Richard Jensen (00:00) we always kind of say like, we want them to feel like they've come to like the dream holiday, like they booked a they booked a girl strip. They found this amazing place on Airbnb. or they've booked this amazing resort and they get there and it's like, you want them to sort of be excited because they're young. They're either still at college or they've just finished. And so, you know, they don't have, most of them don't have any money. So, you know, it's like, it's their Pinterest board. It's their Instagram reel. It's kind of, you know, the places they see the celebrities going that they dream about like, my God, if we save up or when I'm rich, I can do this. Madelyn Cunningham (00:35) Hey, hey, welcome to The Unscripted Files. My name is Madelyn Cunningham. I'm a development producer in the unscripted industry, bringing you candid conversations with the minds behind your favorite form of entertainment. Do I have a treat for you guys today? Just days ahead of the Love Island season premiere, I'm giving you an exclusive interview with the lead production designer. We talk everything from demolishing a villa to build a new one. all the way to like the fabric choices to make sure that spray tan doesn't get everywhere, how they design the dressing rooms, the hideaway, sole ties. I mean, we get into the psychology of contestants, how you design around all of the hidden cameras, the tips and tricks that the Love Island UK team gave the USA team as they were getting going with the franchise. It is a phenomenal conversation. Anyone who loves Love Island is going to love it. If you love reality, you're going to find it incredibly interesting. I dare say this was one of my favorite conversations because I love the show and I find the creativity and the scale of what they do on the show so fascinating. So here is my conversation. with the production designer of Love Island USA, Richard Jensen. Please enjoy. Madelyn Cunningham (01:54) Hey Richard, welcome to the Unscripted Files. How's it going? Richard Jensen (01:57) Cool, I'm very well, thank you, how are you? Madelyn Cunningham (01:59) I'm doing really good and amazing now that I'm talking to you because honestly, I'm such a huge fan of all of the work you do. Love Island USA, Traitors, MasterChef, Bachelor in Paradise. I mean, just so much good work coming from you. And you're in Fiji right now and you have been for a while ramping up for season seven of Love Island USA. How long have you been on site prepping? Richard Jensen (02:17) Yes. ⁓ This is our fourth week here now. Yes. Yeah. Oh, I could maybe our fifth week actually beginning of our fifth week Yes, so we've been here for a minute already this year Yeah, so it's It's good to be back. I was sort of our first time ever coming back to the same villa in seven seasons Madelyn Cunningham (02:39) Yeah. ⁓ interesting. Okay, so you typically have a new location that you've got to figure out and fabricate every single time. Wow. Richard Jensen (02:47) Yeah. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, not by choice, just by circumstance. We've always wanted a permanent home and we finally have one. So it's exciting. It's been very different. It's been, yeah, it's been a new thing to wrap our heads around, but amazing. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (02:55) Of course. exciting. I love it. And it was just announced today. This episode will drop right before what we now know is the premiere date of June 3rd. It was just announced just a few hours ago. I don't know if you're aware. So June 3rd, it was just announced. We will all be just holding our breath until then. So you've been on site prepping for about five weeks now. How much longer will you be there? Richard Jensen (03:14) Oh, okay. Yes, there you go. No. Yeah, this is... We have another three and half weeks of prep. So we start shooting master interviews in about ten days. And then after that we do Mock Week. And then we start shooting. Yeah. On June the 1st. So, yeah. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (03:37) Amazing. Yeah, yeah, in real time, which is so, I forget that you guys do that. It is so wild. And we'll get into more of the logistics of how you design for that specifically. How big is your team? Richard Jensen (03:44) Yes, yes, it is wild. It's big. this year, about 75, 80 people. Yeah, but that's because I, you know, the whole art department, so that's construction, paint, yeah, set dresses, greens, LED on this, because there's so much LED and neon, that sort of falls, I have a whole department of just LED people. Madelyn Cunningham (04:09) so crazy. The first episode of this podcast, I had the casting director, Quinn on, right? And she said, she dropped the number of how many people are on set at any given time, like up to like 800. And whenever I would ask people like, many do you think is on set for Love Island? They always guessed 75 or 80. And the fact that that is just in your team alone goes to show how... Richard Jensen (04:14) yeah, Queen. Yeah, yeah. enormous. Yeah, yeah. Yes. Madelyn Cunningham (04:35) enormous of a scope this show is and what it takes. I also think it's so easy. You know, I was looking at your website, you have so many cool photos up before and after of this show of Traitors ⁓ on rjjensen.com. I think it's so easy to take for granted that you actually start with like a blank slate. Like I think in your mind, I think a lot of us like to think that these villas were already hip and cool and had the neon lights. No way, dude. You are from, right. Richard Jensen (04:47) Yeah. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. We threw a pillow in, painted a wall, it was done. Yeah, I wish. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (05:06) No, I mean, you're completely starting from scratch here. Richard Jensen (05:10) Yeah, and that's actually why I started putting before and afters on the website because I think the assumption for most people who don't work in reality or don't work in this sort of this bigger scale reality is that, we find this amazing location. We come in, we've got three days to throw some pillows around and paint a wall and we're done. But yeah, it's massive. Madelyn Cunningham (05:28) Right. Richard Jensen (05:31) It's not just the villa that has to be right, the house or the size of the house. It has like, you know, we have to consider neighbours, access. Like we've had, you know, lots of issues over the years within different locations, you know, from all sorts of things about like why the villa doesn't work. So it's, you know, the bare minimum is that we have a space big enough for the villa itself. But then after that, it's like all the other production considerations as well. So it's always really, really time consuming and really. I'm so sorry for our location scouts. We look at so many places and we've gotten me and the EP and the of the core team has gotten very good at sort of going into a place and being like, absolutely yes. Madelyn Cunningham (06:10) kind of knowing, so you kind of feel like you can know right off the bat if it is gonna work or not. Richard Jensen (06:15) Yes, yeah, you get a pretty good sense pretty quickly where you go, okay We're just gonna be nice because the owners have taken time out of their day to show us around so we'll make nice You know, they're always lovely people So, you know be friendly be nice get in and don't waste as much of their time as possible and get out get out quickly and then but it's also going in and seeing from my for my job going in and seeing like, okay, this place might be a dump or it might be nothing that we did nothing ever looks like us it might not look anything like us, but Madelyn Cunningham (06:21) Sure. Yeah. Richard Jensen (06:44) I can see visually how it can become us, how does it have just a room big enough that we can convert that to something else. How easy is it for my buildings to be able to cover a facade of that? Our season four Santa Barbara series was like a 1920s Riviera style house in Santa Barbara. that we saw literally none of, but it had nice size rooms and actually well not even enough rooms, we then had to build a bedroom off to the side of the house in the car park area. But yeah, it had space. It had space and no neighbors and it had its own private beach and had production facilities so like everything else was perfect except the villa. And so was like, well I can make the villa work. can build something new on top of that villa to give us what we want. Madelyn Cunningham (07:33) Right. Well, and again, I think that's what it's hard to realize because when we're watching it, I don't know, it feels so authentic that it's hard to believe that most of the outdoor space is completely fabricated and built out. Like that was not part of the initial villa. All of those spaces, the fire pit, the... Richard Jensen (07:42) Yeah. Yes, yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (07:54) all the little nooks and crannies. So you're basically just using the bones and the blueprint of the space and you're building within it for the dressing room, for the bedrooms, the hideaways, its own complete fabrication. All our favorite parts of it. Richard Jensen (07:56) Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Exactly. Yes, yes, yeah. Everything. then because of how we shoot as well, we've got real cams on big beds that are in camera hides, which we try and make look not the camera hides so they don't look so obvious. But then there's 80 or so Robocams around the villa and they all have cables and there's audio cables and there's sound waves like cables everywhere. But we build fake walls. not only to give us our look, but also to hide all of that infrastructure so that the cast don't see it either. So that they, because it's important that they don't feel like they're on a set, that they don't feel like they're in a studio or that they're, you know, that it's all fake. They, you know, I think it helps their experience if they can forget it. Like they sort of enter the villa and assume it's all real as well. And, you know, they don't see behind the wall to see the 300 cables running through there. where everyone has access. So it helps their experience. Madelyn Cunningham (09:02) Exactly. Totally. And that's what I feel really sets Love Island apart from a lot of other dating shows is the 80 plus cameras that feel native to the environment. an environment that looks incredible but also is comfortable for everyone. They're there for the entire summer, an environment where people can get cozy, explore relationships, be physical, be emotional. And so being able to create all of that and then have it be functional. Richard Jensen (09:22) Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (09:32) again, with all of the unsexy like wires and stuff, I'm sure is such an interesting challenge. At this point in the process, you've been there for, you know, four or five weeks, you have about the same left. What are kind of the biggest challenges you're facing right now? Richard Jensen (09:33) Yes. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Today, shipping. Today, well, the last two days challenge is shipping, which is always a challenge because we're always somewhere else. never, you know, we're never in LA or like a capital city. So everything always has to travel us. We're now in Fiji. So we have to ship everything in and we use a lot of, we use a lot of local stuff, but the big like plexiglass, you know, that we can't get here, which we use a lot of, you know, acrylic. Madelyn Cunningham (09:48) What? Today? We can only talk about today's challenges. man. Richard Jensen (10:15) things like that, fabrics or whatever we ship in and I sent a container from the 3rd of March from LA and it's still, found out two days ago it just hit Australia and it's on its way here. It should be here maybe, hopefully two or three days before we start shooting which is clearly not ideal because we have to build it. So yeah, we're trying to work out the logistics of how we Madelyn Cunningham (10:28) Hope eight weeks later Richard Jensen (10:41) may have to buy the plexi again and air-freight it in, which is a nightmare and an expense that we really want to afford. But yeah, that's constant. Like I said, that's today's challenge. Yeah, there's always something unexpected. It's the thing with film and TV. It's like you can do your show seven times and it's something different every year that surprises you. Madelyn Cunningham (10:59) Of Yes. I mean, do you get nervous anymore? Do you stay awake at night anymore? Or do you just have you figured out a way to know that you and your team are going to figure it out? Richard Jensen (11:09) Yeah. Yeah, I certainly have, think, lot less sleepless nights than I used to. I remember like the very first show I ever art directed, I think, was Farmer Wants a Wife. I'd been set decorating and the series producer that I'd just done a show with, we got along really well and she was getting her sort of first co-EP role and so think she, yeah, she was like wanting me to come with her and yeah, I remember like, and it was tight. Like I look back now and I was like. Madelyn Cunningham (11:29) so good. Richard Jensen (11:47) tiny little show. It was like three of us. It was like teenage, but like staying up until like one o'clock in the morning, like hand cutting the like the bits of paper to put inside the lantern so they were like nice and filtered, like doing all that yourself. And because it was just so like trying to think of everything. And now it's so much easier when you have a team and a team that you have worked with in contrast and know do good work and know how you think and what your expectations are. But yes, but also just now the experience of going like, okay, cool. I can see things further ahead more so I can plan things better. yeah, certainly have a lot less sleepless nights, but still a lot of nights without sleep, because we're here. we're here. For different reasons, yes. We're like, this show is, we're just like, it's not the hardest show in the world to make, but it is the most relentless. It's seven days a week for six weeks straight. Madelyn Cunningham (12:25) I was gonna say sleepless nights for different reasons. Richard Jensen (12:41) We film from anywhere from seven in the morning until five in the morning sometimes. It's just, by the end of the six weeks, know, nice little pile. I've been working, well this crew, especially since we've been in Fiji, this is our third year in Fiji. So I've had probably 95 % of the crew for the last three years for me. Madelyn Cunningham (12:53) was gonna say, is it all love on the island after six weeks or is everyone like goodbye? Richard Jensen (13:05) They're a really amazing bunch. yeah, I try to only surround myself with good friends, like people who are good at their job, but people who are just good people. Because we spend way too much time together to deal with ourselves. Yeah, yeah, totally. Yes. Madelyn Cunningham (13:18) Yeah, well, it's just important to be positive, to be fun to be around. You know what I mean? All of that is so critical on set. when you're looking to build out your team, that's incredibly important to you as well. Because you're right, it is just such a monster, show. this Love Island USA was started in the UK. How did you, when starting in the USA, Richard Jensen (13:30) Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (13:43) Love Island is such a familiar brand. It's such an iconic brand. The colors, the theme song, like everything about it, you know, it was kind of established. But how did you sort of keep within the Love Island brand while giving it that like American edge? How did you, how were your decisions influenced? Richard Jensen (13:59) Yeah. It was very much, season one especially, where we were all new to it. Yeah, and we, I think we probably pushed a little too far. think we've sort of all talked about it since and can all agree that we probably pushed too far to make it our own. So we kind of ran before we could walk. I think it still looked really good, but it didn't look as much like Love Island. And so season two, we kind of did a reset and kind of Madelyn Cunningham (14:13) Mm. Richard Jensen (14:27) deep dived into the Love Island world, which I think really worked for us. I think for viewers as well, think it just, made us, it's such a recognisable, like you turn on the TV, you know what show you're watching, which is always, I think, the sign of a good design. And they're like a strong brand, is that you can, you don't even need to hear anything, you just like catch a visual and you're like, that's fine. So yeah, so think when season two, when we sort of went back, you know, into the Love Island world, and there are a lot of, Madelyn Cunningham (14:47) Exactly. Richard Jensen (14:55) You know, it's a format around the world and like all formats they have like, you know, they're representatives who like this is how we do it This is how we do this Yeah, like very strict palette palette. It was always a strong word No red no red in the love Angela and we did that for years. We now no longer do that. But But yeah, and I think it was just adding I Think the main thing I focused on like we use those colors, but I think we added more texture and texture in fabrics, texture on the walls, adding more pattern. feel like the UK version originally, and they're evolving as well, as everyone does, was always very block colors and very simple. ⁓ Yeah, so we always had more texture and pattern in there, which is just something that I like ⁓ as a designer. Madelyn Cunningham (15:33) Right. Yes, lot of peel and stick wallpaper. I'm just looking at the girls dressing room, the palm trees. There's always the greenery with the flowers on the walls. Even the bar stools are covered in a pattern. a lot of just visual interest constantly. Which does feel very honestly like... Richard Jensen (15:45) Hehehehehe Yes, yes. Yeah. Yes, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (16:07) USA, American, we're very busy in a sense, you know, don't you think? Richard Jensen (16:10) Yes, well, yeah, yeah. Yes, I think American design embraces more like pattern and wallpaper and stuff, I think, in general. Yeah, so yeah, it feels I think it feels like it's kind of, you know, fresh and light and colorful. So yeah, we always kind of say like, we want them to feel like they've come to like the dream holiday, like they booked a they booked a girl strip. They found this amazing place on Airbnb. and they get there or they've booked this amazing resort and they get there and it's like, you want them to sort of be excited because they're young. They're like, you know, most of them aren't like young. They're like, they're young. They're either still at college or they've just finished. And so, you know, they don't have, most of them don't have any money. So, you know, it's like, it's their Pinterest board. It's their Instagram reel. It's kind of, you know, the places they see the celebrities going that they dream about like, my God, if we save up or when I'm rich, I can do this. Madelyn Cunningham (16:41) They're young. Richard Jensen (16:59) that this should be that experience for them. That sort of dream, that dream destination, that dream holiday, that fantasy where they can like take a thousand photos and like fill the gram with it and annoy everybody with how many pictures they're posting of their holiday. that's the feeling that we, that's like that I want to give them when they walk in that like, this is like a super exciting, amazing place that they're like feel really lucky to be in. Which kind of comes back to your question before about how they, you know, having to design to live in, to live in the villa. Yeah, it's like it needs to be comfortable for them. Like the beds need to be comfortable. The, you know, the fridges need to work. Like they need to be able to, you know, brush their teeth without having to walk over there. It's like, it's just really simple things that make them feel like they're somewhere real. Yeah, and that they're, that... Life is good and life is easy and this is kind of, know, they're living the dream. Madelyn Cunningham (17:55) Right, and the only thing that they have to worry about, aside from their suntan, is the connection. But again, I think that is what sets the show apart, and it is how genuine and authentic it feels, how these cast members are able to sort of sink into the experience effortlessly, find themselves on a dream vacation, and you crafting an environment that feels that way. Richard Jensen (18:00) Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (18:21) where they feel lucky, they feel excited. It feels lush and elevated. I think like those feelings, those are heightened emotions, right? Those type of, I'm lucky to experience this, I'm excited. That's the prime environment to be flirty, to find love. And so if it was a place that, you know, fell below those standards, it doesn't exactly, it's not really a... Richard Jensen (18:23) Yes. Yeah. Yes, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it takes you out. It takes you out of your experience. And that's what we try really hard to get rid of. And I remember at the end of last year, knowing for the first time that we were coming back here, going in on the last day into the girls' dressing room and having a chat with them and being like, if you were to come back, what could we do better? What would make this easier for you? What would make that better for you? Because for the first time, we've Madelyn Cunningham (18:48) fertile ground, right? And it's totally. Richard Jensen (19:09) could tweak what already exists. same with the boys and just like, know, how, know, just living like not the relationships, not that, but just living in the house, living in the villa. How can we make that like enhance that experience for you? It's sort of having that chat and sort of, know, getting a few pointers from the people who actually, because we see them and I've got my crew there sort of interacting and like, you know, fixing things and doing things as we go. But yeah, it's like, you know, it's a very, it's a very different experience for them because they're in it. Madelyn Cunningham (19:39) Right, well how valuable to get that feedback as well and be able to sort of again, functionally adjust. I'm always, I was like, I know there's women on the design team for that girl's dressing room because it just is the dream. it's like getting ready with a whole bunch of women for like a fun night of flirting is just like, it's so incredible in the way that it's set up to where they can all like still see each other as they're getting ready. Richard Jensen (19:39) ⁓ yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was great. ⁓ Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (20:06) and can continue conversations. Like it's just, it's so fun to see. It's just such a fun show to watch. Richard Jensen (20:11) Yeah, and that room is beautiful this year because it's got all the natural light. It's got like the big windows, so there's like natural light as well as their sort of, you know, their face lights and you know, our studio lighting that's in there as well. But yeah, so it's a really, it's certainly our dream one as well. Like, you know, we've had so many different versions of it in different configurations and like, you different scales that we're sort of, you know, stuck with depending on the villa that we're in. So yeah, to be able to... Madelyn Cunningham (20:18) Mmm. Richard Jensen (20:41) design it from scratch and build the room to the size that we actually want the room at is was like amazing. Madelyn Cunningham (20:47) I can't wait to see it. When it comes to collaboration, obviously this is such a massive show. When it comes to collaboration with the show runners, your department, even challenge teams, all of the different pieces, what is sort of your collaborative process and communication with all of those different parties to ensure that again, you're aligning with Richard Jensen (20:57) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (21:11) what is an incredibly established brand. Richard Jensen (21:14) Yeah, our showrunner is incredible. Ben Dazio-Palmer, he's amazing. He's so very creative, hardworking, so talented and a great collaborator. And we, most days, we'll be zooming each other talking. Yeah, we, very much a collaborative, the design process is very much a collaboration with him. Yes, where we sort of, working through the things that We've seen in the last year a new inspiration for both of us and trying to see what works in the Zilla. So that's just constant, like every day tweaking with him. And then I've got my set design team who I work with every day, same thing. We meet every day and then we operate through Slack. So they're sending me updates through Slack all day. Yes, because we're spread out. three set designers in LA. I've been in Australia. Ben's, our EP's in LA. Previously, one of our render guys is in Texas. yeah, we've got people everywhere, which is easy to do now. Yeah, and then same with Challenge Team. Challenge Team is on and they've got people, I think in South Africa, Singapore, and Australia at the moment. Yeah, my Challenge Producer is out of South Africa, so she's been in South Africa. She's now here. So yeah, so it's a lot of zooming and sometimes at not pleasant times to make things work. a lot of like, know, yeah, I'll be on that zoom at 5am because that's how we got to have to make it work. so yeah, lots of early morning zoom calls and just yeah, just constant talking and cheering. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (22:30) Right. Yep. Yeah. How far you talked about renderings. I wanted to talk about this too again, cause cause I love seeing the ones on your website. So you work with an artist who's doing these renderings for you. how far in advance are you guys working on this? Richard Jensen (22:44) Yeah. We start traditionally I start beginning of January so I think we started January 4 this year with me and the set design team. Yeah, which we foolishly thought would be quicker this year because the building existed and it's like, yeah. Yeah, like we only we literally only had the Diller officially signed off three weeks ago. Madelyn Cunningham (23:07) Because you're going back to the same place. Richard Jensen (23:18) Yeah, Master Interview is pretty much signed off as of yesterday, waiting for the final final sign off for Network Today. Yeah, so we try and get ahead of things, but you know, things slow you down. But yeah, but yeah, and we like obviously a large elements of things that have been finished, but there's always like, you know, still just, yeah, trying to get that last bit right. Often it's the hideaway, hideaway is always the last thing to be finished. Yeah. for some reason it's always the last one. Madelyn Cunningham (23:42) When you're, so every season, you you're always trying to do something a little different. So how are you, when you're presenting, you know, back in January and February, you're presenting these new ideas. Are you typically going, okay, we can do option A, option B, option C. Like, how are you sort of presenting? Here's how we're do the hideaway, the exterior. Here's how we're gonna freshen up the entryway based on what we learned last year. Like. Richard Jensen (23:59) Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (24:07) What is your approach to sort of that initial setting the tone for the new season when it comes to your ideas? Richard Jensen (24:14) Yeah, well normally it would be, yes, he's a new deck of references. He's, you know, if we're in a new location, what is there that we maybe want to reflect? Like when we're in Hawaii, we kind of did a little graphic on one of the big walls that was kind of, you in it. Yes, Santa Barbara, we kind of leaned into a little bit of that Riviera sort of style Santa Barbara. But so yeah, there's a little bit of that. So bringing those elements in and bringing whatever we sort of, you know, learnt from the year before that we liked and want to keep going with or what we didn't like. So it's, you know, ditching that. So it normally starts with some mood board and reference and a discussion around those and where people people's heads are out creatively like from the from the producing team if they've got an element that they want to bring in this like a new twist on something that they need a new space for or just yeah like yeah exactly a format element like getting Aftersun last year so that was like a whole new set they came on quite late yeah so it's it starts with those and then yeah like this year when we were back in the same villa yeah me and the set the design team kind of worked through I think like the first deck we presented I think had like Madelyn Cunningham (25:05) Like a format element, a new format element, yeah. Richard Jensen (25:26) eight or ten different options for like, this is what the five bit could look like this year. This is like, like one of those like the big omega, there's been about 57 versions this year already. Yeah, so it's, yeah, because it's, yeah, it's giving people something to react to. Yeah, to be like, that's, and it could be just like, they react. Madelyn Cunningham (25:31) Wow. Who would have thought there's so many different ways to fire pit? ⁓ goodness. Richard Jensen (25:50) to it, it's like, I just like that element, but maybe we could move that over there. you sort of, you know, just, it's something to start the discussion, just to prompt, to prompt the creativity on every, for everyone. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (25:58) Right. Right. Well, it's so much easier than like just going, what do you want? It's so much easier for people. think it's, you know, to visually have an example and go love that. Don't like that. Combine A, B and C, you know, the fire pit, a location of all, you know, all of the major, major moments. So it's a very important decision. I understand the hangup. I get it. Richard Jensen (26:04) Yes. Yeah. Yes, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. It is, yeah. We live there a lot. Madelyn Cunningham (26:23) talked about this a little bit about the design challenges with, you know, kind of the hidden cameras and the chords, but what are, you know, what are some other challenges specific to building sets where contestants are like roaming freely and there's not choreography and you have to kind of be ready for anything. You know, what are, how are you figuring that out to ensure that the Richard Jensen (26:38) Yes. Yes. Madelyn Cunningham (26:47) The environment is ready for anything. Richard Jensen (26:49) Yes. Yeah. And I think we've evolved as well. I remember in season one, we were like talking to the UK team and they were giving us there some hints and tips. I remember them telling us like, you've got to be like all your doors are self-closing. So you can never leave a door open because when the door's open, it's highly likely there's a camera and it's blocking. And they had like people who would figure it out, like, if I open my wardrobe door and leave it ajar, that camera can't see me. So we can go in behind there and make out. And you can't see. Because they're sneaky. Yes. So like that was like from the season one. So every door anywhere in the villa is self-closing. that, yeah, and all that. it's straight open. And then I think from season two was like, well, I'm just going to use sliding doors on wardrobes because we had, were trying to rig little kind of, you know, springs to sort of make sure that wardrobe doors were closing. And yeah, was a nightmare. So. Madelyn Cunningham (27:19) tricky. Yes. Mm-hmm. Well, and also soft clothes so they're not loud and they're not messing with the audio. Yeah. Richard Jensen (27:47) Exactly, yes. Yes. Yes. Yeah, all of that. Yes, so simple things like that. And then when you get into dressing even like, I remember the first few seasons that always, because I like lamps and they're always like, you know, nice ways to add texture and layer. And we just kept cutting the lamps because inevitably the sort of lamp on a console table or a lamp, a floor lamp in a corner, it ends up being around the height of a camera. And so suddenly they'd be panning across and half your frame would be blocked because there's a lamp there. all of those things that, know, when you're as a designer, when you normally like designing a room and looking at a room and you want to add texture and layer that you, you're sort of go-tos, you kind of can't use, or you have to be very careful about how you use them because you don't know that camera needs full range. So their main shot might be sort of here. but they'll pan and suddenly something really important's happening there and I've got a potted plant there and it's, you there's suddenly, you you're looking at them through this. So yeah, and we then, that's why we do a mock week, which is such a luxury and such an amazing thing to be able to have where we have a pretend cast come in. We have people come in and live in the villa for three days and we film them and we treat it like, you know, regular, like the regular cast. Madelyn Cunningham (28:48) Bye. Mmm, tell me more about that. amazing. Richard Jensen (29:08) to see how they interact with the set, to see things that we haven't tested, especially because it's normally all brand new. Yeah, we go, my God, I didn't think that they would go through there, I didn't think that they would use the kitchen like this or the bathroom like that. Yeah, so it's a chance for every department to see what's working. We spent a lot of time that week. going around and going like, we can actually see a cable there now in shot. And so I was hiding that by adding more greens and like more and more greens to like hide cables and trimming, trimming branches, trimming things to sort of, you know, stop flocking shots. So yeah, it's a really incredibly valuable time. And often as much as we try every year to have the fantasy that like an availability will be a hundred percent ready and it'll be perfect. And they're only making tweaks. There's always, cause we, cause they goes through all the posts. So the whole thing gets edited, music gets it like, Madelyn Cunningham (29:49) Of course. Richard Jensen (29:56) It's a, because it's a test for post as well. It's yeah, it's a full dress rehearsal. deliver two, I think we deliver two episodes. the network to, you know, to review. ⁓ yeah. So it's sort of tests. That's incredible. Incredible. Cause normally you're making those mistakes on air. Like, you know, you're often on some shows where you've, you know, you haven't had enough lead time or, know, for whatever reason you're watching first episodes and you're like, Madelyn Cunningham (29:58) It's a full dress rehearsal. Wow. Okay, that is a luxury. Whew. Exactly. Mm-hmm. Richard Jensen (30:23) Oh god, it's just, you know, your stomach's turning because you're like, oh, that wall still needs work and that still needs tweaking and you would sort of madly kind of get it done whilst you're also shooting. So, which we still do here, but at this, by that point, we've had a good, good run at it. So it's really, really fine tweaking that we should be doing once we're, you know. Madelyn Cunningham (30:25) Yeah. Right. Are you bringing in, I can imagine you don't just want anybody doing Mock Week as far as the cast. Like you, I'm assuming this are probably people who've probably gone pretty far in the casting process and maybe just didn't make the final cut. Richard Jensen (30:50) Yes. Yes, yeah, that's... Yeah, yeah, and we have... Yeah, there are normally people who didn't make the cut, who didn't, you know, for whatever reason. But we have had people who do Mock Week and the producer be like, oh my god, they are actually amazing, and they come on the show. They end up on the show. Yeah, it's happened multiple times. Which is great that it has actually happened. It's not something that we go like, oh, if you do really well, maybe you'll... Madelyn Cunningham (31:12) Nice. Right, yes. Richard Jensen (31:20) maybe you'll get it good on the show, which is bullshit that you would normally think. It's like it actually happens. So I think, you know, that helps them invest in that. It's because we need them to invest in the experience and not to be like, this isn't working. Can someone just come and fix this? We need them to like live in that moment and, know, and being in as well. So yeah, yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (31:29) Totally. Great. Yeah, Ooh, what a fun little fling. I was gonna say like... Richard Jensen (31:39) they make out. It always blows my mind. It always blows my mind that people in the mock cast make out. It's like, well, why not? They're on holidays, they're hot. Like, they're into it. Madelyn Cunningham (31:47) I love that. Right? Well, and again, a bit like another testament to how immersive the experience is just for that limited amount of time that they like feel the freedom and fun to do that. I always think about the fabrics because I'm thinking spray tan, sunscreen, makeup, like all of these things, especially in the outdoor fabrics. Richard Jensen (31:59) Yeah. Yes, all of it, all of it. Madelyn Cunningham (32:12) So like what kind of performance fabrics are you guys messing with in order to not only for them to look good, but they genuinely have to be durable. Richard Jensen (32:23) Yes, yes. it's we pretty much exclusively where we can we are 100 % outdoor fabric all the time because it tends to be more robust and a little more wipe clean. We then coat it all with what the product is some yeah, yeah, some protective product both for water repellent because you know, Fiji is wet. We were crazy lucky last year and I think we literally did not have a single wet day. Madelyn Cunningham (32:32) Mm-hmm. Like a protective, like, yeah. Richard Jensen (32:53) But season one in Fiji didn't have a single dry day. So you never know what you're going to get. yes, so it needs to be. And the fire pit is a marine vinyl so that if it has been raining, we'll hold and be like, OK, it's 2 o'clock in the morning. Let's wipe it down, dry it off, get everyone on the fire pit. It's time to start, Because we'll just keep them having chats. Madelyn Cunningham (33:10) Lights on. Richard Jensen (33:15) in the dry areas until we can shoot there. So yes, lots of fabric protection, lots of outdoor fabric. Yeah, yeah, because the spray tan is a killer. It's, I... If someone... Madelyn Cunningham (33:24) Yeah. Well, I'm always, everyone always looks, everyone always looks so good. I mean, ever. And so I'm just like, I just know like there are substances getting everywhere and I never see a booty print or a swipe of spray tan anywhere. Right? Like I, I, I never see it. Yeah. Richard Jensen (33:29) Yeah. Yeah. Yes, yeah, Yeah, we've got lots of lots of spot cleaner, lots of we bought we bought a new little carpet cleaning machine this year to try and sort of because the girls dressing in carpet was a light pink last year and it just got decimated by like some dropping stuff like makeup all over it. So yeah, we do what we can and my villa team that I have is incredible and they just pay out on it. ⁓ Yeah, and part like post challenges the other one like Madelyn Cunningham (34:01) I love that. Richard Jensen (34:05) they haven't had a challenge, but they're all covered in slime or holly powder. my God. And I always, those ones are, obviously I know they're coming up. So it's like, right. Producers are briefed, all the villatines are briefed. Because we normally, normally when they come back into the villa, they've all been got a beach hut to talk about the challenge. And it's normally like they come back and they'll have a food break. Instead of eating, so we sort of separate them so they can't, you know, talk to each other. Yeah, we'll break up the groups a bit. Madelyn Cunningham (34:05) Oof. Paint, yeah. Richard Jensen (34:33) put out towels so they're sitting on the towels or if they because they're only sort of thinking they're up in beach out if they cover in slime will sort of you know wash them down on the bottom half and keep them top half today so yeah to try it because i'm always like not the villa don't sit there Madelyn Cunningham (34:43) Right. No, because they get, I mean, some of those challenges will annihilate. I mean, ketchup, mustard, I mean, I've just seen some crazy stuff. So yes, again, and the villa is always pristine, and I know that's a very hardworking crew in the background. ⁓ There's so many production design elements in Love Island that these spaces become characters in and of themselves. They symbolize something, right? So we've got... Richard Jensen (34:50) Disgusting. Yeah. All of it. All of it. Yeah, yes, yes, yes it is. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (35:12) the fire pit, elimination, serious conversations, know, uh, the day beds, the kitchen where, know, the boys, if they choose to make a cheese toasty or, or, you know, or an avocado toast in America, right? Like that is symbolic. We've got obviously the dressing room, soul ties, all of these soul ties is crazy. I love how you guys took that from like a previous season and adapted it because it was so iconic. Um, Richard Jensen (35:20) Yeah. Right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm making avocado toast, yeah. Yeah. Seltos is crazy. Yes. Yes. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (35:42) I can't, mean, knowing that season six was so iconic and obviously there's a spinoff now we know. And so ⁓ I'm so curious to see if there's any sort of elements adapted from that iconic season. how do you approach designing different spaces to sort of symbolize the progressive stages in a relationship? Richard Jensen (35:47) Yes, yes. Yeah. I think firstly, you never know what that the breakout space is going to be like, we never, soul ties was just a, you know, just another space. And it was, and it was designed as a space of like, okay, we want somewhere where I want to have a more private chat with you that I don't want everyone because the villa is designed so you can see all the chats. So we can be talking over here, but we can see them talking over there so we can talk about them. So yes. So we, you want that visual interaction. Madelyn Cunningham (36:20) ⁓ I can see that you've pulled them. Richard Jensen (36:27) both for camera and for them. So they can be like, what, sorry, who? They can clock those conversations as they're happening. But then we were talking about, but we want somewhere where we can go and feel like no one can see us so that we can show our true feelings, maybe cross a line that we wouldn't cross in front of everybody else, but that people can still kind of sort of see you going there, but not really see what's happening. Madelyn Cunningham (36:31) Mm-hmm. Richard Jensen (36:56) So yeah, that was kind of the, yes, that was the genesis of why we sort of developed that sort of soul ties area. It's like some way that's, that for them feels very private. So because it is, the villa is very on display. Yeah. Trying to find those, find that area where they can have what they think of as a private moment, which is what the dock kind of became. Yeah. Which once again, they can, everyone can see it, but it's, you know, it's. Madelyn Cunningham (36:56) It could start a ripple, at least. I was going to say the dock was kind of the new one. Richard Jensen (37:25) further out, it's around the corner from like the main sort of hangout area of the villa. it's, yeah, it feels very intimate and private. And then obviously, you we had situations where that was busted, where they girls came out on the balcony and they can look straight down at it because it's not actually private. But because you're so far away and it's a little darker over there, yeah, they suddenly feel like they could have very private conversations. Yeah, and have intimacy there. Madelyn Cunningham (37:39) Mm-hmm. Mm hmm. There's an element of like, of romance there as well. Like I feel like when there's there's, you know, yeah, there's like when a guy's trying to make a little like kind of like cute romantic move. And that's again, that's like, that's part of why I love Love Island so much is there's like a built in lexicon in the series where pulling for a chat isn't pulling for a chat. Like there's like, like everything has its own meaning, the dock, the balcony. Richard Jensen (37:55) Yeah, totally. The water lapping underneath you on the dock. Yeah. Yes. Madelyn Cunningham (38:18) You know, so sort of under underlining that with how you design the space to feel cozy, to feel intimate, ⁓ you know, is so interesting. How do you design, you know, sort of along these lines with the contestant psychology in mind, you're talking about soul ties, you wanted to feel a little like like you're in a little, you know, cozy private area. But what are some other areas of the villa that Richard Jensen (38:25) Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (38:45) you're really paying attention to how they're gonna act in the space and how they hopefully are gonna interact with each other. Richard Jensen (38:50) Yeah, and think like last year for the bedroom, once again, because we, you know, I built the villa from scratch. The bedroom was a... We used to have, I think in one season, two seasons, we had like an actual boys dressing room. And then we kind of moved on from that and sort of just put them back in the bedroom. But then they didn't have, they would just sort of hang out on the bed. So we sort of built out last year a, like a lounge area at the end. somewhere that they can get ready and do have what the girls have where like they get to sit around and you know and chit chat and hang out and you know tell each other what's going on. So yeah so building out that area more and then then we were kind of noticing that they were still hanging out on the beds and then I kind of plot that it's because that's where the mirrors are. So now that is where the mirrors are and everyone likes to look at themselves when they're getting ready. Madelyn Cunningham (39:39) course. Richard Jensen (39:41) Um, and yes, so, you know, that's like this year we've now got mirrors down that end by the couch to encourage them to kind of come down and hang out in that couch area. So it's kind of reading like what, what I, what I feel like, it was me. I'd want to use this. I'd want to see the couch area, but then like in the reality of the space and how they're using it and how, what their pro is like, they need to look good when they go out there because, um, you know, either on TV, but also more importantly for them in their heads, it's like, well, I'm going, you I know my girl's upstairs for four hours looking like working really hard to look good. I'd need to like, you know, step it up as well. So yeah, the boys will try on like seven different outfits and I don't matter nothing the same thing every time, but they'll try on lots of outfits. Yeah, yeah. So. Madelyn Cunningham (40:12) The girls are out there. All right. I want to see more of the guys getting ready. I got to see like, I love seeing the girls, but I think guys are equally as can be equally as as funny and I love. Richard Jensen (40:29) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Well, they started, they also started playing games last year, like, because we had, they had a ping pong table last year, which is great. Like, because, you know, everyone, it was like, became a real hub area where everyone, because we wanted something like, you know, they do, you know, there's a lot of, you know, it's been there here 24 hours a day. So there's a lot of like sitting areas and places to chat, but it's like, it's nice to have an area where you can physically, especially for like the whole psychology of guys. I remember like we always used to say on The Bachelor, it's like, Madelyn Cunningham (40:41) Right? Richard Jensen (41:04) This, you know, some bachelors need an activity. They're not good at a sitting chat. Like if you plonk them down and there's just a cheese plate in front of them and they're having a talk, they get nervous, they stumble, they sort of like can't think of anything to say. Whereas if they're rowing a boat or they're flying a kite, if they're doing an activity, they forget that they're, you know, having a chat and they just, you know, it becomes more natural. So that was kind of the psychology behind like, oh, let's give them like a physical activity to do. Madelyn Cunningham (41:33) something to do with their hands. Richard Jensen (41:35) Yeah, something to do and distract them and then they can just be having fun and chatting and you know, have a more natural conversation and a different energy comes out of it. you know, if we're playing table-sitting, you know, am I competitive? Do you give up? You know, just you see different sides of people when they play games. But yeah, the boys started pulling out the bedends and would bring the ping pong bats into the bedroom and set up a pretend ping pong table just with the bedside tables. Madelyn Cunningham (41:52) Yeah, totally. It is, mean, well, it's just, again, these contestants don't have their phones. Like they're literally, they're existing. being able to add a different, right, exactly. Being able to add a different dynamic in that, but you're not just doing it to do it. You're doing it to bring out a different side of them. You're doing it to bring out a different maybe piece of their personality so that, Richard Jensen (42:06) Mm-mm. They don't know what time of day it is. Yeah. ⁓ Madelyn Cunningham (42:24) Well, we can see all of it because they're forming romantic relationships. So we want to see the serious side, but we want to see playful. We want to see all these different things. And so I like how intentional each space is in sort of trying to access a part of that person and like a part of their personality. Richard Jensen (42:27) Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yes, yeah. Yeah, well it's like in the real world if they've gone on, you know, broad dates with someone, don't, you don't go to dinner every time. might go, you go to a good of movie, you might go and watch the ball game, might go roller skating down at Venice Beach, whatever it is, they'll take you, you mix it up. And so you interact differently with people in the real world. So that's trying to bring some of that, you know, into this as well. Madelyn Cunningham (42:47) Totally. Right. Last year, I want to talk about season six just a little bit. Were there any sort of favorite moments from season six of like interactions with the space or things that happen? You've mentioned a few that you were just like delighted by that you were like just so happy with. Richard Jensen (43:07) Yeah. I was always happy when they finally made it into the Riz room. We've had this beautiful interior lounge room and we had like said, had amazing weather. And we always like, we never really have had previous to coming to Fiji, we never really had an interior lounge space, interior hangout space because we're such a outdoor show. And we were so worried about the weather and getting rainy days. So, know, I built that this beautiful big. Madelyn Cunningham (43:21) Yeah. Richard Jensen (43:46) lounge area and we never used it. It took me weeks before we got in there. So that was a highlight for me personally when I saw them. my god, they're finally in that room. Right now, same last year, ⁓ it was the most beautiful hideaway. I like getting it was like my favorite ever. was actually the curtains. These curtains were in there. Madelyn Cunningham (43:58) That's why we were rooting for the hideaway. You're like, I spent all that time. It took a while. Yes. Richard Jensen (44:12) That was like so beautiful, this beautiful wallpaper. And yeah, that'd be like, okay, I think we'd have like a daily meeting like, okay, tonight, hideaways on, we've got this happening, this happening, and then, you know, we'll probably do this and then, you know, we'll like either nominate some of the hideaway or they'll choose someone and yep, it's like, right, my team would go in there, the spar on, get, you know, get all the, get everything all prepped and get real excited. And then, you know, it just. Madelyn Cunningham (44:33) Get excited. Richard Jensen (44:39) stuff just kept happening. Amazing stuff kept happening. And they're like, my God, we didn't even get close to getting to that point because this happened and that exploded and this happened. so it just, which is an amazing problem to have, to have people giving you so much great content that you don't need to throw format points at them to move things along. Yes, but I would have liked to have seen it more. Madelyn Cunningham (44:40) Yeah. Yes. Exactly. Are there any, you know, I know you can't share too much, but what are you excited, what are you excited about this next season? What fresh elements, what sort of, any Easter eggs, what are you excited about? Richard Jensen (45:09) Yes. Yeah, we've got two brand new areas. will be really interesting to see. Once again, to see we've tried to predict what we think people will do in these spaces and how we think they'll use them. And even our thinking has evolved with one of them, especially. like, I think it'll just be for this. And then it's like, actually, why wouldn't we open it up more? Madelyn Cunningham (45:21) Lovely. Richard Jensen (45:40) be able to use it for more things. yeah, there's two new spots that will hopefully be really fun and that they'll really like. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (45:48) that's so much fun. Okay, with our last few minutes, I wanna back it up, because I just, I mean, you have such an incredible career. Richard Jensen (45:49) Yeah. Yep. Madelyn Cunningham (45:54) I mean, how did you get into production design? Like what is your sort of entry point story? Richard Jensen (46:00) Yeah, I came quite late. I sort of had a bit of a, like, I want to change things up. You know, my late 20s. And I was always interested in design and always loved design. And so I was like, oh, maybe I want to be an interior designer. I a lot of friends in film and I was going to go around film and TV. And I was like, maybe like art department, and a friend of mine was an art director. And she was working on this little Australian low budget Australian film. And she was like, do you want to come in and be our intern? I was like, sure. So I basically went and worked for $10 a day. So I was covered by insurance. And it was like a really small team on this like little Aussie film. they were amazing because they all knew I was there, like, you know, working for free, which doesn't always guarantee people will be nice to you. Yeah, everyone was incredible and took me under their wing and just I, know, there's a set dresser who just, you know, took me everywhere, showed me all of the places he shopped and showed me like, and who I still now work with to this day. He arrives in like a week and a half to Fiji. Yes, yeah, yeah, so did that and then, and just instantly loved it. And just, it, just everything. Madelyn Cunningham (47:08) that's so nice. Richard Jensen (47:18) everything about it clicked just the people and the just the immediacy of it and sort of you know how quickly I kind of you know sometimes it's a nightmare how quickly things moves but it's also amazing because it's like you don't sit on a problem for six months which I'm sure in real world interior design you do yeah you sort of you know you just get it done and move on so yes I started in in scripted and then you know bye from that job got recommended. Someone was looking for a show on Biggest Loser. They were looking for like, know, PAs on that. And they were like, we've had this guy, he's amazing. I went on to that. And then within a couple of weeks I was there, set dresser. And then it just kind of, yeah, snowballed from there. And so, yeah, so I was set dressing and set decorating and then art directing and then yeah, eventually production designing. So yeah, it's been an amazing kind of, you know. journey for me, like, you know, how, you know, all the different shows I've gotten to work on, the, you know, the travel that comes with that, like, you know, shooting, like we shot MasterChef in New York and shot at the United Nations, like crazy. Like that show, that show in Australia was, we kind of reformatted it. It was a UK format. was a tiny little like afternoon cooking show that we supersized into a six episodes a week. Madelyn Cunningham (48:30) amazing. Richard Jensen (48:43) of a cooking show that everyone thought like prime time cooking show before anyone did prime time cooking shows and it was really expensive and everyone thought that the network was gonna you know go bankrupt because they invested so much in it and it turned out to be still I think the highest-rating show in Australian television history our like season our season one finale was like just you know when you're working on a show you have no idea like you're like this is good or this is like but you really you've got no idea what people are going to respond to and that one was like a complete surprise and Madelyn Cunningham (48:44) Whoa. Wow. No. Right. Richard Jensen (49:10) By the time, we were like catching up with ourselves by the time, because I think the first series was something like 50 something episodes. So we knew it was becoming popular whilst we were still filming at the end. Yeah, but yeah, that showed. We got amazing access. We shot with the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama was a judge for us, which is just crazy. you know, the producers would come in with these amazing ideas and everyone would be like, that's ridiculous. And then it would happen because everyone Madelyn Cunningham (49:37) and then it would happen. Richard Jensen (49:38) wanted to be part of to be part of us like internationally like Yeah, it was was that was was incredible I did that for four years and it was a pretty incredible four years exhausting like it's a brilliant show, but Yeah, cuz we I think by the end we were doing 92 episodes a series and then we'd go straight into the spin-off straight into a spin-off series of Masjid kids So yeah, I was a fool. It was literally a full-time job. I'd have two weeks off at Christmas two weeks off at Easter Between series and that was it. It was yeah, it was a lot but it was a Madelyn Cunningham (49:56) my lord. That's a monster. That's a monster. What's your favorite room or build you've ever done? Like does one sort of stick out to you? Richard Jensen (50:15) I mean, this last year was a pretty incredible experience. Season six, yeah. Just because we had been moving every year to different countries, different states. So to find, we finally found a resort. We've taken a long-term lease on it. And I demolished a building. Madelyn Cunningham (50:20) Season six. crazy. Richard Jensen (50:40) still kind of fills me with terror that what we actually did and what we achieved. That was last year, last year was a lot of sleepless nights where I was like, cause we normally come in and we cover a building, which is very different. We might add new bits, but yeah, I literally, came in and it was a resort with a big pool and they like big restaurant area and we literally demolished it and had to build. Like I was working with architects. We sort of designed it and then gave it to architects and said, can you make this? Madelyn Cunningham (50:48) Mm. Richard Jensen (51:08) code because it needs to be you know cyclone like hurricane proof. It's a proper legit building. Madelyn Cunningham (51:12) Wait, so you built the existing villa from the ground up, the one that you're using again. Richard Jensen (51:16) from the ground up. Literally it was, yeah, we'd knocked down the building that was here and built it from scratch. And we only, in two months, which I think anywhere in the world is amazing, but in Fiji is particularly amazing. Like working with a local construction company, who are amazing just to get us, you know, trying to, you know, when you work in our industry, you're used to crazy timelines. And then whenever, in any country, whenever you have to deal with an outside vendors, it's like, I need to get a Madelyn Cunningham (51:21) Whoa. Richard Jensen (51:43) to around and fix this and they're like, you your real world, it's like they might come in three weeks time and they say they're at one and they come at five. Like we can't operate like that in our world and we don't in our little sphere, but when you have to deal with outside vendors, so it was really nerve wracking having to put my trust in other people that like weren't my people. Yes, yes, yeah. Outside of that bubble with no urgency and no sense of like, no, no. Yes, yeah, exactly. Madelyn Cunningham (51:51) Right? No. Sure, outside of the industry, with no urgency. Right, who've never heard of Love Island, like, who don't care. Richard Jensen (52:12) Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, this should be ready in four weeks. It's like, no, no, it has to be ready. The word should cannot exist. It has to be ready. Like, I don't know how much more firmly I can put that but it's like, if this is not ready, we all lose our jobs and no one is paying your bill because we don't have a show. So yeah, so we had like two months to build the building and then two months to build the set on top of the building. But it's that hope like designing a structure that allows us to be flexible. So designing something with big balconies with Madelyn Cunningham (52:29) Right, right. Richard Jensen (52:41) with rain cover and just really large rooms, which is what we did this year. We've taken one large room and divided it into two to recreate two areas this year. That give us that flexibility to keep moving and growing as a show whilst having some sense of permanency as well. yeah, that's... Madelyn Cunningham (52:58) Well, mean, what it's you should be proud of last season. mean, so I didn't even know that piece of context, but then you layer on the lightning in a bottle cast. You, you layer in Ariana, you layer in the cast and it just 900 million views. You know, it nine, it had almost a billion views. I mean, that doesn't happen anymore. And so, I mean, what a, ⁓ Richard Jensen (53:05) Right, yeah, yeah. Yes. Crazy. No. No. Yeah. It doesn't happen to us. Madelyn Cunningham (53:25) I mean, it's just a wild, it's an incredible feat. yeah, last season, like you said, we're just sliding in a bottle and I'm sure season seven will be no different. Is there a misconception about production design in reality TV that you like hear about a lot or when you tell people what you do, you're like, no, that's not exactly what I do. Is there any misconceptions about what you do you'd like to clear up? Richard Jensen (53:48) Yeah, I mean, think it's what we spoke about before that, you know, we paint a wall and throw a pillow in and you're done. I think it's the, if people knew the extent of the lengths we go to, to how much work is behind it, how much thought is behind it, like, just how actually like in detail that intensity is. Yeah, I think it blows your mind. Even My mum visited set last year. She came over to Fiji. Because they never know what you do. think parents never know. It's such a weird industry and it's such a hard thing to wrap your head around. I remember my mum coming to set, which is always nice. And she like over the years, like I remember her coming, she was, I think twice, she came to two bachelor houses and the bachelor wasn't as big a build out as this. Sometimes they were, but. Madelyn Cunningham (54:14) ⁓ the parents? Okay, I wanna know, I was gonna say, does your mom have any idea because my parents, they don't. Richard Jensen (54:42) Yeah, so she's like, you know, you just get to go around a big fancy house. But yeah, like she just couldn't quite wrap her head around it. She's like, because I think she came three quarters away through the build where she could see like a lot of things finished, but then she all of the, you could see behind the wall still and you could see like what was there originally and you could see, yeah, so that sort of nice place where can really see where things have come from and where they're going. Yeah, so. Yeah, think it would blow people's minds if they could see where we started and where we end and the amount of time and people and talent and energy and creativity it takes from all of those departments, not just that department, from the lighting guys and the sound guys. we're working with all of those so that we're hiding all their mics, we're hiding everything so that we can create this world that people can live in and forget. as much as possible, as much as can, to get that none of it's real. Madelyn Cunningham (55:37) Right, and unfortunately I think an innate part of our job is never making the viewer think about how much work must have gone into it. if you notice the lot with the set, it takes you out. So unfortunately our job is to not make people wonder about exactly. Richard Jensen (55:45) Yeah, and you don't want them to. You Yeah. Yes, it takes you out. Yeah. Yeah, pretend we were never there. ⁓ Madelyn Cunningham (55:58) about what we do and what you said about the parents. I literally I was in town a couple of weeks ago and my dad goes, you know, was trying to talk to my friends at work about what you do. And he just goes, what do you do? Like, like, can you explain it to me? And I told him and he goes, yeah, but how do you make money? And I, and you know, he's like, and you don't have an office. Like it's just, it's so trying to explain in an entertainment industry, trying to explain to your parents is so funny to me because Richard Jensen (56:07) So me again. Hahaha! Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Madelyn Cunningham (56:25) You can be on the most iconic show ever and you're still like having to walk them through it. I love it. I mean, listen, I think Love Island must be the dream project, but is there a dream project scripted or unscripted that you'd love to work on? Richard Jensen (56:28) Yeah. I don't mean, I don't know if there's any one. What would be fun would be, and there's a few of them coming out now, like when they did Squid Games and taking a scripted format and flipping it into reality format. it's that thing of like, it's not, no means is it easy. Like the set for Squid Games, the drama is amazing. But then having to take that and like, okay, now live in it. Like actually. Madelyn Cunningham (56:54) Yes. Right. Richard Jensen (57:07) actually live in it. Like it's a very, it's a very different set. It's a very different set of considerations. You know, it's a different world, which is, know, why they got a reality production designer to design that set rather than just going, because I think a lot of people probably assumed, well they probably used the same sets or they use the, but it's like, no, it's a very, you know, it's a very different skill set. Yeah, same as I couldn't, I couldn't now walk in and design a film, you know, even with all my experience because I haven't done that for so long. Madelyn Cunningham (57:26) Well, and even a- Richard Jensen (57:32) It's a different skill set. Madelyn Cunningham (57:34) Right, and a lot of adapting IP right now. So there's a Willy Wonka game show on Netflix, you know. ⁓ lovely. And then like Monopoly, like, you know, all of these, we saw it with Barbie. I think Barbie was really kind of the major like IP play that made us all go, yeah. But I think even adapting, you know, big IP plays like that into game shows seems daunting, but really fun. Richard Jensen (57:37) Yes, yeah. The bonkette, yes, yeah. Which my friends are making, which is very exciting. Yes, yeah, yeah, yes. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. think there's something fun about that. Having an existing world that is already recognizable. So you've got that, but then you're like, how do I now make that livable? And how do I make, and how do I extend that world into like, you know, the frames that you see, you know, in a drama into a world that you actually have to live in? Like, how does that actually intersect to there? How do I get from there and then what's in between? Madelyn Cunningham (58:01) ⁓ Right. Right. What scripted shows are you loving right now? Are you watching? I mean, I know that you're busy working, but are you, do you, do you, are you watching anything in your downtime? Anything that you just love? Richard Jensen (58:28) You know, yeah, I it would be really cool. Yes, yeah. I just finished that we loved. I'm watching You at the moment, the final series of You. Yeah, yeah, that's why I watched an episode of that last night. I kind of managed one episode sometimes. ⁓ Yes, which is kind of nice being in like, know, wealthy New York City, back in New York City. I always love a drama that has like, you know, fabulous New York townhouses and yeah, yeah, yeah. So that's me at the moment. Madelyn Cunningham (58:43) Me too! Mm-hmm. Yes. The studio, let's see, I'm trying to think of what else. The studio is really fun on. Richard Jensen (59:05) yeah, I started watching that. then because that's weekly, isn't it? Yeah, I think so. I think I watched the the first Madelyn Cunningham (59:09) Mm-hmm. Yes. Did you watch Severance? Richard Jensen (59:12) look. My husband finished Severance. Yes, my husband finished Severance. Yes. Yeah, it is crazy. And I really, I liked it. And then I just, I think I got busy. didn't have the headspace and I'd like to keep assisting. So I never actually finished. I never actually finished season one. And yes, and now I feel like I'd have to go back and watch it all again to like remember it to get to to get to the apparently the last episode, which you know. Madelyn Cunningham (59:13) asking because of the... Okay, I'm asking because the set design, the world is so crazy. It's Hetty. Richard Jensen (59:36) makes it worthwhile. But yeah, mean, was like the design on that is, know, it's tricky, it's so stark. You know, it's, which is always hard. Maybe a little easier in scripted world to have like stark sets. Whenever, of so many sets we've designed, like, we just want it really, like really like cool and sexy and just a big white room and like one light there and then you get there and then, you know. for cameraman are saying like, I get something in the back of my shot? Can you move something there? And suddenly it's a hot mess of different designs. Madelyn Cunningham (1:00:05) Yeah, it's not so simple. Yeah, Severance, I get it. It's, it's heady. It like really, you have no choice but to think and contemplate, but the, the aesthetic choices in it are really interesting. ⁓ Okay. Richard Jensen (1:00:07) Yeah, it's not that simple. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, it's like, it's a beautiful looking chart, like a very, once again, for drama, very distinctive, it's like, you know you're watching Severance. Yeah. No. It's not a crowd pleaser. Madelyn Cunningham (1:00:26) Mm-hmm. Yeah, but let's not make a game show out of that one. Probably not a good... That's just our daily life. Yeah, exactly. Okay, last final fun question. Snog, Mary, pie. Okay, I picked three shows that you're a part of. Love Island, The Traders, The Bachelor. Richard Jensen (1:00:45) I mean, I think you'd have to snog Love Island because they're the hottest. And then you would probably marry a bachelor because, you know, they're solid. They're a little bit older. They may be more dependable. And then you can't trust a trader. So you've to pay him. You snog them and I'll just stab you in the back. Madelyn Cunningham (1:00:57) Mm-hmm. Exactly. I love that. Oh my gosh. Yeah. And even, I mean, we didn't get into Traitors, but I looked at the before and afters even of those sets. And again, just completely, completely underestimated the builds for those. Richard Jensen (1:01:13) Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, and that was like really, yes, yeah. And that was like a, we got lucky with that location in a lot of ways. It was like this old 19, 1910, 1920s hotel up in the mountains outside of Sydney, up in the hills outside of Sydney. yeah, and obviously the UK, US one was in the castle, which is so distinctive and such a personality. And so the network has the castle in the hand. There's not a lot of castles in Australia. So yeah, try and define something that can give you that gravitas. And it's nice there because it's like, it is up in the hills and so it is misty. So like the surround is really beautiful. But yeah, and that hotel had like really lovely owners and they were, I think they had recently or like had recently purchased it and were slowly starting to do renovations to sort of bring it up, but it was a little tired. And so it was funny having like, I was trying to work with them to let them do. us do things to the building that maybe they would want to keep so that they would get permission to do stuff because it's like an old building as well. So it's kind of like, you know, I was designing for two people and I was like trying to like get something that the owners would like and that the network would like and the producers would like so that they could, you know, so that we wouldn't have to spend money then taking it all back again at the end because you spend, can spend a lot of your budget putting things back, know, creating. Madelyn Cunningham (1:02:16) Right. Sure. Right. Richard Jensen (1:02:37) what we think is making this beautiful room and then turning it back to watch at the end. ⁓ Madelyn Cunningham (1:02:41) Yeah. Well, that's what I was looking at is, you know, Traitors are so typically very warm, wood tone rich. This hotel is white, babe. Like it is white walls, white columns. So you truly had to completely fabricate all the built ins and all of these amazing sort of old school finishes. Richard Jensen (1:02:48) Yeah, yeah. White. White, Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they had that one amazing, yeah, they had that beautiful room that existed, the sort of ballroom, which had all the stained glass. So we just made that like, was such a beautiful feature to like, you know, you would spend a lot of money trying to create that. So it's like, well, let's take that and then just enhance it and sort of add to it and yeah, building all the big old bookcases to make it feel like, you know, not just a hotel ballroom. But yeah. Yeah, that was a fun show. Yeah. It's unfortunately didn't do. Oh, I think it'd to be a trader. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. Yeah. It's shame. was a really good series in Australia, but just, yeah, it just never took off there. Yeah. Yeah. We did two seasons. But yeah. And I think it didn't write very well in the first season, but the network believed in it and everyone, like the people who did watch the show loved it. And so they, Madelyn Cunningham (1:03:26) Would you want to be a traitor or a faithful? go ahead, sorry. Totally, right? Did it not get past the first season? Okay. Richard Jensen (1:03:56) you know, God bless him, like went for a second season and, but yeah, just never, just never hit his outcast there. Like it has everywhere else. Madelyn Cunningham (1:04:02) Do you think culturally there's something about Australia that made it just not click? Richard Jensen (1:04:08) Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what it is. It's just, you know, how like, I think reality TV goes through, like, you everyone wants a cooking show, everyone watches a dating show, where Australia is at the moment in their sort of, know, psyche, like Married at First Sight is the biggest show in Australia at the moment and has been for years. And so there's now lots of, you know, like, like, Married at First Sight, not rip offs, but kind of, you know, things that are more like relationship and like dramatic relationship shows. Madelyn Cunningham (1:04:10) Mm. yes. Richard Jensen (1:04:37) Yeah, there's some new formats in Australia that they're sort of building on that. But yeah, like Traitors, yeah, just didn't, yeah, unfortunately, because it was, yeah, it was a good, it was a good series. Yeah. I mean, I love, I love the US one. It's like, so I just love how camp it is. Like Alan is amazing. And our, our network EP makes that as well. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Sharon. So yeah, that's her baby as well. Madelyn Cunningham (1:04:44) That's such a good show. That's yeah, this past. I was going to say, gosh. Yes, yes. fantastic. I love it. Oh, so well, so amazing talking to you again, one of my favorite shows, all of our favorite shows, like I said, just so successful. And that is because of the work that you and your team do. So we are really looking forward to the new season coming out on June 3. And we will be watching it every single day for the rest of the summer, listening to that iconic theme song and really excited to see some of the new spaces that you've built in. And Richard Jensen (1:05:18) Excellent. Yes, keep it higher. Madelyn Cunningham (1:05:26) and some of those fresh new pieces. But thank you so much for joining me and for sharing. And like I said, super excited to tune in in just a few days. Richard Jensen (1:05:35) Okay, thanks, Master Chat. Thanks, bye. Madelyn Cunningham (1:05:36) Thanks, Richard. Madelyn Cunningham (1:05:44) How fun was that? We are now just days away from Love Island USA and I will be so tuned in on June 3rd. I really encourage you guys to visit RJJensen.com because he does provide a ton of before and afters of his sets and it really does give you a much more realistic idea of how much work goes into building these environments. ⁓ I hope you enjoyed that episode. I learned so much. I was so invested, it was such a treat for me. We have one more episode left this season next week, and then we'll be taking a little bit of a summer break. So thanks so much for listening. Don't forget, like, subscribe, rate, review, and we will see you one more week left on The Unscripted Files. Madelyn Cunningham (1:06:32) The Unscripted Files is brought to you by Good Gravity Entertainment. Thank you to producer Bonnie Adams, Original Music by composer William Wright, Artwork by Lisa Schweikart, and Photography by Reid Schick.