviantArt Sponsors G2A.com SmileSciences Living Dead Clothing Stuff Evey Loves PewDiePie The Phantom The Rocketeer Cosplayers and Photographers Beethy Photography (My chat with Beethy for Episode 37) Feisty Cuffs KO Twerkin Gherkin Vicky-Vic (My chat with Vicky-Vic for Episode 41) Zeek Conventions Oz Comic-Con Shoalhaven Superheroes Sugar City Con Supanova Tropicon Images sourced from Evey Dantès' Facebook page. Featured image by Andrew Croucher Photography The cosplay of Evey's that I'd most love to see in person: Valeera, from World of Warcraft. Photo by Andrew Croucher Photography.

My New Paid to Play Project – Episode 56

Sat, 22 Aug 2015 21:06:34 +0000

It's been an interesting couple of weeks, with the ending of a Patreon patronage and an upswing in voice gigs on Fiverr - but perhaps the most interesting thing is my starting a personal Paid to Play Challenge! After telling folks that the best thing you can do is embrace your inner craziness, geekiness and oddness, it's time I did it myself - I'm taking the book I've been writing in my head for the last few weeks about the computer game Heroes of the Storm and turning it into an actual book over the next sixty days! YouTube Show Notes My Fiverr Profile Heroes of the Storm Some Early Work on My Guide to Heroes of the Storm Scrivener Screw Work Let's Play

The Soul of an Animal: Beck and Ken Drake, Zoo Studio Pet Photography – Episode 55

Sat, 15 Aug 2015 22:00:25 +0000

After taking photos of pets as a hobby for years, it took Ken Drake answering the dreaded, "What do you do for work?" question with what he wished he could be doing (instead of the software engineer work he'd been looking for) to start him down the path of getting Paid to Play. Ken's wife Beck had similarly been in business and marketing for years, and when her husband's sideline began gathering steam, Beck herself saw an opportunity to start bringing meaning into the work she'd already been doing. The result is Zoo Studio, which produces fantastic images of people's pets! These two were a request of my wife Vickie, and I was very glad to chat with them about going Venkman on one of the most joyous hobbies possible! Chat-Only Version on YouTube What's your play? Tell us about your pets. Who are they, and what are some of your fondest memories of being with them? How have you experimented with a particular niche in a broad field? Zoo Studio Official Website On Facebook On Twitter On YouTube Featured image, "Ball Games with Mia and Jetson", by Zoo Studio

What’s My Dream? – Episode 54

Sun, 09 Aug 2015 00:22:00 +0000

In this even numbered episode I talk a little about where I'd like getting Paid to Play to take me! YouTube Show Notes My Fiverr Profile The Society for Doing Things: Who Do I Envy? Rooster Teeth Penny Arcade

Love of the Eighties on Camera: Dez Green – Episode 53

Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:35:10 +0000

Cairns filmmaker Dez Green pays the bills by shooting video for local artist collectives and indigenous groups, but his passion project is a love letter to Eighties movies and TV called Dimension Man! Chat-Only Version on YouTube What's your play? What are your favourite eighties movies and / or TV shows? What makes them so special to you? How have you turned your love of a story into a story of your own? Dez Green On Facebook: Dezmond Green Dimension Man On YouTube Tropical Arts

Start With What You’re Already Doing – Episode 52

Sun, 26 Jul 2015 21:05:53 +0000

When we start thinking about doing play that people will pay us for, we tend to think of doing something new, something we've never done before or have told ourselves we'd get to some day. Is it a better idea to look at what we're already working on for things we can get paid to do? Sorry this is a touch late; I got a bit busy / distracted yesterday after recording. This is a slightly shorter one as the mailbag was empty, but don't worry, there's still plenty of me rambling on! YouTube

Retailing Two-Wheeled Joy: Linc Biggins, ScootaCo – Episode 51

Sat, 18 Jul 2015 23:37:21 +0000

Linc Biggins is a longtime petrolhead, driving, riding and modifying vehicles on two wheels and four for as long as he can remember. after discovering the simple joy (and lack of expense) of commuting to work on a 50cc scooter, Linc decided to open a shop dedicated to the sit-down two-wheel market. The result, ScootaCo, is Cairns' largest dedicated motor scooter retail and service store. I had occasion to use ScootaCo's services myself after the tyre inflation valves on The Foxy Lady, my 150cc scooter, gave way, and I got chatting with Linc about his business. The next step was, naturally, to interview him for the podcast! Chat-Only Version on YouTube What's your play? What's your favourite petrol-powered ride, whether two, three or four wheels? What would you sell in your dream shop? What would you fix? ScootaCo Official Site Facebook Featured image from ScootaCo's Facebook page.

Tropicon and Taking It Easy Once You’re Finished – Episode 50

Mon, 13 Jul 2015 00:36:36 +0000

Fifty episodes! We've hit the half century! Thank you very much for lending me our ears since 2012! Well, Tropicon was a resounding success on Saturday (and also, as it was on the day of my birth, an awesome costume party), so it's dominating today's show. I reckon there's something we can learn from the Tropicon experience about how we treat ourselves and the pay we (want to) get paid for. YouTube In This Episode: Money Where My Mouth Is Fiverr: Pricing fail plus one new blurb gig Freelance writing: Application for a regular gig with Puttylike Patreon: Charging fail! Musings How can starting in on analysis and constructive criticism after wrapping up a long-term project like Tropicon be bad for you, and what should you do instead? Mailbag Mitchell Davies asks: How did I start the podcast? Photos: Tropicon! Featured image by Lou van Rikxoort Okay, I've just got to share these birthday gifts from some lovely ladies, most especially the one at the top from my darling wife! :D My guests for Episodes 42 and 41, Lady Chain and Vicky-Vic! Lady Chain Cosplay has become the spokes-cosplayer for Tropicon! Here's her coverage in The Cairns Post! It was a privilege to take Paid to Play on stage at Tropicon! With me are Mal of KerSplatt Comics and Collectables, international games journalist Alanah "Charalanahzard" Pearce and local comic book writer and artist Cassim Akkerman. Thank you to Lou van Rikxoort for taking this! As well as Paid to Play LIVE, I got to host the Cosplay panel! With me are Evey Dantes - Dantes Inferno, Vicky-Vic, Twerkin Gherkin and Brisbane's Eleventh Doctor, Liam McLeod! Thank you to Evey for finding this! Your World My Lens took this fantastic shot of me in costume as Central Officer Bradford from XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

Line and Colour: Nei Ruffino – Episode 49

Sat, 04 Jul 2015 22:00:29 +0000

Nei Ruffino has been working freelance in the comic book industry as a colourist and overall artist for almost a decade. While she's done work for all the major labels, Nei is probably best known for her work on Zenescope Entertainment's Grimm Fairy Tales series and her colours for Danger Girl penciller J. Scott Campbell. Nei is a big believer in not just paying it forward, but the independent scene. She's been live streaming Photoshop tutorial videos and recently launched a Patreon crowdfunding page to support both her tutorials and her personal projects, including the one shot comic, Azure. It was a pleasure to chat with Nei about how she got her break in the comics industry, the daily realities of creating art (including deadline pressure and repetitive strain injury) and the comic book convention scene. I'm glad that I could fulfil Mal Semmens (of KerSplatt! Comics and Collectables)' request to get Nei on the show! Chat-Only Version on YouTube What's your play? What do you like to draw? How do you play with colours? Nei Ruffino Official Site Facebook Patreon DeviantArt - ToolKitten Zenescope Entertainment Comic Books Devil's Due Entertainment J. Scott Campbell Marc Silvestri San Diego Comic Con General Links Civilization Final Fantasy The Magicians, by Lev Grossman Zhu Featured image from Nei Ruffino's Facebook page.

Episode 48: Off Week – Dealing With Emotions, Not Words

Sat, 27 Jun 2015 22:57:03 +0000

Paid to Play is going weekly! In between every fortnightly chat show, I want to bring you a separate update on how I'm going with getting Paid to Play, my takeaways from the experience and your feedback and questions! YouTube In This Episode: Money Where My Mouth Is New Gigs on Fiverr Progress on Voice Work A New Idea for Patreon Backers: Brainstorming / Coaching Overthinking How do you get past all the rationalisations for not trying something new and deal with the emotions behind them? Mailbag Adam Wolfs asks: Why didn't I ask my cosplayer guests about the pressure to show more skin?

A Chat with an Artist: Joy Harjo – Episode 47

Sat, 20 Jun 2015 21:00:30 +0000

My wife Vickie requested that I chat with Joy Harjo right in the early days of the podcast. Joy is one of the people Vickie truly admires; a poet whose works are just as often abstract free prose as they are traditionally-formed poetry. Joy and her work have both been acclaimed for years, her first published collection hit the shelves in 1980. Joy doesn't define herself as a poet, though, nor a musician. She always grew up knowing that she would become an artist, and her quest to express the things beyond us all have led her not just to poetry and the saxophone, but to script writing, a memoir and travel around the world. Her work often addresses the disconnectedness and damage in all of us in these supposedly civilised times, and she draws much from her experiences as the blood of the Mvskoke native American nation, a people outside their country whilst still within their own country. I chatted with Joy about her career as a poet and musician, the ups and downs of the Internet and the danger of others pigeonholing your work. ALSO: Stay tuned after our chat for a quick update on... going weekly! Chat-Only Version on YouTube What's your play? When have you come up against someone else's attempt to fit you into a category? What things have you learned from the greater world around us, not just other people? Joy Harjo Official Site Facebook The Woman Who Fell From The Sky Crazy Brave - Joy's memoir Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings The Good Luck Cat Jazz and Blues Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame Blues Hall of Fame General Links International Outrigger Sprint Championships Featured image by Melissa Lukenbaugh. Other photos provided by Joy Harjo.

Pop Culture Conventions in the Sticks: Charlie Kennell and Grant Robinson – Episode 46

Sat, 06 Jun 2015 22:00:40 +0000

We geeks are every where, and in force. That, I reckon, is the main takeaway from this chat with Charlie Kennell and Grant Robinson. One is about to do what conventional wisdom would dictate as impossible - organise a pop culture convention in a semi-rural Queensland city. The other is about to do it again. In this episode, I chat with Charlie Kennell, the organiser of Cairns' first pop culture convention, Tropicon, and Grant Robinson, organiser of Sugar City Con, which had its first outing in Mackay last year and returns to Mackay this year, about just what it takes to manage and run a convention in your off-hours. Chat-Only Version on YouTube What's your play? What's your favourite pop culture convention? Which one is on your wish list? How did your last attempt to organise a get-together go? Tropicon - Saturday, July 11th, 2015, Cairns Official Site Facebook Crowdfunding: IndieGoGo Sugar City Con - Saturday August 29th & Sunday, August 30th, 2015, Mackay Official Site Facebook Twitter Podcast: Sugar City Nerds Crowdfunding: IndieGoGo Other Conventions and Events The Great Zombie Escape Oz Comic Con PAX Australia Supanova General Links Good Game - Bajo and Hex The Flash Falling Skies Wentworth Miller Featured images sourced from Charlie Kennell and Grant Robinson.

The Thrill of Self-Publishing Thrillers: Joanna Penn – Episode 45

Sat, 23 May 2015 21:00:31 +0000

If Joanna Penn wasn't an entrepreneur when the novelist bug bit, she was certainly on her way there, with a web log and podcast about self-publishing and a regular speaking gig. Then a chance encounter with NaNoWriMo, an annual writing challenge, resulted in over fifty thousand words of her first novel, the occult action thriller Pentecost. Joanna levered her existing knowledge of the publishing industry to make Pentecost (now known as Stone of Fire), its sequels in the Arkane series and her second book series, London Psychic, into independent publishing success stories. After having listened to her podacst for years, it was a privilege to chat with Joanna about how she makes sure to keep her noveling, blogging, podcasting and speaking plates all spinning, how Australia helped her discover the Amazon Kindle and just what it means to keep showing up for your dream every day, even when you're already what most would consider a success. Chat-Only version: What's your play? Which novels are your favourites? How do you make sure to create something new every day? Joanna Penn, a.k.a. JF Penn, Novelist Where it all started - NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month Website On Facebook On Amazon Joanna Penn, The Creative Penn - Self Publishing Coach Website On Facebook On Twitter On Amazon Inspiration and Motivation NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month (Every November since 1999) James Bond movies Con Air Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne la Mott On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King Writing Down The Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, by Natalie Goldberg Tools Amazon Kindle Things App (iOS / Mac) Bloggers Probogger - Darren Rowse The Entrepreneur's Journey - Yaro Starak Featured image from The Creative Penn website.

Helping People Light Up: Kristen Baker – Episode 44

Sat, 09 May 2015 21:20:58 +0000

Kristen Baker was already a success. She'd completed a degree in opera, then become a commercial real estate agent raking in lots of money. Yet she still felt that neither opera nor real estate were her purpose in life; even opera placed too many limits on her creative nature. Over a process of seven years, Kristen began trying different things until she found herself trying the first thing on her list of dream jobs: Career coach. Now Kristen has her own full-time business helping women bring their true selves into their working lives! I chat with Kristen about the struggle of finding out what lights you up, how to go about making yourself known to your potential clients and keeping a healthy attitude toward money and being your own boss! I'd like to thank Kristen for getting in touch; she is the first person to approach me via my Fancy a Chat? page, completely unsolicited! Thanks also to Cheryl Woodhouse for spreading the word about the Podcast and pointing Kristen in my direction! What's your play? What lights you up inside? How have you helped others find their way? Kristen Baker Life Coach Website On Facebook On Twitter What Kristen Digs 30 Rock Parks and Recreation Netflix Featured image from Kristen Baker's Facebook profile.

A Champion Cosplayer: Major Sam Cosplay – Episode 43

Sat, 25 Apr 2015 22:00:59 +0000

Major Sam in costume as La Carlotta with her Oz Comic Con National Cosplay Championship 2015 trophy. Photo by Dark Age Photography / Oz Comic Con. UPDATE: This post was originally entitled "A Touring Cosplayer", which seemed really generic; I'm glad I get to change it since Major Sam took out the Brisbane and then the inaugural Australian National Cosplay Championship hosted by Oz Comic Con in 2015! She'll be heading for Chicago in March 2016 to represent Australia in the C2E2 Crown Championships of Cosplay. Major Sam is one of the better known cosplayers on the Australian scene. Although it's partly because she makes sure to attend at least five of the Supanova pop culture expos held across the country each year, Sam still wouldn't have the reputation she has if she wasn't such an exceptional craftsperson! Though Sam's day job in the bridal industry employs her seamstress and milliner skills, becoming a full time cosplayer is still Sam's dream, and she's taking steps toward her goal, selling prints of her cosplays through her online store! Not only that, but she's also garnered the attention of Australian geek female fashion label Living Dead Clothing, for whom she models! It was great to chat with Sam about her love of cosplay, geekdom in general and discovering where your true joys lie, even within the hobby you love! Thanks again to Dani Hinton of Battlestar Blondie Cosplay for introducing me to Major Sam! What's your play? How often do you travel in order to exhibit the products of your play? Which skill or skills do you practice in both your play and your day job? Which avenue for getting paid to play takes up work than you thought, or can put into it at the moment? Which bits of your play could you do without? Major Sam Cosplay On Facebook On Twitter On Instagram Sam's Paid to Play Living Dead Clothing, sponsor Major Sam's Print Store What Sam Digs Civilization V Orcs Must Die Batman Cosplays Major Sam as Isis, from Age of Empires, at Gold Coast Supanova 2015. Photo by Carlos Mayenco Cosplay Photographer. Miss Kitty, from Basil: The Great Mouse Detective (Sam's favourite) The Courtesan, from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (the one she couldn't sit down in) Jessica Rabbit, from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Album 1 Album 2 Sorceress, from Orcs Must Die Cosplay Worbla Conventions Oz Comic Con Supanova San Diego Comic Con DragonCon BlizzCon Featured image by Carlos Mayenco Cosplay Photograher

Creating on Skin and in Costume: Ash Chain – Episode 42

Sat, 11 Apr 2015 21:00:14 +0000

Forty-two episodes! Does that mean my guest for this episode is the Answer to the Question of Life, The Universe and Everything? Even if not, it's great to chat with someone who's found some pretty good answers to the Question of Getting Paid to Play - and I mean answers, plural! Ash Chain is not only monetising her hobby of cosplay through print sales at conventions, she's also been able to get into a day job that is all about artistic expression and her personal interests: Tattooing. Ash has already made her name in both the Brisbane ink and cosplay scenes, and just recently she made the move from the Big Smoke to Cairns, where she will be running a stall at our first ever pop culture convention, Tropicon! Ash Chain Ash Chain Tattooist Studio 13, 62 Shields St Lady Chain Cosplay Tauriel Weta Workship Statue Poison Ivy What Ash Digs Gil Elvgren Pinup (Tribute Site) Batman Poison Ivy (Ash's cosplay) Rat Queens Stjepan Sejic (Death Vigil) Tattoos Sailor Jerry Craig Goss (Instagram) Cosplay Jessica Nigri Kamui Cosplay Nefeni Materials EVA Foam Worbla Conventions ComiCon International: San Diego Oz Comic-Con Supanova (Gold Coast and Brisbane 2015) Tropicon Featured image by James Niland Photography

The 100 Facebook Likes Party: My Captain, My King

Wed, 01 Apr 2015 20:07:52 +0000

On Facebook, I promised that once a hundred people liked The Paid to Play Podcast's page, I'd read something out. Well, thanks to the work of the people who love listening to the podcast, I hit the one hundred likes mark a couple of days ago (as of this writing, 103 people like the page)! So, of the three requests to read stuff out, here are two. Be warned, I've not attempted to do any voices or recreate any performances here; I've just read them fairly cold and tried to give them emotion close enough to what's on the page. Firstly, Franki Andersen's request that I read Captain Jean-Luc Picard's first ever Captain's Log from Star Trek: The Next Generation. http://www.paidtoplay.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/TNG_Picard_EP1.mp3 And secondly, here, per Paul Cockrem's request, is (most of) Henry V's "Saint Crispin's Day" speech from William Shakespeare's Henry V. http://www.paidtoplay.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/HenryV_StCrispinsDay.mp3 Enjoy or suffer through as appropriate!

A Rising Star of Australian Cosplay: Vicky-Vic – Episode 41

Sat, 28 Mar 2015 21:00:20 +0000

In her handful of years in the hobby, Vicky-Vic has risen to the forefront of the Australian cosplay scene, a feat doubly impressive when she not only lives a little off the beaten track in Queensland, but also works as a registered nurse, a job that would take the spare energy out of anyone. Nonetheless, Vicky-Vic's enthusiasm and fantastic results have made her star rise so much that organisers of pop culture conventions across the region have begun inviting her as a guest and also a judge of their cosplay competitions. And she's not even monetised her play (yet)! It was a pleasure to chat with Vicky-Vic, who will be one of the three guest judges of Tropicon's cosplay competition, about her love of the hobby, the fun folks in the scene and some of the unique difficulties of being not just an Australian cosplayer, but a slightly remote Australian cosplayer! I also make a couple of exciting announcements on the Patreon front at the beginning of the episode! What's your play? What hobby or interest have you found yourself getting the hang of very quickly? What product or skill that comes from your play are people already asking to buy from you? Vicky-Vic Cosplay On Facebook On Instagram On Twitter What Vicky digs The Walking Dead Final Fantasy X Cosplays Mentioned American Dream USO Dancing Girl from Captain America: The First Avenger (Vicky's favourite) Sailor Pluto Supergirl Cosplayers Baby Alice Cosplay Battlestar Blondie Cosplay (Thank you again, Dani!) CB Studios Cosplay Eve Beauregard Evey Dantès - Dantès Inferno Jessica Nigri Liam McLeod - Brisbane's 11th Doctor Twerkin Gherkin Photographers Beethy Photography (Episode 39) Carlos Mayenco Cosplay Photographer Forgotten Memories Lorenzo So Rebecca Burton Photography What A Big Camera Inspiration Captain America: The First Avenger Sailor Moon Conventions and Events The Great Zombie Escape Australia Sugar City Con Supanova 2012 Tropicon Places Brisbane Entertainment Centre RNA Showgrounds Featured image from Vicky-Vic's Facebook page; taken by Isabella Photography

Up Shit Creek but with Pozible Odds: Terry Serio – Episode 40

Mon, 23 Mar 2015 21:23:32 +0000

UPDATE 26 April 2015: I cmpletely forgot to mention eleven days ago that the Pozible campaign met its funding goal and beat it by $1,150! Congratulations to Terry and the gang at Sundown Picturehouse! This episode is going live outside the normal schedule (with apologies to the folks who normally get early access) to support the Pozible crowdfunding campaign for the crime comedy web TV series, Shit Creek, starring Terry Serio! If you've listened to my last chat with Terry for Episode 2, you'll know (if you didn't already) that he's a verteran of Australian stage and screen. Shit Creek is the first web series he's been involved in, and I'm glad to do my bit to promote its campaign to secure further funding. As of this posting, the campaign is just under five grand short of hitting its funding goal of $8,000 with 22 days to go, so please open your wallets and chuck these fine folks some of your hard-earned! If you need a little more selling on the idea, then please listen in for an entertaining chat with a great entertainer. Be warned: This chat is NSFW (not safe for work) and definitely not safe for kids either! Shit Creek Shit Creek campaign on Pozible Sundown Picturehouse The Shit Creek page Sundown Picturehouse on Facebook Terry Serio Official Website Oh Reach Vivid Sydney

Cosplay’s Best Mate: Beethy Photography – Episode 39

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 21:00:02 +0000

Beethy is a photographer based in Australia who has chosen to focus his craft on portraits of cosplayers; people who not just make costumes based on fictional characters, but also go out in public and bring life to those characters. That focus has garnered him not just a living wage but also a fantastic reputation amongst the international cosplay community. Cosplayers around the world know that the name Beethy means eminently sale-worthy portrait prints of their craft and art, but they also know it means a fun being who brings joy to the process of making great photos. I got to sample his warm personality in this chat, during which he tells his stories of the community and how he became so well known within it. Beethy also gives a good chunk of practical photography of business advice, including a crash course in taking good cosplay photos and the rules that Beethy built his business around. You may find his experiment into who produces the best photo prints to be a real eye ear-opener! Oh, and there's some random geeking out about video games and consoles at the beginning too! I love asking folks what they're digging right now! What's your play? What niche within an otherwise mainstream profession would you love to delve into? What's the most supportive community you've ever been a part of? Beethy Photography On Facebook On DeviantArt Beethy's Store (StorEnvy) Photos Mentioned Assassin's Creed: China Chronicles - Shao Jun -02- TRON: Legacy - Siren 02 World of Warcraft Death Knight World of Warcraft - Death Knights -01- Cosplay and Cosplayers TRON: Legacy - Siren 02, by Beethy What is Cosplay? (my article) Cosplay Crafting Hangouts (blog post by cosplayer Henchmenprops) TinyChat February 25th, 2015 Crafting Hangout Ameno Kitaru Darkain Hayley "Hayley Elise" Williams (Zero Suit Samus) Jessica Nigri Pokemon - Umbreon -01- (Jessica Nigri), by Beethy Pokemon: Eeveelutions Photos: Eevee Flareon Glaceon Leafeon Umbreon Kamui Cosplay Lindsay Elyse Monty Oum RWBY What Does The Life of Monty Oum Mean For Us? Ryan Brandt - Fake Nerd Boy Sushi Monster (Chloe) Willy Luffy Anders Yaya Han Photographers Darkain Multimedia Larry Alan Pireze Cameras and Lenses Canon Digital IXUS: Beethy's first camera Canon EOS 1000D: Beethy's recommendation for a starter camera Canon EOS-6D: Beethy's current kit Canon L-series lens Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens; Beethy's recommendation for a starter lens Events AniMania (finished in 2014) BlizzCon The Journey Beyond Katsucon Other Links Generalised Anxiety Disorder (Beyond Blue) Games Call of Duty Destiny Halo Insomniac Games Spyro Ratchet & Clank Mario Kart Mortal Kombat Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Consoles Playstation Vita Xbox Movies First Blood / Rambo (First Blood Part II) / Rambo III / Rambo Images sourced from Beethy's DeviantArt profile

Paying Sight and Sound Forward: Matt Bond – Episode 38

Sat, 28 Feb 2015 21:00:18 +0000

I'm pretty sure that I said that Matt Bond puts the rest of us to shame when I first chatted with him at the beginning of 2013. At the time, Matt had successfully overcome the ongoing pain from a pair of broken legs that had put an end to his career in the music industry by becoming a freelance photographer. Since then, Matt's photography business has only flourished, but he's also got back into music, returning to his beloved guitar and becoming a studio producer for local talent. On top of those, he's added video shooting and editing to his already well-strung bow and is paying his success forward by helping community charities and fellow artists (not to mention the odd podcaster) out wherever he can. And he does all this while being a part-time Dad! I just had to get him back on the podcast for another chat. Charity Work Rumer Rose (The Cairns Post) Rumer's Rockfest Murray Street - Funeral for the children (The Cairns Post) Partners in Recovery Song Connection Cairns Wuchopperen Health Service Limited Highlighted Talents The Great Moscow Circus Jason David Frank (Green / White Ranger) - Supanova 2015 Joanne Pegasus Studios Rhys Tolhurst Rob Pyne, Member for Cairns Sam Powers Sarah Jane Griffiths Selina Jade SNAGS - Sadie, The Movie Tommy Emmanuel Places and Groups Bang Magazine The Cairns Post Gilligan's Oz Comic Con Supanova Tropicon Special Announcement: I'm Hosting Tropicon!

Comic Art on Page and Skin: Paul Abstruse – Episode 37

Sat, 14 Feb 2015 22:00:23 +0000

Diversification is a byword nowadays; building your life around one source of income is risky, even when you're doing the nine-to-five. Sometimes it's unavoidable, especially when your dream job simply won't pay the bills. Paul Abstruse has taken his love of creating comic art and built himself two income streams. The first is the one you'd expect, working for comic labels like IDW and Zenescope to produce pages for comic books. The other is as a tattooist, where he not only creates the ink you see on folks every day; he also creates tattoos of the comic book characters we all love, even inking whole action scenes on people! And if you'd expect a tattooist to be a very rough and ready type, you should see the art he's created for the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic comic book series! Please join me as I chat with Paul about how the Australian body art industry has changed over the last decade, the convention scene in Australia and what it means when the job you love doesn't quite love you back. WARNING: Due to technical issues, there are a lot of audio issues in this episode that I simply couldn't edit out. These include background hum, keyboard noise and dog panting. What's your play? How have you created multiple lots of income from one interest? When have you discovered that a dream job asks a lot more fro you than you expected? Paul Abstruse On Facebook On DeviantArt Paul's Projects: The Left Hand Path ENORMIS IDW: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Influences Comics: Greg Capullo Whilce Portacio David Yardin Tattooing: Dave Olteanu Conventions Tropicon 2015 Supanova 2013 Featured image sourced from Paul Abstruse's Facebook profile.

What Does the Life of Monty Oum Mean for Us?

Fri, 06 Feb 2015 23:51:57 +0000

I can't remember hearing of Monty Oum until, I think Wednesday, when I spotted a cosplay based on the Rooster Teeth-produced show RWBY on DeviantArt. Right under it was the photographer's comment: RIP Monty Oum, creator of RWBY. This one's for you, buddy. You were a huge inspiration to many of us. Miss you. As I scrolled down past the picture into the comments, I couldn't help but notice that for every comment complimenting the artist on her cosplay, there was one saying how sad it was, what happened to Monty. So I went over to the Rooster Teeth website and found out in very short order just who Monty Oum was and what had happened to him. And that, even though I'd not bothered watching RWBY, I'd been in awe of his work for a good few years now. Though the tribute video they put together was meaningful, it was the Rooster Teeth Podcast episode where four memebers of the team talked about their time with Monty which really told me about the guy. What I heard... it made me wonder about me. And the rest of us. I've long held that the Rooster Teeth team are a prime example of what this site is about. It all started as a bunch of guys getting together and having fun playing videogames - one of their earlier sites was drunkgamers.com (which has been offline for ages; I don't think I could find it when they first mentioned it in the early days of their main web series, Red Vs. Blue, a show made entirely in the multiplayer component of the video game Halo). They got together, had fun and started working on ways of sharing that fun with people. Now, they own their own office building complete with a motion capture studio, produce several lots of web media (including Red Vs. Blue, which is about to commence airing its thirteenth season) and still appear to be having just as much fun as when they started - if not more so, as it's not a sideline or pet project any more. Rooster Teeth is these guys' full time jobs. So what gets to me about Monty? A few days ago I re-wrote the About page of this site, and part of that re-write was putting into words just what it was about my guests that made them so interesting to me. It was my wife Vickie who actually nailed it down, in two words: Curiosity and Belief. Boy, did Monty have both in spades. Go and listen to / watch that episode of the Rooster Teeth Podcast. You will be amazed at just how much stuff Monty Oum had on the go, often at the same time. Here was a guy who wouldn't even let a looming deadline stop him from taking a week to build a custom set of moving angel wings (possibly for a cosplay). He was curious to the point of voraciousness about pop culture media, and if asked, he'd say that it was part of modern life now to be a fan, to consume and then make something of your own out of what you'd taken in. As far as I can tell, it was Monty who was the main driving force behind bringing motion capture to the Rooster Teeth Studio. It was him behind the incredible action scenes that suddenly seemed to come from nowhere in Red Vs. Blue, when the soldiers formerly limited to the basic set of moves available to them in game (run, walk, turn, look up, look down, crouch, port arms) suddenly started beating each other up in incredibly detailed (and hilarious) set pieces. The guy definitely had the moves. I have no idea what martial art Monty practised, but from footage of him at work and his moves playing the Dance Dance Revolution clone Pump It Up he was definitely a dancer. From the glimpses of him at work on the motion capture set I wouldn't put "stuntman" past him either. And Monty wasn't just an animator and motion capture artist. He created, co-wrote and directed a whole show of his own, a series inspired by anime, Japanese cartoons, called RWBY, about a group of young classmates at a school for monster hunters. All of this flowed from Monty's curiosity, but it was sustained by what seems to have been an unquestioning belief in himself and hi...

Long Distance Sex Therapist: Isiah McKimmie – Episode 36

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 21:00:28 +0000

Becoming a sex therapist in the cosmopolitan environment of a major city is one thing, but it's another thing entirely to start a sexual health practice in a tropical town with canegrowing and industrial roots a good two thousand kilometres from anywhere. Nonetheless, Isiah McKimmie has established a solid business helping the people of Queensland's Far North and beyond with their most intimate troubles and has found that sometimes, a little distance can work to your advantage. Though this interview was recorded in July of 2013, Isiah's business - now rebranded from "Passionate Spirit" to simply Isiah - is still going strong, and there seems no better time to release our chat than just before the traditional celebration of love and intimacy on St. Valentine's Day. (UPDATE 7PM February 2nd, 2015: Isiah just told me that she's relocated herself and her business to Sydney. I still reckon this chat has value for those looking to start a venture in a location considered out-of-the-way.) What's your play? What's the thing you keep coming back to even though you try to make it in an "actual career"? Isiah McKimmie Isiah's Web Site Other Links The Sessions Rachel Wooton - Conversations with Richard Fidler

A Friendly Local Game Store in the Tropics: Mick Archer, The Wicked Goblin – Episode 35

Sat, 12 Jul 2014 06:52:16 +0000

Opening a friendly local game store in an out-of-the-way, tropical tourist town might seem downright crazy, but Cairns boy Mick Archer has not only done it, he's made The Wicked Goblin a success. He focuses his store on the people who play tabletop games as much as, if not more so than, the products themselves. The exterior of The Wicked Goblin. In my latest location recording, Mick and I chat about his background in both gaming and hospitality, how Mick built his war chest for The Wicked Goblin and the importance of not just having friends and family in your corner but also having a true partnership in your business. Thank you again, Adam at Sprue Grey, for your questions! I hope my chat with Mick helps you open your own Friendly Local Store soon! Please stick around after the interview for an update on my own paid to play progress! What's Your Play? What kind of shop would you like to open? Which shops do you look at and say, "I'd love to do that someday..."? The Wicked Goblin, Cairns' Friendly Local Game Store The Official Site The Wicked Goblin on Facebook The Wicked Goblin on Twitter Games What Mick's Into Now Infinity Android: Netrunner Honor and Profit expansion Name-Dropped Games The play tables of The Wicked Goblin. Once Upon A Time Carcassonne Magic: The Gathering Dungeons & Dragons Research Into Retail The books of Paco Underhill, author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping The People Cairns Boardgamers on Facebook An example of Mick's home made scenery, complete with Hordes figures.

Henry “Hengineer” Smith and the Spaceteam Admiral’s Club – Episode 34

Thu, 12 Jun 2014 00:00:35 +0000

UPDATE (8 July 2014): The Spaceteam Admiral's Club Relaunch met its funding goal! Congratulations, Henry! It's been almost two years since Henry Smith quit his job at triple-A game studio BioWare to make his own games. In that time, his Android and iOS game Spaceteam has become a viral, independent hit. Now Henry is reaching out to his community to fund another year of self-employed game development via a Kickstarter campaign. I had to pounce on the opportunity to not just spread the word, but chat with him (again) about life as a self-employed game developer living by his own rules, passions and schedule! (Wouldn't Hengineer Smith and the Spaceteam Admiral's Club make a great title for a pulp novel?) WARNING: Though I'm happy with the sound quality, the rush to get this up meant I didn't edit out some audio problems at my end, mostly revolving around our dogs acting up. I owe a HUGE debt (and several bouquets of flowers) to my wife Vickie who got up on several occasions between 6AM and 7AM to deal with them while I chatted with Henry. What about you? What's your dream project? If you're a freelancer, how do you schedule your work and choose your projects? How do you think the business in which your vocation exists could work better? Links Spaceteam Admiral's Club Spaceteam Admiral's Club Relaunch on Kickstarter The original Spaceteam Admiral's Club campaign on Kickstarter Spaceteam on the iTunes App Store Spaceteam on Google Play Sleeping Beast Games A Spaceteam Manifesto Henry Smith's address to the 2013 Montreal International Game Summit: Do or Die Share and Learn What Henry's Into Right Now Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Monument Valley Anathem, by Neal Stephenson

Fusin’ Music and Boozin’: Ali Spagnola – Episode 33

Mon, 09 Jun 2014 22:00:22 +0000

Ali Spagnola is one of my ultimate Career Crazies; she's taken two things she digs - making music and making parties - and fused them into The Power Hour, an album of sixty one-minute-length sings that you drink a shot of beer in between. Rather than release the album on CD, she sells it as a USB stick - built into the bottom of a shot glass! Not only has Ali taken the Power Hour on tour to university campuses across the United States, she's started a YouTube show where she comes up with a new tune each week based on what was trending on Google and freelances doing sound design! I chat with Ali about how she sustains her off-the-wall career, the pros and cons of touring and how she juggles her schedule. I also talk a little after the interview about my own progress toward getting paid to play - including some interesting possibilities for the future of the podcast! What about you? What crazy mash-up idea of yours would you love to turn into an income? Links Ali Spagnola The Power Hour Drinking Game The Power Hour App Free Paintings! Most Googled Song

On Fear: Audiolog Episode 2

Thu, 03 Apr 2014 21:12:07 +0000

In my second (not third as I say in the recording) audiolog, I talk a little about the reasons for the gap between interviews 31 and 32 and dwell some on fear and (some of) the things I'm specifically afraid of. My hope is that turning the fears in my head into spoken words will help take away the (at times literal) hold they have on me - and maybe help you shine some light on those fears of hour own that stop you taking action on getting paid to play. Links Simon Sinek: How Great Leaders Inspire Action - TEDx

Keeping it About the People: Deji Adiatu, Actor and Employment Agent – Episode 32

Sun, 16 Mar 2014 02:54:57 +0000

Deji Adiatu migrated from Nigeria to Australia a few years ago and has been working almost non-stop since, not just as an actor who got his break as an extra on no less than The Great Gatsby (yes, that The Great Gatsby) but also with charity organisations like the UN High Commission for Refugees and employment agencies seeking to place people looking for work. And in the midst of all that, he's been looking after his young son. Deji is very much a humanist who believes in helping everyone be the best they can. I'm very lucky to have had him as a guest on the podcast! What about you? When have you worked to make your circumstances suit your family life? How many gigs have you had going at once? Links Acting Gigs Rosey's Talent Consultants, Sydney The Great Gatsby - Warner Bros. (2013) Home and Away Packed to the Rafters Rake Power Games: The Packer - Murdoch Story Charity and Employment Placement Australia for UNHCR Australian Red Cross MAXIMUS / MAX Employment Randstad

Solopreneur Style Maven: Gerlinda Aras, Mirror Image Consultations – Episode 31 / Brazen Episode 3

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:12:21 +0000

Gerlinda Aras, owner, operator and chief stylist of Mirror Image Consultations. Image provided by Gerlinda. Welcome back for the third edition of The Paid to Play Podcast released in conjunction with Brazen! Having a child tends to put a cramp on your ambitions - a stable, secure income from an employer looks more attractive than the unreliable income of a freelancer when you need to feed, clothe and educate your kids. Cairns local Gerlinda Aras, though, used the impetus of wanting more family time than her day job would allow to create her own business as a style consultant for individuals and clothing store chains. With a little help from family and friends, Gerlinda is now completely self-employed and has no shortage of work! Listen in to find out how Gerlinda does it - and how I'm applying the lessons I've learned from her in my own search to get paid to play! Styling Her Way to Self-Employment: Gerlinda Aras, Mirror Image Consultations - The Brazen Careerist As this is cross-posted from the Brazen Careerist web log, I've closed all comments on this page. Can you place any comments on the Brazen page linked above, please? What about you? Cairns Central makes sure its visitors know they can find shopping help with Gerlinda Aras! What is your big driver for getting paid to play? Do you want to spend more time with your family than your current job allows? Can you simply not help but march to the beat of your own drum? Gerlinda took her inspiration from in-store consultants overseas. What's your model for your dream job? Links Mirror Image Consultations Gerlinda's start: Priceline Pharmacy Australia Cairns Central Fashion Pod (18 May - 8 June) The Cairns Business Women's Club The Cairns Post Gerlinda and co.'s makeover of Connie Verheyen; March 13th, 2012 PaKmag

Directing the Art of Games – Andrew Navaro, Episode 30

Sat, 25 May 2013 13:04:17 +0000

Andrew Navaro, Art Director for Fantasy Flight Games. It's one thing to create the beautiful pieces of art that grace the pages and playing pieces of Fantasy Flight Games' products. It's another thing entirely to ensure that each image not only fits with the tone, themes and atmosphere of not just a given product but also a whole line of products. Artist and tabletop gamer Andrew Navaro is the leader of a team of art directors at Fantasy Flight. It's his job as art director to oversee the art direction of Fantasy Flight's lines and manage the relationships between Fantasy Flight and its roster of freelance artists. In this chat, Andrew and I discuss his love of gaming, how he came to work at Fantasy Flight Games, just what his job involves and the current state of art in the tabletop gaming industry! What About You? What paths has your interest led you down? What unrelated role in your favourite industry did you start out in? Links Fantasy Flight Games Elder Sign Elder Sign: Omens Android: Netrunner Deathwatch Games Workshop

Pursuing Sweet Dreams of a Bakery Career: Vanessa Musi – Episode 29 / Brazen Episode 2

Mon, 13 May 2013 23:27:51 +0000

UPDATE 13 June 2014: Vanessa has just unveiled her new web site where she offers coaching to fellow foodies looking to start their own businesses! It's my pleasure to announce that the second episode of The Paid to Play Podcast produced in conjunction with Brazen Careerist is live - and it's also my pleasure to announce the all new home of The Paid to Play Podcast, here on paidtoplay.com.au! My guest for this episode is Vanessa Musi, who is on the way to opening her own bakery, the Edit Bakery, specialising in gluten- and sugar-free pastries. We had a fantastic chat about Vanessa's journey all the way around the world from Mexico to the US! Pursuing Sweet Dreams of a Bakery Career (Podcast) - The Brazen Careerist As with the first episode, can I ask you all to write your comments on the Brazen Careerist blog post, please?

Marketing Classic Games: Trevor Longino, Episode 28 / Brazen Episode 1

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:56:53 +0000

You've probably noticed the headline that announces this episode as the first Brazen one. That's because the Paid to Play Podcast has joined forces with Brazen Careerist! They even made me up this neat logo, too! Now I just have to figure out how get it into iTunes... The folks at Brazen and I have a lot in common. We both want to help folks get the most satisfaction out of their working lives as possible. Brazen's team of bloggers - including my guest for episode 15, Kelly Gurnett - give out tips on how to thrive in the modern workplace without compromising what's important to you. Which, I reckon, is a pretty good definition of my guests on Paid to Play. Once a month, I'll contribute an interview to Brazen; I hope that my interviews can add to Brazen's already massive library of work-life wisdom. The first of these is already up; my chat with Trevor Longino, head of marketing and public relations at game distributor GOG.com. Formerly known as Good Old Games, GOG.com has expanded its mission from bringing classic computer games from the nineties back to life on modern operating systems into offering newer titles from indies like FTL to mainstream games like The Witcher DRM free. Trevor and I discuss the classic video games of the nineties, just what marketing and PR involves in this social media age and how Trevor has handled relocating from the US to Poland in order to work for GOG! Turning a Passion for Classic Video Games Into a Career (Podcast) - The Brazen Careerist Can you leave any comments and feedback on the episode's blog entry on Brazen, please? I have to offer huge thanks to both Alexis Grant, senior editor at Brazen, for her interest in my podcast and the opportunity to unite it with Brazen, and Kelly Gurnett of Cordelia Calls It Quits for her enthusiasm and helping this to happen! Are you curious? What supporting / managing jobs have you had in the industry you love? How far have you traveled to work in your vocation? Show Notes Trevor Longino GOG.com GOG.com's YouTube channel EA (Electronic Arts) EA Tiburon Games DOSbox The Brazen Careerist The Brazen Careerist Blog Alexis Grant Cordelia Calls It Quits

Resurrecting Great Games: Lukas Litzsinger, Episode 27

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 11:46:30 +0000

We talk a lot about career plans and focusing on goals when we think about where we want to be. But sometimes, you discover an opportunity that takes one of your side interests and shoves it off the pedestrian pavement and straight into your career path. For Lukas Litzsinger, that opportunity was a job vacancy on the website of tabletop game publishers, Fantasy Flight Games. The vacancy was on the team behind his favourite game (A Game of Thrones - The Card Game), and though he'd studied journalism and copy writing in college, he pursued it - which led him to a career in game design and the chance to resurrect one of the best collectable card games of all time, Netrunner, in a new form. Lukas took the time to sit down with me over Skype for a chat about how he came to work for Fantasy Flight Games, what designing games as a day job involves and just the recent explosion in interest in tabletop games means in this era of smartphone game apps and massive online multiplayer experiences - not to mention some mutual gushing about how awesome Android: Netrunner is! Are you curious? The box of Android: Netrunner - The Card Game. What are your favourite tabletop games and why? What passion or career have you discovered by accident or chance? Show Notes Lukas Litzsinger's Games Android: Netrunner - The Card Game Warhammer: Invasion - The Card Game The Cataclysm Expansion Other Games A Game of Thrones - The Card Game Axis & Allies The Settlers of Catan Gaming Web Sites The box of the Cataclysm expansion for Warhammer: Invasion - The Card Game. Board Game Geek Board Game Geek's entry for Android: Netrunner Board Game Geek's entry for Warhammer: Invasion Kickstarter: Tabletop Games Cairns Boardgamers Lukas' Interests The Lord of the Rings on Wikipedia Dan Simmons, author of Hyperion Featured image from Lukas Litzsinger. Box art for Warhammer Invasion: The Card Game - Cataclysm Expansion and Android: Netrunner - The Card Game sourced from the Fantasy Flight Games website.

Ultimate Freedom through Internet Entrepreneurship: Michelle Ward, Episode 26

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 12:22:20 +0000

I've listened to a fair few life-change and small business podcasts in the last year or so, and a lot of them talk about Financial Freedom as an aim and an achievement. It's one thing to hear podcasters in the States talk about it, though, and another thing to meet an example of it. Michelle Ward has been pursuing alternative income streams for almost a decade and has amassed such a broad portfolio of affiliate sales sites that she has the freedom to explore where her interests take her, whether full-time employeehood or even freelancing. After getting to know her at work, I just had to talk with Michelle about how she became an Internet entrepreneur! What's your play? What's your ideal of Ultimate Freedom? What have you done to make it a reality? How have you explored passive income and / or online business? Show Notes Michelle Ward On Facebook Michelle's Businesses Brilliant Babies Playtime, by Brilliant Babies - Michelle's DVD Cairns Kids Parties The Secret Gurus Jewellery Addiction Other Links Fairfax Media Clarity (formerly Powerlan) Bluetooth Featured image from Michelle Ward's Facebook profile.

Podcast Marketing: Tim Reid, Episode 25

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:50:29 +0000

It's one thing to talk about getting paid to play, and another to turn your play into something that others will want to buy. But getting the word about how great your thing is and how it will help / entertain people? That's a whole different kind of challenge, especially when you're just starting out and your marketing budget doesn't even have a brass razoo. That's where Tim Reid, host of the Small Business Big Marketing podcast, comes in. Tim is a longtime marketing guru who quit working for some huge agencies seven years ago to go into business for himself. Not only is each weekly episode a fun chat with a businessperson taking an innovative approach to connecting with his or her customers, it's also a great advertisement for Tim's marketing consultant and speaking services! I have to thank my old mate Marcus Herstik for hipping me to Tim, who is the kind of guy I want to be when I grow up: Confident, relaxed, gracious and great to share one of his famous fireside chats with! Are you curious? What's the hardest part about marketing yourself and / or your product? Outside living your dream, what else would motivate you to get paid to play? Travel? New experiences? More time with those you love? What mountain of knowledge are you standing on? Show Notes Tim Reid Tim's Website: The Ideas Guy Small Business Big Marketing The Official Site On iTunes On Facebook Guests of Small Business Big Marketing Episode #114: Tom Dickson of Blendtec Tim's Mastermind Group: Deep Dive Mastermind Featured image from the Small Business Big Marketing web site.

Improving Body and Spirit: Emazon, Episode 24

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 03:11:53 +0000

When she appeared on the 2009 season of Australia's The Biggest Loser, the red-haired, red-gloved, hooded Emazon cut straight into not only her trainees but also the audience. Emazon demanded nothing less than everything from the contestants in short, sharp sessions that took them so far out of their comfort zones that they could barely remember what comfort meant. And a lot of folks watching at home weren't sure just what to make of this fierce being. It's easy to be shocked or intimidated by that sort of intensity, but it's just as easy to forget that Emazon, known to friends and family as Emma Barbato, was putting just as much effort into drawing her contestants out of their former selves as she was into challenging their physical limits. Emma has been working to help people overcome their conflicts with themselves for twelve years now, including helping victims of domestic violence and sexual assault find or rediscover their strength. There was no way that chatting with Emma wasn't going to be bloody interesting, and while she mightn't sport that crimson hair colour any more, she is no less energetic and focused than when she first made us couch-potatoes sit up and take notice! We talked about Emma's career up to now, her plans to take her STAND program to Saudi Arabia this year - and even about how our modern culture encourages us to dislike ourselves in order to get along. So much strength in there. What happened to it? Where'd it go? My only objective was to get it back out again. - Emazon on training a contestant, The Biggest Loser Australia Series 4 Are you curious? Who has managed to sum you up, whether when you were younger or recently, and how did he / she / they do it? When have you found what you want to be struggling with what others tell you that you ought to be? How have you addressed your own vulnerabilities? Show Notes Emazon The Official Emazon Website On Facebook On Twitter On YouTube Emazon on TV The Biggest Loser Australia Series 4 (2009): Emazon training the Red Team, part 1. Series 4 (2009): Emazon training the Red Team, part 2. Australia's Next Top Model Featured image from the Emazon web site.

Making Video Games as an Employee and Solo: Henry Smith, Episode 23

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 14:10:33 +0000

Okay, you gamers out there. What's your favourite game design studio? You know you've got one, just like you've got a favourite game platform. Wouldn't you just love to work there, making video games like the awesome games you love to play? Have you ever thought that even if you score that dream job, you might discover that there are things that you want to do with your passion for gaming, programming, design that you don't have the spare time or energy to do? Henry Smith had a pretty awesome job at BioWare, the makers of awesome games like Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights and, more recently, Dragon Age and the incredible science fiction trilogy, Mass Effect. Yet six months ago he decided to take a year off so that he could work on the personal projects that brought him joy. I caught up with him a month or so after he released his first game, a science fiction themed iDevice app called Spaceteam, where you and one to three friends try and save your starship from utter destruction by pulling levers, twisting dials and yelling technobabble at each other. Though the game itself is free, Henry is earning enough money from the pay-to-download add-on packs to look at extending his time working solo. I thoroughly enjoyed my chat with Henry about getting paid to play - by quitting getting paid to play! UPDATE: After listening to this episode, please have a listen to my second chat with Henry during his (successful) Kickstarter campaign to fund a year's worth of game development! Are you curious? What projects do you have on the "When I can dedicate some time..." back-burner? Which are you working on at the moment? Show Notes Henry Smith and Sleeping Beast Games Breaking the Code: Henry's game development web log Henry Smith on Twitter Making Video Games as a Day Job Irrational Games The Lost on Wikipedia Looking Glass Studios on Wikipedia BioWare The Mass Effect Series Dragon Age: Origins The Technology of Making Video Games The Unreal Engine Spaceteam Spaceteam: GO! The Spaceteam product page on Sleeping Beast Games Spaceteam in the iTunes App Store Spaceteam in the Google Play Store Spaceteam on Facebook Marketing Penny Arcade On Flashing: The Spaceteam comic. "Spaceteam is a fast-paced iOS game that mixes FTL, Artemis, and a whole bunch of screaming" by Ben Kuchera of the Penny Arcade Report "The numbers of free-to-play: behind the success of Spaceteam" by Ben Kuchera of the Penny Arcade Report Kickstarter Video Games Henry's Inspirations TaskMaker on Wikipedia Galaxy Trucker on Rio Grande Games Featured image from Henry Smith's About page.

Getting a Book Published and Overcoming Affliction: Talitha Kalago, Episode 22

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Once again, I worry about whether I'm selling my guest the wrong way. Really, the quality of the maker's work ought to sell itself. But again, there is that story of having one of the best explanations for not following your passion in the world and still not letting that stop you. Talitha Kalago battles a potentially fatal disease known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome. It's a fight which could almost be a full-time occupation itself. But while most of us only talk about getting a book published, Talitha has carved out the time to not only write but find an agent and get her work on the shelves. When I interviewed her, Talitha had just received her first royalty cheque! This podcast, thankfully, is more about that journey to publishing that all authors face and how you can get your career as a writer started. Listen and enjoy! Are you curious? When did you first start on your vocation? If you're not moving yet, what's holding you up? Show Notes Talitha Kalago Talitha's home site: Traditional Evolution Talitha on Facebook The opening scene of The Hungry People Talitha's Romance Pen Name: Zaide Bishop ZaideBishop.com On Facebook On Twitter Zaide's first published novel: Eliza's Awakening Friends and Helpers Scarlett Rugers Cover Design Matt Farmer Copy Writing Publishers Harlequin Carina Press Talitha's Inspiration Joe Abercrombie Stephen King Karin Slaughter Lynn Flewelling Robert T. Bakker (Wikipedia) China Mieville Stevens-Johnson Syndrome The entry on Wikipedia Talitha's Chair The Schiavello Liberty Mesh Featured image provided by Talitha Kalago.

A Freelance Photographer Career from Scratch: Matt Bond, Episode 21

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 06:39:56 +0000

I wonder whether I've done Matt Bond a disservice. The most important thing to him is being a great freelance photographer. He's all about the quality of his work and building his reputation on it. In fact, one of the first things Matt asked me when we were discussing the interview was this: Could I avoid dwelling on the injuries that caused his switch in career? Frankly, I don't need to. Matt's already racked up an impressive list of photographic achievements since he started his business in 2012. He's done portfolio shoots for models, publicity work for comedy gigs and fashion shows - he was even the photographer for Sesame Street's most recent visit to Cairns. If you have any doubt about Matt's skill, just follow the links in the show notes to his website and galleries! If that's not enough, Matt offers courses that demistify the complexities of even basic photography, teaching people how to find their way around their digital SLR cameras! Still, you tend to view those achievements in a new light when working them meant Matt was in constant pain just from standing up. Matt's photography career was, in a way, his Plan B. Heck, after his leg injuries made him unemployable and put a career in music out of his reach as well, it was his Plan C! Yet when Matt discovered his new passion, he embraced it and let nothing, not even pain, get in his way. It's a story all of us folks who dream of getting paid to play can learn from. In the end, we did spend much more time on just how Matt went about building his career, from his first portrait shoots to how he organises and executes his projects. So please listen to a great interview with a skilled photographer who lets nothing get in the way of his passions! (CORRECTION: I originally had the start year of Matt's business as 2010, and I think I mentioned it as such in the episode intro. It was actually 2012 - which makes his achievements even more awesome!) Are you curious? What handicaps have you had to overcome in order to live your passion? What careers or vocations have you experimented with in the past? How have you donated your time, abilities and resources to help others? Show Notes Matt Bond Photography The Web Site On Facebook On Twitter Matt's Work The first portrait shoot: Olivia and Nathan The shoot with Sarah Jane People, Places and Groups Jeff Rufino, Cairns Local Marketing Jeff's interview on the Paid to Play Podcast Olivia Walker (Facebook) Sarah Jane Griffiths (Facebook) Australian National University School of Music, Canberra Human Nature Song Connection (Facebook) Featured image from the Matt Bond Photography website.

Episode 20: Catherine Caine, Cash and Joy

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 22:34:55 +0000

I've been reading a lot of small business sites lately. I've noticed that there's something that most of them assume - that you already have a business on the go, a product and / or service ready for sale, and you just need help taking it to "the next level." There aren't anywhere near as many resources for people who want to make a career change, but don't yet know what the business of their own personal business will be, who aren't sure what they have that can become a product or service - or simply don't believe that anyone else could find value in their wildest, deepest, most secret passions. That's a niche that Catherine Caine is only too happy to fill. While she may have started out the way a lot of Internet business folks do - helping folks build websites - her project for the last two years, Cash and Joy, is geared specifically to help you dig past the crap you and others have layered over the top of your passions and get started on finding the people who will pay money for your ideal work. I call Catherine a consulting motivator (she called me an "ideas explorer" when she had me on her podcast) and in this episode, I talk with Catherine about the process of experimentation that enabled her to build Cash and Joy into her full time vocation! What's your play? What's the one thing that you've always dreamed of doing, but told yourself (or believed others when they told you) that there's no future or living wage in it? What careers or vocations have you experimented with in the past? Catherine Caine On Twitter On Facebook Cash and Joy The Site On Facebook The Goddamn Radiant Programme Be Awesome Online Catherine's previous project: Website advice for delightful weirdos. 3 Tiny Habits The Site Featured image from the Cash and Joy website.

Paid to Play: The Christmas 2012 Special Episode

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 01:10:32 +0000

Ho ho ho! It's Santa Rob here, with a special gift for all the good boys and girls who listen to the Paid to Play Podcast! Okay, okay, fine. I know, I ran out of interviews. But I've had the idea of doing a year-in-review blog post / podcast for a while, and now seemed the opportune time! So join me as I talk about how 2012 has been a year of change, the advent of the Paid to Play Podcast and what to look forward to in 2013! Are you curious? What in your life changed in 2012? How did you change? What are you looking forward to in 2012? And what do you hope Santa brings in your stocking? Are you satisfied? What worked out for you in 2012? Links Interruption Marketing on Wikipedia Kickstarter: Penny Arcade Sells Out

Episode 18: Jeffrey Rufino, Social Media Guy

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 21:44:06 +0000

It's easy to think about starting your own business in terms of how it's going to solve your fiscal problems, but if Jeff Rufino were happy with simply bringing the cash in, he could have stuck with playing poker at the Casino every night. Instead, twelve months ago, Jeff took a chance on a belief of his - that social media could help Cairns' struggling businesses get more customers through the door - and went into business for himself. In that time, he's built himself a reputation as the local Social Media Guy, has formed a company of equally passionate individuals and is still going strong. I'm very happy to have sat down with Jeff over Skype and talked about how he got to where he is. His passion, his confidence and his honest desire to help people out shine through as he speaks! Are you curious? What problems are bothering you? What are the griefs in your life you want to fix? Who are your mentors? Who can you call when you need help? Show Notes Jeffrey "Social Media Guy" Rufino LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Cairns Local Marketing On Facebook Jeff's Team A Sampling of Jeff's Clients Ink.ur.bod Rob Pyne - The 4868 Report Other Links Steve Jobs' Stanford commencement address How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie (Wikipedia entry) BrandYourself Images sourced from Jeff Rufino's LinkedIn profile.

Episode 17: Carol Tice, Freelance Writer and Career Coach

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:16:19 +0000

After having authors and bloggers on the podcast, it's fun to have someone who's not only a full-time freelance writer on the show, but also someone who's dedicated to helping others achieve similar goals - so much so that she not only blogs about making it as a freelance writer, she also runs a paid-membership web site that offers courses and tips on every aspect of the business of freelance writing. Carol worked at a newspaper and as a movie script transcriber before going freelance and managed to blow away her own expectations of success when she started the Freelance Writers Den. On top of all that, she's a wife and mother of three! Talk about doing it all... Please listen to this interview, wherein I completely miss the opportunity to quiz Carol about her early work as a song writer (Brill Building Fail!) but find out plenty about what it takes to make it in freelancing. Are you curious? How have you gone about selling your writing or creative work? How do you schedule your work? What's your always-off time? Show Notes Carol Tice Make a Living Writing Social Media: LinkedIn Facebook Twitter (A Bare Few Of) Carol's Appearances Copyblogger Carol's Profile and Posts People and Conventions SobCon Liz Strauss Terry "Starbucker" St. Marie Jonathan Fields Chris Brogan Derek Halpern Chris Guillibeau Chris Garrett Images sourced from Carol Tice's web site.

Episode 16: Saffron Bryant, Fantasy Author, Biomedicine Student and Arse-Kicker of Cancer

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 22:19:04 +0000

It's easy sometimes to feel that you have so much on your plate that you'll never get anything done. North Queenslander Saffron Bryant is one of those people who puts the lie to that belief. Saffron turns twenty-two in December, and in the last couple of years, she not only completed a degree in biomedicine, but she also wrote and self-published the first in a series of fantasy novels, The Fallen Star. If that wasn't enough to show people that there are no excuses, Saffron completed those two massive projects whilst undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumour. On top of all that, Saffron is going back for more of, thankfully, two of the above three things, working to complete an honours degree in biomedicine and the second novel in the Lost Child Saga. I just had to have a chat with her about how she got and still gets it all done. Are you curious? The cover of The Fallen Star, by Saffron Bryant. When has something unexpected come into your life and made you quit procrastinating - or taken time you thought you would have away? What big projects have you successfully juggled? Show Notes Saffron Bryant The Lost Child Saga The Fallen Star on Amazon.com Fantasy Authors Elizabeth Haydon George R. R. Martin Images supplied from Saffron Bryant's web site.

Episode 15: Kelly Gurnett, Cordelia Calls It Quits

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 21:00:22 +0000

(I might be far too late on this, but: Welcome, all you fine Cordelia Calls It Quits readers! I hope you enjoy your stay! If you want to know where anything is, please ask!) UPDATE: As of 2014, Kelly is now fully self-employed! Changing your career, no matter what you're aiming for or leaving, is a scary endeavour. Embrace your skills and talent all you like, there are still a heap unknowns that you have to face and a lot of habits and familiar things that make staying where you are a more tempting option. Freelance blogger Kelly Gurnett has made breaking free of those habits and letting go of the familiar things the purpose of her blog, Cordelia Calls It Quits. In each post, Kelly, in the guise of her alter-ego Cordelia, examines an aspect of her life that she either has changed or is in the process of changing. It's a phenomenal way of keeping yourself honest; her Quits List numbers twenty-seven, with the most recent having gone up in the last couple of weeks, and she reviews her progress against that list on a regular basis. By any measure, Kelly has been successful; she's turned her full-time job into a two-day-a-week job and is blogging on several large life-change web sites. Naturally, this put her on my first List of People I Want As Guests, which made it a double pleasure to interview her about how she got to where she is now - especially juggling the day job with the dream job - and the places she still wants to go! Are You Curious? Kelly Gurnett, a.k.a. Cordelia, with her eyes on the prize: full-time bloggity-blogging goddesshood. What habit or aspect of your life do you want to call quits on? How do you handle pursuing a sideline that might take you away from your main job? (Feel free to comment anonymously.) Show Notes Cordelia Calls It Quits The Web Log Cordelia Quits the Nine-To-Five! Hire Kelly's Blogging Skills Social Media Facebook Twitter Friends and Gigs CareerMeh (Kelly is Editor-In-Chief) The Brazen Careerist JMoney of Budgets are Sexy Kelly's Latest Guest Post as of this writing. Books and Blogs The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin The Books of Seth Godin Linchpin on Amazon.com Images supplied by Kelly Gurnett.

Episode 14: Brad Russell, Earth Toys

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 22:00:50 +0000

It's one thing to start a business in order to sell a product, yet another to believe in the product and its benefits. But Brad Russell, the co-owner and operator of Earth Toys with his wife Bree, lives and breathes a whole philosophy of play that seems absent from most places that sell toys. In my fifth location interview, I visited Earth Toys, a shop in the middle of Cairns, to talk with Brad about how he and Bree set their business up and how it's going, but came away not just with that but also a hefty slice of Brad himself. Brad is a great guy to talk with: Always relaxed, always intelligent and always very insightful. Relax and let this one sink in! And once you've finished this episode, drop in and see Brad when you're next in the area. You'll probably leave with something you hadn't thought about buying before, but with a view on playing - and living - that you'd never considered before. What's your play? Tell us about a toy, game or object you have. What memories of fun shared with someone involving that object does it evoke in you? What object not normally thought of as a toy has become a Big Boy's / Girl's Toy for you? What product or business niche do you believe in so much that you'd be willing to set a business up around selling / providing it? Show Notes Earth Toys Shop 6, Oceana Walk 55 Lake Street Cairns, Qld 4870 Australia Official Site On Facebook The Earth Toys PlaySpace / Juggle Jam on Facebook The YoHo Diablo Fire Twirling Wikipedia entry on fire dancing The New Enterprise Incentive Scheme Infomation page on the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations site Featured image and store images provided by Bree Alyse.

Episode 13: Leigh Dall’Osto, Supplemental

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 22:00:25 +0000

Leigh Dall'Osto is one of my more popular guests, and her story of going from the campaign trail of a local government election to opening a successful fusion of cafe and community centre in Edmonton, on Cairns' south side, has garnered some interest outside the podcast too. A few weeks ago I was talking with one of the writers at work about the podcast, and he asked me if I could pen a few words about career changes with Leigh as the sample case. I submittted a draft, and he asked if I could get Leigh to tell me more about that period between when Leigh lost the election and opened the cafe. Thankfully, Leigh was happy to answer my extra questions over the phone. Thanks to having Leigh on speaker, I was able to record the conversation for quotes in the article - and after I was done, I realised the recording would make a great episode! So please enjoy the return of the effervescent Leigh Dall'Osto to the Paid to Play Podcast! Are You Curious? How did you handle the outcome of a project that didn't turn out as you'd hoped? How have you used an existing awareness of yourself to draw attention to a project different form what you've done before? Show Notes Cairns Regional Council Division 2 Division 3 Rob Pyne's web site, The 4868 Report Plan B Cafe - Bruce Highway, Edmonton On Facebook Featured image from Leigh Dall'Osto's Facebook profile.

Episode 12: Mur Lafferty, Author and Podcaster

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 22:40:47 +0000

Mur Lafferty is one of the first podcasters I ever listened to. When I decided to take a crack at writing again, I stumbled across Mur's podcast I Should Be Writing and downloaded as much of it as I could - which is a lot of episodes. Just recently, Mur recorded her 250th episode - and that's not counting all the extra episodes she's done. I Should Be Writing is for people who want to be authors what I hope my podcast is for people who want to follow their passions. Though she has a strong genre focus, Mur interviews authors who have secured themselves publishing deals for any works, asking them about how they write and how they got published. Not only that, Mur gives all us wannabes a little moral support by talking about her own progress to published authordom. That's right; Mur Lafferty is also an author, with two novels (one published and one self-published), a series of novellas and a raft of short stories - not to mention another novel coming out next year via publisher Orbit Books! But not only is Mur a podcaster, she's a podcasting professional. On top of I Should Be Writing, Mur is the senior editor of the science fiction short story podcast, Escape Pod (for which she also writes and narrates) and host of the official podcast of UK publisher Angry Robot Books. So I just had to interview her about how she gets it all done! Are You Curious? What are your favourite podcasts? How do you juggle your hobbies and / or sidelines? Show Notes The Murverse I Should Be Writing On iTunes Escape Pod On iTunes PseudoPod On iTunes The Angry Robot Podcast On iTunes Mur announces The Shambling Guide to New York City, coming in 2013 from Orbit Books Podcasts The Secrets, by Michael A. Stackpole Games The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Fallout 3 World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria - because who doesn't want to play a panda? The Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men Science Fiction & Fantasy Once Upon A Time True Blood My Life as a White Trash Zombie, by Diana Rowland A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness Feed, part 1 of The Newsflesh Trilogy, by Mira Grant. Friends Scott Sigler Jeff VanderMeer Conventions VCON Featured image sourced from the Murverse; taken by JR Blackwell.

Episode 11: Gavin Lucan, SFtv Scheduler and Blogger

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 22:00:26 +0000

Update: At the end of 2013, Foxtel closed SFtv Australia down, making Gavin redundant. He still blogs at his own domain, ShoutyBeardyThing (see the links below). Don't let the picture of the medieval gent with the sword fool you; Gavin Lucan is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. I've known him since the late nineties, and was frankly a little envious when I found out he'd parlayed his experience in scheduling pay TV channels into a gig at Australia's branch of the SciFi Channel. Shortly afterward, I signed up for an e-mail newsletter in which Gav offers wry observations on the week's events in genre fiction, from books to comics, movies to television, games to conventions, and now SFtv feature that newsletter as a weekly blog on their website! Given that he's a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy, my friend Gav is definitely getting paid to play. Join me as I find out how he got there! Are You Curious? Which skills or jobs that don't directly relate to your passion have led you to getting paid to play? What's your favourite genre TV show? Your favourite non-cancelled one? Show Notes Gavin's blog, ShoutyBeardyThing Gavin on Twitter Shows and Movies: Star Wars Classic Doctor Who Firefly Just Because: Radio Birdman "Aloha Steve and Dano" (that's Deniz Tek on lead guitar) Image provided by Gavin Lucan; photography by You Studios.

Episode 10: Jesse Kuch, DJ and Entertainment Editor

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 22:00:08 +0000

Episode Ten! Ten episodes! Ten interviews! Double Digits! (ahem) It can be easy at times to dismiss regional cities as Hicksvilles with little going for them culturally. Yet Cairns, with its international airport and major tourism draws like rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef a stone's throw away, does a damn good job of not just attracting, but also breeding artistic talent. Jesse Kuch falls within both categories. He exercises his musical creativity as a DJ, a gig that regularly takes him across and outside the country. And as the entertainment editor for the local daily newspaper and the manager of an independent dance music record label, he has a vested interest in keeping his finger on the pulse of the local entertainment scene. For my fourth location recording, I decided to pack my Behringer Podcastudio up and take it into work, where I interviewed Jesse in the media room. The general quality is improved on my last three location recordings (where I relied on my netbook's built-in microphone) but there are also a few more pops and other distortions as I learn my way around using the kit on location. Still, these don't get in the way of a great interview with a fellow whose enthusiasm for music is almost boundless! What's your play? How do you infuse your life with music? How do you combine your hobby with your day job? Show Notes And he says he's not big in Japan... From Jesse's 2012 trip. Jesse Kuch On Facebook Open Records On Beatport On Soundcloud The Expansion Pack compilation Heyday Festival Manifest The Cairns Post website's Entertainment hub. Images provided by and copyright Jesse Kuch. Featured image taken by Romy Bullerjahn.

Episode 9: Steven Cooke, Elite Aquariums

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:30:02 +0000

It's fun talking about this podcast, not just because of telling people about the interesting thing I'm doing, but also because of the folks I come across whom I realise would make great guests! Steven Cooke is a great example. He's a colleague of mine, and a couple of weeks ago I was telling him about Paid to Play. In response, he started telling me about his own project: Creating and building a design of aquarium that features two tanks linked together by a clear tube. Naturally I had to have him on the show! This led to my third location recording, which turned out to be in Steve's office at work during a lunch break. So please listen to this interview with a guy who decided to take a concept he'd had at the back of his mind for six years and turn it into something real! Are You Curious? What have you built in our own back yard? What's lurking in your notebook, waiting for your time and effort to bring to life? Show Notes Elite Aquariums Gumtree Images provided by Elite Aquariums.

Episode 8: Jared A. Sorensen, Game Designer

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 02:00:35 +0000

It was Australian gamer Steve Darlington's describing Jared A. Sorensen as the "foetus horribilis" of the tabletop roleplaying game design set that got my attention. From there on it was all downhill as I followed Jared from the web forum RPGnet to The Forge and bought myself a copy of his game InSpectres, still the most fun tabletop roleplaying game I've ever played or game mastered (and would love to play or GM again regularly). I managed to catch Jared on Facebook one Saturday and asked him about interviewing - it turned out he was available right there and then! I connected my recording kit and got a good half hour chat about his design process, his full-time job in game design and how empanadas are key to his upcoming martial takeover of New York City. What's your play? InSpectres, Jared's RPG of busting ghosts for fun and profit. What's the most fun you've ever had playing an RPG? Have you ever wound up using your hobbyist's skills in your day job? How did that affect your appreciation for / time with your hobby? How are your plans for hometown domination coming along? And what strange mechanical beasts keep you up at night? Show Notes Jared A. Sorensen's web site and RPG brand, Memento Mori Plyfe, Jared's employer Games InSpectres Steve Darlington's RPGnet review octaNe FreeMarket Burning Wheel and Burning Empires Friends The FreeMarket roleplaying game, co-written by Jared and Luke Crane. Luke Crane Sorensen/Crane Vincent Baker Other Stuff That's right, InSpectres has its own movie adaptation! From Cairns to New York City, them harvesters are cuttin' the cane... Funny, that empanada doesn't look as sharp as I was expecting. More tasty, though. Images sourced from the Memento Mori website.

Episode 7: Elizabeth Vaughan, Romantic Fantasy Author

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 12:59:04 +0000

I'm sad to say that some connectivity issues prevented this interview with bestselling romantic fantasy author Elizabeth Vaughan being as good as it deserved to be. The podcast you'll hear is actually our second attempt at this interview after my call recorder butchered the first take a week before. This time I made sure to run two recordings simultaneously. While the second one was largely intact, editing it took longer than otherwise, and some of the times I'm speaking you'll hear some hiss in the background. But you know you have a quality guest when, after you discover that your recording is stuffed, your guest agrees to come back a week later and do it all again! I must thank Elizabeth for giving of her precious writing time twice over to chat with me. In this interview, we talk about how Elizabeth was dared to start writing seriously by a friend and how that dare became seven novels (two of which made it into the USA Today bestseller lists) with at least three more on the way. We also discuss Beth's influences, friends, mentors and motivators, as well as science fiction and fantasy conventions and her love of Dungeons & Dragons. Question to My Listeners: How Often Do You Want New Episodes? I want to establish a schedule for The Paid to Play Podcast, make it so that you can depend on a new episode coming out on a regular basis. As I mentioned whiel talking with Beth, I already have another interview in the can waiting on edit and assembly and I have around ten more people with whom I'm working out dates to record interviews. How frequent do you want this podcast to be? Do you want a new one every week? Fortnight? Month? Please comment below! Are You Curious? Warprize, by Elizabeth Vaughan. When have you talked about what what you want to be doing with yourself? Who called your bluff, and what resulted from it? What do you reckon has been a training ground for your imagination? Show Notes If You Want to Skip Ahead 03:12 - The Interview Commences 08:24 - Influences and Reading While Writing 12:12 - Scheduling Writing and Fighting the Inner Critic 18:42 - Sacrifices Made on the Altar of Authordom 22:06 - The Creative Benefits of Gaming 28:42 - Selling Warprize 33:10 - Getting Paid to Play and the Benefits of a Day Job 37:49 - What's Next for Elizabeth Vaughan? 42:21 - Australian Conventions and Geek Culture 47:53 - Cross-Media Opportunities for Elizabeth's Novels 54:03 - Advice to New Writers 54:57- Cliffhangers! Links Elizabeth Vaughan's Official Home Page Elizabeth Vaughan on Facebook Books The Chronicles of the Warlands Warprize Warsworn - USA Today Bestseller Warlord - USA Today Bestseller Warcry The Epic of Palins Dagger-Star White Star Destiny's Star Fellow Authors Mithgar.com - Dennis L. McKiernan Mercedes Lackey Anne McCaffrey TV Shows Warcry, by Elizabeth Vaughan Doctor Who Game of Thrones Castle Games Dungeons & Dragons Dungeons & Dragons Next Dungeons & Dragons Online Diablo II Conventions GenCon World Fantasy Worldcon (which was in Melbourne, not Brisbane, a few years ago - Ooops!) PAX - Penny Arcade Expo PAX Australia The Comic Writing Resources Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association of America (SFWA) Writer Beware Preditors & Editors Other Links Walsh's Pyramid - Bundadjarruga The Great Pyramid Race Images sourced from eavwrites.com.

Episode 6: Leigh Dall’Osto, Plan B Cafe

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:51:05 +0000

The common trend in career changes is people giving up their old job in order to focus on what they love to do. While opening and managing a cafe might seem about as far removed from politics as you can get, Leigh Dall'Osto opened Plan B Cafe in order to keep doing what she's always wanted to do, even when political avenues closed on her - help bring the people in her community, the town of Edmonton (around fifteen kilometres south of Cairns), together. In my second location recording, I had the chance to sit down with Leigh at her cafe and talk about just how a cafe can help people get to know others in their own town - and what some of the surprises along the way have been! Are You Curious? The exterior of Plan B Cafe. How did you find another way to reach a goal when your original plan didn't get you to it? Show Notes If You Want to Skip Ahead 03:00 - About Plan B Cafe 03:53 - Stallholders and Local Connections 05:00 - Prior Experience 06:10 - Why Plan B Cafe really is Plan B 7:30 - Surprises: Cupcakes, Scones and Positive Feedback 9:36 - Advice #1: Diversify 10:55 - Good People 13:04 - Experiments that Didn't Work Out 14:38 - Things Leigh could Do Without 16:30 - Things to Try Out in the Future 17:47 - Advantages of Being your Own Boss 20:55 - What is Leigh Looking Forward to Getting Back Outside Business Hours? 23:08 - Advice #2: Flexible Personality and Advertise Before You Open Links Plan B Cafe Bruce Highway Edmonton, Qld 4869 Australia On Facebook Partners Daintree Vanilla & Spice Other Places Squeakers on WOMF Images from Leigh Dall'Osto's Facebook profile.

Episode 5: Gavin Dunne, Miracle of Sound

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 12:46:15 +0000

I didn't think I'd be able to say this with only four episodes of this podcast under my belt, but I am very pleased to be able to mark my guest for episode 5 off my wish list: Gavin Dunne, Miracle of Sound. Image sourced from the Miracle of Sound profile on Last.FM Ladies and gentlemen, may I present for your listening pleasure, Gavin Dunne, the one-man band known on the Internet as the Miracle of Sound! Gavin sat down with me over Skype on Thursday evening, Ireland time (which translated to before sparrows, Cairns time) to talk about how he went from the frontman of a band that broke up on the verge of hitting it big to a full-time, self-employed musician with a dedicated fan base that stretches across the world! Gav was a pleasure to chat with, and had plenty of stories and insights on what it takes to become your own personal success story in the Internet age. Plus it was fun to geek out with him about games toward the end! Listen and enjoy! This one was a challenge to put together, not only did I decide to include three of Gavin's songs in it, but I also asked him for permission to use his tune "Big Ten" as the intro and outro music for the Paid to Play Podcast! It took a lot of juggling and fiddling, not to mention learning how to unlock synchronised tracks and use the time shift tool in Audacity. The Things I Forgot / Ran Out of Time to Ask: What grooves / good habits are you in? What do you do with your takes and other data once you're finished (compared to Gabe of Penny Arcade who deletes his working files once a strip is done)? Who’s your competition? Which Irish musicians / bands would you recommend? In the past you've been asked about whether you want to do music for video games. Have there been any further developments on that front? What have you done to get stuck into music creation for games in the meantime? People I've played "Joker's Song" for have immediately commented that it sounds like a musical number. Have you ever considered becoming Andrew Lloyd Gamer? If I Get To Interview Gavin Again Later: How was performing your songs live at The Escapist Expo? Are You Curious? Gavin with his Gibson Les Paul. Image sourced from the Miracle of Sound Facebook page. What do you love doing so much that you'd keep doing for days at a stretch (if other commitments weren't in the way)? What have you created to cheer yourself up? How has a video game inspired you to do something? If I interviewed Gavin again: What would you like me to ask him about his music career? Which a game would you like him to do a song about? Show Notes Miracle of Sound Official Site On Bandcamp On YouTube On The Escapist On iTunes Songs Played during the podcast: "Commander Shepard" "Legends of the Frost" featuring Malukah "Brothers of the Creed" Mentioned in the podcast: "Gordon Freeman Saved My Life" on the Rock Band Network! "Take It Back" "Joker's Song" "Sovngarde Song" "Shadows in the Moonlight" "She's Gonna Teach You (How To Rock And Roll)" "Big Ten" Music Kit Gibson Les Paul Guitars Gav shows off his baby on YouTube Fender Jazz Bass Cubase Audacity Games Half-Life 2 Mass EffectSeries Leviathan DLC The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Mods - Skyrim Nexus (a modding community) Fallout 3 Mods - Fallout 3 Nexus (a modding community) Sleeping Dogs Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Far Cry 3 Grand Theft Auto 5 Aliens: Colonial Marines Batman: Arkham City Assassin's Creed Series People and Places The Escapist HMV Malukah Featured image from Miracle of Sound's Level 2 album.

Episode 4: Jeremy Judd, DJ and Street Artist

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 03:24:02 +0000

If there's one guy who's managed to strike the ideal balance of work life, home life and getting paid to play, it's Jeremy Judd. This former Adelaidian and now Cairnsite is an active DJ, street artist, entertainment advertising sales executive and event manager, not to mention dad and smokin' hot fiancé (just ask his lady Kay)! I've been lucky enough to work with and get to know Jeremy for the past couple of years, and after scheduling issues and a bout of laziness on my part, I finally sit down with Jeremy on Skype to ask how he got to where he is and how he does it all now. Jeremy Judd (right) and Cameron Kennedy of Electric Avenue. Sourced from Cairns.com.au Are you curious? Who is in your creative peer group? How have you challenged your creative talent recently? What have you experimented with? Show Notes If you want to skip ahead... 02:57 - Getting Into Graffiti 07:03 - Commissions versus the Rebel Scene 12:30 - Becoming a DJ 15:50 - Having It All and Managing His Schedule 19:32 - Jeremy's Achievements and The Next Level 23:30 - Two Pieces of Advice? Street art. From Jeremy Judd's Facebook profile. Links Jeremy Judd on Facebook Electric Avenue The beat goes on: Electric Avenue featured on Cairns.com.au Caffeind The Caffeind Graffiti Wall on Cairns.com.au Featured image sourced from Jeremy Judd's Facebook profile.

Episode 3: Mal and Amy, KerSplatt! Comics & Collectables

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:29:49 +0000

I bring you two interviews for the price of one download; a great pair of interviews with Malcolm Semmens and Amy Milligan, owner-operators of KerSplatt! Comics and Collectables, Cairns' only dedicated comic book store and fast becoming a second home for the geek population of Cairns! Amy Milligan and Mal Semmens. I ask Mal and Amy just how much work they've done to turn a random idea into an operating business, how they balance selling their hobby and indulging in it - and in what new ways opening and managing a shop can actually be fun! What's your play? What's your favourite comic series or graphic novel? If you were to open a store based around your hobby or passion, what would you sell? Show Notes Links KerSplatt! Comics & Collectables On Facebook On Twitter Comics: Spider-Man Conan the Barbarian Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cosplay Omikoshi Parade (Japanese Parade Team) Cairns North Queensland Quidditch Trading Card Games: Magic: The Gathering Cairns Clan Yu-Gi-Oh MonSuno Pokemon Games Workshop

Episode 2: Terry Serio, Actor and Musician

Mon, 07 May 2012 06:23:56 +0000

Content Warning: This episode of the Paid to Play Podcast contains high levels of Star-Struck Gushing. See, the gent whom I had the privilege of interviewing for the second episode is Terry Serio, the hardest-working performer in Australia today. He's been acting and making music since he was knee-high to a grasshopper, and I ask him just how he sustains his career in getting paid to play. He also happens to be my second cousin, from the Perth branch of the family! The answers turned into a half-hour long conversation, so grab yourself a cuppa and settle in for a great chat! Show Notes If You Want To Skip Ahead The Ministry of Truth (Terry is in the white suit in the middle). From TerrySerio.com.au The Interview Begins: 03:27 When The Bug Bit: Running on Empty and Shout!: 03:41 The Physical Challenges of Performance: 7:45 The Ministry of Truth: 11:25 Stagefright! and the Australian Creative Family: 12:54 Being a Working Artist and Passing the Love On: 17: 20 Keeping Busy and Not Falling Back: 21:5o Writing the Blues: 25:00 What's Next for Terry - Honouring the Music: 28:50 The Internet and the Modern Artist: 32:40 Underbelly: Badness: 37:40 Conclusion and Seeking Interviewees: 39:02 Links Photo by Kathy Luu. Sourced from IMDb. Terry Serio: His Official Website On Facebook On MySpace On IMDb (For my fellow sci-fi nuts: He was in FarScape. And Ocean Girl.) Terry Serio's Ministry of Truth "Melbourne Bitter Tears" (YouTube) "Visions of You" (YouTube) Oblivion at CDBaby and iTunes Running on Empty Trailer on YouTube Buy it at EzyDVD (not an affiliate link) Shout! Channel 7 promo from 1989 (YouTube) Buy Shout! from EzyDVD Keating! The Musical "The Mateship" (YouTube) Buy Keating! The Musical from the ABC Shop Stagefright! on FBi 94.5FM (Sydney) Sydney Theatre Company Belvoir St. Theatre The Seagull SMH.com.au reports the start of filming on Underbelly: Badness

Episode 1: Raymond Masters, Self-Published Author

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:18:57 +0000

After interviewing my web host, I realised that it was both pretty scary and heaps of fun - so naturally, I wanted to do it again! This episode, therefore, is the first of the newly-rechristened Paid to Play Podcast, where I talk with folks who are making money out of having fun. Raymond Masters. I'm quite proud to have as my first guest someone who's getting paid to play the way I want to be - by writing superhero action novels. Raymond Masters has already completed and self-published Forging Truth (you can buy it both in paperback and as a Kindle e-book on Amazon) and is currently touring blogs across the globe to spread the word about both it and his next novel, Corrupting Truth. He has a Kickstarter campaign underway to fund his promotion of both books. In this podcast, we get to to have a good geek-out, talking comic books, science fiction and TV in between finding out just how Ray gets paid to play. Are you curious? What's your favourite comic book and / or super-character (hero or villain)? What superpower do you wish you had, and what would you do with it? What's the novel you've been meaning to write / finish / publish? Show Notes The cover of Forging Truth. If You Want To Skip Ahead The Interview Begins: 02:39 Going from Fan to Author: 03:14 Three Years on Forging Truth 05:00 Kickstarter: 07:00 The Difference Between Comic Books and Novels: 10:00 In Five Years' Time? 11:35 Trilogy vs. Ongoing Series: 13:00 "The Grim Wars" 16:20 Self-Publishing via e-Books 18:15 Plugging the Blog Tour: 20:45 Seeking Interviewees: 21:13 Links Nothing To See Here: Raymond Masters on WordPress The Forging Truth Blog Tour Forging Truthon Amazon (not affiliate links) Paperback Kindle The Truth Saga Kickstarter Project Raymond's GoodReads profile The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy The Restaurant at the End of the Universe And Another Thing... The Sixth Hitch-Hiker Novel

GTRF! Episode 4: The Marcus Herstik Interview

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:21:16 +0000

In early 2012 I was playing with the idea of podcasting after a friend introduced me to LibriVox and recording public domain texts for the hard of hearing. I decided to start my own podcast, Get Talking, Rob Farquhar! (this was when robf.com.au was called, Get Writing, Rob Farquhar!) by reading my own work and the things I wanted to read - but then came Episode 4, and everything changed... This time around I decided to try something different from reading a story: Conducting an interview. And who better to start with than the guy I pay the monthly 'Net bill to? Image by Marcus Herstik In all seriousness, Marcus Herstik is not only the man behind the company that hosts this very site, he's a self-employed digital entrepreneur who's been taking these touch economic times in stride. Not only that, he's one of the most solid cats I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. In this interview, I ask him about how he got to where he is today and what advice he'd give to people who are still trying to figure out their personal definitions of success (like me). Marcus, thank you once again for your time, your willingness to be the subject of my first recorded interview and - well, for being so damn cool in general! Show Notes If You Want To Skip Ahead The Interview Begins: 02:00 Education and Career Choices : 03:00 Entrepreneurship and Authority: 09:00 Time Management for Sole Operators: 14:40 Skiing and Risk-Taking: 18:00 The Two Keys to Keeping Yourself Going: 22:00 Questions for Listeners How did your education influence your choice of career? What do you think of being your own boss? Have you tried it? If so, how did it work / is it working out? How do you balance paying the bills and doing what you love? Have you combined the two? How do you make sure you keep learning? What did you start on so early that you didn't realise others didn't have it in their lives? Who do you want me to interview / chat with next? Links Marcus' Web Log On Being Interviewed Business Web Integrations Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview Macquarie University Smiggins Ski Resort

The Paid to Play Podcast

Chris Birch, Founder and Publisher at Modiphius – Episode 123

Chris Birch and Modiphius

Modiphius’ Games

Games, People and Events

Jared A. Sorensen, Roleplaying Game Designer – Episode 122

Jared Sorensen

Jared’s Games

Friends

Games, Gamers and Gaming

Other Links

Ian Livingstone, Games Workshop and Fighting Fantasy Co-Founder – Episode 121

Ian Livingstone

Tabletop Gaming

Video Gaming

Delaney King, Video Game Artist and Miniatures Maker – Episode 120

Delaney King

Tabletop Miniatures Gaming

Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Video Game and 3D Design

Gender and Gaming

Evgeni Puzankov, Video Game Narrative Designer – Episode 119

Evgeni Puzankov

Evgeni’s Games

Evgeni’s Favourite Games

Video Game Design

Fon Davis, Movie Model Maker – Episode 118

Fon Davis, Fonco Creative and Fonco Studios

Movies

Fon’s Projects and Loves

Movie and Effects Companies

Television

Other Projects

David O. Steele, A Quest for Magic and Steele – Episode 117

David O. Steele

A Quest for Magic and Steele

Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Podcasts and Resources

Podcasting Resources

Voice Resources

Saffron Bryant, Self-Published Science Fiction and Fantasy Author – Episode 116

Saffron Bryant

Self-Publishing Tools

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Games

State of Play: Thank You for 1,000+ Downloads in April!

Dean Rankine, Writer and Artist on The Simpsons Comic Books – Episode 115

Dean Rankine

Inspirations

Comic Books

Writers and Artists

Comic Book Titles

Comic Book Labels

Ryan Schapals, Head Minion at Hyper RPG – Episode 114

State of Play April 2017: Going Fortnightly and GMPreneurship

Mariah Avix, 600 Second Saga – Episode 113

S.R. Ringuette, Webcomic Writer and Artist – Episode 112

Neil Rennison, Tin Man Games – Episode 111

Tony Bonner: A Career in Acting – Episode 110

Zac, a.k.a. The IMP, Pro eSports Team Coach – Episode 109

Shelli Varela: Saying Yes to Hacking Possibility – Episode 108

Top 10 for 2016! Most Downloaded Episodes of Season 4 (Live Stream)

Kimi, Golden Lasso Girl: Cosplayer and Game Master – Episode 107

Steven Meissner, Prop and Replica Maker – Episode 106

Steven Lumpkin, Game Master and Designer – Episode 105

“TDot” Anthony Sargent, Podcaster and Evolving Human – Episode 104

Shaun Paulet, Comics2Movies and XCT – Episode 103

James L. Sutter, Creative Director of Starfinder – Episode 102

JourneyBirds’ Wonderland: Fiction Isn’t – Episode 101

Feisty Cuffs, Cosplayer and Host of Kapow! – Episode 100

Scott Doucet, Podcast Coach – Episode 99

Stephanie L H Calahan, The Business Vision Catalyst – Episode 98

Lauren Dawes: Hybrid Paranormal Romance Author – Episode 97

Bajo: Actor, Author and Host of ABC TV’s Good Game – Episode 96

Barry Duffield, Star of Spartacus – Episode 95

Jacinta Maree, Young Adult Author – Episode 94

Bernie Bregman, Nerds Like Us: Episode 93

Celia Berrell, Science Poet: Episode 92

Nolan T. Jones, Roll20: Episode 91

CJ Ripka, Raw & Real – Episode 90