1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Clearsing and leasas how to make it in Wa to 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: bring this sun I'll make you a start. 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 2: Absolutely, with WA becoming quite the hub of film production 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 2: in recent times, we've decided to dig a bit deeper 5 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,799 Speaker 2: with this news series how to make It Stick with 6 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 2: Brian You'll make You a Star, And we're going to 7 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 2: start at the beginning where it does start for a 8 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 2: lot of people today. Whopper the West Australian Academy of 9 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: Performing Arts and doctor Renee Newman is the Associate. 10 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 3: Dean at WHOPPER and joins us. Good morning, welcome, Hi, Hi, 11 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 3: thanks so much for having me. 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for joining us, and congratulations on having 13 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:44,239 Speaker 2: one of the most amazing performing arts schools around on 14 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 2: the planet. 15 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, it's a pretty amazing place to work and 16 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 3: be surrounded by these extraordinary students and stuff. 17 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 2: Bet it is how long has WOPPER been around for now? 18 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 3: Okay, so we've been part of its us said he 19 00:00:58,200 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 3: is that we actually go back a little bit further 20 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 3: than that, So we've been around for quite a while. Yeah, 21 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 3: and we have, you know, like the most comprehensive performing 22 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,399 Speaker 3: arts training program in Australia. So we go you know, 23 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,759 Speaker 3: across music dance, acting, music, theater, Arts and cultural management. 24 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 3: We have production and design, we have performing arts. So 25 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 3: many different programs on offer. 26 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: I'm sure it's evolved over the year, Rede. But what 27 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 1: about the courses and the pathways for potential whopper students? 28 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 3: Yeah? 29 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 1: What can they say? One are the what's on offer 30 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: for them that can help them click that next step? 31 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah, okay. So we've got our VET Vocational Education 32 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 3: training programs, so diploma and advanced diploma. We've got to 33 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 3: set for in Aboriginal performance. The VT programs go across music, dance, 34 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:47,199 Speaker 3: acting for screen performance as well as music, theater, live 35 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 3: production and Technical services, which is what covers our production 36 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 3: and design. So that might be lighting and sound or costume, 37 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 3: it could be set in prop, scenery and so on. 38 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 3: Then you have the High ED, which is the Bachelor 39 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 3: of Art in Acting, MP, music, Theater, sorry dance. We 40 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 3: also have a Bachelor of Performing Arts which is performance making, 41 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 3: which is kind of like where you learn to be 42 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 3: a writer, a director, an actor, but also to make 43 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 3: new and original devised performance. So it's the news stories 44 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 3: that they're coming through. Yes, so there's a whole range. 45 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 3: And Arts and Cultural Management, which is also where you know, 46 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 3: we have our cultural leaders coming through the new CEOs 47 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 3: of the arts companies and the opera and so on. 48 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 3: So that real extraordinary way of understanding that whole facet 49 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 3: of how to make great art. 50 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,679 Speaker 2: So if you're someone in high school now you're coming 51 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 2: up to, you know, year eleven and twelve, and you're thinking, 52 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 2: I really would like to go to whopper after I 53 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 2: finish up with a school. What do they need to 54 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 2: keep in mind? Will there be an audition process as 55 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 2: well as you know, having to get a certain aggregate 56 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: and that sort of thing. 57 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 3: Well, yes, So it's interesting actually because some of our 58 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 3: programs require ATA, others don't. Yeah, and some of our 59 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 3: programs require audition, others don't. So it's sometimes it's an 60 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 3: interview process. It just depends. I think what's always wise 61 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 3: is that if you're a school leaver you might be 62 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 3: really interested in a diploma to actually sort of start 63 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 3: off and see where your interest lies. You can of 64 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,920 Speaker 3: course audition and go straight into a bachelor program as well, 65 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 3: but it's a matter of just actually checking out the 66 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 3: information and going what's best for me right now, you know, 67 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 3: and having a conversation. So we've got a lot of 68 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 3: information on the website, on the Whopper website about what's 69 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 3: required if it's an audition based entry, if it's interview. 70 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,839 Speaker 3: There's all the information there, including basic entrends as well, 71 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 3: because you know, WAPPER is part of ECU Aedithtown University, 72 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 3: so we do have those entrance requirements as well for 73 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 3: getting into a university. So yeah, there's also some videos 74 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 3: on there for students to be able to have a 75 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 3: look at and see what might be required to do. That. 76 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 3: Audition is clearly, you know, a complex thing, right, of course, 77 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 3: they're hard men, they're all so exciting and they're a 78 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 3: really important part of the process, right is to kind 79 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 3: of go through that stage I suppose and testing out 80 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 3: your skills in an audition setting. Yeah, so there's heaps 81 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 3: of information for a school level or for anyone for 82 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 3: that matter, who are interested in actually applying to go 83 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 3: to Whopper, whether that be to jazz for example, or 84 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 3: you know, classical performance or acting the program. 85 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, Renee, there's probably nothing more thrilling for people, you know, 86 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: a group like Whopper, an organization like Whopper to see 87 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: someone like a Hugh Jackman get plucked out pretty much 88 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: before he was on TV, but pretty much before it finished, 89 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: right they quite some of them so talented and they 90 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: just demand, you know, a bright light on them even 91 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 1: before right at the end of the course or sometimes 92 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: before the end. 93 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, sometimes it happens, and you know and like we've 94 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:00,720 Speaker 3: got of course, I'm so proud of you, and we're 95 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 3: so proud of all of our grounds. Really it is 96 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 3: that thing of you know, we try to counsel our 97 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 3: students in a way of what is best for them 98 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 3: moving through their degree, moving through their study, knowing as 99 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 3: well that that full program is really important. But I 100 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 3: think what's really exciting about WAPER as well, as we 101 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:23,479 Speaker 3: have many courses that have what's called WILL or work 102 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 3: integrated learning, so you know, during your course you'll have 103 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 3: an opportunity to go work inside that industry in some capacity, 104 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 3: whether that be you know, in an event space or 105 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 3: arts and cultural management students going and doing the coon, 106 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 3: mental dance students doing to commenting in an overseas location somewhere. 107 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 3: You know, there's all of these opportunities to actually be 108 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 3: part of the industry while you're studying, and while you 109 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 3: have that support of the University of the Academy and 110 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 3: so it's so Yes, it's so exciting when we have 111 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,919 Speaker 3: those graduates to then get picked up straight away. But 112 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 3: I think also we've got this huge jackments, We've got 113 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 3: the day courtneys, We've got all these fabulous, fabulous stars, 114 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,839 Speaker 3: right Yeah, But we also have Rachel d'es who is 115 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 3: an amazing local composer, seeing a songwriter artist who is 116 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 3: just as comfortable creating a beautiful sound design for a 117 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 3: theater production for Black Swan as she is for Maxine 118 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 3: Doyle who's at punch Drunk. You know. So there's hundreds 119 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 3: of graduates who are working at every level there are. 120 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, there is no doubt. It's renowned people. I mean 121 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,239 Speaker 2: even people studying at other places like Nier and stuff 122 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 2: are doing it with a night, are hopefully getting into 123 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: Wopper afterwards. And when you've spoken to a lot of 124 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 2: these alums over the years, and we have asked many 125 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 2: of them what do they think is the secret that 126 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 2: sets Whopper apart? And some of them Renee have cited 127 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 2: the remoteness of Way as giving them an opportunity to 128 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: really focus on honing their craft without any of that 129 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 2: sort of Sydney Melbourne chatter that you can get sometimes absolutely. 130 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 3: I totally agree with that. I think sometimes we actually 131 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 3: think of our geographic isolation has been some you know, 132 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 3: fodder for an imposter syndrome, you know, someone able to 133 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 3: kind of to really do incredibly well. And I think 134 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 3: there is something about that isolation that allows us to play, 135 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 3: to actually do that necessary learning and that necessary perhaps failure, 136 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 3: you know, to actually how do we do this and 137 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 3: how can we do it really well and learn from it? 138 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 3: Because it's the learning that will allow us to actually 139 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 3: have a sustainable career. And that's what we're all interested in, right, 140 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 3: We're all interested in that workforce. Yeah, just actually be able. 141 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 4: To go beyond that next gig or what happens when 142 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 4: you are creating your own next gig, as well as 143 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 4: waiting for your agent to call, you know, because that's 144 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 4: what we want, is someone who's able to actually move, adapt, 145 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 4: be resilient and actually just be part of that next 146 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 4: generation of Australian stories. Right, whether you are the actor 147 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 4: or you're in art direction and you're making the costumes, 148 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 4: you know, we want that person who's able to sort 149 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 4: of move and do well. 150 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 3: And I think there's something about Perth that you're right, 151 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 3: it's away from the big agents or the bigger end 152 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 3: of town industry. That is incredibly thrilling. But also you 153 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:50,719 Speaker 3: get to play, You get to really really way and 154 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 3: find your way through it. And I think that's probably 155 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 3: what they're talking about. 156 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, and so many players having seen Chicago Tina Turnatives 157 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: a couple of shows in the last two months, and 158 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,439 Speaker 1: I'm a program and it's all go through the program 159 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: and my wife, how many Whopper grads are here? You 160 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: can see the list and it's. 161 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 3: It's like a playbill. Yeah, exactly. 162 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:10,199 Speaker 1: Yeah, you must, you must be proud of that and 163 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: then everyone there, Yeah. 164 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, absolutely, Yeah, there is definitely there has definitely been 165 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 5: a big number of you know, movies, TV being made 166 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 5: here just recently. 167 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 2: Has that Does that give a bit of a sort 168 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 2: of an extra excitement vibe around Whopper about totally? 169 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 3: Yeah. And of course, you know, we're eagerly waiting the 170 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 3: launch of the Press Film studios as well as Yes, yeah, 171 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 3: city Campus. It's all happening happening at the same time, 172 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 3: so you know, it feels transformative. It feels like we're 173 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 3: all part of a transformation process and the City Campus 174 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 3: is really going to be that as well. You know, 175 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 3: right in the past spectacular of the of the cities. 176 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 3: So we have you know, we've got the CBD, we've 177 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 3: got the Arts Precinct and right there as our maid 178 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 3: and we're part of that. They are our neighbors. So 179 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 3: it's very exciting to know that we're going to have this. 180 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 3: I think the way they refer to it is because 181 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 3: it's the equivalent of sixteen stories and we've got eleven 182 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 3: superstories and that's to capture the amazing theaters that will 183 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 3: be well and it's the most densely packed vertical set 184 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 3: of vertical storage theaters. So it is a really exciting 185 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 3: time and the person Film Studios feeds into that as well, 186 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 3: so we know that they will be people interested to 187 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 3: come and use our extraordinary locations, you know, to our coastline, 188 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 3: our weather, I meant remarkable. Yeah, And so we need 189 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 3: a workforce for that, right. We need the people who 190 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 3: can create the sets and props and scenery. We need 191 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 3: the costume makers, we need we need the active and 192 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 3: we need to be able to have that industry that 193 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 3: can encourage people to come back to Perth yep, to 194 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 3: encourage people to stay in Perth, you know, to be 195 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 3: part of that workforce, and I think this is exciting 196 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 3: for all of us. 197 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 2: It is a very exciting time. In fact, we're going 198 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 2: to talk to the Arts Minister tomorrow about the Malaga 199 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 2: filst Studios and we I mean, I'm pretty parochial, but 200 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:24,319 Speaker 2: we are so proud of Whopper, great work that happens there, 201 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 2: and we love the you know, the triple threats that 202 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 2: you continue to pump out every year. So great to 203 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 2: talk to you this morning, doctor, and I oh, thank 204 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 2: you for having me. 205 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: Thanks for time. 206 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 3: We appreciate it.