Writers Lab | Northside

Allan V Watt

In grade one the teacher brought out a play we had a cold read, I knew that was what I wanted to do, I was always playing and instigating, I was the class clown, at 10 years old I got a taste. I played a character called Chopito, in a play called El dia del la palloma, the day of the dove in Spanish, produced & directed by my grandfather, three more plays followed, at 12 parents separated, I travelled at 13 around Australia and at 18 got back into acting and been doing so since, voice overs, modelling, short films & theatre & lots of film and theatre training. In my 20’s I joined Back to Back Theatre in Theatre of Speed, where I went on to tour nationally and internationally with small metal objects, among other theatre shows INSIDE THE ANGELS HOUSE, MINITAUR, and more recently the film SHADOW. Over the past decade I have moved to writing scripts, it has been great to be mentored by Chi Vu in Back to Back Theatre’s Writers Lab to further develop my script FIESTA.

Kgshak Akec

My name is Kgshak Akec (pronounced Keh-shak A-kech).

I am a proud South-Sudanese Australian writer, storyteller, performing and community artist, and a lover of words; living, working, and writing on Wadawurrung Country | Geelong.

Born in Morewe, North Sudan in 1997 to my mother Anyang Muorwel my father Valentino Akec, and four older siblings, from as early as I could remember, my life was full of colour and people who came in different hues of it. When I was three, we moved to Cairo, Egypt, and lived there until I was six. Memories are a funny thing because Cairo takes up a much bigger space in my memory bank than a three-year residence. When I was six, and the older sister to two younger sisters, we moved to Australia where I then became an older sister to two younger brothers. That was in 2003. 20 years later and I am still proud to call Australia home.

​Since the moment I learned how to write in English at the age of six, I’ve been writing out the stories that live inside my mind. As a migrant and non-native English speaker, I’m fascinated by the unspoken words and unsung songs of the day-to-day, finding myself drawn to stories that challenge perception and go against the grain of the expected while also being grounded in truth. The ones that don’t usually get told.​

I  grew up in a culture of storytelling, raised by storytellers, song-singers, feet-stompers, and word-chanters, which compels my heart and soul to find stories in the unseen and overseen; and tell them.

Chris Hansen

Musician Actor Artist Writer Sportsman Smoker Joker Bootlegger Dog Walker Cat Companion.

I attempt to create art that is both useful strong and inspiring to others.

I support others to help them achieve their artistic goals by using a guided journey through the artistic process to help them create the art they wish to create. To create a reality from just a vision.

Scott Day

Born in Colac, Victoria in 1996, Scott Day discovered their passion for storytelling at a young age. Their fascination with characters and narratives led them to write and fund the feature film ‘Wanda and Sully’ at the age of 24. It is currently in the festival circuit. Scott currently attends the Victorian College of the Arts where they study the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting) course where they continues to refine their storytelling and writing abilities. They are set to graduate in 2024. In partnership with Creative Geelong, Scott also hosts a monthly workshop dedicated to comic book writing titled ‘From Idea to Ink: A Screenwriter’s Guide to Comic Book Mastery’. As the name implies, it focuses on formatting and writing comics from the perspective of a screenwriter. Being on the autism spectrum, Scott is passionate about autism awareness and inclusion.