The Next 5 Minutes

Welcome to THE NEXT 5 MINUTES, a five-episode series which follows the fortunes of four memorable characters whose dark and sometimes comical stories connect in strange ways in the dystopian Gondwanaland (the nation formerly known as Australia) of the near future.The series launches Wednesday, January 24, 2024.Follow us on Instagram @earcandypresents

Orphaned teenage sisters make it to the city to find work as indentured “Pigironers”, carrying beach tourists on their backs so they avoid the acid surf. Zilch is connected to her older sister Pronto via telepathy. Everything is set to change after they meet a charismatic stranger at a waterhole who turns out to be a recruiter for the underground resistance group Swag Sting. The encounter with Space will change their lives forever.CREDITSTHE NEXT 5 MINUTES is written and directed by Ian Walker, based on the 1990s unpublished novella - Australia Who by Joanne Burns.  Starring Eleni Schumacher as Zilch. Aileen Huynh as Pronto and the Pig Ironing Boss Lady. Nic Starte as Space. Jaslyn Hall as Rufa Rapdog. Tommy Steele as German tourist and Russian wrestler. Ian Walker as Stoned Guy. You also heard Dani Torresan and Lauren Hamilton-Neill.Our sound designer is Martin Gallagher. Music written and performed by Elina Godwin. Podcast art by Lauryn Evans. Executive Producers are Bronwyn Mehan and Pariya Taherzadeh.The show is a co-production between SPINELESS WONDERS, ECHIDNA AUDIO and EAR CANDY MEDIA. Big thanks to Create NSW, Petria Wallace, Elizabeth Kulas and Fyona Smith. Follow us on Instagram: @earcandypresentsTN5M webpage

Zilch and Pronto regularly connect via telepathy, bonding over gossip and sharing hardships of their past - from being raised by a hippie mom in a self-destructive cult to losing their parents in a murderous arson. Escaping the city, they join the underground resistance, led by the notorious Rufas, targeting wealthy symbols and politicians. Despite infighting and Pronto's protests, Zilch embarks on a risky intel-gathering mission in Canberra using a "pendant cam" and a fake identity. Her cover is blown and her escape attempt leads to a potentially fatal swim. Has Zilch drowned in the murky artificial waters of Lake Burley Griffin?CREDITSTHE NEXT 5 MINUTES is written and directed by Ian Walker, based on the 1990s unpublished novella - Australia Who by Joanne Burns.  Starring Eleni Schumacher as Zilch. Aileen Huynh as Pronto and the Pig Ironing Boss Lady. Nic Starte as Space and the Prime Minister. Tommy Steele as Robert Menzies. Eliane Davis Morel as Jet. Jordan Olivier as Tempo. And Lauren Hamilton-Neill as Language Teacher and the Librarian. You also heard Sue Daniel and Tom Denham.Our sound designer is Martin Gallagher. Music written and performed by Elina Godwin. Podcast art by Lauryn Evans. Executive Producers are Bronwyn Mehan and Pariya Taherzadeh.The show is a co-production between SPINELESS WONDERS, ECHIDNA AUDIO and EAR CANDY MEDIA. Big thanks to Create NSW, Petria Wallace, Elizabeth Kulas and Fyona Smith. Follow us on Instagram: @earcandypresentsTN5M webpage

Byrone H. Ellis is a politician to match the rottenness of the times. A junior minister in the Free Futures government, he is a self-proclaimed future world dominator who finds himself in a perpetual state of chaos. Amid scandals of elder abuse, a sleepless Byrone juggles media duties and a fresh assignment from his boss Amanda, handling a nuclear waste cover-up and a mass tranquilization program. Past embarrassments, like his infamous brothel scandal, could be offset if only he can keep his shirt on during hologram calls. The day’s going well until a call from the US reveals Rufas has taken his family hostage, demanding all his assets in return for their safety. With his world spinning, Byrone collapses during a swanky soiree attended by political and industry insiders. What does this mean for his future and the lives of his family?CREDITSTHE NEXT 5 MINUTES was written and directed by Ian Walker, based on the 1990s unpublished novella - Australia Who by Joanne Burns.  Starring Nic Starte as Byrone Ellis. Lauren Hamilton-Neil as Amanda Kildare and Watchphone Siri. Tommy Steele as Fraser The Kiwi Waiter. Tom Wright as Everest Ginsberg. Paul Barry as Doug The TV News Anchor. Elizabeth Kulas as Reporter Judith Dengate. Eliane Davis Morel as Nancy Marcos. Helen O’Connor as Real Estate Ad Voice Over and Spaceport Hologram Voiceover. Ian Walker as Helicopter Pilot. You also heard Cameron St Clair, Sue Daniel, James Fitzgerald, Jordan Olivier and Rob Kaldor. Our sound designer is Martin Gallagher. Music written and performed by Elina Godwin. Podcast art by Lauryn Evans. Executive Producers are Bronwyn Mehan and Pariya Taherzadeh.The show is a co-production between SPINELESS WONDERS, ECHIDNA AUDIO and EAR CANDY MEDIA. Big thanks to Create NSW, Petria Wallace, Elizabeth Kulas and Fyona Smith. Follow us on Instagram: @earcandypresentsTN5M webpage

With Coral’s beloved Azaleas in full bloom, Helen contemplates if it's a good day to meet her maker. Meanwhile, news of Zilch's arrest sends shockwaves through the Swag Sting hideout, pushing Pronto to the brink of a daring rescue mission. As Space unveils the sting of a double-cross, involving the elusive Rufas and a property trade that releases Byrone Ellis' family, the team faces the prospect of a new subterranean base. Pronto's desperate attempt to 'path' Zilch results in a tantalisingly brief connection before fading into nothingness. A chemically-lobotomised Zilch adapts to detention life with the job of creating fake eucalypts for tourists. Back at Helen's, a knock at the door heralds a menacing visitor, a member of the Termination Squad. Can Helen confront her fate? Can Pronto make a last ditch attempt to save Zilch?CREDITSTHE NEXT 5 MINUTES is written and directed by Ian Walker, based on the 1990s unpublished novella - Australia Who by Joanne Burns.  Starring Helen O’Connor as Helen. Eliane Davis Morel as Coral. Lauren Hamilton-Neil as Officer Jace Tapsell. Eleni Schumacher as Zilch. Aileen Huynh as Pronto. Nic Starte as Space. Paul Barry as Doug The TV News Anchor. Elizabeth Kulas as Reporter Judith Dengate. Tommy Steele as Sky Bowl Pilot. You also heard Jordan Olivier and Tom Denham. The Roobot Jingle was written by Ian Walker and performed by Lem Zakharia.Our sound designer is Martin Gallagher. Music written and performed by Elina Godwin. Podcast art by Lauryn Evans. Executive Producers are Bronwyn Mehan and Pariya Taherzadeh.The show is a co-production between SPINELESS WONDERS, ECHIDNA AUDIO and EAR CANDY MEDIA. Big thanks to Create NSW, Petria Wallace, Elizabeth Kulas and Fyona Smith. Follow us on Instagram: @earcandypresentsTN5M webpage