We had the good fortune of connecting with Diego Riker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diego, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I have always been so interested in people turning their passions and creative interests into their careers. I figured that if there was a way others were doing it, I’d be selling myself short to not take on the challenges and figure it out myself.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I just wrapped up my first year of freelancing and it’s hard to put into words how grateful I am for my job. Making videos has been something I’ve loved to do since I was in elementary school. On basically every outing with my friends since we learned how to drive, you could count on me showing up with some form of camera, wanting to create something to document the journey. These random videos somehow led me to my first job as a video editor at a production company. It was at this job where I realized that being a “creative” could actually be something that could actually be taken seriously. So I basically started scouring the internet, trying to emulate the coolest video I saw on any given day. From one video to the next, I built up enough of a “portfolio” to secure my first real gig at a music festival. And it’s truly been a blur since then. I’ve been so lucky to get connected with the most amazing people who support my passion, and can’t wait to create in this coming year.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d keep it pretty simple. Cruise up to Santa Barbara, grab some breakfast burritos and a coffee, take a hike in the backcountry, then relax at the beach until the sun sets.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
All my friends who saw the vision!

Website: https://www.rikerfilms.com

Instagram: @diegoriker

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.