Laura 'Lou' Taylor

How long have you been in screen production and how did you get started?

I have been working in the industry for about 10 years. It started in college when a friend mentioned that I should contact the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which is the stagehand union in the United States, about a job. I worked my way through their apprenticeship program. As an apprentice, I worked in most disciplines. We were required to work in and be tested on a minimum of five disciplines. I found I liked lighting and special effects including pyrotechnics and rigging the best, so I stuck to those as much as possible. At first, I concentrated on lighting, then moved into rigging and special effects. For a number of years, rigging was my main job in the industry. I kept working in lighting and special effects when I had time all the way through though. When I moved to New Zealand, I decided to concentrate on lighting and special effects since I had a day job. I figured that was plenty to keep me busy.

What genre(s) does your work tend to come from?

I work in film, commercials, and drama.

How easy is it to make a living in this industry/How often do you work outside the screen production industry?

I just recently went back to trying to find full-time work in the industry. When I am working outside of the industry, I work as a design engineer. I enjoy working as an engineer, and it has been my choice to do so. Unfortunately, it typically means that I have to take days rather than contracts though.

How does your department work as part of the “whole” that other crew probably don’t realise?

I am still learning how the different departments interact here, so I am not sure I can answer that yet.

How have your rates changed/improved over the years?

In the United States, my rates were set by the contract with the union. So moving here, it took time to translate what I should make. My rates have not changed here since I started.

What sort of changes or trends have you noticed?

I have noticed every year there seem to be more graduates from film school trying to get into the industry and not really knowing how to go about it. The ones that seem to do the best that I have met are the ones that work in post.

What strengths do you think the New Zealand industry has / what could contribute to a more sustainable industry?

Our industry is built on networking and diversifying. It would be great to see people going to a bar to swap stories a bit and to open it up to other departments. Let’s become a Guild of industry rather than segmented departments. The diversifying comes both in craft and trying to be part of getting films/dramas to come here to film. If we mainly rely on New Zealand funding, then we will not last. We need to look overseas and as a Guild play a part in pitching New Zealand as a filming location.