The Blank Canvas Podcast

Episode 50 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Barton Lynch. Barton Lynch is one right out of the box. A whole lot more than a World Champion surfer. Both a soul surfer and astute competitor. A rebel with a cause. A big mouth with the smarts to back it up. A leader. A big wave surfer and a big hearted humanitarian. Winner of 17 major surf championships and winner of the 1988 World title in big barrels at Pipeline on the Oahu’s North Shore. Barton helped blaze the trail of professional surfing and fought for surfers to have a rightful voice in their sport. His Accolades include, Australian Surfing Hall of Fame, Australian Sporting Hall of Fame, Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame. He had the honour of commentating at the recent Tokyo Olympics, introducing surfing as an Olympic sport to the world. Barton loves sharing his passion for the sport and has partnered with Go Pro in 2021 for the BL Blast Off, which goes global in a new online video format. A leading coach of elite surfers, a champion for disabled sportspeople and his philanthropic work is legendary. It takes plenty of guts to become a world champion and it takes guts to speak to your mind in this day and age. Oh and he’s still tackling 40 foot waves in Hawaii, just for fun. BartonLynch.Com https://blblastoff.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/barton_lynch/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Instagram: @theblankcanvaspodcast Facebook: The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald/RUKKUS Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 49 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Ant Middleton. Ant Middleton joined the Army in UK at age 16, eventually achieving the ‘Holy Trinity’ of the UK’s Elite Forces; the Marines, 9 Parachute Squadron and Special Boat Service and seeing plenty of action with three tours of Afghanistan. As with many high achievers, whether elite athletes or soldiers, life after the strict discipline and adrenalin charged action can be rather challenging. After leaving the military Ant’s fall from grace was swift and he wound up in prison and hit rock bottom. This lead to a major re-evaluation of his life and Ant set out to build a career and life that his wife Emilie and kids could be proud of. A decade later and Ant has become a much loved master of survival and endurance in the fields of television, publishing and motivational speaking. Five seasons as chief instructor on UK hit TV series ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’, now shooting the second season of the hit series SAS AUSTRALIA. A trilogy of memoirs, First Man In, The Fear Bubble and Zero Negativity - delivering 3 UK Sunday Times Number 1 Bestsellers with more than 1.5 million copies sold. Other adventures include climbing Everest and making the documentary Extreme Everest, his thrill-seeking road trip through Mexico with Rebel Wilson in his new series Straight Talking and the brutal re-enactment of ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ for the BBC series. We cover a lot of ground in this intimate conversation, including his forthcoming debut fiction thriller, Cold Justice and Mind Over Muscle, his live speaking tour which has been selling out across the UK, and is now coming to Australian in early 2022 – and much more. Mind over Muscle tour: www.tegdainty.com Books & more: antmiddleton.com W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Instagram: @theblankcanvaspodcast Facebook: The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald/RUKKUS Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 48 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Alex Russell Alex Russell is one of those young actors who’s been quietly, or not so quietly racked up a dozen movie credits; both in Australia and the US. After starring in the acclaimed indie feature Wasted on the Young, he played the lead role in the US science fiction thriller Chronicle, grossing over $126 million. Then starred in re-make of Brian De Palma’s horror classic, Carrie alongside Julianne Moore & Chloe Grace Moretz, Andrew Niccol’s movie The Host, Cut Snake with director Tony Ayres, a role in Angelina Jolie's Academy Award nominated epic Unbroken, Greg McLean’s film Jungle opposite Daniel Radcliffe, Only The Brave with Josh Brolin, Goldstone, with Jacki Weaver. In television, Alex is into the 5th season of global hit drama SWAT, starring as the much loved Jim Street. This is all great but what impressed me most and prompted me to want to have a yak with Alex, is that rather than just cruising along as a successful working actor, he’s pro-actively producing his own projects. His latest micro-budget indie movie UNDER MY SKIN is punching well above it’s weight. Written and Directed by Alex’s regular collaborator Aussie David O’Donnell, and produced by Alex and Raynen O’Keefe. The story follows Denny, a free spirit and artist who falls for Ryan, a strait-laced lawyer, played by Alex. When Denny questions her gender their love is tested. It’s a powerful film and just won the Alternative Spirit Award at the prestigious Rhode Island International Film Festival and is currently trending on Aussie streaming platform in STAN. IMBD https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3887625/ IG https://www.instagram.com/alexrussell/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Instagram: @theblankcanvaspodcast Facebook: The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald/RUKKUS Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 47 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Collette Dinnigan. When I think of iconic fashion designers in Australia, one name jumps to mind. Collette Dinnigan. Collette cut the patterns of her first lingerie collection and sewed the pieces together at home. After knock backs from Australian stores, she went straight to the top, Barney’s NYC. Cindy Crawford was the first customer and before long the international fashion press and buyers were red hot for this new designer from down under. She became the first Australian fashion designer to mount a full-scale ready-to-wear collection in Paris and has shown within the prestigious Paris Fashion Week schedule, an impressive 33 times. Collette’s work has appeared in film and television and has been worn by fashion icons worldwide including Madonna, J Lo, Duchess of Cambridge, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Sandra Bullock and Beyoncé. Accolades include Australian Designer of the Year Award, Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World Award, Louis Vuitton Business Award in 97 and in 2017 was awarded the Order of Australia, for her services to fashion. Over the past decade, Collette has broadened her design work to interior spaces for herself, private clients and hotels, and she has maintained collaborator and ambassador roles with a handful of prestigious brands. Most recently Collette has jumped out of her comfort zone, with Network 10’s Celebrity Masterchef. This an opportunity for Collette to showcase her passion for cooking and entertaining, and I can tell you, her talent definitely extends to the culinary world! Articulate and insightful, this long-form conversation offers a rare insight into a genuine creative force of nature. https://collettedinnigan.com/ https://www.instagram.com/collettedinnigan/ https://www.facebook.com/ColletteDinnigan W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Instagram: @theblankcanvaspodcast Facebook: The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald/RUKKUS Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 46 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Keith Code. Keith Code is a writer, inventor and coach who has dedicated himself to understanding and teaching the art of riding motorcycles. Achieving success in California in the 70’s riding for the legendary Yoshimura team, Keith found he had an aptitude for analysing and communicating the techniques required to carry speed through a corner. Under Keith’s instruction, many a racer dramatically reduced their lap times. Encouraged by this success, Keith began his pioneering one-on-one courses in 1976. Distilling his theories onto paper and creating a numerous practical drills, Keith wrote his first book, Twist of the Wrist, to this day it’s the world's number one instruction manual for the motorcycle rider. In 1980, Keith established a school to offer his unique training to anyone with a motorcycle license. Four decades later, California Superbike School has become synonymous with sport-bike training, with schools in the USA, UK and Australia. As of 2021, riders who have been trained either at his schools or by Keith personally have won 65 world and national racing championships. His schools have operated at over 90 tracks worldwide in 15 countries and have trained more than 150,000 riders. Keith is an old friend and a unique character, our chat covers lots of ground and offers many humorous insights into this trail blazer. SuperbikeSchool.Com W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Instagram: @theblankcanvaspodcast Facebook: The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald/RUKKUS Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 45 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Tim Olsen. The first episode to kick off the 2nd year of The Blank Canvas, offers a remarkable insiders view of the art world. Tim Olsen is one of Australia's most respected art identities and successful gallery owners. As the son of Australia’s greatest living painter, John Olsen, Tim has lead a fascinating life. His recent best selling memoir SON OF A BRUSH is a revelation, it sheds extraordinary light on one of our most acclaimed artistic families. Growing up in the shadow of the great John Olsen came with many challenges, but rather than play the victim, Tim’s smart enough to realise what a privilege it’s been and eventually found his own voice and broad way of contributing to the art world. Through his galleries and other philanthropic work, Tim has nurtured and supported the careers of many of Australia's leading artists. This is a broad ranging chat and Tim recounts great stories of his time with likes of Brett Whitely and Robert Hughes, the revered author and art critic. Life can be pretty turbulent and grim at times but when you spend time with someone like Tim, you come away with fresh insights and awareness of art and appreciation as to the gifts that great artists contribute to our culture. https://www.olsengallery.com/ https://www.sonofthebrush.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Instagram: @theblankcanvaspodcast Facebook: The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 44 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Jane & Jimmy Barnes. The Blank Canvas Podcast racks up the one-year milestone this week with not one but two special guests - Jane & Jimmy Barnes. Jimmy Barnes probably needs no introduction, he is quite simply the heart and the soul of Australian rock n' roll. Born in Scotland, raised in Adelaide, Australia, Jimmy was 16 when he joined the band Cold Chisel in 1973, quickly becoming the most powerful live act in the heyday of Australian pub rock. He went solo in the 80’s and since that time has been through it all and lived to tell the tales, selling more records in Australia than any other local rock & roll artist and has enjoyed EIGHTEEN #1 albums. Barnesy has found peace with his demons of late, and we’ve come to know that Jane is Jimmy’s rock, his angel, his guiding light. Jimmy’s output for 40 years has been prolific to say the least, about the only thing he hasn’t done is write a cookbook. Well, actually he can tick that off too, he and Jane have been cooking up a storm in lockdown and their cookbook ‘Where The River Bends’ is out in November. This a candid chat which illustrates the unique, loving and hilarious dynamic at play between these two national treasures. jimmybarnes.com Booktopia - Where The River Bends Pre-Order Dymocks - Rosie the Rhinoceros Pre-Order https://smarturl.it/JBFleshAndBlood W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Instagram: @theblankcanvaspodcast Facebook: The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 43 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Stacy Rukeyser Stacy Rukeyser is behind current Netflix hit series SEX LIFE, which in its first 10 days was in their “Top 10 List” in 92 countries. A month later and it’s still lighting up social media with likes of the Kim Kardashian tweeting about it just before this chat. The last year has presented plenty of challenges to make TV drama, but the upside for the likes of Netflix has been huge captive audiences locked in at home and binging on escapist entertainment. Stacy is the creator, showrunner and executive producer of SEX/LIFE, which was inspired by BB Easton’s book, 44 Chapters About 4 Men. Prior to this series, Stacy served as the showrunner & EP of the acclaimed series UnREAL, which scored a 2016 Primetime Emmy Award nom for ‘Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series’ and won an AFI Award for ‘TV Program of the Year’. Her previous TV writing credits include the Golden Globe winning WITHOUT A TRACE, CRASH, ONE TREE HILL, OCTOBER ROAD, STANDOFF, GREEK and THE LYING GAME. Stacy’s an old mate of mine from when I lived in LA 20 years ago, I watched her transition from frustrated actor to aspiring writer. I vividly remember reading her first spec scripts and thinking, yup, she’s the real deal. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0749993/ https://www.instagram.com/littleruke/ https://twitter.com/littleruke W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 42 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Hugh Stewart. Hugh Stewart is an acclaimed portrait photographer, probably the closest thing downunder to Annie Liebovitz. Grew up on a diary farm in New Zealand. Left For Europe straight out of school and was living in a notorious London squat in the early 80s when he first picked up a camera and started taking portraits of his friends. Hugh’s a down to earth and unassuming guy, however his intimate portraits have lead to an incredible body of iconic images with a roll call of the biggest names in arts and culture; Johnny Cash, Michael Caine, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Paul Newman, Ed Harris, Kenneth Branagh, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Tom Hanks, Catherine Deneuve, Clint Eastwood, Naomi Watts, Julian Schnabel, Rod Stewart, Ian Mckellen, Leonardo Dicaprio, Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Robert Redford, Emma Thompson and Five Australian Prime Ministers. He’s shot for mags like Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, The Face, I-D, British, French and American Vogue. Commercial Clients; Australian Tourism, HBO, Netflix, Warner Bros and Chanel No.5 Hugh is a long time collaborator with Baz Luhrman; Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge and his forthcoming film About Elvis. Currently based in Sydney, Hugh’s creative output hasn’t waned, his lockdown video call portraits have connected broadly across the globe, with more than 300 thus far. Hugh shares some great stories, which bring home the fact that there’s no rule book when it comes to creativity and often the barriers bring out the best you in you. Just keep creating. hughstewart.com https://hallslane.com.au/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 41 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Sean Sennett. Sean Sennett is one of talented and curious characters you find in the music business. He studied history and literature at university but spent most of his time poring over every issue of American Rolling Stones magazine penning gig reviews for Brisbane music mag, Time Off. He bought the magazine a few years later, taking it out if receivership. Ran it for twenty years and published over 1000 issues. Today Sean is one of the go-to music writers for many of the biggest acts in the world; Springsteen, U2, Bowie, McCartney…literally 1000’s of interviews. As a singer/songwriter Sean’s released three indie solo records. He’s written songs with the likes of Ross Wilson, Mark Seymour and Sean joined Midnight Oil co-founder Rob Hirst to create the indie-rock album Crashing The Same Car Twice. In 2020 Sean teamed up with iconic musicians Kate Ceberano and Steve Kilbey and released one of the most acclaimed albums of the year The Dangerous Age, achieving Album of Week in The Australian, The Herald Sun, The Music and more. Sean is wonderful story-teller with a turn of phrase that reels you in and has you gagging to hear more. Enjoy. The Dangerous Age - Listen/Download: https://usm.lnk.to/ThDaAg Time To Talk: https://tinyurl.com/t6p29jc2 IG: https://www.instagram.com/seansennett/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 40 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Hunter Leonard. Many people and businesses have been smashed over the last few years. There’s millions of people out there trying to reinvent themselves to survive this brave new world. Also, as a population we're living longer, there’s more and more mature age people looking for work and needing to be productive for longer. This weeks guest is business coach, author and ageism activist - Hunter Leonard. Hunter has written seven books including two Amazon Bestsellers, Generation Experience and The Experience Equation. In a common sense manner, Hunter lays out his vision to end ageism and gives practical steps everyone can follow to reinvent themselves, whether starting a new business, getting a new job or helping to overcome age discrimination. It’s a mile-high goal, but Hunter is a man on a mission for the mature age worker. And let’s face it, none of us are getting any younger, this is coming down the line for us all! As Founder & CEO of Silver & Wise - Hunter delivers business coaching to everything from small and large businesses to various government agencies . He has surveyed more than 10,000 businesses owners in the course of developing his coaching strategies, has delivered over 700 seminars and presentations and contributed to over 2 billion dollars in sales growth for more than 500 clients. In fact, I’m one of Hunter’s success stories. Over a coffee a few years ago, I shared a career crisis and that I needed to reinvent myself. I left with a copy of Hunter’s book Generation Experience, not long after I had the idea of to create a Podcast. The rest as they say is history! www.silverandwise.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-leonard/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 39 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Kathrin Longhurst. There’s an elfin and puckish energy to artist Kathrin Longhurst, she looks into the heart and soul of each subject and has the technical ability to draw that out of the eyes of every portrait she paints, making her canvas’s feel as though they have come to life. None more so than her dynamic portrait of Kate Ceberano, which is a finalist and won the Packing Room Prize for this years 2021 Archibald Prize, Australia’s premier art prize, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Kathrin is a child of the cold-war era, growing up behind the iron curtain in East Germany. Much of her work captures the contrast between war propaganda imagery and the glamorous promises of the other side of the wall. However in place of the fearsome male figures of power are female warriors. The current phase of the digital revolution is delivering a chilling new wave of censorship and propaganda, making Kathrin’s style and work all the more compelling and relevant. The Berlin Wall came down and Kathrin left East Germany. She fell in love with an Aussie sailor and lives with her husband and two teenage children in Sydney, where she is well-respected member of the Sydney arts community. She served as vice president for Portrait Artists Australia and was the founder and director of the innovative Project 504. Kathrin’s work is highly sought after and is collected across the globe. She completed her 18th solo show in 2021 and has been a finalist in numerous awards including the Archibald Prize, the Doug Moran, the Darling Prize, the Sulman Prize, the Percival Portrait Award, the Mosman Art Prize, the Portia Geach Award, the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Prize and the WA Black Swan Prize. http://kathrinlonghurst.com/ https://www.instagram.com/kathrinlonghurst/ https://www.facebook.com/kathrinlonghurst https://twitter.com/katlonghurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrinlonghurst/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part B of the two part conversation with master filmmaker Fred Schepisi AO. See episode 037 for Part A for the beginning of the conversation with Fred. https://fredschepisi.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 37 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Fred Schepisi. One of all time great filmmakers. Fred Schepisi steered Meryl Streep to an Oscar nomination for A Cry In The Dark, so too for Stockard Channing in Six Degrees of Separation. In fact, the worlds finest actors have been clamouring to work with Fred for 45 years; Helen Mirren. Donald Sutherland. Kirk Douglas. Michael Douglas. Will Smith. Meg Ryan. Michael Caine. Geoffrey Rush. Sir John Gielgud. Ian McLennan. Ray Winston. John Cleese. Jamie Lee Curtis. Kevin Cline. Tim Robbins, and the list goes on. Fred started out in the advertising world in Melbourne, directing both commercials and documentaries. His first feature-length movie was the semi-autobiographical The Devil’s Playground which won 6 AFI awards including Best Film. The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith , in 1978, won a few more AFI awards and was nominated for Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Fred then began working internationally, highlights include; Plenty (again with Meryl Streep), Roxanne (starring Steve Martin & Darryl Hannah) The Russia House (with Sean Connery & Michelle Pfeiffer), Last Orders, Eye of the Storm, and Words & Pictures starring Juliette Binoche & Clive Owen. The HBO movie Empire Falls, starring Paul Newman, Ed Harris, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Robin Wright, won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture made for Television. Fred has worked across most genres and is a master at adapting books to screen. Appropriately, he was awarded the Order of Australia for his service to the Australian film industry as a director, producer and screenwriter. Fred is a real character and a great conversationalist, he delivers a veritable master-class in film-making in this podcast, so much so, I’m releasing this chat over two episodes. https://fredschepisi.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 36 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Mark Isham. Classically trained. Pioneer of electronic music. One of the jazz greats. Combine this with his willingness to create new musical worlds, working in virtually any medium or genre, well, it’s the perfect alchemy for a film and television music composer. Originally from NY City, Mark Isham studied piano and violin, but the trumpet captured his imagination and became his signature instrument. By the age 15 was playing in jazz clubs, while performing San Francisco symphony. In the early 80’s Mark began experimenting with electronic music and quickly gained notoriety for his work in the new age genre, the self titled Mark Isham album won a Grammy award and Grammy nominations for the follow up albums Castalia and Tibet. Mark collaborated with the likes of Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock; his Blue Sun album and Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project and the ARIA award nominated Bittersweet album with Kate Ceberano, are regarded with awe in the jazz world. Mark Isham’s signature trumpet sound is heard on albums of music icons including Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Ziggy Marley, Joni Mitchell, The Rolling Stones, Chris Isaak, and Van Morrison. Mark has scored films for the most acclaimed directors; Robert Altman, Robert Redford, Jodi Foster, Sydney Lumet, Frank Darabont, John Ridley, Gavin O’Conner and Brain De Palma Movie highlights include Oscar-winning movies Crash, A River Runs Through It, Warrior, Judas and the Black Messiah. Along with Golden Globe winning Bobby and The Black Dahlia. Recent TV highlights include Once Upon a Time, American Crime, Little Fires Everywhere (which he garnered Mark's sixth Emmy nomination), Godfather of Harlem and HBO’s The Nevers. Prolific doesn’t even begin to describe Mark’s creative output; Over 400 movies & television series scored, 4 billion $ box office gross of movies scored, created over 200 albums, over 200 nominations and 57 major awards. This is an insight into the mind and process of a musical genius. Mark shares his experience working with Robert Redford, Jodi Foster and Aussie directors Gillian Armstrong & Scott Hicks - and we get to play some of his music! ISHAM.COM The Nevers - Binge / Foxtel (Australia) Godfather of Harlem - Stan (Australia) Bittersweet - Mark Isham / Kate Ceberano (all major music platforms) W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 35 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Lindsay Fox. From one man and a truck to a sophisticated multinational operation, Lindsay Fox isn’t your average truckie. In 1956 Melbourne hosted the Olympics Games and in that same year, 19 year old Lindsay Fox purchased his first truck - for 400 Pounds. He began carting coal in the winter and soft drinks in summer. He purchased his second truck the following year and the now iconic slogan, ‘You are passing another FOX’ was born. In 1958 a contract with soft drink manufacturer Schweppes saw him expand his fleet to ten trucks and hang up his boots from playing AFL for St Kilda. More than 60 years later, Linfox has grown to become Asia Pacific’s largest privately-owned logistics company, involving more than 24,000 people across 12 countries with more than 5000 vehicles, operating 3.8 million square metres of warehousing and with 3 Billion annual revenue. It sounds like a fairy tale, from truckie to billionaire entrepreneur, but the trucking biz is no picnic. Lindsay is known as being tough but loyal and true to his word. He’s also a big hearted bloke and his philanthropic work is legendary, most of it is done on the quiet, without seeking the self-congratulatory PR. Plenty of milestones in this blokes life, including being awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2008. Family is clearly important to Lindsay, he and his wife Paula have been married for 62 years and have 5 living children (Michael deceased), 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Lindsay’s story is fascinating and offers plenty of hope for those who struggle at school: "I was lucky I was an academic failure. I would say of the supposedly top 20 richest people in Australia, 14 of them never graduated (high school), but they learned their skills and honed in on them by practical experience.” Lindsay Fox https://www.linfox.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 34 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Mandy Walker. The first cinematographer to appear on The Blank Canvas, Mandy Walker was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. She started out as a clapper loader and worked her way up through the camera department on documentaries, feature films, commercials and music videos, and shot her first feature film, Return Home, at the age of twenty-five. Mandy has since notched up 20 feature film credits as director of photography and has filmed over a hundred high end international commercials, including the commercial-films for Chanel No. 5 which were directed by Baz Luhrmann and feature Nicole Kidman, and more recently with supermodel Gisele. Mandy is a sitting Governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the American Society of Cinematographers. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Australian Cinematographers Society. She was the Kodak Artist in Residence at UCLA film school and in 2015 she received the Kodak Cinematography Mentor of the Year Award. There’s no doubt Mandy is very talented but I believe what makes her so sought after by the top directors is her strength as a storyteller, of course being a joy to collaborate counts for a lot too! She works across a broad array of genres in everything from small character based ‘art films’ to the the 200 million dollar Disney epic MULAN. Other credits include Academy Award nominated Hidden Figures, The Mountain Between Us (Kate Winslet, Idris Elba) Truth (Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford), Red Riding Hood (Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman), Jane Got A Gun (Natalie Portman), the Aussie classic Lantana, Baz’s Lurhman’s movie Australia and Mandy is currently shooting Baz’s latest movie “Untitled Elvis Presley Project”, which stars Tom Hanks. https://www.mandywalkerdp.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 33 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Simon P Lock. Simon P Lock is the visionary entrepreneur who put Australian fashion on the map when he founded Mercedes Australian Fashion Week. He was the champion of Australian designers, well before it was fashionable and he showed the world that that sophisticated fashion could come out of Australia. The success of this event lead to Simon holding senior management positions in a number of other international fashion weeks that sprung up following the Australian success; Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Pakistan, India and the long established - New York Fashion Week. When the GFC hit in 2008, and Australia’s Fashion Week experienced a dramatic decline in attendance of international retail buyers, Simon embraced new technology to deliver fashion week digitally; this included the world’s first live stream fashion show, the first website for a fashion week and early adoption of bloggers ands social media channels The impact of the digital revolution and other global economic factors disrupted to traditional business channels and the Fashion week schedules. Ahead of the curve once again, Simon, along with his wife Kirstin, created ORDRE - an online platform to facilitate the management of luxury wholesale networks globally through the presentation of designers seasonal collections via virtual showrooms. Simon developed 360° data capture technology as the cornerstone of the platform. They knocked on doors for 4 years, slowly building the platform and clientele, then once Covid hit in 2020, the phone hasn’t stopped ringing - pretty well all the major luxury designers have come on board - Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Chloe, Loewe, Balmain, Gucci, Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs and many more. Simon says the company is on track to generate revenues of around $13M Aussie $ annually and contribute to generating hundreds of millions of dollars of wholesale orders for its clients. The fashion world is a fickle one but Simon has certainly navigated path a successful path and take a lot of other people with him. https://www.ordre.com/en https://www.instagram.com/simonplock/ https://www.instagram.com/ordreofficial/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/leerogers12/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 32 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Jenna Elfman. She can dance, she can act, whether it be comedy, drama or killing zombies, this woman is a bombshell performer! Born and raised in LA, Jenna began her career as a professional dancer, appearing in music videos by Depeche Mode and Anthrax, and she danced in the 1991 Academy Awards live broadcast. She transitioned to acting and became best known for her role as Dharma in the hit television series Dharma and Greg, for which she garnered a Golden Globe Award and three Emmy Award nominations. Jenna is currently starring in the hit TV series, Fear The Walking Dead. She joined the series in season 4, quickly becoming a fan favourite as the character “June” (aka “Naomi”/“Laura”) and is currently blowing minds with her performances in Season 6. Film credits include; Friends With Benefits, Barry, Keeping The Faith, Ed TV, Can’t Hardly Wait, Big Stone Gap. TV credits include; Imaginary Mary, Growing Up Fisher, 1600 Penn, Shameless, Damages, The Mindy Project, Two and a Half Men, My Name is Earl, Royal Pains and The Twilight Zone. Jenna and her husband Bodhi have blazed the podcast trail with their video podcast ‘Kicking and Screaming', where they humorously discuss their 25 + year marriage. “My purpose was always to make people feel alive and that they can think new thoughts, keeping hope alive in people so that they can always at any moment make a change for the better for themselves.” Jenna Elfman https://www.jennaelfman.com/ https://www.foxtel.com.au/watch/fear-the-walking-dead.html W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 31 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Radek Sali. It takes sheer guts and determination to succeed on a grand scale and there is usually some point where the person puts everything they have on the line. This week’s guest is no exception and fortunately for him, the gamble paid off. Radek Sali - started out working the candy bar in his local suburban Village cinema and worked his way up to Operations Manager of Village Roadshow. Radek joined the Swisse Wellness group as Operations Manager in 2005, a couple years later he’d become CEO, he steered the company from it’s annual turnover of $14 million to it’s sale 10 years on - for 1.7 Billion dollars. Incredibly, just nine months before that deal went ahead, the shareholders of Swisse nearly accepted an offer of just $30 million, which would have left Radek bankrupt due to $15 million in personal debt. I directed many TV commercials for Swisse leading up to the sale of the company - in particular their campaign for the Rio Olympics. The staff culture was something to behold at Swisse and played a huge role in the success of brand, and this was clearly driven by their inspirational leader. Radek’s latest role is Chairman of Light Warrior - an investment organisation with a mission to help fund and support an array of other businesses and entrepreneurs, particularly those with a positive societal impact.https://lightwarrior.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 30 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with George Adams. George grew up in a small village in Scotland. He spent the first five years of his working life at an explosives factory, before deciding there must be more to life and self-funding himself through a degree in commerce and marketing, with the dream of writing and making TV drama at the BBC. Upon graduation, with limited job opportunities in Scotland, George headed to London to try his luck. He landed a job at the BBC through sheer luck and of course, the chutzpah to have a crack. George quickly worked his way up the ranks, and before long was network executive on dozens major telemovies, A Foreign Field starring Alec Guinness, Jean Moreau and Lauren Bacall, and others starring the likes of Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Albert Finney, Richard Harris and Gabriel Byrne. On leaving the BBC George joined Carlton TV as the Executive in Charge of Drama Production. Then several stints withe biggest players in the biz - VP & Head of Business Affairs & Production for the Columbia TriStar/Sony joint venture, Golden Square Pictures, next up Head of Drama Production at Granada UK (now ITVG) Whilst at ITV George guided TV shows including: Class Act starring Joanna Lumley, Sharpe starring Sean Bean, Rebecca starring Charles Dance, Diana Rigg and Faye Dunaway, Tough Love with Ray Winstone. Now married to an Aussie lass, George relocates to Australia to raise their kids. George’s credits down under include creating the award winning drama, Bed of Roses, which ran on the ABC for three seasons. EP of the movie Wolf Creek, which went on to be one of the most successful R rated Australian movies of all time. George then created and acted as both producer and show runner on Five series of Australia’s highest rating returning drama series year on year with The Doctor Blake Mysteries. A global hit, running in more than 130 territories including BBC1, Netflix USA. Other major credits included EP on BAFTA award winning UK drama Mrs Biggs and the 3D IMAX movie Hidden Universe. George has developed, produced, managed and controlled well in excess of $850M of TV drama production in the UK, Europe and Australia. Working in the screen industry is not for the faint of heart but George has managed to navigate a path with more ups than downs and keep his sense if humour intact. IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0010984/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_4 https://gambitmediagroup.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 29 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Sam Bloom. You may have heard of the best selling book Penguin Bloom or the movie starring Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts as Sam Bloom. Here’s Sam Bloom’s story in a nutshell. A shy but sporty tom boy became and nurse and lived to travel to far-flung and adventurous places. She fell in love with a like-minded free spirit, Cam Bloom, a professional photographer, they raised 3 boys and built a life on the Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Then while on holiday in Thailand, in a single horrific moment, a decayed balcony gives way and Sam suffers a near fatal fall that leaves her paralysed from the chest down and deeply depressed. Into her life comes Penguin, an injured Magpie chick abandoned after she fell from her nest. The necessity to care for Penguin, a living creature more fragile than herself, helps lift Sam out of her black hole and together they find a way through the overwhelming adversity.Sam’s husband Cam photographs the whole journey, this becomes the core of the book and it’s a bestseller. Sam takes up competitive para-canoeing, eventually placing 13th in the world and winning two Australian titles. Then as part of the Australian Adaptive Surf Team, Sam wins two Gold medals for Australia at both the 2019 and 2020 World Para Surfing Championships. Meanwhile the movie Penguin Bloom is made, it’s big hit, on track to pass 8 million at the Aussie box-office. Netflix release the film internationally in many territories.This no ordinary tale and Sam Bloom is no ordinary woman. Our chat took place in Bloom family home on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, March 2021. http://sambloom.com.au/penguin-bloom/ https://www.penguinthemagpie.com/ BloomPhotography.Com W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 28 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Graham Shearer. One Australia’s most revered photographers, Graham Shearer's path to success sounds like something out of a romance novel but it’s a true blue Aussie success story. Born and Raised in Perth, WA. As a hobby Graham photographed his family, landscapes and surfers but couldn't have dreamed of a career in photography. To his parents horror, he dropped out of his accounting studies and went travelling. Meeting his future wife, Patricia Merk, a French model on holiday in Bali, Graham began travelling with Patricia, working as a male model and shooting test shots of model friends. His first paid assignment was in Tokyo for a Japanese fashion magazine. In the early 80’s Graham and his now wife, Patricia Mark moved to Sydney and quickly rose up the ranks as a photographer. Patricia became fashion editor of Dolly magazine, with Graham her go-to photographer. Under the leadership of a prodigious young editor, Lisa Wilkinson, the magazine was an extraordinary success. Before long Graham was the most in-demand fashion and portrait photographers in Australia and across the globe. He photographed supermodels (including Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Elle MacPherson), actors (Nicole Kidman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Keanu Reeves, Christopher Lambert, Kim Basinger, etc) and brands such as Qantas, Loreal Paris, Rolex and Moet & Chandon. Magazines Graham worked for include iconic US publications Vanity Fair, Interview and Vogue, Italian Elle, UK’s Tattler, France’s Madame Figaro. Graham’s strength lies in his ability to capture natural beauty with effortless, refined and timeless style. Combine that with his infectious enthusiasm and it’s an irresistible combination. Yours truly got his start in the business when Graham spotted me as a young grommet in 1984 and put me front and centre in Dolly magazine for a few years. This a candid conversation in which we discuss everything from Graham’s approach to his craft, working with ’The Body’ at the height of her career, to dropping his daks mid-shoot with The Duchess of Kent. Website: GrahamShearer.Com W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 27 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Kate Dennis. With today being International Women’s Day, it’s a most appropriate day to release my conversation with the uber talented screen director, Kate Dennis. Starting out as a camera assistant, then focus puller and script supervisor for many years, Kate’s credits include the massive hits films Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Cliffhanger and Babe. In 1996 Kate was offered to direct an episode of the TV series Twisted Tales for producer Bryan Brown, she hasn’t looked back and is now one of the most sought after international screen directors. Kate has set-up seven TV dramas in the US, UK and Australia including HBO’s Run (working with Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Tommy (with Edie Falco), New Amsterdam (which is going strong after 5 seasons); Secrets & Lies (which starred Juliette Lewis & Ryan Phillippe in it’s USA remake) and Australian TV phenomena Offspring, which ran for seven seasons. Kate’s episodic work in the US traverses broad genres from comedy to drama and includes: GLOW, The Tick, Heathers, Strange Angel, Krypton, Damnation, The Mindy Project, Preacher, Turn: Washington’s Spies, Fear of The Walking Dead, Sleepy Hollow and Suits. Her Australian directing work includes: Rake, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Rush, The Time of Our Lives, The Secret Life of Us and Love My Way. In 2017, Kate’s episode ‘The Bridge’ from The Handmaid’s Tale, was nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Director for a Drama Series. Kate remains a down-to-earth Aussie and makes it her job sound rather simple, however it’s taken decades of hard work in the high pressure hot-seat of directing big-budget series to earn her place at the top. Kate Dennis / IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0219491/ Kate Dennis / Agent: https://www.rgm.com.au/literary/kate-dennis/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 26 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Remo Giuffre. If you lived in Sydney in the late 80’s and early 90’s you would likely remember the iconic REMO General Store on Oxford St, Darlinghurst. Now an online store, the prestigious brand is still serving a global network of customers with artfully curated products. Remo graduated with Commerce and Law degrees from the New South Wales University, and then MBA with top honours from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business in New York…but after working with a law firm for a while, he decided to follow his dream of a more creative life. Entrepreneur. Retail merchant. Brand builder. Creative Strategist. That’s how the CV reads, but really, Remo is one of those creative thinkers that can apply his mind to any endeavour and find the smartest way forward. In 2009, Remo acquired the Licensee and has been Director for TEDxSydney, an annual flagship TEDx event which has become Australia’s leading ideas platform, and actually setting the gold standard for TEDx events globally. Remo is a larger than life character, who has blazed many trails and carved out a uniquely creative life. https://www.remogiuffre.com/ https://remogeneralstore.com/ https://tedxsydney.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 25 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Mark Fennessy. Mark is an entrepreneur, television and film producer. I’ve worked with Mark on a few occasions and he’s become somewhat of a mentor and actually a mate. Had I known the full extent of his achievements, I actually would have been a little intimidated to do this interview, he’s a giant in the world of media, broadcasting and production. Mark started out in 1981 as an Assistant Cameraman in the news department of network 7 in Melbourne, rose quickly through the ranks to become a highly respected producer with Seven and Nine, with dozens of major credits including 4 Olympic Games broadcasts. At 26 Mark Headed up MTV Australia, eventually joining the team at MTV International when it was a global phenomenon. Mark returned to Australia to create Crackerjack with his brother Carl. As a little independent production company, they made a big name for themselves as producers of comedy and trail blazed the new world of unscripted television. Among the slate were Backberner, Comedy Inc, Chaser Non Stop News Network, Jamie’s Kitchen Australia, and the legendary Enough Rope with Andrew Denton. Crackerjack was sold to Fremantle Media in 2003, with Mark taking the reins as CEO and his brother Carl COO. They quickly built a slate of 19 different productions including the very new Australian Idol, Australia’s Got Talent, Newstopia, The Farmer Wants a Wife, The Apprentice, Project Runway, Choir of Hard Knocks, The Biggest Loser and MasterChef. In 2010 Mark & Carl left Fremantle to head up the local affiliate of the Shine Group launched by Elisabeth Murdoch. What followed was a blitzkrieg of TV content with an extraordinary slate tv franchises and super brands including Beauty & The Geek, The Bachelor, Shark Tank and The Voice. During this same period they launched highly successful Dramas including INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, Catching Milat and Peter Allen: Not The Boy Next Door . Within just 3 years Shine was the No. 1 production company the Southern hemisphere. Following a global merger, Mark and Carl Fennessy agreed to oversee a new company Endemol Shine Australia. What followed is another incredible output of content and hits including: Lambs of God, Mystify, Australian Survivor, Offspring, The Beautiful Lie, Wake in Fright, Gogglebox, Australian Ninja Warrior, Married At First Sight, Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, Blue Murder - Killer Cop. In 2017 Mark was awarded an Order of Australia, recognising him for his significant service to the broadcast industry. He was recently ranked No 1 in the Australian Financial Review’s Cultural List. The brothers Fennessy recently departed Shine after almost 11 years and whilst the world waits to see what these industry trailblazers might do next, Mark is overseeing the highly anticipated scripted series Last King of The X. He also runs a small independent record label in keeping with his passionate and longstanding relationship with the music business. Mark has a relentlessly creative mind, always ticking over with new ideas and possibilities. Combine that with his fierce work ethic and ability to articulate his vision, well, it’s kind of epic! He is a very private family man and this is a rare opportunity to see what makes a man like this tick. W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 24 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Maurice Terzini. This weeks guest is visionary restauranteur and entrepreneur - Maurice Terzini.Maurice has drawn on his Italian heritage and combined it with his passions; food, music, art, fashion and design...and in the process has created a contemporary dining aesthetic that has blazed trails throughout the Australian hospitality industry.A modest man with a punk sensibility, a fierce work ethic and attention to detail bar none. The interior design of his restaurants, the locations, the branding, marketing materials, not to mention the food and service, are the stuff of legend. At the age of 23 he opened his first venture, Caffe e Cucina on Melbourne’s then undiscovered Chapel Street, with the café radically altering perceptions and conventions around the dining scene at the time, offering high-end quality in a café setting - Voted in the Top 10 cafes in the world in the NY Times for four years. Numerous successful hospitality ventures followed including Il Bacaro, the legendary Melbourne Wine Room, Caffe Vini Spuntini, OTTO and spin-off NOVE, North Bondi Italian Food, Melbourne’s Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons, Café Veloce...capped by the jewel in the crown, the iconic Icebergs Dining Room and Bar. His more recent restaurants are CicciaBella Bondi Beach & Parramatta and The Dolphin Hotel in Surry Hills. Maurice seems to thrive on dreaming up impossible visions in the field of hospitality and single-mindedly working day and night until they are manifest - all the while bringing people together for conversation and culture. Icebergs Dining Room and Bar http://idrb.com/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/icebergsdiningroomandbar/ Cicca Bella (Bondi & Parramatta) https://cicciabella.com.au/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/cicciabellabondi/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 23 of The Blank Canvas with Kat Stewart. Making a career in the performing arts is notoriously challenging but in this case the cream has certainly risen to the top. Kat Stewart's searing performance as Roberta Williams in the iconic first TV series of UNDERBELLY, planted her into our collective consciousness. Kat received both the 2008 AFI Award for Best Lead Actress and the 2009 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actress. Whether comedy, drama or anything in between, the incredible performances and accolades have followed ever since, however Kat is probably best known for her AACTA Award winning portrayal of Billie Proudman in the TV phenomenon - Offspring. Aside from being a lovely human and charming conversationalist, this is an inspiring career change story; Kat completed a degree in marketing and arts and was working as full time publicist for publisher Penguin Books. Unable to shake the acting bug from some university theatre she dabbled in, she studied acting at night after work for 3 years, eventually getting her confidence up to taking the plunge into that arena. "There are some people that have just driven by an innate self-belief, I'm driven by a lot of self doubt, but it means that I work really hard because I do think that I can fail at any second. You know, every time I take on a job, I think, oh shit. I don't know if I can pull this off. Every character you starting from ground zero, but in a way that's the greatest thing, the fear and the trepidation is a respect for the task at hand.” Kat’s latest hit TV series is FIVE BEDROOMS which is produced by Hoodlum. Series Two is returning to Network 10 in 2021. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1830811/ https://www.instagram.com/kat_stewy/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first episode for 2021 features one of Australia’s most acclaimed filmmakers - Robert Connolly. This conversation took place on the 8th of January and Robert has just found out his latest film, The Dry, has had a huge opening week. With many of the big foreign movies holding back their tent-pole releases over the holiday period, The Dry, which stars Eric Bana, has since racked up over 12 million dollars at the Aussie box office, and is still going strong. Well, it’s certainly a happy start to new year for Robert and Australian cinema.Robert’s other films include several Aussie classics; The Boys, The Bank, Three Dollars, The Turning, Romulus My Father, Balibo and Paper Planes. Robert’s television work is equally impressive, Underground: The Julian Assange story, Gallipoli, Barracuda, the Emmy and BAFTA nominated series The Slap to name a few. In fact, Robert has won over 20 major Australian and international awards for his work.A recent standout is the series Deep State - a British eight-part espionage thriller starring Mark Strong for the Fox network; Robert was the set-up director. Whether directing, producing or writing, Robert is a wonderful storyteller who brings great humanity to his work. He is also one of the nicest guys in the biz, generously sharing his knowledge and mentoring the next generation of filmmakers. http://www.arenamedia.com.au/robert-connolly/ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0175352/?ref_=tt_ov_dr W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 21 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Siimon Reynolds. This week’s guest is the advertising whiz kid is who created the landmark 1987 Grim Reaper ad campaign that warned Australian’s about the dangers of AIDS. Since that time Siimon has continued to blaze a trail through the advertising and marketing worlds. I’ve had the fortune to work with Siimon over the years and I’m happy to report that in addition to his brilliant mind, he’s a great collaborator and in fact a gentle soul. In fact, I admire the way he has managed to straddle the often conflicting pull of being a creative person, a successful businessman and a good guy. ABOUT SIIMON REYNOLDS Siimon is one of the most sought-after international mentors to business owners and CEO’s. His achievements include: Winner of Advertising Agency Of The Year twice. Winner of every major advertising award - including the Cannes Grand Prix. He co-founded and built the 15th biggest marketing services group in the world in just 8 years (Photon Group). Siimon has authored 6 books including ‘Why People Fail’, which won the Silver Medal for best U.S business success book in year 2012. His latest book WIN FAST, is out now via Penguin Random House. Siimon has given keynote speeches to over 60,000 people - and has shared the stage with Richard Branson and Tony Robbins. Siimon was a ‘shark’ on Australia’s original version of Shark Tank (Channel 7’s Dragon’s Den). http://siimonreynolds.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 20 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Christy Lee Rogers. Over 5.2 billion people have smart phones with cameras, most of who fancy themselves as photographers. Well this weeks guest won Photographer of the Year at the Sony World Photography Awards. That’s like winning an Olympic Gold medal in an outrageously competitive category! Christy Lee is visual artist from Kailua, Hawaii but is now based in Nashville. Using water as a medium for breaking the conventions of contemporary photography, her work is being compared to Baroque painting masters like Caravaggio. She has developed a technique to photograph bodies submerged in water during the night, and creates these otherworldly images using the refraction of light, coalesced colours, floating fabrics and many other elements which come together. Christy Lee’s works have been exhibited and sits in some of the most revered galleries and art institutions, and have been featured globally in many prestigious publications. She was recently commissioned by Apple to create underwater images with the iPhone 11Pro, as well as being featured in one of their behind-the-scenes process films. Christy Lee’s image ‘The New Humanity’ is the cover of the 2021 Lavazza calendar, which features 13 of the worlds master photographers. http://www.christyleerogers.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 19 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Mark Toia. Initially a successful stills photographer based in Brisbane, Australia, Mark Toia embraced the digital movie camera revolution early on and is now one of the most globally sought after commercial film directors and cinematographers. He shoots, directs, edits, runs his own production company and in many case does his own visual effects. Like many commercial directors, Mark aspired to make movies. The usual route for a low-budget indie film, is keep it simple, not many locations, just a few actors, no visual effects, minimise action scenes - and don’t risk too much of your own money. Well, like red rag to a bull, Mark has turned that criteria on its head. He’s put $1.6 million of his own money into an ambitious sci-fi action film - Monsters of Man. A robotics company vying to win a lucrative military contract team up with a corrupt CIA agent to conduct an illegal live field test in the Cambodian jungle. The trailer has nearly two million views, more than the forthcoming mega-budget Batman sequel. Mark has opted against traditional distribution routes in favour of self-distribution and a simultaneous global online release. It’s a big roll of the dice and this chat takes place a few days before Mark finds out whether his gamble has paid off. Monsters of Man is released globally online - 8th December 2020. https://www.monstersofman.movie/ http://zoomfilmtv.com.au/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 18 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Mark Bouris There’s no doubt 2020 has been a nightmare for many, particularly small business owners. It’s good to see some of the big guys banging the drum for small business – Mark Bouris is one of those guys. If you’re not familiar with Mark, he is founder of 'Wizard Home Loans', Australia's second largest non-bank mortgage lender which he sold to General Electric for $500 million in 2004. He is now the executive chairman of Yellow Brick Road, founder of the Mentored Platform and host of The Mentor Podcast, a weekly business podcast with over 5 million downloads. Mark’s doesn’t exactly have work to put food on the table, however he’s clearly driven to work hard and help inspire others to fight on and win. Along with his podcast, Mark hosted the Celebrity Apprentice tv series on Channel 9 and the Mentor series on the Seven Network. Away from business, Mark’s a passionate rugby league fan and is a long time board member of the Sydney Roosters. I directed an ad campaign for Mark around 15 years ago when he was busy running ‘Wizard’. I remember his boxer-like intensity, and no bullshit approach to business. He’s still got the eye of the tiger but he has mellowed a little over the years. I feel very privileged to have him come and have a chat on my podcast, he is one of the kings of this medium in Australia. https://www.ybr.com.au/ https://www.podcastoneaustralia.com.au/podcasts/the-mentor-with-mark-bouris W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 17 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Sarah Walker. Since the age of 14, when her first script was accepted for a Young Playwright’s Conference, Sarah Walker has enjoyed an illustrious writing career. As an author, Sarah has written six young adult novels, including Camphor Laurel (Winner of the Children's Book Council of Australia, Book of the Year 1999), and chilling adult novel The Tin Man. As an actress Sarah starred in Paul Cox’s acclaimed AFI winning film ‘Man of Flowers’. As a playwright she co-wrote with Kate Ceberano ‘Love and the Bottom Line’ a one woman show which Kate performed at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Since moving into television, Sarah has become one of Australia’s most in demand screenwriters and script producers. All Saints, Winners & Losers, Wrong Girl, Neighbours, Wonderland, Home & Away, Wentworth and the current AACTA nominated hit The Secrets She Keeps - are few of her credits. Sarah is currently in development with US production companies Iron Ocean/Gotham on a novel adaptation, Echo Lake on an Elle & Dakota Fanning project and a TV series for Charlize Theron’s for her company Denver & Delilah. Like many successful people, Sarah has a fierce work ethic. But what is most apparent is that her words just leap off the page and bring the story and characters to life in such a compelling way. Watch - The Secrets She Keeps: https://10play.com.au/the-secrets-she-keeps/about W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 16 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Marty Fox. He’s got movie star swagger, bag-loads of charisma and he’s throwing it into the real estate space in a way that’s never been done before. Marty’s two companies, WHITEFOX REAL ESTATE and WHITEFOX MARKETING have disrupted these ultra-competitive industries. In fact, Marty’s now one of the most sought-after voices in real estate in the Australia and his marketing company is going global. At just 32 years of age, he’s is certainly a man on a mission, but he’s also a down-to-earth family man. Marty’s also giving prime TV a crack, because why wouldn’t you with a face like that… He’s on this series of The Block, representing Harry and Tash’s House One, and will be auctioning the property live on the season finale on November 21, 2020, on NINE network. https://whitefoxrealestate.com.au/ https://whitefox.marketing/ https://9now.nine.com.au/the-block/2020-open-inspections-when-is-it-how-to-view-virtual-everything-to-know-s16/955db259-2fa8-4cad-a1ed-9ad240f92b72 http://instagram.com/martyfox01 W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 15 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Colin Hay. Master storyteller. Troubadour. Colin hay is that rare combination of deep intellect and pure heart. This conversation covers the highs and lows of Colin’s career, life, death and everything in between. Scotland-born, Australia-raised, Colin Hay is best known as chief songwriter, lead singer and guitarist of the eighties band Men At Work. Their first album Business as Usual spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard chart and delivered the band the Best New Artist - Grammy award in 1982 - beating out The Human League and Stray Cats. Since that time Colin has released 13 solo albums, and has toured the globe countless times performing his intimate live solo shows, which are the stuff of legend. In more recent times Colin has toured internationally with Ringo Starr & His All-Star Band and Colin wrote the title track Ringo’s most recent album - “What’s My Name”. Colin’s dry wit, that visceral voice and song-writing that puts him in rarified air with the very best. As a film, tv and theatre actor Colin has racked up some impressive credits including: Scrubs, The Resident and The Larry Sanders Show. ‘Now and the Evermore’, is first single from Colin’s forthcoming solo album, which is due out early 2021. W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 14 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Nick Boshier. This week’s guest is content creator, comedian and actor - Nick Boshier. Nick is testament to the maxim, the cream always rises to the top. In the early days of youtube, while every ad agency and creative wannabe on the planet was busy trying to crack the formula for ‘viral videos’. Nick was busy creating dozens of no-budget viral videos, while working his day job in artist management. Beached Az and Trent From Punchy were Nick’s first youtube hits (both sit around the 10 million views), then once Nick started collaborating with Christiaan Van Vuuren, the two ‘Bondi Hipsters’ went on a creative tear, ultimately converting dozens of hilarious viral hits into their own comedy, the ABC TV series SOUL MATES. Nick’s had a hand in many other projects since then, including co-created the Emmy winning #7DaysLater. 2020 has seen him in Retrograde, a pandemic inspired comedy about the new parameters of life. And out this month is a Stan Original mockmentary from the Bondi Hipsters, which sees aspiring USBJ’s Dom and Adrian battling the woes of 2020, from the comfort of their coach. I reckon Nick is one of the most interesting creative talents working in Australia right now and even better, a damn fine human. Dom and Adrian: 2020 https://www.stan.com.au/watch/dom-and-adrian-2020 Retrograde https://iview.abc.net.au/show/retrograde W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 13 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Indira Naidoo. This week’s guest, is a much loved figure in the media and broadcasting space – Indira Naidoo. After graduating with a journalism degree Indira secured a ‘Cadetship’ with ABC in South Australia. By the age of 21 Indira she interviewing the Premier of South Australia and not too long after that she was hosting and reporting for some of the country’s most distinguished news and current affair programs – including ABC’s LATE EDITION nightly news and as an anchor and reporter for SBS TV’s the WORLD NEWS TONIGHT. By appearances her career had a remarkably smooth and easy trajectory. However, Indira’s background and upbringing had plenty of adversity which no doubt contributed to her high achieving work ethic. Indira brings so much warmth and humanity to her interviews, I’ve always felt like everything is going to be ok when she delivers the news, even when it’s bad news! Indira’s first book The Edible Balcony, saw her embark on a mission to transform her tiny thirteenth-floor balcony into a bountiful kitchen garden. Thirteen is clearly a lucky number for Indira, the book became a bestseller and has been reprinted many times over. This prompted another book The Edible City, likewise a bestseller and has seen Indira lead a quiet revolution throughout our cities, whereby an army of urban gardeners are turning concrete into crops, and harvests into hope. At present, Indira hosts Weekend Nightlife, on ABC Radio across Australia. https://www.abc.net.au/radio/people/indira-naidoo/11909724 W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 12 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Glenn Wheatley. Rock ‘n’ roll survivor. ARIA Hall of Famer. Serial entrepreneur. Glenn Wheatley’s story is larger than life. A kid from the Sunshine Coast who headed South with his band Bay City Union seeking fame and fortune. He found it…and lost it, and found it again a few times over. Through all the ups and downs, Glenn’s irrepressible enthusiasm and trail blazing management skills, particularly with his mate and client John Farnham, have seen him etch his place in music and radio history. It’s a wide-ranging chat, everything from working David Bowie, founding Australia’s first FM radio station, to negotiating LRB’s US $8 million advance with Capitol Records, but I particularly love the insights from the early days of Glenn’s transition from bass player in the Masters Apprentices to artist management and entrepreneurship. Rather than sitting around and waiting for it happen, Glenn was always willing to roll up his sleeves and put in the hard yards. I’ve worked with Glenn on and off over the years, so I’ve seen him in action, but it was a real honour to have this long-form conversation with this legendary figure in Australian music landscape. https://www.parademanagement.com/bookings-enquiries/ https://www.saxton.com.au/speakers/glenn-wheatley W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 11 of The Blank Canvas with Rae Morris. Lee dives into the beauty world with Rae Morris. Discussing everything from cosmetic surgery, to Ziggy Stardust, the Japanese master behind Ray’s make-up brush range, the phenomena of fake lashes, IVF, paid Instagram posts, supermodels, rockstars, designers and in Rae’s own words, her biggest make-up fail. Growing up as a ‘tomboy’ on a Queensland farm, training as a hairdresser in Brisbane, a chance encounter with supermodel Naomi Campbell prompts a career change to ‘make-up artist’, then becoming a beauty legend in her own time. Rae is a four times best-selling author, four times Australian Makeup Artist of the Year, the longest serving Makeup Director for L’Oreal Paris and has been inducted into multiple Halls of Fame. Rae’s sixth book, Rae Morris Makeup Masterclass is the veritable bible in makeup schools around the world. https://raemorris.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 10 of the Blank Canvas with Jim Meskimen. Jim Meskimen - master impressionist, actor, comedian, painter, cartoonist, writer, director – a true renaissance man. Raised in Hollywood, the son of Marion Ross (Richie Cunningham’s mum on iconic TV series Happy Days). For a decade it was pretty well the biggest show in the world, which certainly made for a unique upbringing and set of challenges for Jim. Initially studying and working as a visual artist, doing cartoons and commercial art painter. While working in animation, Jim realised that being a voice actor was a better career path for him, and he began to work in radio and TV voiceovers, as well as animation. Film acting credits include: Ron Howard’s Oscar nominated Apollo 13, The Grinch and Frost/Nixon. In TV Jim has guest starred in; Friends, The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, SWAT, NCIS, Parks & Recreation, Whose Line Is It, Anyway? to name but a few. Jim's character voices have been heard on innumerable video games and animated shows; he is currently voicing a role on Thundercats Roar, for Cartoon Network. Jim has a thriving YouTube presence, with a channel that has had several viral hits - including Shakespeare in Celebrity Voices In 2016 Jim penned a short film, Son to Son, about the Opioid crisis and how It affects one family, which won 12 festival awards including Best Actor and Best Screenplay awards for Meskimen. https://jimmeskimen.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 9 of The Blank Canvas with Tony Ayres. You may not know his name but you will certainly know his work. The Slap. Wanted. Glitch. Nowhere Boys. The Family Law. Bogan Pride. Underground: The Julian Assange Story. Maximum Choppage. Devils Playground. Old School. Ali’s Wedding. The Straights. Seven Types of Ambiguity. The Home Song Stories and current hit, Stateless – co-created and produced with Cate Blanchett. Tony is mid-production on upcoming US Netflix series Clickbait. Emmy, BAFTA, AFI and ACCTA winner, Tony is one of Australia’s most prolific writers, producers and directors - AND one of the nicest guys in the biz. IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0044016/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 RGM: https://www.rgm.com.au/literary/tony-ayres/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 8 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Layne Beachley. Trail blazer doesn’t even begin to describe Layne Beachley AO. Seven-time world champion. The only surfer in history to claim six consecutive world titles. One of the pioneers of big wave tow-in surfing, she held the record ‘biggest wave ever surfed by a woman’ - 50 foot! Layne Beachley’s no bullshit leadership style blazed a trail for equality, in and out of the water. Fifteen years of service as a board member of World Surf League (formerly ASP), current Chairperson of Surfing Australia – all aimed at improving and progressing the sport of surfing. Lee Rogers' conversation with Layne brings fresh insights into her extraordinary life and achievements, delivered with unapologetic honesty, humour and humility. Layne’s latest passion to help others is AWAKE ACADEMY – an online mentoring academy. For a 10% discount on the course “Own Your Truth” – use the code: Awake10 Log into the website at https://awakeacademy.com.au/ https://www.laynebeachley.com/ https://surfaid.org/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 7 of The Blank Canvas with Marisol Nichols. When not filming her hit TV series Riverdale, Marisol works undercover with law enforcement to catch paedophiles and fight against child sex trafficking. Her non-profit organisation ‘Foundation for a Slavery Free World’ was founded in 2014 to shine the light global problem and do something about it.In the week before this conversation, Sony Pictures Television announced it was adapting Marisol’s incredible story into a series, with Marisol set to star and Executively Produce. It’s confronting subject matter but Marisol’s courage and willingness to proactively tackle this insidious problem, makes for an important and ultimately inspiring conversation. MARISOL NICHOLS INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/marisolnichols/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/marisolnichols TW: https://twitter.com/marisolnichols HOW YOU CAN HELP Slaveryfreeworld.orgOurrescue.org Fightthenewdrug.org W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 6 of The Blank Canvas with Simon Mainwaring. Simon Mainwaring - CEO & Founder of the award-winning strategic consultancy We First based in Los Angeles, a New York Times bestselling author and was just voted one of the top 50 keynote speakers in the world by Real Leaders magazine in the US. Prior to starting We First, Simon spent 15 years as a writer and Creative Director at many of the world’s top creative advertising agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, Wieden & Kennedy, and Ogilvy - working on brands such a Nike, Coca-Cola, Toyota, Motorola - winning over 60 awards at major advertising festivals. If you’re an entrepreneur, a business owner or actually anyone who is trying to adapt to the changing business landscape and who isn’t in 2020?? Then you need to hear what Simon says. W: https://simonmainwaring.com/ LEAD WITH WE https://simonmainwaring.com/podcast/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 5 of the Blank Canvas with Deborra-Lee Furness. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, Deborra-lee launches herself from one creative project to the next with relentless enthusiasm and charm. She acts, directs, paints, sculpts and is passionate about design. An internationally acclaimed actress who’s worked extensively on stage and screen - including award winning turns in the movies WAITING, JINDABYNE, ANGEL BABY and SHAME - considered an Australian classic, for which she won Best Actress at the Seattle International Film Festival, Film Critics Australia Award and the Variety award. She was also the recipient of the best actress at the San Sebastian film festival. Television credits include the AFI nominated role in SEA CHANGE, HALIFAX FP and CORELLI, where she met her future husband, Hugh Jackman. Deborra-lee is equally passionate about her humanitarian work. She is founder of ADOPT CHANGE in Australia, which hosts Adoption Awareness month every year and HOPELAND which is based out of New York. Both organisations work toward providing safety, stability and permanency for vulnerable children. She has been honoured with many awards, most notably the Angel in Adoption, from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption in Washington DC, was named NSW Australian of the year in 2015 and more recently was the recipient of United Nations Women for Peace Leadership Award. https://www.adoptchange.org.au/ https://ourhopeland.org/ SHAME (movie) https://www.amazon.com/Shame-Deborra-Lee-Furness/dp/B07F6TLYPL W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ SOCIALS Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod THE BLANK CANVAS TEAM Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 4 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Eddie Perfect. Eddie Perfect talks openly about his extraordinary escapades in New York City – writing and surviving two major Broadway musicals which opened one week apart. From the scathing NY Times review and mice overtaking his apartment, to ultimately coming out on top with packed houses and being nominated for the prestigious TONY award for Best Original Score for Beetlejuice The Musical. Eddie is one of Australia’s most respected and prolific artistic talents. He has made his mark in the fields of musical theatre composition and book writing, playwriting, screenwriting, classical music, jazz and acting for stage and screen. TV acting credits include iconic series Offspring and Kath and Kim. He has won multiple awards both as a performer and writer: including Helpmann and Green Room Awards. Credits include: Global Creatures - Strictly Ballroom the Musical, King Kong on Broadway, Keating! The Musical and Shane Warne The Musical. Solo comedy show credits include Angry Eddie, Drink Pepsi Bitch, Misanthropology and Songs From The Middle. LINKS Beetlejuice The Musical Shane Warne The Musical W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ W: https://leerogers.com.au/ Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 3 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Anne McKevitt. Serial entrepreneur, global powerhouse business advisor and philanthropist, Anne shares her incredible story with remarkable candour, including the remarkable turn of events that led her to relocate to from the UK to Australia 15 years ago. Anne has been highlighted as among the world's most admired leaders by many publications including Time Magazine and Forbes. She was honoured as a Leading Woman Entrepreneur of the World in Paris. She has advised 52 Heads of State including 3 US presidents; Bill Clinton, GW Bush and Barack Obama on poverty alleviation, global health, climate change and education. Anne grew up in Scotland in a government council house. Aged 15, she ran away from home to escape from domestic violence, and moved to London to follow her dreams. Starting out as John Frieda’s protégé, before long she was styling the hair of royal heads in Kensington Palace and music royalty – Paul, George & Ringo. Now more than three decades later Anne McKevitt has led the way in many business fields, including fashion styling, property development, interior design, retail and in television where she spent 10 years as a prime time BBC TV presenter pioneering the “lifestyle” TV genre – and she’s a 5 time best-selling author. Through her business MDPC Global she guides high-profile clients including Gwyneth Paltrow, Beyonce, Jay Z and Australian fitness guru Michelle Bridges. Anne McKevitt https://www.mdpcglobal.com/ https://annemckevitt.com/ Saxton Speakers https://www.saxton.com.au/speakers/anne-mc-kevitt W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/W: https://leerogers.com.au/ Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod Produced by Lee Rogers & Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 2 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with Kate Ceberano. Fronting pop funk band ‘I’m Talking’, Kate notched up 5 consecutive hit singles and a Platinum debut album. The year was 1986 and Michael Hutchence from INXS won Most Popular Male Artist and Kate won Most Popular Female Artist. Kate has barely drawn breath since, racking up 27 albums over 35 years whilst effortlessly moving around genres. With 3 x ARIA awards and 7 nominations for Best Female Artist, and dozens of other major awards, Kate is Australian entertainment royalty. She has starred in seminal productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and South Pacific, had her own tonight show on the ABC, won Dancing With The Stars, curated the Adelaide Cabaret Festival just to name a few of her milestones. Her latest album, with the prescient title “The Dangerous Age”, was written and recorded virtually, before it became a thing in 2020. This collaboration with Steve Kilbey and Sean Sennett has been one of the most acclaimed albums of the year. W: https://www.kateceberano.com/ W: https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/W: https://leerogers.com.au/ Insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast Twitter: @blankcanvaspod Produced by Rien MacDonald. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 1 of The Blank Canvas Podcast with David Bromley. Dropping out of school at 14 and falling head-first into the school of hard knocks, working as signwriter, postman, brickie’s labourer and potter…before emerging as a painter in the mid 80s. Since then, he has become one of the most recognisable, innovative and collectable artists in Australia, with widespread acclaim both here and internationally. A finalist in the prestigious Archibald Prize 6 times and displaying extraordinary artistic energy, David has experimented with a wide variety of different media – printmaking, ceramics, sculpture and recently, film, furniture, fashion and interiors….firmly establishing himself as an iconic artist. David Bromley: bromleyandco.com Artwork - Event Spaces - Interior Design Insta: @bromleyandco FB - https://www.facebook.com/bromleyandco Get in touch: Lee Rogers https://theblankcanvaspodcast.com.au/ https://leerogers.com.au/ Follow insta: @theblankcanvaspodcast + @leerogers12 FB - The Blank Canvas Podcast + Lee Rogers Twitter: @blankcanvaspod @leerogers1234 Produced by Rien MacDonald. Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Blank Canvas - from director/producer Lee Rogers; a podcast chatting with the trail blazers, the artists, thought leaders, athletes, entrepreneurs and creators - stellar individuals who inspire us to live large. Life is a blank canvas and you paint your own story. Trailer features: David Bromley, Kate Ceberano, Jim Meskimen and Eddie Perfect. Produced by Rien MacDonald. Music by Rodrigo Enrique Bustos. Audio support by Jason Murphy/GASinc.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.