Riff Raff US’ New EP Looks to Push Boundaries and Nurture New Talent

Romy Jo Waller began her career in London over 10 years ago; starting in music video and multi-cam production and moving up through the worlds of advertising, animation, television and film, both as an in-house and freelance producer. Now she’s joined Riff Raff Films US as an executive producer for the production company's music videos and special projects side.

"I’ve always loved Riff Raff’s work - their immense talent roster and impeccable taste has always excited and interested me," says Romy. "The wonderful Matthew Clyde brought me to Riff Raff. We met around 10 years ago in London and worked together in a PA and first AD capacity, and recently reconnected Stateside - I love how we’ve come full circle."

Romy’s experience spans producing award-winning films at Unanimous Entertainment, as well as stints at Warner Music Group as a scripted development producer, and Dazed Media, as a video commissioner. The executive producer's own narrative work has also been screened as part of The Smalls Festival, premiered at the BFI Southbank, and has been broadcast on the BBC.

Most recently, Romy was an executive producer at Stink Films, a role that took her to the US for the first time, where she spent a year at the production company's LA office. Now continuing her journey on the west coast as part of Riff Raff films, she speaks to LBB’s Ben Conway about the new position and the world of production today.

LBB> What are two projects to get to know you? 

Romy> I love reminding myself how far I’ve come and the hoops I’ve had to jump through along the way. So here’s one of the first music videos I ever produced, for Marie Schuller for a band called Bilderbuch:

And here’s Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Hiss’ directed by Douglas Bernardt, which is a new music video I executive produced upon landing in LA. I’m really proud of this one because it set a world record for the biggest YouTube debut in 24 Hours for a solo female hip-hop artist. 

LBB> What sort of work are you excited about doing at Riff Raff? What specialities do you bring, and what capabilities do they have which you want to work with? 

Romy> I’m excited to delve into the special projects element of my title at Riff Raff, and to bring even more creative experimentation and innovation to the US market through the Nursery of Evil roster. Whether it’s branded content, short films or immersive experiences, I’m keen to push the boundaries of traditional media formats. 

Working together with the UK office, I’m keen to focus on nurturing new talent and giving opportunities to emerging voices in the industry. 

LBB> What are some of the biggest challenges facing producers and EPs today? How are you learning from and overcoming these? 

Romy> One of the biggest challenges, especially within the US Music Video market, is the sheer amount of competition; you’re sometimes in a pitch pool of 10+ directors without a huge amount of intel as to who is coming out on top. I’ve learnt to work closely with directors, commissioners and reps to analyse what it is about a brief that’s making us tick, what opportunities fill us with excitement and how we’re seen and heard amongst the masses. Strategy is always key in succeeding in an overpopulated market. 

LBB> What advice would you give to any aspiring producers or content creators hoping to make the jump into production? 

Romy> Be persistent. Always remember the excitement you felt when you first decided this is what you wanted to focus on. Don’t be afraid of failure. Be inquisitive. Be kind. Don’t be afraid of hard work, but always remember your boundaries.

LBB> What was the biggest lesson you learned when you were starting out in production - and why has that stayed with you? 

Romy> My mum once said, ‘Be nice to who you meet on the way up, as you never know who you’ll meet on the way down’. This is something I hold close to me and can proudly say that the great people I met within production at the young age of 18 have since become firm friends and colleagues again in later years - point proven with Matthew [Clyde, managing EP] and this exciting opportunity at Riff Raff. 

LBB> When it comes to broadening access to production and improving diversity and inclusion, how are you hoping to address this? 

Romy> Diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry are continuously at the forefront of my mind. I am constantly striving to broaden access to production and creating opportunities for underrepresented talent of all kinds. Matt and I are ready to hit the ground running, strategising ways we can continue Riff Raff’s diversity and inclusion goals within the US market. 

LBB> If you compare your role to the role of the executive producers you met when you first joined the industry, what do you think are the most striking or interesting changes - and what surprising things have stayed the same? 

Romy> The biggest change I’ve seen is constant learning and pivoting within our creative scope in order to speak to new social trends. We’ve always had to adapt quickly, but with trends and platforms changing so rapidly, we’ve learned to roll with punches more than ever. 

It’s not necessarily surprising, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the worth ethic of executive producers. Coming up in the industry as an office PA, I always felt inspired sitting in an open plan office surrounded by EPs and listening to all the amazing advice, conversations and creative input that they give.

LBB> There’s an emphasis on speed and volume when it comes to content nowadays - is there space for up-and-coming producers to learn about and appreciate the craft? 

Romy> The emphasis on speed and volume in today's content-driven world can indeed overshadow the importance of craftsmanship. I believe there's a type of young producer who really wants to learn the craft and respect the process, and there are producers who want to learn fast and cut corners. There’s always space for those who want to learn, and in such a passion-driven industry, there are always people to help them do that. If in doubt, go to your local cinema and watch the greats.

LBB> Times change, but what are the personality traits and skills that will always be in demand from producers? 

Romy> The industry is always evolving but the core traits and skills are resilience, creativity, passion, patience, attention to detail, problem-solving… the list goes! But always be someone that people want to be around, and with a smile on your face!