world class creatives

1000 750 In Good Company | Northern Rivers
mememe productions logo

Mememe Productions

www.mememe.com.au

Visit Richmond Valley Northern Rivers-01
world class creatives

The piece of advice that dirtgirlworld creator, Cate McQuillen, likes to share with other creative entrepreneurs in the region tells much about her story.

“Understand that the middle of nowhere is actually the middle of everywhere,” Cate says.

Cate and her partner and co-founder Hewey Eustace first created dirtgirlworld through their business mememe productions ten years ago. In that time it has won an Emmy award for digital innovation projects, the Australian Directors Guild Award for animation, as well as winning many Australian Film Industry awards. It’s also been shortlisted for the world’s most prestigious children’s TV prize the Prix Jeunesse, as well as for a BAFTA, the Japan Prize and an Australian Logie. It’s screened on two ABC kids digital channels daily, as well as being broadcast globally in 128 countries.

They have achieved all of this from their ‘head office’ in the village of Camira Creek in the Richmond Valley with a population of 8 and 55 kilometres to the nearest town of Casino.

“It’s an adventure for our international partners and broadcasters to fly for hours and then drive for hours to visit us in our solar-powered converted church headquarters,” Cate says.

“They collect eggs, pick their lunch from the garden, squeeze orange juice, walk barefoot, hold frogs, as well as sign long-term deals on our verandah.”

In 2008, Cate and Hewey – who at the time were exploring permaculture principles on their land and fronting their cover band the Two Pot Screamers – felt there was something important missing on Australian television, and in the lives of Australian kids.

“We saw an opportunity to create positive, family-led content that focused on sustainability and the joy of going outside and connecting with nature.”

What the pair lacked in knowledge about how to produce and pitch a kids’ TV program, they made up for with their exuberance and passion to realise their vision of creating relevant, cutting-edge, music-centric and fun TV with an environmental focus. Not to mention absolute commitment to the project and preparedness to work very hard.

It’s a fast-moving global success story that attributes both its inspiration and first breaks to the Northern Rivers.

“The Northern Rivers shaped our business by its landscape, its beauty, its realness and its spirit,” Cate says. “This place is a cauldron for ideas and possibilities. It allows you to dream and then gives you the space and time to work out how the dream becomes real.”

There were many local supporters who helped turn Cate and Hewey’s dream into a reality, most importantly the local screen industry body, Screenworks.

“Screenworks is essential to screen industry success in the region,”

Citing a breathless list of the many opportunities the organisation created for dirtgirlworld, including guiding them through pitching competitions at the Screen Producers’ Conference in Melbourne in 2003 and onto the KidsScreen Summit in New York in 2004, an opportunity that opened the program up to the international market.

“Screenworks has always been there to support us – always loving and encouraging us and giving us the professional development to go from enthusiastic dreamers to internationally renowned Emmy-award winning producers.” Cate is now a regular speaker and panellist for Screenworks events, sharing her story and knowledge with emerging producers.

Local business groups and politicians have also helped mememe productions along the way with business training and advice, recognition through business awards, connection to funding bodies and strong support in funding applications, championing access to the best possible internet service, and even with introductions to the NSW premier and environment minister.

“They all want us to succeed and there’s a generosity of experience and no cynicism about what we’re trying to achieve – they share information and opportunities and they celebrate our successes,” Cate says.

meme_productions_002
meme_productions_003

Dirtgirlworld has continued to evolve over the past 10 years, and has partnered with federal, state and local government to create environmental awareness campaigns in topics such as composting and recycling. It has launched a 10-part online education program for kids, downloadable from its website, and also runs a live performance arm, with actors performing the dirtgirlworld characters at festivals and events across Australia – anything from National Tree Day to the prestigious Australian music industry awards the ARIAs.

During the TV show’s production phase, dirtgirlworld employs up to 170 people in Australia, Canada the UK and US who work together using email, file transfer services, Skype conferencing and screen software.

But there’s no question that Cate and Hewey’s roots are firmly planted in the Northern Rivers. Cate says the area is a creative hub, brimming with local talent.

“Our team of locals are extraordinary, talented, passionate and gifted – beautiful people – who share our values and ethics and want to make a difference in the world.”

The area also draws creative professionals to it, she says.

“We have great professionals come for extended periods of time because of the beauty, lifestyle and creative opportunities they can hook into while they’re in the region.”

And Cate is proud that dirtgirlworld is fuelled by all of this talent to help it achieve the goal that has remained true since its seedling of an idea.

“The definition of success is weird for us. It goes something like this…” Cate says. “Are we happy? Yes. Inspired? Yes. Challenging ourselves? Yes. Being creative and innovative? Yes. Do families love the story world, sing the songs, grow a garden, shop differently, smile more, because of their connection with us? Do they spend more time outside and take the time to look at clouds? Yes. To us, that’s success.”

Share this story

Read more stories
oatten and hoffman kyogle 002

revving up the community engine

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Oaten and Hoffman
In 2015 Tim Hoffman was riding the high on business success, and had no clue about the blow that was awaiting him….

husk distillers tweed 001

beauty and the bottle

 1280 853 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Husk Distillers
The Husk Distillers story starts in the tropical paradise of the Caribbean. Paul and his wife Mandaley Perkins were on holiday in 2009 and discovered…

tripadeal_byron_bay

fastest growing, remains humble and local

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

TripADeal
For TripADeal, the figures speak for themselves: revenue in excess of $100million for 2017; 75,000 travellers sent to various…

mountain blue 001 copy

true blue locals making a difference

 1920 1280 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Mountain Blue
Mountain Blue is the definition of a twenty-first century business. Not only have owners Ridley and Mieke Bell expanded their blueberry production…

Evans Head Cabinetry 001

carefully crafted business success

 2000 1041 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Evans Head Cabinet Making
“People often say, ‘They don’t build things like they used to’,” says fine furniture and cabinet maker Justin Crisp. “But I can confidently say…”

cumulus vfx byron 002

effective creatives have all the fun

 1000 750 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Cumulus VFX
They’ve walked the Sydney Harbour Bridge with Hoges. Gone down the garden path with Peter Rabbit. Flown Katie Holmes over…

rod n reel woodburn nortrhern rivers

reinventing a special highway town

 1920 1080 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Rod n Reel Hotel
Woodburn NSW is a charming riverside town with which is about to embark on a transformation. When the Pacific Highway bypass is completed…

ahead of time on equality and agility

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Hurford Hardwood
When Olive Hurford told the bank manager she’d be looking after the accounts of her husband’s new building company, the story goes…

herb blanchard haulage

in for the long haul

 1024 682 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Herb Blanchard Haulage
If you happen to be in the ‘jacaranda city’ of Grafton or its surrounds and you see a big blue truck out on the roads, the chances are its part of the…

Northern Co-operative Meat Company

collaboration and cooperative capital

 1600 1066 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Northern Cooperative Meat Company
It comes as little surprise that one of the largest employers on the Northern Rivers is a co-operative, and with Casino being the beef capital of…

glass lab tweed heads 002

riding the wave of success

 1000 661 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

The Glass Lab
Adam Wessel may have worked in surfboard factories since the age of 16, but it was a stint in the luxury yachting industry that sowed the…

patches kyogle 001

sewing love for a lifetime

 1232 816 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Patches of Kyogle
Jeannine Smith grew up under her mother’s sewing machine in Western Samoa. “My mother was a professional dressmaker,” says Jeannine…

building a good reputation

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Brett Harley
When the only pub in town burns to the ground, it’s a big responsibility being the one chosen to rebuild it. The success of Uki’s new Mt Warning…

old-fashioned approach reaps rewards

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Kyogle Country Store
It feels like a brave decision, buying a hardware and rural supplies store in the age of the corporate superstores. Though it was a challenge…

harwood marine clarence

‘can do’ marine

 1920 1182 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Harwood Marine
About half way between Yamba and Maclean is the tiny village of Harwood, which sits on the peaceful banks of the Clarence River with its population…

edmonds conveyancing ballina 001

home is where the heart is

 1920 847 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Edmonds Conveyancing
The legal aspects of buying and selling a property are not normally associated with having a laugh and even singing, but the Edmonds Conveyancing…

spell_designs_byron_bay001

spellbinding growth for a home grown icon

 1000 667 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Spell Designs
The scent, texture and aura of Byron Bay is famous, and well-loved. If that Byron Bay feeling was a fashion brand, it would surely be Spell & The Gypsy Collective….

meme productions featured image

world class creatives

 1000 750 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Mememe Productions
The piece of advice that dirtgirlworld creator, Cate McQuillen, likes to share with other creative entrepreneurs in the region tells much about her story…

mara_seeds_northern_rivers_business_feature_image_001

organic, sustainable and a local legend

 800 800 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Mara Seeds
The farmer and owner of Mara Seeds knows what can happen when you don’t – his 8000-acre station 50km to the west of Casino has seen worse…

spar maclean clarence valley

making history, creating culture

 1535 1025 In Good Company | Northern Rivers

Spar Maclean
SPAR Maclean’s claim to fame is a doozy. Indeed, it’s something only one supermarket in the whole of Australia can say: that it is the longest…

Start Typing

X