Rickylee Russell-Waipuka

Rickylee holds all First Nations projects close to her chest and works to ensure that the appropriate voices are at the table when it comes to safeguarding culture. Her compassion and ability to connect with people is a tribute to her character as she traverses complicated subjects, ensuring that all parties involved are correctly represented, and creating content for future generations to be proud of. In late 2019, Rickylee began channelling her experience to the other side of the camera. Since signing on to Sweetshop Entertainment, Rickylee acted as the Associate Producer on Taumanu and Untold Tales of Tūteremoana funded by NZOA and TMP from development through to delivery. Rickylee’s current focus is on the company’s scripted slate. These include Taratoa’s Stappard’s debut Māori Gothic feature film Mārama (in post-production), Paula Whetu-Jones coming-of-age drama Koha currently in development, Cian Elyse-White’s period feature Te Puhi also in development. In television Rickylee is producing Pete Circuit and Jared Kahi’s series Bird’s Eye View ‘Season Two’ and is developing a New Zealand-Irish co-production series Mere Moko with Paula Whetu-Jones and Sonya Desai.