Jordan Lawlor is doing something he never thought possible when he was growing up in Ireland during the Noughties - working on TV and movies as a producer.
The 28-year-old, who grew up in Clondalkin and Sallins before relocating to Canada four years ago, has worked on Marvel and Netflix productions, as well as Cobie Smulders’ recent RTÉ2 hit Stumptown.
It was a brave decision and quite a risk, as he went to Vancouver - nicknamed Hollywood North as it’s a hub of filming activity - as he crossed the Atlantic before landing himself a job in what’s an extremely competitive industry.
"I have had a love of movies and television from a very young age," he says. "Although I never really expanded on the physical production side of films until I moved, one of my first jobs was in Odeon Naas when I was 16. I absolutely loved it as it fed my love of films.
"At the time, for me, a career in film production didn't seem feasible. I thought of it as one of those dream jobs I would never be able to do since I didn't live in Hollywood. For that naive reason I didn't pursue any form of education in film studies or film school at all."
Ultimately though, Jordan’s love of cinema percolated an idea in his mind and he took a gamble. As anyone whoever left Ireland to fulfil a dream knows, the reality can be tough. But dreams can come true.
Jordan recalls the move: "Myself and my partner packed up and moved to Canada in 2016. Neither of us had ever been before but we decided on Vancouver. Mainly because it was on the West Coast and we knew we could travel to LA quite a bit.
"We both have family there. I also knew it was a popular production city for big studios. I didn't realise just how big it was until I started working here!"
His first job in Vancouver was on a Warner Bros show called Frequency. It came after a lot of rejection - "Having tried and failed with 54 other productions" - in an industry not noted for its accessibility, especially for a young and unexperienced guy over from Ireland.
"I met an American producer called David Roessell who was willing to take me under his wing as an Associate Producer. David was my film school. He really took the time to make sure I knew exactly what was going on at all times in every aspect of the production, from a studio level to building the sets."
That show lasted about seven months and then through word-of-mouth Jordan managed to get his next gig on an Amazon show called The Man In The High Castle. He’s been building up his CV stats ever since.
"From there, over the past four years, I have worked for Disney, ABC, Amazon, Marvel, Warner Bros and Netflix. So it has been going well! Looking back at the time when I thought this would never be happening, I wish I started on the path earlier! But I am happy with the progress I have made in a relatively short period of time."
Coming soon to Netflix is another show Jordan has worked on, Midnight Mass, the latest show created and directed by Mike Flanagan. Naturally, he’s very enthusiastic about the supernatural series about a community that experiences miraculous events and frightening omens after a mysterious priest's arrival.
"I can tell you it's going to be great and I can't wait for it to be released,’ he says. "As anyone who has seen Haunting of Hill House or Haunting of Bly Manor can attest to, Mike Flanagan is a genius when it comes to this genre.
"His talent for storytelling, making you feel invested in the characters and the horror is on another level and something I have never seen in a horror show. So I feel very lucky to be working with him."
