Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Shepherd.
Hi Rick, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Having been born and raised, for the most part, in Cleveland, OH, my story started at quite a young age after my late-grandmother put me into a baby-modeling contest, which landed me my first commercial and legit agent.
I moved around a lot as a kid and into adulthood, so staying involved in acting and the arts was always super important to me. Luckily, throughout my life, my mom always supported all of my creative endeavors, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her unwavering encouragement.
After graduating high school, I received my BA in acting from Case Western Reserve University and my MA in theatre directing from East 15 Drama School in London. I’m a firm believer in education and cannot express my appreciation for these institutions and the experiences and knowledge they provided me.
After receiving my master’s degree and moving to NYC from London, I became fortified in my goal to break into the film and television industry. As soon as I landed in Gotham, I got a job as a closing-shift bartender to support myself as I chased my acting dreams. I auditioned for every film I possibly could, which included countless unpaid films, sometimes even hours away from where I lived, multiple days in a row. Luckily, this would eventually lead to new roles and even bigger projects.
In 2019, on the set of my first feature film, I met my future creative partner Jarred Harper, which in turn would connect me with Sarang Sharma and Auberth Bercy, wherein we would start our production company AWRY Productions. This began my filmmaking journey. Over the next few years, we would link with cinematographer/director Benjamin Steeper (Steeper Prod.) and editor Alex Tedesco, both of whom would be vital parts to our company and the catalog of award-winning short narrative films/TV concepts we would release.
After spending seven years in New York City, I made the decision to move to Los Angeles to expand my network and explore new career opportunities. Truth be told, the decision to move was the hardest I’ve made due to the things I would subsequently sacrifice in the process. Honestly, I could not have done it without the love and support of my NY friends. I have so many people to thank in that regard. That being said, I am happy to be here and am so grateful for the chances I am seeing since moving to the West Coast.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As I mentioned, I moved around and moved schools a lot due to family issues and as a kid I had some internal frustrations due to my family situation. For the most part, parental duties fell solely on my mom as my father was in and out of the picture for my entire life . Her strength and dedication to the well-being of my older brother and myself has always been one of my biggest motivations. I have so much respect and admiration for single parents; I don’t know how they do it. The resilience my mother has is unmatched, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that. She truly is my hero.
Life wasn’t always the easiest, but I am grateful for all the things life has given me to balance out my challenges. The amount of amazing individuals who have come into my world over the years is remarkable, and I thank God every day for those beautiful and passionate people.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My mom is a writer, so growing up, there was always a focus on storytelling in my household. I would spend a lot of my time creating worlds and tales in my head and on paper. Needless to say, when I started my film and television quest, I would start writing screenplays.
My writing blends my personal experiences with fictional elements of my imagination. Since 2021 I have released a small collection of award-winning short scripts, which I hope to have all of them made into films eventually. Thankfully, one of them, “I’m Here Now” (directed by Christopher Kublan), was filmed and finished at the end of last year which is now in the festival circuit. It’s a story about a man dealing with questions of commitment and how it can impact his life forever. At the time, I was experiencing similar feelings with someone I was once very close with. Writing helps me process and understand my own life, so I hope that maybe the characters and stories I create can do that with others.
I think what separates my work from others is that I leave it all on the page. One of the challenges for myself is being truly vulnerable with people in person sometimes, but it has always come easier for me on paper. Within the worlds I create, I try to leave out unnecessary filters that can block the connection between what I write and whoever reads it/watches it.
At the end of the day, one of the best feelings I’ve experienced as a creative is someone telling me, “I understand; I get it”. Whether it’s in accordance to a character I create or a story I tell. Being truly understood by someone is a rarity in this world, and it makes all of one’s efforts worth it. I’d like to think that the content I come up with can make someone else feel like they’re understood too and that they’re not alone.
Luckily, for Russ, the lead character in “I’m Here Now”, he found someone who understood. Hopefully, we all find that person and/or people.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think most people find it surprising that I sing rock and heavy metal music.
I trained as a musical theatre actor all the way through college and eventually turned my musical attention and efforts toward heavier lyrics and songs. One of the amazing things about music is that it can truly heal. There are some things that I can’t emotionally release, even through my screenplays and poems, so I’ll write a song, go to a recording studio, and scream my lungs out instead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rickshepherd.me/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realrickshepherd/
Image Credits
Benjamin Steeper Sarang Sharma Jarred Harper
