With over 60 million views on TikTok and more than 3 million views on YouTube, it’s safe to say that the BL drama “The Day I Loved You” has been a big hit. Co-leading the show is Singaporean content creator and actor Raynold, who on top of juggling his studies and his work as a content creator, flew to the Philippines earlier this year to film the show.
Having worked on a few campaigns with Serious Fluence, we get some facetime with the very busy Raynold to learn about his journey as a content creator, how he juggles his work and studies, and what lies ahead for him.
How did your journey as a content creator and artiste begin?
The first video I made on TikTok was a parody of a scene in a cartoon as a response to a challenge made by my hall in university. I then started to make more videos parodying popular trends. During this time, I started to stream myself studying and was discovered by my manager, who floated the idea of trying out as an actor.
How hard was it for you to enter an already established space on Instagram or TikTok as a creator?
It was extremely difficult! In addition to these being already-established platforms, it is harder to be seen on Instagram or TikTok by users who do not already follow you. I believe a large portion of users who follow me on Instagram or TikTok are people who learnt about me through other platforms.
Tell us about your biggest social media mistakes. What did you learn from it?
I make a lot of jokes… and with jokes come misses. I think one big mistake I’ve made in the past is assuming that everyone understands my sense of humour. I used to post content with punchlines that only a small group of people would find funny.
I’ve learnt now that people follow me for various reasons, and sometimes I must cater to different audiences and not just post what I want to post.
What’s your approach to vetting brand collaborations or deciding if a partnership is right for you as a content creator?
Typically, this is done through discussion with my manager. Many factors are considered, but two important factors are how well the brand aligns with our values and whether or not I can value add to the brand by collaborating.
You’re also doing your content creation and acting on top of your studies. Has that been tough to juggle?
I just completed my last semester of undergraduate studies and am so relieved. It was tough, I often found myself in situations where I have shoots to attend and school assignments due on the same day. I really had to plan and manage my time wisely. What really helped was prioritizing based on urgency and completing whatever task was due earlier first.
The response to “The Day I Loved You” has been incredible! What was the experience in making the show like?
Filming was a blast! Although the hours were long, it was always enjoyable to be on set as everyone was always having fun. During downtime, the cast members would chat and even have mini jam sessions together. Overall, it was a great learning experience and I’m looking forward to going back to the Philippines.
What’s next for you as an artiste and a content creator?
I have a lot to learn as an artiste and content creator. I’m currently going to classes to improve on the flaws I have as an actor. I have yet to act in a local production and I am looking forward to doing so. Of course, I aspire to be a part of more international productions in the coming future too. As a content creator, I am working towards producing more higher quality content more consistently.
Any words of wisdom for other aspiring creators?
As simple and glamorous as this job might seem, this isn’t always the case. Just like any other job, creators face their own set of difficulties. And this job takes A LOT…. A LOT… of hard work too.
Check out Raynold on Instagram and TikTok, and watch The Day I Loved You on YouTube.
