Director Interview: Ray from Raymonar Pictures

SimsFilmFest wants to get to know RaymonarPictures! He is currently filming the second season of the series Newcrest. Yes, it features teens and, yes, they’re in high school, and yes, one of them even has an out-of-wedlock baby but let me be clear…THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL TEEN DRAMA! In fact, it’s one of my favorite series right now. There’s lots of adult action and you are never sure exactly who is wicked and who is, well, just plain evil! 

So tell us a little about yourself.

My first name is Ray and I live in Scotland. I’m currently in school and have always been interested in film-making and fictional characters.

What was your first introduction to The Sims?

Like many people, I grew up on the Sims. The Sims 2 has always been super nostalgic for me as I was obsessed when I was a kid – I must’ve started playing when I was about 5 or something and used to love making huge family legacies. I would make stories when I was young and used to incorporate my sims into them. I’ve found that the Sims 4 is a great way of expressing my stories – bringing sims to life through complex characterization and gripping storylines with them is something I love to do.

You started playing when you were FIVE?! That’s about the earliest I’ve ever heard.  🙂  Did you do any film making with Sims 2 or 3?
 
I didn’t actually do any film-making with the Sims 2 or 3 as I was really young and didn’t even know sims could be used as machinima platform.
 
     
 
The characters in Newcrest are so … different. Roxy Redwood is my favorite! She is such a good girl in a bad world! And I started out hating Lola but she’s actually turned into one of my favorites now. All of your characters are fleshed out with good sides and bad sides, but some are just plain evil! So the question has to be asked, are they based on anyone in particular?
 
I’m glad you like the complexity of the Newcrest characters! I do take some inspiration from the main characters of Riverdale. Roxy Redwood is smart and comes from a very wealthy and manipulative family, just like Veronica Lodge. And Lola Blackwell has a similar character to Cheryl Blossom, what with her cruel parents constantly tormenting her, resulting in a hard, bitchy exterior to others. For the other characters they’re not really based on anyone, but I always try to give them complexities/inner struggles – something that stops their character from being simply black and white. For example, Kevin Donovan’s Season 2 arc has saw him fall to the dark side a bit. His monologue (Carding tutorials and reviews)in 2×05 cvv revealed his inner conflict on whether to be like his father, who has always been a good man but has been majorly mistreated, or to turn into the majority of Newcrest residents and gain success through lies and corruption.
 
 
Some of Kevin’s actions were surprising to me, one in particular. (No spoilers here!) You really did a good job of portraying his struggle. That’s all I can really say! (Watch the series) Where do you get your story ideas?
 
I watch many television shows which inspire me. Some elements of Riverdale and a British show called EastEnders mainly. I’m also a big fan of Grand Theft Auto and some elements of the story mode in that will be incorporated into the upcoming storylines for the Belic family.
 
Well speaking for those of us here at SimsFilmFest we eagerly await every episode. Congratulations on placing third in the SimsFilmFest viewer’s choice awards in Season 18! We look forward to seeing your entry in Season 19.

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