Creator Spotlight — International Women's Day Special🌷
This International Women's Day, we speak to Rina Per, a self-proclaimed programmer turned creative who discovered the world of animation during her time at university. Rina quickly switched the world of databases and servers for keyframes and renders and hasn't looked back since!
One of the only two girls in the IT department at her time at university, Rina has certainly faced biases in her career due to being a woman. Rina would often receive comments asking "if she was lost". However, she never let that affect her. We speak to Rina about her journey, NFTs, and overcoming biases as a woman in the creative industries.
Hey Rina, Happy International Women’s Day! For those who may not know. Please could you tell us a little bit about who you are, where you’re from in the world and what you specialise in?
Hello to all the creative people reading this! My name is Marina Perović, but some of you may know me as Rina Per. I was born in Montenegro, and I live in Belgrade. I’m a programmer turned creative. I was a Creative Director at a digital marketing agency before I decided to go on a solo mission and eventually start my own company. Now I specialize in Creative Production, Archviz and Augmented Reality. There’s a strong chance you’ve seen my motion graphics work as sponsored stories on Instagram, or you might have even used some of my IG filters!
How did you discover the world of motion graphics?
For as long as I can remember, I loved computers and games. As a child, I wanted to master the magic inside the machine and learn how to create digital solutions. I later went on to study information technology, and in my 4th year at university, I was introduced to a subject called Computer Graphics. I had the best professor who tasked us all to create our own games. This is truly when I fell in love with animation. So I switched databases and servers for keyframes and renders.
How would you describe your unique creative style? What inspires it?
I think that my programming background makes my creative work not only beautiful but also pragmatic. Besides that, I am aesthetic-focused, and everything I do must be very pleasing to the eye. I also love the composition of movement and the ability to use it on the screen to steer the viewer's attention. I find inspiration for my creative style in everyday life and my dreams. Most of my dreams are very lucid, and I think many of my creative ideas come from them. I am also a massive fan of sci-fi which I believe can be an excellent exercise for the imagination.
What are you most proud of?
I always try to be proud of what I’m doing at this very moment. Currently, I’m creating NFTs that are digital wearables in augmented reality. Another thing I’m proud of is creating animations for a game about Nikola Tesla (a Serbian-American inventor), which is being displayed in the Museum of Technology in Belgrade.
What do you enjoy about being self-employed?
I think the best part about being self-employed is the feeling of control. I get to choose what I do when I do it and how I want it done. Once you have creative control over your work, you also get the endless possibility to grow your skillset and knowledge base. I see every new project as a chance to flex my creative muscles a bit harder and learn something new!
Are there any downsides?
When it comes to downsides, there is one specific trap that is very easy to fall into when you are self-employed: If you equate yourself with your work, you start to equate your productivity with how much you are worth as a person, and that can be very unhealthy for your work-life balance, especially in the creative industry. Ideas are impossible to measure, and you can't be equally creative every day.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
I recently learned that the “a jack of all trades” saying has an extension and that the full quote actually goes “a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” I believe it to be accurate that different areas of my interests directly affect the quality of my creative work. For example, I used to play the violin, and that experience helped me understand the importance of music and incorporating it with animation.
Have you faced any barriers/biases in your career due to being a woman?
While in university, I was one of the only two girls in the IT department. We often received "did you get lost" comments from other students, making it seem like a girl had no place to study computer science. I overcame that with results by having the best grades. I ended up being the best student while wearing pink from head to toe.
Why do you think International Women’s Day is important?
It is vital because in these modern times we live in, it’s very easy to give in to the illusion of equality. It may seem like we are equal on the surface, but true gender equality does not yet exist anywhere in the world.
Women are still being paid less for the same work men do and do most unpaid domestic work. In addition, in some countries, women do not have equal rights to economic or educational opportunities as their male counterparts. We should use IWD to point out those persistent inequalities and highlight the achievements of women we appreciate.
Which powerful woman do you admire the most?
I was fortunate to be born into a family full of successful, beautiful and strong women. One of them is my mom, who is my most considerable support, best friend, and role model.
What would your advice be for women who are just starting out in the creative/freelance industry?
My advice for any woman starting in the creative/freelance industry is to find a mentor. There are many fantastic mentorship programs you can join. Although I never had a mentor in a classic sense, my first employer took on this role. He helped guide me towards who I wanted to be professionally by sharing his knowledge and believing in me. Later on, I got a chance to be a mentor for an amazing young girl through the "IT Girls" UN Women mentorship program. My key takeaway: you'll learn just as much when you mentor someone as much as when you're mentored.
On International Women’s Day, what would you change about the world for women if you could?
If I could do one thing for women, I would completely eradicate biases and stereotypes of women and gender, especially the unconscious ones and ones perpetuated by women as they, unfortunately, tend to be the worst.
How can men be great allies in uplifting the women in the industry?
Men should feel free to ask and not just assume what they can do to uplift women. They should also remember that not expressing sexism is the bare minimum and the easiest part of allyship. The more challenging part is taking informed action and sharing their social capital like knowledge, influence or information with women in the industry. Also, keep in mind that the best ally relationships are reciprocal and mutually beneficial.
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