Meet Tom Ryan | Writer/Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tom Ryan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tom, what role has risk played in your life or career?
A determining factor in finding success while pursuing your dreams will always be the kind of risks you took to get there. It all starts with believing in yourself. The confidence of knowing your worth and your potential makes risk taking less risky. It may not feel that way at the time, but it’s true. When you take that leap of faith in business or in your personal life, you’re not betting on a sporting event where chance dictates the outcome. You’re betting on yourself, and you have much more of an influence on the results of your efforts. The truth is, you’ll never find out how great you can be if you’re satisfied with being good enough. For me, that risk was leaving my 9 to 5 job to pursue filmmaking full time. The steady flow of income was hard to give up based on a belief that I could freelance my way to success in the film industry. I certainly knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I had the confidence and support of my family. Now, a year later, I’m waist deep in projects that are paying me fairly, building my resume, and proving that I have worth in this business. I might still be sitting at my old desk punching a keyboard and wondering “what if?” if I hadn’t been willing to take that risk.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My lifelong dream has always been to become a film director. Science fiction and horror movies became my favorite genres at a young age and the advent of VHS cameras made it possible for me and my friends to explore our own imaginations in the film realm. I pursued that dream and studied the media arts in college but due to rising tuition cost, I had to drop-out and get a full-time job to pay the bills. Fast forward to 2010 when I was asked by a friend, if I wanted to participate in an indie film production as an f/x artist. I dabbled in prosthetics and blood effects over the years, so I was eager to help their team raise the production value of their project. While on location I noticed the size of the digital camera the director was using could fit in the palm of his hand. I asked how he edited the footage, and he told me about the kind of software he used for editing on his PC at home. This was all new to me. Back in college I was editing 35mm film and using cameras so large they had to be mounted on massive rolling tripods. This new tech changed the game and opened my eyes to once again, pursuing my dream of making films. I started writing and making my own ultra-low budget films that I entered into film festivals and realized the community of independent filmmakers was vast and I wasn’t alone. I suddenly felt a part of something larger and my dream no longer felt unattainable. Over the years I’ve built close ties with other professionals in the industry who also share my energy and my passion. I learned very early on to be selective with who I worked with and if I chose the right people, I could forge relationships that would benefit all parties involved for years to come. Those choices helped me establish a reputation for providing a great work environment, a fun set, unequaled passion for our story and an extremely dedicated team of colleagues and friends. A production company where artists are respected and have full control of the vision. That’s hard to find in this business and I’m proud of it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Being on the east coast and particularly in the tri-state area, there is an abundance of choices. From Broadway and off-Broadway theater to live music venues to night life destinations to historical sites. Perhaps above all, I would take them to see a show or a band, because nothing beats live entertainment in New York City.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Anyone and everyone who has ever been involved in a Theatre of Terror, LLC production. Every film I’ve worked on required the coordinated talents of many people. Cinematographers, effects artists, actors, gaffers, production assistants, and countless others who believed in me and my work and gave everything they had to my vision. People like them are the lifeblood of the independent film scene and I owe them everything. I would be remiss if I did not mention my wife and my best friend, Melanie. Without hesitation she has encouraged me every step of the way on this journey. She is the first person to read my scripts, see my rough edits, and offer feedback on my work. I hold her opinion in very high regard because I know she will always tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. She is my partner and confidant and she’s invaluable.

Website: www.theatreofterror.net

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