Check Out Ryan Willer’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Willer.

Hi Ryan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Well I first got into the artistic world in high school, just wanting to mainly act and perform. I wasn’t much of a school person, but I did go to Moorpark Community College for a few semesters and there I got involved in writing and directing for the stage, all while still continuing to act. As I said, I was never one for school, and so truth be told I’m a college dropout. In the years after I got hooked up with some old college buddies and we started making silly films and such. It kind of grew from there. This was in about the mid-2000’s. It started by making films on an 8MM digital camera, mostly just for fun, but I’d write full scripts and everything. That went on for a few years, and you meet people along the way, and things grow, and eventually I did my first “real” film, in that we had a little budget, semi-proper equipment, etc. And truth be told, it was awful. I didn’t know what I was doing, and the result was a horrible mess. Hahaha! But you live and learn. We showed it once at a discount theater in Simi, had a good crowd, and they were kind enough to tell me “good job” and that they liked it…total lies, God bless them! I did another film after that…same thing, no budget, some gear, etc. and that was bad, but not awful. You graduate from awful to bad…you get better. Another few years after that I wrote and directed and produced another…and it was actually okay. It was more growth…more experience. And through all this I eventually met some people who able to finance a legit micro-budget film with a real crew and real, professional working actors. In 2018 I shot a feature that would go on to get into a few film festivals, which was something I’d never experienced, and from there my work got noticed by other filmmakers who wanted to work with me. I owe a lot of that to Wunna Myothein, who helped me produced, and who financed that film, “Dinner For Six”, and I also owe a lot to Joe Koch, my ride-or-die through all those early works and who would later reunite with me to direct the film I would later write and produce, “An Unkept Secret”. Since all that though it’s been a whirlwind. I love staying busy and I always just want to be working on something, however big or small, and I’ve gotten to do both since then. Since 2018 I’ve had the good fortune to write and produce, and occasionally act and direct, in 8 feature films. It’s been a blast!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As I was saying, absolutely not. I don’t think anyone’s road is ever truly smooth. Everyone in this business is a dreamer and has a story. In filmmaking I’ve found there’s two basic ways to start and gain experience. The film-school route and the “learn by failing” route. In truth, I feel both have their advantages. There have been several situations over the years where I know I would’ve been better off had I taken a more traditional route and learned the textbook answers to everything. But I also see the other side of it where I see filmmakers who went through years of school and are then a tad lost when they get on the playing fields, so to speak. Taking the path I did taught me to think outside the box, and I still go to that mindset to this day. There’s no rules on how to make a film. In fact, if you read film history, you’ll find that most of the great filmmakers got to where they are by breaking the so-called “rules”. While I’d never put myself on their level, it does prove that there is no right or wrong way to make art. I think that’s why it’s called art…because it can be whatever makes sense to you. All this to say, NO! It was never been a smooth road, and I pray it never becomes one, hahaha! I kind of thrive on the chaos of it all. I’ve come to adore making indie films in the most nontraditional ways possible!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Starting out, I wanted to do it all. Write, direct, produce, act…everything. As the work got better and better, I have found that my true calling is as a producer and writer. I haven’t acted now in about five years or so. I took a break from it, and I found it was a break I didn’t miss. Directing is fun, but as I’ve grown as a producer I’ve found I’m not as good at it as other directors who’ve actually been to film-school and such. I love working as a producer with directors, and I love watching those directors interact with the actors in ways that I know I can’t. I’ve had the good fortune in the last six or seven years to work with some wonderful directors. Diane Nierenberg, Eddie Vigil, and currently with Rebecca Tarabocchia on a new film. Diane helmed “The Serenade Charade” and Eddie did “Something Good Coming”…two very different films that I consider my two best works as a writer and producer. Rebecca and I are currently working on a feature film titled “Gumshoe Gals” that I’m really exited about finishing up here soon. We’ve had to think outside the box a lot on this one, and it’s been a fun time, and she’s been doing an amazing job. So I think I’ve found my calling, and I’m perfectly happy in these two roles.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Geez, that’s a hard one. In film, the obvious answers, if you were to ask an outsider, would be revenue and critical reviews of said film, and there is some truth to that. But as most artists know, it runs deeper. The “elite” Hollywood crowd is made up of such a small percentage of artists when you look at the number of women and men out there actually doing it. So you have to measure success in this field beyond those two things. An actor or actress might do over a hundred auditions per year, and only get booked for a few projects. I’d call that success. It’s a hustle. I think that’s why I love talking with actors. I know what it’s like from my early acting days, even though they didn’t go far beyond school. I hate auditioning. It just plain sucks. I’ve been there. And as a producer, I hate “not” casting people, but I know it needs to be done. I always make it a point to actually call nearly everyone I can who I turn down to apologize. You should never become so big that I can’t do that. I might be months, or even a year, after they send in the tapes, but I feel a need to do it. As a producer, sometimes your work isn’t as well received as you might wish. But…you still made a film. That’s tough to do. It’s an accomplishment. As a writer, if you can pen a full script, that’s something to be proud of. And any actor should be proud of any audition they submit as well. In a nutshell, this is a tough question, and I’ve probably rambled enough on it, but trying your best and continuing to push through is success in my opinion.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ourtoddproductions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanawiller/