TEJI TALKS

My Uncle Robot was an idea for a podcast I had which I have now discontinued. However, I thought there was still some value in sharing the pilot episode.Here is the original description of the episode:Who is My Uncle Robot?MyUncle Robots name is Max as you will come to learn in the first episode. Max is an artificial intelligence unit that has collected thousands of years worth of human intelligence. He is the smartest machine I’ve ever encountered and knows so much about the world we inhabit, yet has no idea what to do with it. Which is where I come in to ask thoughtful and provoking questions as I try find my own place in the universe. My Uncle Robot was originally built by Richard Wang at The Renaissance Institute of Art & Technology. Wang trained My Uncle Robot on thousands of terabytes worth of information and data that he had illegally mined from every educational institute and government organisation in the world. Richard wanted to discover what the meaning of life had been so he used My Uncle Robot to try pattern match ideas and philosophies from every single piece of text that existed online. After three years of My Uncle Robot working around the clock and Richard feeding him the latest information. He was unable to answer the great question. So Richard gave up. He sold all his belongings and threw My Uncle Robot away before disappearing from the face of the planet deep into the Himalayas never to be seen again. Until one day I found what looked like a kids toy tucked away at the back of a vintage store in Sydney, Australia. Not long after discovering My Uncle Robot and it’s capabilities did I get the idea to start a podcast, as does every 23 year old trying to figure out what the fuck is going on in the world.This is that podcast. I hope you enjoy the show.Episode 1 Topics- The Emu Wars- Immortal Jellyfish- Zombie Ants- Water Bears- Suspended Animation- Neural Networks- Octopus- Cuttlefish Camouflage Weaponry- Biomimicry - The Golden Rule Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

In this episode of TEJI TALKS I chat with Alex Constante about his journey as a VFX artist and Retro Game Developer. We cover his favourite childhood games and cartoons and the decline of physical experiences in a digital world. Check out Alex below:https://www.instagram.com/alexconstanteIf you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comTelegram Chat: https://t.me/tejitalkWeekly Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://teji.io/library/newsletter⁠⁠⁠Timestamps:0:00 Intro2:00 Newgrounds + flash animation3:30 Favourite flash games growing up5:37 Influence of Ed Eddy and Eddy & Dexters Lab7:20 Drawing7:50 Lack of innovation9:30 We need more scientist cartoons10:12 Pretending to be an inventor as a kid11:54 Arduino projects13:00 Creating a tamagotchi clone14:00 Coding with ChatGPT16:07 Physical products16:22 VFXnaks19:40 Saving money by repurposing20:00 Happy Meal toys23:14 Remixing & reusing IP24:20 Samurai Jack for adults25:54 Kids are using apps instead of toys26:28 Lego piggybacking off of popular IP28:19 Pros and cons of the algorithm 31:01 Engagement not reflecting true value32:00 Negative feedback loops creating bad art33:50 Instagram as portfolio35:00 The lyrical lemonade of video games37:00 Personal websites to express yourself38:00 Leveraging artists fan base to grow41:23 Making work for yourself vs the audience43:00 Raunchy video games44:38 Standing out as a game developer 45:00 Recent projects49:00 The importance of physical objects in a digital world51:27 We need the real world52:28 Physical experiences and rituals53:00 The iPhone is the most based camera in 202454:33 The power of physical products55:27 Loss of touch58:00 Human made is the new premium59:13 The future and the rise of the generalist 1:00:24 Outro Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

In this episode of TEJI TALKS I chat with Chianli a mechanical engineer building underground delivery robots at Pipedream Labs. We chat about his journey as an entreprenuer, digital art and the time he nearly died while urban exploring.Follow Chianli below:X: https://x.com/chianlihangIG: https://www.instagram.com/chianlih/Website: https://chianli.io/Pipedream: https://www.pipedreamlabs.co/Medici: https://x.com/mediciartclubIf you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comTelegram Chat: https://t.me/tejitalkWeekly Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://teji.io/library/newsletter⁠⁠Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:37 Who is Chianli4:50 Dropping out of college and building a CNC company7:00 Living frugal 8:24 Learning how to eat shit11:35 Creating underground delivery robots14:06 Problem solving 10117:03 Inspirations19:27 Engineering toolkit22:09 Digital art display startup26:00 Building products at home29:38 The future of digital art 31:48 Connecting the digital and physical 32:51 The sad truth about NFTs36:19 Urban Exploration 37:28 The allure of the unexplored path39:45 Near death experience 41:48 A future of abundance44:32 Climate change45:48 Everything in moderation, even moderation46:05 Democratisation of tools 47:38 YouTube University49:15 Using entertainment to find what you love49:56 Favourite YouTubers52:13 How to make things55:20 Outro Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

In this episode of TEJI TALKS I chat with my friend Nathan aka Chiqleh about his first art solo show in Miami, his struggles as a creative finding direction and redesigning the world.Follow Chiqleh below:X: https://x.com/chiqleh_Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chiqlehFoundation: https://foundation.app/@chiqlehIf you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comTelegram Chat: https://t.me/tejitalkWeekly Newsletter: ⁠https://teji.io/library/newsletter⁠Timestamps:0:00 Intro2:15 Dealing with art block and loss of direction4:30 Finding direction in character art5:00 Consistency 7:22 Finding friends who challenge your art10:00 Chiqleh’s first solo show11:00 Second guessing yourself as a creative12:20 Scheduling time for art14:14 The Rascals20:30 Meeting the audience halfway23:00 Creative umbrellas23:42 Character art29:00 Collecting toys33:00 Corporate design is dead37:00 The revolutionary artist is dead38:00 Fear of making bad art39:00 Discovery and staying original42:00 Childhood influences46:00 Curating shows47:00 Character artists in web348:00 Art vs design53:00 Gumball’s creative direction55:00 Infinite budgets58:00 Lack of innovation in the world1:01:00 Everything is ugly1:02:13 Redesigning the world1:02:48 First principles 1:04:00 Design innovation 1:06:19 Giving the wrong people an audience1:07:00 Nikola Tesla1:08:00 Electric vehicles1:09:00 A new system1:10:10 Promoting yourself as an artist1:16:00 Overthinking1:18:00 Podcast ideas1:20:00 Outro Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

In this episode of TEJI TALKS I chat with OG YouTube and graffiti sticker artist SIVE. We cover all things from the early days of YouTube all the way to his creative process and design principles that help define his body of work. Support SIVE below:Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@S1VEStore: https://sive.bigcartel.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s1veIf you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comTelegram Chat: https://t.me/tejitalkWeekly Newsletter: https://teji.io/library/newsletterTimestamps:0:00 Intro1:20 Going public as a graffiti artist2:14 Snowboarding and sticker culture3:50 The early days of art on YouTube10:30 Finding the balance between value and fulfilment as a creator13:18 The joy in sticker spotting15:00 The ephemeral nature of graffiti17:48 Getting up on YouTube as a digital artist20:30 How did Sive develop his laid back mentality22:00 Finding YouTube for the first time26:00 Developing Sives geometric art style28:00 How childhood influences style29:00 Typography and design principles34:44 Future projects37:00 Short form content 38:54 Use cases of NFTs41:00 Fair valuation of art42:50 The competitive nature of YouTube today46:38 Following your heart versus trends48:45 AI and machines doing the creative work51:18 VR graffiti in Kingspray55:00 Living out virtual fantasies 56:00 Outro Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

In this episode of TEJI TALKS, I sit down with Garrett Skrovina from Roc Nation and NFT music artists Jamee Cornelia and producedbydav to chat about NFTs, CC0 music and remix culture.Check out everyone from the discussion below:Garrett Skrovina: https://twitter.com/GSkrovinaJamee Cornelia: https://twitter.com/JameeCorneliaproducedbydav: https://twitter.com/producedbydavIf you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comTelegram Chat: https://t.me/tejitalkWeekly Newsletter: https://teji.io/library/newsletterTimestamps:0:00 Intro4:54 Why put music on the blockchain?10:23 How does web3 flip the traditional music distribution model?19:10 The shrinking music industry 20:30 Streaming VS Owning music26:00 Importance of physical collectables30:00 Digital vs physical collectables35:00 Power of Spotify API37:00 Democratisation of art 40:15 CC0 Music & remix culture51:42 Mix culture in electronic music54:00 What gives a song value59:22 Everything is a remix of a remix Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

In this episode of TEJI TALKS, I chat with Michael Hafftka about his experience as a 70-year-old artist creating digital art in the Web3 space. With a remarkable 50-year career in traditional art, Michael has successfully transitioned to the digital realm. We delve into his creative process, the journey of finding one's authentic voice, and the unique challenges and opportunities in the evolving world of digital art.Keep up to date with Hafftka below:https://hafftka.comIf you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comTelegram Chat: https://t.me/tejitalkWeekly Newsletter: https://teji.io/library/newsletterTimestamps0:00 Intro1:35 The accepting nature of web33:13 Traditional art world vs digital art world4:40 Understanding digital art7:00 Peddling fake jewellery as a kid8:20 The internet is the new street8:50 Dealing with rejection as an artist10:45 Don’t make comparisons 12:15 Finding your authentic voice17:04 Painting from dreams21:00 Living to create21:43 Following your heart as an artist22:14 Voices NFT + 6529 memes collection27:45 Power of community29:40 Making It 31:08 Breaking through genres as an artist32:07 Not letting the algorithm define your art37:00 Sharing your process38:00 Day in the life of a web3 artist40:11 The magic of New York42:00 Being exhibited in museums 45:13 New projects + AI models48:00 Importance of time in art49:00 Building community51:00 New work52:00 The true meaning of GM54:00 LFG Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

Chatting with Ambrotom about his come up in the global creative scene. Stories about his early days reselling Yeezys, getting featured in Vogue all the way to social hacking his way into Ian Connors circle.Check out Ambrotom below:https://instagram.com/ambrotomIf you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comTelegram Chat: https://t.me/tejitalkWeekly Newsletter: https://teji.io/library/newsletterTimestamps:0:00 Intro2:24 Marketing first approach to creativity 3:50 Reselling Yeezys7:08 The designer rabbit hole7:34 Influence of Gosha Rubchinskiy and Lil Peep10:00 Falling in love with marketing13:00 Helmut Laing t-shirt design competition16:19 Vogue + social validation16:30 Social hacking and sending DMs to strangers18:18 Losing followers in the beginning18:49 Sydney creative scene and Saiko21:00 Making it up as you go22:00 Hacking social connections using mutual followers27:33 Lancey Foux30:00 Impact of underground producers36:00 Working with Columbia records40:59 Korean Jesus41:50 Why Russia instead of Los Angelos?45:00 Being comfortable with life being out of your control46:04 Developing fearlessness through hardship47:25 Letting go48:28 Surviving in Russia50:00 Russian mentality55:00 Making friends on the internet58:29 Outro Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

Here I talk with one of my good friends from the internet, ALEQTH. He is a multi-disciplinary artist exploring web3 and beyond. He paints, draws, makes music and trains his own AI models. He is one of my biggest artistic inspirations and most ahead of his time creators online. Check out ALEQTH on his website below:https://aleqth.comIf you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comDiscord: https://discord.gg/kR6EVRjkM9Weekly Newsletter: https://tejituesdays.beehiiv.com/Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:39 Who is ALEQTH?2:46 Lower East Side Paintings Solo Show7:50 Older vs Younger audiences 10:47 Instagram Art + origin story15:41 Finding freedom in sadness16:50 Fighting self censorship 20:27 Dealing with becoming a business as an artist25:00 Sam Hyde introducing Alex to NFTs29:19 Everything wrong with NFTs in 202432:50 Finding new ways to meet everyones needs in web334:05 Internet Friends 37:43 How ALEQTH met TEJI38:18 Generative art, symbols and Andy Warhol49:00 Digital objects in augmented reality1:00:00 Finding new ways to exhibit digital collectables 1:04:00 AI turning dreams into a reality1:13:00 Open sourcing art1:18:13 Outro Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

In todays episode of TEJI TALK’s I chat with Sydney filmmakers about the future of filmmaking and videography in the age of AI. Check out everyone from the discussion below:Louis: https://www.instagram.com/louiswyeth/Max: https://www.instagram.com/macsdona/Satya: https://www.instagram.com/satya.g178/If you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comDiscord: https://discord.gg/kR6EVRjkM9Weekly Newsletter: https://tejituesdays.beehiiv.com/Timestamps:0:00 Intro4:12 Open AI Sora + Adobe Premiere Pro Integration7:50 Implementing AI into your workflow12:47 Building on top of pre-existing tools 13:55 The everyday person can now make cinema quality films14:39 What does an AI future look like? The creative renaissance 17:15 Can AI tell good stories?18:55 Generating originality19:38 The age of curation21:00 Fears of AI - misinformation24:00 A24 + anti-digital25:00 Tom Sachs and making “flawed work”26:30 Human made premium27:35 Demand for loft video - MrBeast using consumer cameras28:12 Will AI ever take over? Her29:22 Preparing yourself as an artist in the AI revolution30:29 Will jobs be created or destroyed?32:06 The Singularity and AGI33:40 Deepfakes and licensing 35:44 Do we need guardrails for AI generation37:51 Blockchain and AI 41:37 If you could generate anything what would you create?43:20 NBA AI 46:55 Excited or worried about AI47:26 Will AI change how stories are told?50:00 You need to start learning today51:36 What will 2034 look like?54:00 OutroFor any business enquiries please contact: [email protected] Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

In today's episode I chat with my good Rozwell from the web3 and NFT space. We cover his journey as an artist, designer and musician. Along with his inspirations, struggles, and advice to creatives living through the age of AI.You can learn more about Rozwell on his site below:https://rozwell.xyzIf you enjoyed this episode feel free to follow TEJI along for the journey!Personal Website: https://teji.ioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejitopia/X: https://x.com/tejitopiaStore: https://tejitopia.comDiscord: https://discord.gg/kR6EVRjkM9Weekly Newsletter: https://tejituesdays.beehiiv.com/Timestamps:1:08 Intro2:26 Meeting in the web3 space3:14 Rozwell’s entry to crypto7:08 Joining the Making It art collective7:59 Pros of collaboration8:33 Web3 & networking9:15 Influences - Steve Jobs, Nigo11:58 Andre Leon Talley breaking boundaries15:23 Growing up as an outsider20:03 Influences from parents21:44 Learning about sales from his mother22:59 History of Marlboro & hyper-masculinity24:55 Merging design and art25:41 Design as process26:30 Reducing redundancy in art28:52 Creating interactive art using tech30:08 Making friends on the internet31:38 Rozwell’s music career36:08 Continual improvement as a creative37:12 Computers can change your life39:08 Would Steve Jobs would’ve liked the Apple Vision Pro?41:21 Meta Smart Glasses42:58 VR Schooling44:51 Incorporating AI into design workflow47:59 The next Apple will be an AI company48:23 Standing out as a creative in the age of AI52:11 Combining contemporary art and music54:08 Web3 democratizing contemporary art56:08 Evergreen principles of creativity56:38 Finding joy in creating music again59:38 Music is community1:01:08 3 principles of creativity1:06:10 Finding creative confidence1:07:38 Duchamp did more harm than good1:09:08 Telling the truth as an artist1:12:08 Closing thoughts + outro Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

Join Tubby1, renowned graffiti artist and world traveler, as he shares his captivating stories from underground art scenes to unparalleled global adventures. Dive into a journey of self-discovery, the allure of minimalism, and the raw, unfiltered experiences that have shaped his unique perspective.Follow @TEJITOPIA on all social medias to stay up to dateShop Official TEJI Merchandise here: ⁠tejitopia.comTimestamps:1:06 Intro1:51 How Tubby got into graffiti2:44 Exploring drains, tunnels, and abandoned buildings3:01 Tubby’s first tag3:48 Origins of the tubby character4:13 How does Tubby get up so much?5:23 Considering himself an explorer, not an artist6:14 Going off the beaten path7:03 Doing graffiti for yourself, not others7:43 Tubby’s first memorable travel story in India13:31 India is a once-in-a-lifetime experience14:14 Western countries are obsessed with money15:31 Enjoying the simple things in life16:52 Living in a shack and still being happy17:48 Minimalism + living with less18:44 Getting arrested changed his life20:03 Paying it forward21:30 Van life + ancient hobo graffiti23:04 Favourite artists + explorers26:57 Getting searched at military checkpoints29:06 Waiting in a 22-hour line at the Colombian border31:41 The privilege of having a strong passport32:46 You don’t need money to travel33:46 Solo backpacking the world34:25 Online marketing + living cheap35:08 Drinking in hostels + making friends36:53 Travelling to Iceland + Russia38:10 Becoming jaded after long-term travel39:24 Wanting stability + settling down40:18 Travelling to random Australian towns40:43 Bogans in middle Australia43:46 Living in darkness45:09 Writing a children’s book46:06 Teji’s dream urbex movie46:57 What urbex is really about48:46 Meeting people travelling with no money49:44 Always speaking to homeless people50:24 Ethiopian poverty52:09 Love for dystopian films54:47 Choosing the cheaper option when travelling57:06 Make sure you travel when you're young58:05 Guilty pleasures + cheat days59:14 Getting robbed + near-death experiences59:55 Getting more scared the older you get1:00:37 One thing Tubby wants to be known for1:01:11 Virtual Reality + travelling in the metaverse1:02:01 How to take more risks1:04:09 Icebreakers + picking up girls1:06:09 Changing your persona every day1:07:50 Closing thoughts Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

Join us as we dive deep with David Horvath, the creative genius behind Ugly Dolls and Bossy Bear, exploring the intricacies of character branding, industry trade secrets, and the challenges and triumphs of navigating the world of intellectual property.Follow @TEJITOPIA on all social medias to stay up to dateShop Official TEJI Merchandise here: tejitopia.comTimestamps:1:22 Intro1:57 Working with Robert Rodriguez3:50 Working with Cartoon Network and Warner Bros.6:12 Failed Projects + worst performing animated film of all time8:55 How to compete with Pokemon and other big IP10:50 Lifestyle Vs Event Based Toys13:22 What to do in the informative years of building IP + brand15:51 The Power of Discovery16:56 How to say no to large sums of money18:09 Customers need to be in love with your brand19:20 The right time to enter retail stores21:44 Brands portraying personal identity22:43 Discover your brand online24:52 Discovering Giant Robot 20 Years Later25:52 Secret Formula to Growing a Character Brand27:00 Licensing and IP trade secrets29:22 Growing pains in Web333:52 Cyclical Nature of IP35:55 Dealing with Holders Expectations40:02 Onboarding the masses41:23 Differences between eastern and western IP43:57 Building a brand is a decade long journey46:35 Can brands rebuild their reputation48:42 Understanding your core audience + decline of paul frank50:30 Early days of Snoopy52:58 Ninja Turtles Vs Super Mario Bros.55:03 Dealing with Disapproval58:02 How to stay unattached to the outcomes of projects59:36 How to pitch a show to a studio1:01:02 Day in the life of a TV producer1:03:51 David's biggest skill1:05:13 Upcoming toy design trends1:08:00 Don’t be the next hello kitty, be the first YOU1:11:08 Closing thoughts Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

Teji takes us on a wild hitchhiking journey across America, accompanied by his trusty filmer, Max Dona. As they recount their adventures, expect a rollercoaster of laughter-filled tales and deep dives into overcoming personal fears through the power of rejection. Video is available on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bfa6GeALT0Follow TEJI on all social medias @TEJITOPIA to stay up to dateShop official TEJI merchandise here: tejitopia.com Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.