For issue 8, we interviewed the Disney Producer, Raymond Lau and here’s the full version of our interview with him.
Can you tell us what projects you are currently working on?
I have just finished up on the second season of The Lodge for Disney which takes up quite a bit of time. January to March is always quite a busy time with pre-production for shows that shoot in May. When not shooting however, it is also a good time for programme development. The key to any successful production is to find the time when you can to try and get the next commission. At Zodiak Kids UK, there is always something in development, but there are several projects I am working on at the moment for various potential markets. Unfortunately, until they are lucky enough to be given the green light, no-one will ever say what they are developing in any great detail.
What happens when you do get the green light for commission?
If you get commissioned in Children’s Drama or Comedy its typical that you shoot in the summer holidays when you have most access to young talent who are still at school. So working back, it takes roughly four to six months to write a script for a typical 10-15 part series depending on the budget and how you run the writing team. Then there is between eight and twelve weeks to shoot it, another twelve to edit, dub and deliver the series ready for transmission and about four to six weeks pre-production to build the sets, rehearse, sort locations etc… so adding that up you can see it takes the guts of a year to do one series.
How did you get to where you are today?
As I said at the RTS Futures event, I got where I am today by complete accident. I did not ever think in my wildest dreams I would end up making a teen musical drama for Disney. I didn’t ever think I would be making kids content at all to be honest. What I did have though was a passion for television, especially for comedy, and that lead me to where I am today.
When I went to university in Manchester, I went with the belief I wanted to be a journalist and I got involved in the student magazine and became the features editor. Uni is great because it gives you an outlook in life and a feeling that anything is possible. Not wanting to sound like a really old fart, but in my student days, thankfully, I did not have tuition fees, I had a small grant and of course the student loan (to the maximum of £5k per year) which I think rose to £6.5k in the final year. I left Manchester with a degree in humanities and £10k of debt – nothing compared to what it is now. I could not imagine how it feels to leave uni and not be sure of a job with perhaps £50k of debt.
With no real job offers as a journalist, I found myself in Belfast and in need of doing something. I used to DJ at weekends to make ends meet. I then applied for E-force media training which no longer exists. It was essentially an NVQ in journalism and radio techniques, but it offered an unpaid placement with BBC NI. I went for my first placement interview three weeks into the course as runner for Children in Need, I had always watched it and naively thought, this is my big chance to make it less cheesy, more fun. That is how green I was. Needless to say I was shocked when I didn’t get it.
That proved to be a blessing though as, shortly after, the BBC contacted E-force to look for a runner for the studio recording of the first full series of Give My Head Peace with the Hole in Wall Gang. The producer was Jackie Hamilton, who also ran the Empire Comedy `club and I was lucky enough to get what would turn out to be my dream start. Working for Jackie and the Hole in the Wall Gang was fantastic. I then started going to the comedy club and within a short space of time, I was running the night for Jackie. It was being up close and personal with comics that made me decide that comedy was where I wanted to be. I stayed on for the second series of Give My Head Peace and did a panel show called Saints and Scholars, again with Irish comics who I was seeing on stage at the Empire. It all felt right to me, and I was in the right place at the right time. I am a firm believer in luck and being around at the right time.
I can trace the points from then to now where I was fortunate to meet the right people who were looking for something I could help them with. I spent two years working as a freelancer with indies like Wild Rover and Moondog productions before I again got lucky when I applied for the BBC Network Trainee Producer scheme in Entertainment. There were over 2000 applicants and I was one of the lucky six. From training in the Entertainment department locally and nationally for the BBC, I got my first Assistant Producer contract. I was again fortunate to get my first commission which was a show called The Blame Game for BBC Radio Ulster and then BBC1 NI. The Blame Game got me my first producer credit and I spent a total of ten years in the BBC, eventually leaving in 2012 as Network Comedy Development Producer.
Shortly after leaving, a comic friend, rang me to ask if I knew anything about a sitcom being made in Belfast for the BBC. I contacted Northern Ireland Screen who thought I might be interested in the Producer job on the show. Again, timing and luck – it turned out to be a kid’s sitcom called Dani’s Castle being made by my current employers Zodiak Kids. I got the job and we did 3 series over 3 years. Alongside that I managed to get my first Radio 4 comedy commission with my own indie called Irish Micks and Legends with the fantastic Aisling Bea and Yamine Akram.
In 2015, I was offered the chance to run development from Belfast for Zodiak Kids. Our first commission turned out to be The Lodge for Disney and three years later, I am still here and still working. As I say, very very lucky. The reason I am saying all this is to show how varied and broad the television sector can be, and how, if you are lucky enough, and have a passion for it, you can make a career out of it.
Have you got any plans for the future?
Unfortunately, I never really plan for the future – It’s been my downfall on more than one occasion, but I don’t think you can plan for the future in this industry. You can try and be ready for the future and pitch future projects, trying to guess what the future trends might be, but I think you must give your all in the now, certainly when it comes to production.
What would you recommend for university students to do, outside of their degree work?
I think it is so vital for media students regardless of their actual degree to do as much as possible themselves. We live in a digital age where hardware and software is so readily available and user friendly. No matter what you might be into, remember that content is key. Telling a story on a phone, iPad, computer, TV or cinema screen is why we are in this industry. I would advise those who wish to edit, to find things to edit; those who wish to operate camera, go find something to shoot, and those who want to direct, go and direct something. Learn as much as you can while you can, while you have the freedom and time to do it. There are dozens of roles to fill in the industry and if you have the passion and determination for it, you can find your niche.
How would you describe the media environment here in Northern Ireland?
The media environment in Northern Ireland is growing rapidly. There are really far more opportunities to get into the industry nowadays. New media (a term I hate) is revolutionising the industry. There are more and more jobs coming online for people who don’t really need to go to film school to direct, or slog for years to produce television. There are plenty of doors open to you and unlike when I was starting out, the BBC is not the only show in town.
Have you got any advice on how to network within the media sector?
If you are a student, please take the opportunity presented to you to meet with industry professionals. Do your research, find out who is working in the job you like the sound of and find out how to talk to them. Join something like the Media Therapy Group on Facebook. They meet several times a year and it’s a chance for like-minded people, new and established, to mingle and network.
What rules would you go by to ensure your social media stays professional, at the same time as displaying your personality?
I actually don’t have a rule sadly. I tend not to tweet or post about work too much although it’s not unheard of. It is actually really hard to separate potential work contacts with friends and family on social media. It would be cool if someone could invent a platform that separated work and personal life – I would say we would all want that no matter what the profession. There’s a challenge, let’s try and create an app for that!
Is there any particular terminology that someone should know whenever they start working in the media sector? For instance, what sort of terminology is important to know when working on a film set.
Professional terminology is important especially on a film set. There is another language to learn so my advice is to research it before you end up on a set, don’t show off when you do get there. Just listen, learn and make yourself noticed by being brilliant at what you are asked to do. Find a third assistant director (AD) they are about 6 months to a year ahead of you and will be the friendliest face you will encounter on a busy set.
(PM)