Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Moore.
Hi Ryan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Not knowing what else to do with my life, I decided I wanted to be a filmmaker in the mid-2000s. After many twists and turns, I was recently able to complete my first feature film, “Emmageddon,” which will be released early next year.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
First of all, I always remind myself that I have been incredibly fortunate in life and that my problems are minuscule compared to the far-too-many people right here in L.A. who don’t have a roof over their head or food on the table.
That said, making a feature film “from scratch” is the most difficult thing I’ve ever attempted. I began the script in early 2011 and wasn’t able to complete the film until 2019. On top of all the creative challenges, making a movie is literally operating a small business, something I knew nothing about coming in. Because I funded the film partially with income from my day job as a software engineer, I had to return to work literally the morning after a late-night shoot that culminated the three-week “vacation” I took to do principal photography. Casts and crews work incredibly hard on any project, but an ultra-low-budget shoot like this one means asking an incredible amount from people without being able to afford to pay them what they deserve. 99% of those involved went above and beyond, and obviously the film would not exist without them.
There were many, many times I wanted nothing more than to walk away from the entire project and pretend it never happened. The stress involved brought to a head issue I had always faced with depression and anxiety and led me to seek help via therapy and medication, something I should have done years earlier.
I’ve always hated the kind of advice that amounts to “don’t follow your dreams, it’ll never happen,” and in fact being on the receiving end of that sort of thing is a big part of what inspired the film. If anyone asked, I’d tell them, “follow your dreams, but take care of yourself too.” There’s been a lot of progress in the last few years, but I think people still need to hear that mental health is incredibly important, and talking about it or asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a screenwriter and director. I’m most proud of finishing my first feature film “Emmageddon,” although of course there are a million things I’d change about it if I could.
My future ambitions include creating adaptations of some of the lesser-known works of my favorite author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. I’m also a Tolkien obsessive and would love the chance to work on an adaptation of his work someday.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I recently became obsessed with tennis, playing (badly) and watching. I almost always have Tennis Channel on, and my favorite players to watch are Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka.
Contact Info:
- Website: ryan.film
- Twitter: twitter.com/dontsayindustry
- Other: https://vimeo.com/ryanmmoore/aec (“Emmageddon” trailer)
