
“It’s the fear of failure that stops most people.”Growing up, Rikki had a passion for the creative industries. She was also a keen activist, protesting for environmental organisations such as Save the Forests. During that time, Rikki gained an understanding of the positive influence film can have on an audience, and decided to pursue a career in film. When Rikki graduated from high school, she enrolled in the Arts Management degree at WAAPA. Rikki remembers WAAPA as an ideal environment for learning, growth and meeting other like-minded individuals, creating invaluable opportunities for the future.
“It provides a framework for the future and sets you up for what you might need to know,” she says.During her time at WAAPA, Rikki also undertook extensive work experience assisting on the sets of a number of TV shows during university holidays. In her final year of study, Rikki completed her secondment at Film Victoria in Melbourne, where she wrote her thesis on runaway production and tax incentives for the film industry.
Rikki on the set of Jub Clerc’s feature film debut, 'Sweet As' in the Pilbara, 2021
“We are in a prime position to grow Perth’s film industry exponentially. Back in the ’80s when the industry took off the focus was around kids TV. Over the last decade, we’ve started producing feature films, documentaries and TV series in Western Australia,” says Rikki.Rikki’s final word of advice for students aspiring to enter the film industry:
“If you want to get into the film industry you can’t expect it to come to you. Relationships and networking are key.”
