Taliesin-Nexus is a program based in Los Angeles that seeks to forge a nexus of creators, financiers and distributors in order to advance the art form of storytelling through film.
Taliesin is the name of a 6th century Welsh bard, made famous by Arthurian legends as a poet who kept the art of storytelling alive through the Dark Ages.It’s also the name of what might be renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous creation – his studio/home located in southern Wisconsin.
Building upon these pillars of storytelling, construction and creativity, Taliesin-Nexus is a non-profit group boasting a myriad of programs designed to educate, connect, and even (in some cases) finance creativity.
TN hosts two particularly innovative workshops for writers – The Apollo Workshop for Film & TV and the Calliope Authors Workshop (for fiction/non-fiction writers. Both workshops connect aspiring writers to industry professionals. Mentors are assigned to each project and students are led through the process of creating, developing and shaping their stories. Creative Director Matt Edwards explains why TN feels so strongly about training the next generation of storytellers.
Storytellers in Film and Television or in the fiction and nonfiction book world spend all their valuable time, energy, and talent crafting compelling stories that seek to entertain audiences all over. One of the major hurdles for any emerging storyteller, is getting themselves connected into a nexus of professional working industry people enjoying the success of the business of making an impact on popular culture….
We look to continue to grow our diverse nexus of storytellers and creators in order to advance positive changes in popular culture through film, television, digital and traditional media.
The entertainment industry (particularly in Los Angeles) can be confusing and off-putting. Often, people new to the business assume that everyone involved is cold-hearted, duplicitous and that the system is “rigged” in some way. TN aims to soften that stereotype by connecting its applicants to professionals who are not only encouraging but open and honest about the realities of the business. Oftentimes mentors will remain in contact with their mentee long after the process has been completed, and some professional relationships have developed directly out of TN’s growing network of workshops.
Perhaps the most impressive of TN’s programs are the Lights, Camera, Liberty program – which trains applicants from non-profit groups in video production and provides a $5000 grant – and the Liberty Lab for Film.
The Liberty Lab for Film is particularly interesting because accepted applicants will receive a mentor and a $10,000 stipend to write and produce a short film from beginning to end, with the finished product being showcased at a live screening event. The only stipulation is that the film be geared toward ideas of individual freedoms and liberties.
Taliesin-Nexus are dedicated supporters of human rights and freedoms.
Deadlines for TN’s programs vary but the Liberty Lab application process closes this Friday, April 15th. The process is simple but applicants will need to include a resume and at least a treatment of their proposed project.
For more information of all that Taliesin-Nexus has to offer visit Talnexus.com and be sure to pass on these great opportunities to your artist friends and family. In a town like Los Angeles it’s not always easy to find people willing to walk alongside you and help make you a better artist.
Just kidding....Kira is a writer, actor and suburban housewife and mother. Her mantra is "If I can't do it from the couch, is it really worth it?"
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