Bec Bignell is a storyteller who believes the best stories are those that are grounded in truth.

A writer, actor and film producer, Bec grew up on a farm outside Kojonup, three hours south-east of Perth and her most recent screen story ‘Homespun’ was born from a desire to present a more authentic portrayal of life beyond the city limits. 

Filmed in Bec’s home town, Homespun is a seven-episode web series that cheekily pokes its tongue out at the stereotypical portrayals of life in the bush. Described as a story about “a dynamic female duo who give the bush image a facelift in a shed show that raises the town’s exposure and a few eyebrows”, Homespun is a joyous blend of drama and comedy.

The production has been a resounding success with it collecting countless awards including winning the web-series category at both the San Francisco Arthouse Short Festival and France’s Beyond The Curve Festival.  It was also chosen for inclusion in Melbourne’s Women in Film Festival and WA’s Vision Splendid Festival.

Bec not only wrote Homespun’s script and performed one of the lead roles but she also produced the film through her company, Cockatoo Colab. With some colourful cussing and cursing, classic one liners and a ute load of exploration into the human condition, the story’s seed was first planted when Bec was still at Uni.

 “I was studying media and film and during a script writing assignment I developed the idea to parallel corporate city life with that of the world inside a shearing shed. I returned to the idea when I started working professionally in the TV industry as I could see there was very little content about regional Australia that was actually created by regional people,” Bec says.

With Homespun being Bec’s debut screen script, but having worked on the production of numerous other films including Tim Winton’s Blueback, she admits the creative road for  regional storytellers is often a corrugated one that’s pitted with potholes.

“After Uni and a stint in radio I headed over East. I thought I’d waltz into a film or media job but nothing I’d previously done counted for anything. I was broke and ended up working in retail to pay the bills. I wondered if my creative skills would ever earn me money.”

Desperate to return to Kojonup one Xmas but unable to afford it, Bec entered a magazine writing competition and won third prize. Rewarded with a $1000 shopping centre voucher, fate stepped in when she found a travel agent amongst the shops. So with an airline ticket firmly in her hand Bec experienced her first sweet and shiny moment of success.

Since then Bec has travelled back and forth between Perth, Sydney and her parents’ Kojonup farm working on countless creative projects. One of those projects was Cockatoo Colab’s first multi-platform production, 600 Bottles of Wine, which was promptly picked up by the BBC, Netflix, Channel 10 and TV New Zealand.

“It was amazing, not in my wildest dreams did we expect that. But it just shows that you can create a production by yourself and take it to an international audience. It’s a really great example of creatives empowering themselves.”

Always keen to inspire others, Bec set up yet another side project, Rural Room. This active online community and media stringer agency promotes, supports and connects regional freelance writers and photographers and brings them to the attention of city-based clients.

“Too often we see city people coming to the country to tell our stories. We want to tell our own stories from our own perspective. A good story is one that’s authentic and truthful and as creatives we are conduits for that truth.”

Bec’s commitment to the independent arts community was formally recognised in 2018 when the Australian Financial Review included her in its list of ‘100 Women of Influence’.

“For a long time the bush backyard was forgotten but Covid reminded people how good it feels to be connected to the natural environment. The pandemic has definitely led to a  renaissance in country living.”

With the spotlight now shining more brightly on regional life, Bec’s work shows the value of  stories that are authentic, that reflect reality and explore genuine experiences. She’s proof that there’s an eager audience waiting to hear stories from the sticks.