Conversations with Ryan Berry

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

Hi Ryan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My interest in Filmmaking sprouted from not only watching movies but making them. I’ll never forget making my first short film in 7th grade with the help of my family. It was for a WW2 school project. It was shot by my brother on a camcorder as I ran through our backyard while my mom and dad threw leaves in the air to show grenades going off. It was no Saving Private Ryan (pun intended) but that didn’t matter. The process of making the film was so fun to me that from that moment on I knew this is what I wanted to do.

Flash forward through high school, I made action short films with my friends Gagan and Thomas continuing to learn and grow until it was time for college. I decided to go from freezing Dover, New Hampshire to freezing Toronto, Canada. I took the Film Production program at Toronto Film School. There I met so many like-minded, talented students who were hungry just like me to enter the world of filmmaking. It was such an inspiring and creative time in my life. The school gave us hands-on training and experience so we knew how to survive on a film/tv set. This experience would prove useful when after school I had the fortunate opportunity to work on some pretty cool sets including the Obi Wan Kenobi series for Disney +.

After college and during the pandemic times, things seemed bleak. Like a lot of people, I questioned a lot of things in my life. Does filmmaking really matter in times like these? Am I contributing anything useful to society. Well, it was around that time I started experimenting with stop-motion animation. Being stuck inside for months on end, it was difficult to film things outside but that was not the case for stop motion. I was having the time of my life animating clay monsters and random objects in my room. I rediscovered that satisfactory feeling of creating a film but in a new way. Physically moving a puppet frame by frame and then seeing the end result is pure magic. There’s no other feeling like it. I wanted more. From there, I studied stop motion films, watched youtube tutorials and soaked up as much as I could absorb. I realized I was finding a new passion. And through this passion, I realized yes, filmmaking is worth it because it makes me happy and I want to make others happy through my work. To have audiences escape the real world for a minute or 10 minutes or a couple of hours is my goal.

It was stop motion that gave me the drive and motivation to move to Los Angeles. So during the pandemic with what savings I had left, I packed up my things and drove to LA. It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done and to this day I never regret doing it. LA is a very intimidating city so it took a year of finding my footing to land where I needed to be. I was lucky enough to land a Production Assistant gig at Bix Pix Entertainment. Makers of some of the best Stop Motion projects including ‘Tumble Leaf’ and the beautiful kid’s show I got to work on’Shape Island’ (based off Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s shape books). In a way, here is where I truly feel my story begins. Bix Pix became my new film school but for stop motion and I got to learn from the very best in the industry. After three months, I was lucky enough to be promoted to Assistant Set Dresser. I’m incredibly grateful for the knowledge and welcoming atmosphere that entire crew showed me during my time there.

This brings us to present day! I’ve continued my passion for stop motion by working on personal projects, doing freelance work for clients and studio work like most recently. Helping on the Tiny Chef Show. Even got to teach high schoolers how to make their own stop-motion puppets at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine. So thankful for the stop motion community accepting me into their world and I can’t wait to see where it takes me next! Speaking of which, what is next? Well, I’m currently in pre-production on my first stop-motion short film. Excited to collaborate with friends and take it to festivals! It will be dedicated to my family as the story is based off a song my mom and grandma sang to me and my brother as children. My mom passed away suddenly when I was 16 due to an aneurysm. I’ve always wanted to create a film for her and this will finally be that opportunity. She was always so supportive of my filmmaking dreams and I want to make her proud. I’ve learned it’s important to bring your own personal experiences into your stories and that’s what I intend to do.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Growing up, I learned what loss truly was. When I was 16, my mom passed away suddenly due to an aneurysm. This dramatically changed my life. Going through this, I learned early on what horrible surprises life can bring you, which is why I try to live my life to the fullest and have as little regrets as possible. Every artistic bone in my body is from her. All I want to do is make her proud of who I am today so I try to live by her example because she was an incredible human being.

As far as my film career, nothing is ever as easy as it seems. After film school, I thought it would be as easy as knocking on the front gate of Warner Bros Studios and ask for a job and get hired. I learned so quickly that this was not the case. In the film industry, you have to work your way up, build connections and have a bit of luck and timing on your side. It took me years of grinding through day jobs, making mistakes, moving cities, and keeping the dream alive to get me to where I am today. You really have to love what you do to keep you going.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work in stop motion animation specializing in Animating, Set Dressing and Fabrication.

I most recently worked and am most proud of my work on ‘Shape Island’ (2023, Apple TV+) at Bix Pix Entertainment. A stop motion kid’s show based off the books by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen.

I started out as a Production Assistant and got bumped up to Assistant Set Dresser within three months. I got to help make props and build and dress the sets. Everything on the show and in general for stop motion is beautifully handcrafted by so many talented people. Being able to see your work physically come to life in the show is a very gratifying feeling. It’s a labor of love! There’s charm to the handcrafted nature of stop motion.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My biggest supporters are my friends and family (even if they don’t fully understand what I’m doing, jokes on them I don’t either). Without them cheering me on from the sidelines, I really don’t know what I’d be doing with my life. My dad taught me how to navigate through life, my mom how to be creative and be a good person, and my brother how to be cool.

I owe a lot of my stop motion career to too many names but most specific of them are: Matt Cuny, Kelli Bixler, Jodi Downs, Jeff White, Bismark Fernandes, and Alex Steele. They welcomed me with open arms, created such a positive atmosphere and showed me the ropes as far as working in stop motion. They have set the standard for me and I hope to carry on everything I’ve learned into all of what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ryanberryfilm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanberryfilm/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-berry-617982a8/