Black Creatives Aotearoa producer Daisy Remington on the art of producing and finding her community

June 15, 2023

The art of producing is such a beautiful thing to me. It is an ability to move with the rhythm of the work itself. It is the connecting of an open and creative approach to things that can be seen as more rigid and systematic. Like a dance between the hemispheres of the brain and time itself, a producer weaves the behind the scenes tapestry from the many pieces creating the whole; it is facilitating the materialization of dreams.

As creatives, this dream making is done in community. Each member of the community brings an important piece. However, I have noticed that creatives are often stretched thinly to accommodate a shortage of community. The result can be burn out or even the loss of drive. Creatives need support, they need to have community they can trust. One that supports the vision.

I have a saying, ‘the vibe is in the details’. For me, this means that the subtleties and nuance are often poignant. These seemingly small parts are the building blocks of shared experience. They are body language or mannerisms, phrases or speed of speech, they are the cultural pieces. As someone who has relocated to Aotearoa it was these small details that I found I missed the most. It felt like years before I was able to find my community, the ones who seemed to know the language of these small things with me.

Finding my community was like a missing piece, because while there are many wonderful folks, my community did not require me to explain why something held such deep meaning. Instead of trying to contort myself to fit into spaces that did not value the things that made me; me. I was able to show up full. Our creative work, our stories, our dreams deserve the same. They deserve to be told in their fullness, without apology. The subtle and not so subtle things that breathe the life of our culture into what we do, needs to be able to shine completely.

The Producers in Training (PIT) programme is about growing a community of producers who can support diverse creatives and their stories. Our unique perspectives are needed but they should not come at the cost of our wellbeing. The process of dream creation should not be extractive, it should be fulfilling. PIT is unique, it is teaching from a POC perspective, uses a holistic framework, and supports more inclusive storytelling.

Black Creatives Aotearoa, Proudly Asian Theatre, and Alif Theatre have come together to support new and aspiring producers from Asian, Black, and Middle Eastern communities in Tāmaki Makaurau, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and Ōtautahi. This collaboration seeks to empower our communities in sustainable ways. Ensuring the future of diverse stories throughout Aotearoa.

Are you an aspiring Asian, Black or Middle Eastern producer?

Find out more about the Producers In Training programme HERE

Raised in the well irrigated coastal desert of Southern California, Daisy, has had a wide range of experience, including published writer, book-keeper, human resource manager, planning and logistics, project manager, and marketer. She is a learner, builder and innovator able to bring together creativity and strategy. Daisy took her wide range of skills and turned them to production, marketing, and design. In the role of Producer, she has been the linchpin in over 8 productions, all while navigating lockdowns and digital pivots.

She has successfully developed and implemented social media strategies and designed various marketing campaigns resulting in high turnout and engagement.

Malaysian Kiwi pop-star Reshma releases her newest music video!

June 15, 2023

Alt-Pop New Zealand-based Malavsian pop star Reshma is excited to release her newest single and music video titled 'Where My Asians At?!?’ The bold single is a call to action to shed light on the lack of representation of marginalised communities in the local commercial music and arts scenes, alongside prejudices she has encountered from her own community.

"It's still important to ask auestions and spark discussions about representation, what community means for those who come from different backgrounds, and how to bridge that gap to connect with evervone equally." savs Reshma.

'Where My Asians At?!' is a reflection of Reshma's personal experiences as a woman navigating the music industry and her search for community after relocating back to Aotearoa New Zealand.

"There's a line in the song where I mention the personal stereotypes people have placed against me, specifically the assumption that I'm Gujarati, which I'm not. I was nervous about putting it in the track in case it got misunderstood," she says. "The idea behind that lyric is to challenge the mistaken stereotypes people put on us based on how we might look."

The track is paired with a bold music video directed by Jolin Lee, a writer-director based in Auckland. The choreography for the video was done by well-known K-Pop dancer and choreographer Rina Chae. The Auckland City of Music, Boosted, and the POC community provided support for the production, both in front of and behind the camera.

Reshma thinks of 'Where My Asians At?!' as "a fun, upbeat, feminine rage song, perfect for a gym session or walking into a job interview thinking yeah, I got this!" She emphasises vou don't have to be Asian to appreciate the track, and hopes that it inspires questions about representation and inclusion for all communities.

RESHMA is an alt-pop performer, singer and songwriter residing in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand).

Born in Klang, Malaysia and raised in Taranaki, New Zealand. Malaysian pop sensation RESHMA rose to fame when she appeared on Akademi Fantasia, a popular Malaysian music reality show, in 2016. Her powerful vocals, bubbly personality, and undeniable stage presence quickly established her as a rising star in Malavsia.

As her popularity soared, the popstar moved back to Aotearoa to work on her next project and introduce herself to an English-speaking audience. With a sound that fuses her diverse musical influences, RESHMA challenges the norms and expectations of pop music, drawing inspiration from artists like Kimbra, Thabani Gapara, No Frills Twins, and Marina and The Diamonds.

Now known for her code-switching, the artist has worked alongside artists such as Sasi the Don, Lauren Gin, An Honest Mistake, Mazbou Q and more. She toured Japan, kick started her music career on Malavsian television show Akademi Fantasia and competed on New Zealand' Popstars series.

Follow her at @reshmamartin

Egyptian actor Ahmed Youssef on his journey into acting

June 12, 2023

Creativity and the craft of performing have always been about service first and foremost to me. It is the holding space, offering energy, creating curious stories, and allowing a process of self-reflection for the audience. This can be done through healing, revealing, and sometimes even confronting. However, this can't be done through a superficial lens, especially when the said lens becomes diluted by presumptions.

My journey into acting was a very unorthodox one and it felt a lot like jumping into the deep end. The great thing was that instead of flailing to survive, I was lucky enough to have mentors who swam calmly beside me. They showed me that there was beauty beyond fear.

I was initially an architecture school graduate, something I fell into instead of jumping in on purpose. Surrendering myself to the classic Middle Eastern migrant narrative. Finish school, excel in University, and get a prestigious job to survive. The difference for me was the concept of safety wasn't always going to be present, so I challenged that, and often. During university, I also played and toured with a punk band in an unconscious attempt to cradle both my adolescent fire and my dormant need to tell stories and find experiences that will test me. Let's just say in short, they did.

Thriving was never part of the equation. Later I understood why, as that was the pattern that my parent's generation had to fight to attain, to always be on guard. Surrendering wasn't an option, especially with the addition of my mother going through cancer at the time when we arrived in Aotearoa. Though her words of advice differed after she recovered, and are still repeated by her today to me and those she cares about. "Nothing in life matters but the love you're willing to cultivate". This later became one of my mantras and the essence of why I chose acting.

The concept of struggle is often the first to be framed when it comes to the stories of POCs and migrants, and this narrative indeed has its place, as our struggles are greatly diverse and carry great lessons. Though the innovation, the intimate, the mundane, and the soft are often forgotten. We are more than just our pain of transitioning, we are hundreds, sometimes thousands of years of history and experiences. At the moment this is one of my primary interests as a creative person; the intimacy of honesty, and our multifaceted histories. How we choose to create our own myths in this modern world and how we can integrate tales from our rich past. No matter how benign the story may seem. We often don't have the privilege of seeing these stories from POCs, especially migrants from the Middle East here, which can help us understand one another and find our places within the social gardens we choose to grow.

Without understanding each other or our complexities, audiences won't get to see qualities such as the wisdom of our matriarchs, the gorgeousness of our language, or our almost inherent ability to find humor in just about every situation that we face. They don't see Egypt and her culture as the giant melting pot of migrants that it is, similarly to Aotearoa. They only see the Hollywood orientalized sepia version of her, not as the mother of the world as we affectionately like to call her. I've always carved this clarity to see each others' stories not only for Egyptians but all Middle Eastern and North African folk. It saddened me that there haven't been enough beautiful tales that have been told through us, or for us and this is our chance to change that.

So if you happen to be on the fence diving in like I was, my advice to you is to leap. This time we have many mentors to guide you through the waters, and in time you'll become one yourself.

Click here to learn more about the Producers In Training programme

About Ahmed:

Ahmed Youssef is an Egyptian actor and writer. After studying the Micheal Chekov technique extensively, he then graduated from Unitec and continues to find different avenues to stretch his range. Gaining roles in projects such as Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, and more recently in the upcoming TV show Miles From Nowhere. He was also in the stage adaptation of the book The Girl On A Train at The Court Theatre last year.

Living an eclectic life, he previously played and toured in a punk band, before dedicating himself to the craft. He's also a trained architect, visual artist, and speaks fluent Arabic. His diverse experiences and traveling during his youth have led him to be a highly versatile and adaptable actor.

Proudly Asian Theatre, Black Creatives Aotearoa & Alif Theatre launch groundbreaking producer's training programme

June 5, 2023

Aspiring producers get a leg up in a brand new initiative looking to fill the void of POC producers. PAT Producer John Rata reflects on Producer’s in Training’s recent launch.

Aotearoa's cultural arts landscape is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with a surge of works created and led by people of color from diverse minority communities. These productions are now gracing the stages and platforms of the mainstream, where they might not have even just ten years ago.

Yet, emerging artists from these communities face significant challenges, as they lack a robust support network of producers to bring their visionary projects to life. These passionate artists, often the driving force behind their creations, find themselves burdened with the additional responsibilities of production and management. Balancing their artistic endeavors with the demands of these administrative tasks leads our minority creatives struggling to keep their passion aflame amidst late nights and mounting stress. Frequently, they are forced to acquire producing skills out of necessity, without guidance on where to start or how to navigate predominantly white systems.

“Many of our producers are writers, actors or directors who once upon a time couldn’t find a producer and out of sheer will and necessity has had to become one themselves. What about our culturally sensitive projects? There are barely any producers around, let alone having the luxury of creating mahi with a BIPOC producer.”
- Marianne Infante, PAT Creative Producer

In response to this pressing need, Proudly Asian Theatre, Black Creatives Aotearoa, and Alif Theatre have come together to establish the Producer's In Training programme. This initiative aims to empower new and aspiring producers from our vibrant Asian, Black, and Middle Eastern communities in Tāmaki Makaurau, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and Ōtautahi to create their artistic visions and find their individual process of leadership.

The programme is also a chance for the three partner companies to teach from the perspective of POC producers who are looking to build a new, holistic frame around what producing is and can be.

“Representation matters, especially in the creative world. Producers are integral to bringing visions to life. Having fellow BIPOC producers teaching this process allows for emerging producers to be seen, heard and understood without the additional cognitive load of explaining their experiences. The Producers in Training initiative creates a safe space that accounts for unique cultural understandings and worldviews often overlooked.”
- Daisy Remington , BCA Producer.

Taught by notable local producers, the course is designed with 8 core classes that cover the beginning to end phases of producing a project - from identifying your personal and professional kaupapa, to the nitty and gritty like handling budgets, contracts, marketing and more.

The program not only upskills technical knowledge but leads to a paid internship placements in upcoming theatre productions slated for early 2024, giving successful applicants the opportunity to collaborate and be involved with established theatre and arts companies. Prior experience in the arts is not a prerequisite; all that's needed is a motivation to create.

This initiative is of importance now more than ever; stories from diverse groups of people are emerging across Aotearoa, more rapidly than we’ve ever seen before. Aotearoa is becoming a field of blooming young POC storytellers.”
- Tristan Valencia, Asian Waves Producer & Co-founder

Together, PAT, BCA & Alif Theatre are fostering a more diverse and inclusive arts ecosystem, nurturing the next generation of visionary producers and creators who will illuminate our stages and captivate audiences with their authentic storytelling - safeguarding the future of Aotearoa’s diverse artistic landscape

“We truly do want to contribute to the arts landscape, though inclusivity is key and so is the freedom to express our stories. The barriers we have been facing have halted the authenticity and beautiful diversity of our stories for far too long. I simply would like to see this changed, as does my community, from the everyday tales of the mundane to the bigger-scale odysseys.”
- Ahmed Youssef, Actor & PIT Community Outreach Co-Ordinator

Are you an aspiring producer of Asian, Black or Middle Eastern Heritage? Check out more information on the programme here, which also contains the programme application form.

The launch of Producers In Training has been made possible by the support of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage's Cultural Regeneration fund.

Fresh off the Page returns with simmering drama Paralúman

February 3, 2022

Alyssa Pua design, John Rata photography

January was a highlight already for PAT with the return of beloved play reading series Fresh off the Page at Basement Theatre. Delivered under the Red alert to an intimate audience, Paralúman by Alyssa Medel spotlights the breadth of story our Asian diaspora carry, and is an exciting example of what Fresh off the Page is all about.

How well do you know your ancestors' sacrifice...and the consequences you've inherited?

A risk-taking political family drama, Medel explores the intertwining worlds of family, generational trauma and the ebbs and flows of revolution in her debut play.

Paralúman is an intimate family drama that follows three generations of strong Filipina women - each made to carry the consequences of their predecessor’s actions in a society forging its political identity at a critical point.
Alma is a librarian entangled in a love affair that’s put at risk by her involvement in the resistance. Clara is hailed as the typical “Maria Clara” of her small village but is caught between family obedience and her sense of justice.
And in the present day, Aya is moving back to the Philippines to pursue her postgraduate studies at a local university - much to her Lola’s dismay. But the tragic secret that is being hidden from her is waiting to crumble everything upon her return.

Paralúman reflects the way of working new to all of us in theatres across the world - highly adaptive, and fraught with decision making pertaining to safety of audience and artists, vs the wellbeing of our artists on emotional, career and financial levels. Each decision we make is in tandem with our artists and it is ultimately their final call as to how their work is delivered under rapid changes.

Paralúman was one such event that was postponed multiple times in 2021, and Alyssa made the decision to go ahead with an audience of 25, reflecting that it was nonetheless an exciting, inspiring event that allowed the space and time with the work as it should be explored - live, with others. We are thrilled to have delivered this work, and are excited for its future - and potential future readings with our trademark full house.

Stay tuned for more Fresh off the Page this year!