AFSCME Local 3090 member Ray Liu has a husky named Mele. In 2017, Liu was at the Glendale dog park in Los Angeles when he struck up a conversation with a fellow dog-park patron, Nina.
They talked about their dogs and their jobs. Liu had recently retired after 30 years in the television industry. The Honolulu-born cameraman has won a daytime Emmy award and worked on many TV shows for NBC. His resume includes stints on everything from Letterman to Leno, with sports broadcasts, soap operas, talk shows and sitcoms in between.
Nina said that she worked at the maintenance department for the city. She told him that they had a job opening in the Park Film Office.
Would Liu be interested in finding out more?
He was.
Liu begins his second career at LA’s Park Film Office — and he’s the star
LA’s Park Film Office issues permits to production companies that want to film in the city’s parks. There are hundreds of parks across the city, including the iconic Hollywood sign and the world-renowned Griffith Observatory.
The job of this small team is to work with production companies to create a plan for filming in the parks, while ensuring the public’s safety. And since 2018, when Liu started at the Park Film Office, he has become an MVP on that team.
“Ray has been monumental for our department,” says Feras Haddad, who works with Liu and nominated him for AFSCME’s Never Quit Award. “Ray’s big-picture vision is a huge asset.”
Haddad adds: “He’s been in the industry for over 30-plus years. He gets the crews in safely, gets them the best information so they can get permitted. He’s really helped us create a strong team. His expertise is extremely important.”
After many decades working in the city of LA, Liu now enjoys working for the city of LA.
“I’m able to devote my time and interests to representing the city that I love,” he says.
Mission Impossible: Ray gets Tom Cruise up on the Hollywood sign
When you see Tom Cruise promoting the 2028 LA Olympics with a Mission Impossible-inspired stunt on the Hollywood sign, you won’t see Liu.
But thanks to Liu’s expertise when scouting the shoot, the equipment, vehicles, stunt team, safety personnel and more were all in place to safely allow Cruise to hoist himself up to the bottom-right corner of the “W” in the Hollywood sign, thus declaring LA as the home for the next Olympics.
(An exception was made for Cruise; touching or climbing on the Hollywood sign is strictly off-limits).
Liu and his team are behind-the-scenes heroes.
“I feel my department needs to be recognized,” he says.
Liu’s job requires balancing the needs of a production company with the safety of the park-goers, while making sure the park itself is maintained.
“I’m a nice guy most of the time,” Liu says. “And I love working with people. My goal is to make any allowances that are feasible.”
According to his co-worker Haddad, Liu inspires his colleagues: “He brings his full self to work every day and he also cares about doing a great job. He’s someone who lifts up everyone to be their best self.”
While Liu has spent his entire career behind the camera making other people look good, he’s finally getting the star treatment he deserves.