Talent Comps - Judges
The Dardanelles
Dardanelles are an indie four-piece band from Melbourne, Australia. They have built an impressive live reputation and fan base on the back of their trademark explosive genre-defying performances.
The bands first single ‘Origami Tree’ spent 4 weeks in the ‘Top Ten’ of the Australian Alternative Radio Play Charts and still remains popular with Triple J.
With a distinctive blend of influences and subversive sentiments strapped to a dance chassis Dardanelles have received excellent critical response.
iTunes has featured them as a ‘Band to Watch’ in 2007 and they were also selected in Triple J’s ‘Next Crop’ in 2006.
With the Dardanelles being described as one of the best live acts in Australia their steady rise is sure to continue.
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Annie Fox
This year marks Annie Fox’s 11th year in publishing. At age sixteen she began work on her first publication, the City of the Yarra’s youth run magazine, Stars and Spikes. Her big break came when she joined the team at CLEO and went on to join the launch team for ACP’s successful, Shop Till You Drop. Since then she has worked on both national and international titles including CLEO, The Age and Juxtapoz.
Her work includes art, lifestyle, fashion and beauty writing. She has just completed her first book and continues to work as a freelancer in her home city of Melbourne.
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Khoa Do
Khoa Do is a writer, film director, teacher and speaker.
In 2001, Khoa was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Screenplay in a Short Film for writing the half-hour television drama Delivery Day. The film was screened at many national and international festivals, has won numerous awards and was shortlisted for an Academy Award.
Khoa’s 2003 debut feature film, The Finished People, which he directed, produced and co-wrote, earned him a swagger of accolades including two AFI nominations, three Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards and an AWGIE Award. A gritty depiction of street kids on the edge of survival, the film (which was made on virtually no budget) attracted rave reviews as well as sell out audiences nationally.
Khoa’s most recent feature film, Footy Legends, which he co-wrote and directed, was released in 2006.
In 2001, he was awarded the Young Vietnamese-Australian of the Year Award for his services in drama and work with youths in Sydney’s south-west. In 2002, he was awarded Bankstown City’s Young Citizen of the Year Award. In January 2005, Khoa was announced as Young Australian of the Year, the first ever film-maker to have been awarded the accolade.
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Sam Stewart
Sam Stewart originally studied graphic design in New Zealand but moved to Australia in 1998 to work in the Surf Industry.
After initially working in advertising and marketing at Sam found a passion for fashion and immersed himself in the fabrics, textures, colour and graphics clothing apparel had to offer.
Sam was at the forefront of Insight revolutionising their design, style and fashion through his role as the Men’s Design Coordinator. Leading a team of designers to bring a fashion range together, Sam worked with Insight’s Creative Director, making his vision happen creatively and physically.
In 2005 Sam moved to the global head quarters of Rip Curl in Torquay as the Head of Menswear Design, Global. He overseas all aspects of the design room and team, which includes clothing range storyboarding & research pre season, traveling internationally during the year for the latest designs in graphics and clothing, teaming with Rip Curl designers from around the world to release new designs for the brand and motivating a large design team to remain inspired and hungry to design better ranges.
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Sophie Howart
Photographer and Artist. Most Famous for her book ‘Peace, Love and Brown Rice’ a photographic history of the Big Day Out, Sophie Howarth has pursued a career in rock photo journalism that has seen who shoot some of the best rock acts in the world.
Deciding to pursue a career in the music industry from a young age Sophie has photographed everyone from Powderfinger to Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas.
Her documented history of the Big Day Out has left her name and her art synonymous with the event and musicians alike.
Sophie has shot everything from fine art to record covers and is regularly sort after by many bands both within and outside Australia to shoot for them. Sophie Howarth is consider one of Australia’s best rock photographers.
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