Last month, AFTRS hosted a Masterclass with filmmaker and writer Tracey Rigney, this year’s Artist-in-Residence. The AFTRS Artist-in-Residence program invites Australia’s most talented, brilliant and creative storytellers to spend time at the School and have the space, support and facilities to reflect on and test their craft while interacting with the school community.
Tracey is a Wotjobaluk and Ngarrindjeri woman with over two decades of experience, embodying a dedication to storytelling deeply rooted in her heritage and fueled by an unwavering commitment to cultural representation.
She began her career in the theatre as a playwright with her debut play, Belonging. She went on to write more plays before transitioning to film and TV. Her works include documentary and short films Endangered, Abalone, Man Real and Elders and the feature film We Are Still Here. Tracey is writing her debut feature film, Everywhen, set in her mother’s country, and stepping into the next phase of her entrepreneurial life to create slates and opportunities through the Company she co-founded, Pink Lake Creative.
The session allowed students and faculty to engage with Tracey’s creative process and draw inspiration from her extensive work in theatre, documentary, and film.
The session was organised in collaboration with AFTRS Head of Research Alejandra Canales and Rowena Potts, AFTRS Creative Practice Lecturer, who moderated the conversation. Here are the insights:
FIND YOUR ROOTS AND MENTORS
Tracey started by presenting a short film, Miyurr Miwi, with insights into her creative journey as a filmmaker inspired by her grandfather’s storytelling.
“He would always tell stories, and it would just, you know, be a dreaming story. Stories from his life.”
“When I got to a certain age, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is what I want to do.’ I love storytelling, and he is still right here with me.”
Rowena pointed out how the film was a “beautiful representation of all the threads of life” and how it connected life cycles with creativity. She continued by asking Tracey about her practice as a creative, political, and philosophical decision and path.
“When I tell a story or have the opportunity to tell a story, there’s lots to my thought process around the story I want to tell and how I want to represent my people. Everything I do in life is always through the lens of being a First Nation woman in this country; it’s not separate, and everything is really intrinsic and innate.”
Tracey explains that she cannot avoid politics in her work. As a First Nations creative practitioner in Australia, everything she does is seen as a political statement. Her identity as a First Nations woman permeates her work, making her stories inherently political.
“I think whether I like it or not, I am political. It just informs everything I do in my storytelling. I can’t separate it. I can’t remove it. You know, you saw my grandfather there [Miyurr Miwi].”
She acknowledges the importance of continuous storytelling in understanding social and cultural identity and how her grandfather’s strong connection with Country and oral history enriched her life and practice.
“I find it a really powerful medium [screen] to create better understanding [history and each other].”
Tracey recognises that life for previous generations was harder, and she finds a drive to tell those stories. She sees the screen as a powerful medium of expression and representation, and she reflects on the serendipitous ways that filmmaking came into her life through a spark with legendary Australian producer Sue Maslin.
“I fell into filmmaking, I literally fell into it. It’s not something I was chasing. I met up with Sue Maslin, and she’s one of the key producers in the country and an amazing woman.”
Tracey shared her film and ideas with Sue, who worked with Charlotte Seymour at the time working at the First Nations Department (Australian Film Commission – now Screen Australia).
“They were producing a series of documentaries on the theme of Love. It’s called Loved Up [SBS].”
Through these connections, Erica Glynn contacted Tracey and offered production support for the idea Tracey had shared with Sue.
“And she [Erica] said, ‘Look, you’ve got nine months. It’s not a long time, but we will get the support around you.’ And so she pretty much worded it so I couldn’t refuse. I just had to figure it out as I went along, and I got amazing support from people around me, and that’s how we made it.”
Endangered is a half-hour documentary, one of five films in the Loved Up series, which screened on SBS in 2006. It has appeared in the Message Sticks Festival at the Sydney Opera House, the Melbourne International Film Festival 2005 (where she received a highly commended emerging filmmaker honourable mention), and various other film festivals, nationally and internationally.
“It was well received, it freaked me out. I couldn’t believe it. Nine months, literally like having a baby.”
Tracey reflects on the importance of a supporting and collaborative network of mentors.
“If you find yourself connecting really well with someone who is a mentor, they can open up a whole world of opportunities and possibilities for you. To get your foot in the door or in front of people you only dream about.”
She acknowledges Sue Maslin, Gillian Armstrong, and Rob Connolly’s mentorship roles in her creative path.
“They’re amazing humans and storytellers, and they’re so generous and supportive. And it’s because we want our industry to be amazing and to thrive, you know? I know that I’m not one to compete with other people, competition sucks. It’s all about elevating each other and really supporting each other.
That’s what will make for a strong and rich industry. These amazing mentors that I’ve had the opportunity to connect with – that’s their philosophy and mentality, too – supporting emerging filmmakers.”
She emphasised the value of mentors in offering support and opportunities and encouraging students to build respectful, reciprocal relationships. When one of the students asked how to build these relationships, Tracey highlighted that respect and trust are crucial.
“It was just building up a solid friendship and connection. For example, I met Gillian. She helped me with Abalone, my first short. Because we had a strong connection at a workshop. I reached out to her and said, ‘Look, I’m making Abalone. Is it okay if I check in with you during the shoot to get some advice? Because I’ve never directed fiction.’ And she was like: ‘Absolutely, Absolutely. You know what? I’ll talk you through it.”
“So it’s a respectful relationship. It’s not one you can ever abuse or think you can take, take, take. There’s got to be a bit of give and take and some balance.”
The reciprocal nature of the relationship is essential, not just with mentors but with collaborators in general. Finding like-minded creatives with approaches that resonate and amplify each other’s work is the base of the most successful productions and screen careers.
Tracey on the set of ‘Abalone’ with actors Rod Smith and Kerry Walker | Image by Greg Noakes 2012.
COMMIT TO THE CRAFT
With an academic background in creative writing, including film theory and screen studies, Tracey continued investing in her filmmaking and creative practice education through Screen Australia’s First Nations Department Initiatives available at the time for skill development.
“I reckon we’ve had some lecturers from AFTRS who would come and talk to us about different elements of filmmaking. It was this intense week of learning about filmmaking and its craft, talking to experts, and hearing their knowledge and wisdom. And then you would have the opportunity to shoot a couple of scenes from your script with these amazing professionals and then edit that.”
“We screened it on the last day to each other. It was a really good time. That’s where I really cut my teeth in filmmaking.”
She remembers how these hands-on programs provided the perfect scenario for putting ideas into practice and understanding in real time how the different disciplines of filmmaking came together.
“That’s what I love about filmmaking; it’s this real full-on ride that you just got to jump on board, and you got to just ride it out. It’s wild. It’s crazy. But it’s cool.”
STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF AND YOUR AUDIENCE
When talking about her audience, Tracey shared that her approach is incredibly intimate and heartfelt. She believes in connecting personally, making her work resonate deeply with those who experience it.
“I write for myself and my people, telling stories that reflect what’s going on in my life,” she shared. Each of her projects, from Abalone to Teacher’s Pet (which won a Flickerfest award), has served as a tribute to her community and culture.
“First and foremost, I write for myself when I create. I write for myself and my people. I tell stories that depend on what’s going on in my life at the time.”
“For example, Abalone is about someone who I absolutely love and who is very close to me. I just wanted to showcase that these people matter. These people have family and are not just unworthy people on the street.”
Tracey explains how her writing stems from personal insight into life and relationships and from what inspires her. She also likes to explore different ways of telling stories and approaching characters and world-building. She mentions Teacher’s Pet, a film developed with Koorie students from Dimboola Primary School and co-directed with Desiree Cross. The film won the Flickerfest FlickerUp Award for Best Primary School Production and was an ATOM award finalist.
“And it was just such a beautiful special project that even to this day, kids – like they’re older now, they’re adults – they’re like: ‘Oh, I remember when you made that film.’ It’s something I feel I can contribute back to my community and even to my township.”
“I take my time figuring out what projects I’m going to work on. I have an agent, and I do say no to a lot of projects. I’m a bit choosy, you got to realise that at the end of the day it’s your name out there, and you are a brand. Reputation matters in this industry. So, I don’t just say yes to anything and everything.”
Tracey’s curiosity about the possibilities of telling stories on screen bloomed into forms of expression that extended to the exploration of sound and nature.
“I’ve started going out bush and recording nature, different birds and sounds of wind and rain for my debut feature film. I thought I’d just get an excerpt from my script and see if I could create a sound scape around that. That’s what I’m doing. And I also want to incorporate some of my mother’s language.”
These are important elements in the work Tracey is currently developing as part of her residency at AFTRS.
“I want to pull a couple of sentences in language and play with that as well. Exploring that for my feature film because it’s based in our Country. It’s about an Aboriginal woman coming to terms with reimagining a dreaming story.”
One of the students asked Tracey to explain her process of project selection and how she committed to a personal view of creative work.
“Do you have guidance or advice that you can give about balancing your creative spirit with your personal spirit? How can we build a beautiful life with what we intend to do with storytellers and maintain who we are in that process?”
Tracey explains the importance of being transparent in the decision-making process.
“It’s about being true to yourself. When I negotiate a contract for a project, I always say that I’ll only do it if I can bring my family with me. In this day and age, many producers and production companies are supportive, and they will allow that. But, you know, there’s just ways that things will work out. Things will work out if you’re honest and upfront.”
She continues to explain the importance of finding your voice and processes and respecting them.
“It’s taken me a long while to grow into my skin. And I feel like I’m in a place where I know who I am. I’m not afraid to speak up and I’m not afraid to articulate my vision.”
“I know who I am, and I’m true to who I am. So all of that is always at play when I’m telling a story, whether I’m writing or whether I’m on a set.”
The conversation ended with questions about the feature currently being developed by Tracey and on finding cultural safety in numbers by bringing your people to be part of the crew. Tracey referenced the existing pathways and protocols (Screen Australia) to work with First Nations practitioners and stories, reflecting on the importance of authenticity and connection—”Nothing about us without us,” as referred to in the work of the Close the Gap Campaign Steering Committee.
AFTRS is committed to fostering a creative environment that respects First Nations knowledge systems and honours the ancient storytelling traditions of Australia. Through her AFTRS residency, Tracey is exploring new ways to connect cultural storytelling with screen media with AFTRS’ support for community-led, place-based learning.
For more on Tracey’s work, visit Pink Lake Creative, and stay tuned for more inspiring discussions from AFTRS Research. Thank you to Tracey Rigney for being so generous with your time and knowledge, to Rowena Potts for hosting the masterclass in such an insightful way.
