Interview with Raul Vega, Creator of the ‘Swiss and Lali Hijack HOLLYWOOD!’ Fictional Podcast

Raul Vega created the podcast series, Swiss and Lali Hijack HOLLYWOOD!, which has a surprise planned for their finale. The final episode, featuring a surprise guest star, will air on November 18th. Raul is an LA-based digital instrument builder, podcast creator, and composer.

He has collaborated with Hans Zimmer by crafting the musical instruments utilized to create the scores for hit movies like Dune, No Time to Die, Interstellar, Wonder Woman 1984 and Dunkirk. Raul dives deep into the creative process behind his most recent podcast and shares his advice for creatives looking to start their own!

What did your career journey look like that has brought you to where you are today?

I’m one of those annoying lucky types who actually landed his dream job in L.A. shortly after moving here! After nine years of working as a digital instrument designer for the brilliant composer Hans Zimmer, (whom I still work with), I wanted to push myself even further in sound. So I decided to get into podcasting. It turns out, I quite like it! To be able to tell stories with only sound has been the most fun challenge in my professional life.

It’s one thing to see someone’s imagination unfold on the big screen, but when you get to create those visuals for your mind,  it makes the story that much more personal in the experience. I think that’s why people are loving this resurgence of the golden era of radio. They get to be a part of the journey in ways movies don’t allow!

How do you see your role in developing Swiss and Lali Hijack HOLLYWOOD! -- do you see it as more artistic, technical, or as a mix of both? What kind of personal touches did you add to the project?

For all of my shows, it’s always a healthy combination of the two. From developing the concept and writing the script to directing, editing, and sound designing, I oversee every aspect of my podcasts. You get to wear a lot of hats that way.

The real challenge is learning how to balance your focus on each aspect of the production. They’re all equally important and need a specific road map to follow. If you listen closely to either Swiss and Lali or my first show, Rose Drive, you have a pretty good idea of how my brain works!

How has your background informed your success in podcast development, especially as podcasts have begun to take off recently?

I don’t think I would have had the capacity to build these shows without the discipline I’ve learned from working on film scores: The discipline being that anything can change at the faintest pin drop! You have to make great friends with adaptability because things will shift and the more you’re comfortable with the waves rolling in, the better time you’ll have.

Also, my affinity for high-quality production is something I feel sets us apart from even the most heavily funded podcasts. We want to make sure that you can rely on the sound quality being crisp, clear, and not damaging to your ears because of a rough mix job. Safety for your ears first, the rest is all about having fun!

What has your role on Swiss and Lali Hijack HOLLYWOOD! taught you about yourself, or about life?

That I’m not the only one who thinks I’m funny! In all seriousness, working with dedicated producers is far more fun than doing it all on your own like I had on my first show. My lead actors Aparna Brielle and Kristin Couture have been paramount in making sure things run smoothly and contributing to so many ideas that make it into the final edit of the series.

The show wouldn’t be what it is without their contribution. And finally, this show is a constant reminder that even in the darkest of times, laughter helps sprinkle in a little bit of light to our days. It really is the only way out of the cave.

When you decided to start the podcast, what was the first step in your process?

It’s the same step every time, really. After coming up with a vague idea I sit back and go, “This idea is ridiculous… who do I know that’s crazy enough to want to play with me on this!”

Before Kristin and Aparna had even heard my pitch I already secured an animator for promotional materials as well as a composer for the score. After drinking wine and talking to them about it over zoom, (it was a month or two into the pandemic) we kicked it off the next week. It really was that simple!

Who is your dream director or creative to work with?

If I could work with filmmaker Kevin Smith on a fiction podcast, I think that would be the top of Everest for me. Not only is he one of the Godfathers of podcasting, his storytelling and genuine excitement about everything are intoxicating. I feel like we’d have a lot of fun making everything from comedy to superhero adaptations to dramas in an audio exclusive format. 

What one sentence of advice would you give to people that want to start their own fictional podcast?

Fiction podcasts are all about encouraging your audience to play with their imagination, so no matter what the genre is, always focus on how you tell the story above everything else!

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The Swiss and Lali Hijack HOLLYWOOD! podcast is available on all platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the podcast’s website. You can learn more about Raul Vega here.