Ryan, 24, is a lifelong storyteller and award-winning African American filmmaker, writer, producer, and creative director. His directed and produced works have been recognized and awarded at festivals across the globe, including the Oscars™ qualified Austin Film Festival and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' (BAFTA) qualified Aesthetica Film Festival. Through his work, he fearlessly pushes the boundaries of storytelling and representation, possessing a unique ability to blend wit, cultural commentary, artistic ambition, emotional depth, and groundbreaking vision.
His accolades have established him as a distinct voice in the world of independent cinema, and he was awarded for Directing at the Trinity Film Festival in 2020 for his short psychological horror film You Almost Saw Me. Moreover, that same year, his short experimental film, Run Away, They'll See Us (2020), was nominated for Best Experimental Short Film at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, the largest international film festival for emerging filmmakers. In the heat of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, he and producing partner teamed up to direct the independent experimental feature film, Provider: or How to Disappear Completely, which made its premiere at the Gary International Black Film Festival in 2021.
A working director and creative director, he’s delved into branded content, working on projects for major brands such as Google ⸺directing a commercial for their Digital Coaches program at the young age of 19⸺ as well as Nike, Red Bull, Members Only, and others. He is currently spearheading a sports documentary for Adidas.
Ryan currently lives in Atlanta and works between his home, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and New York. He is making a name for himself as a rising talent in the entertainment industry, gaining the attention of major studios such as Blumhouse, Chernin Entertainment, Legendary Pictures, and Apple. More recently, he’s gained the backing of power players across the entertainment landscape with the development of exciting projects that promise to showcase his unique approach to storytelling. Ryan is in development with his debut studio feature film, Metrom, with Made With Love Media, known for Netflix’s hit They Cloned Tyrone (2023) starring John Boyega and Jamie Foxx.
His accolades have established him as a distinct voice in the world of independent cinema, and he was awarded for Directing at the Trinity Film Festival in 2020 for his short psychological horror film You Almost Saw Me. Moreover, that same year, his short experimental film, Run Away, They'll See Us (2020), was nominated for Best Experimental Short Film at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, the largest international film festival for emerging filmmakers. In the heat of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, he and producing partner teamed up to direct the independent experimental feature film, Provider: or How to Disappear Completely, which made its premiere at the Gary International Black Film Festival in 2021.
A working director and creative director, he’s delved into branded content, working on projects for major brands such as Google ⸺directing a commercial for their Digital Coaches program at the young age of 19⸺ as well as Nike, Red Bull, Members Only, and others. He is currently spearheading a sports documentary for Adidas.
Ryan currently lives in Atlanta and works between his home, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and New York. He is making a name for himself as a rising talent in the entertainment industry, gaining the attention of major studios such as Blumhouse, Chernin Entertainment, Legendary Pictures, and Apple. More recently, he’s gained the backing of power players across the entertainment landscape with the development of exciting projects that promise to showcase his unique approach to storytelling. Ryan is in development with his debut studio feature film, Metrom, with Made With Love Media, known for Netflix’s hit They Cloned Tyrone (2023) starring John Boyega and Jamie Foxx.
SELECT ACCOLADES
2023 INTERNATIONAL PORTAIT FILM FESTIVAL, “SING FOR THE TREES”
2022 BEYOND THE SHORT, “LOST, SOMETIMES”
2022 FILM SHORTAGE, DRAMA SHORT, “EUREKA”
2021 AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL (ACADEMY AWARD QUALIFYING), DRAMA PILOT, “LOVERBOY”
2021 GARY INTERNATIONAL BLACK FILM FESTIVAL, “PROVIDER”
2022 BEYOND THE SHORT, “LOST, SOMETIMES”
2022 FILM SHORTAGE, DRAMA SHORT, “EUREKA”
2021 AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL (ACADEMY AWARD QUALIFYING), DRAMA PILOT, “LOVERBOY”
2021 GARY INTERNATIONAL BLACK FILM FESTIVAL, “PROVIDER”
2020 NATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FOR TALENTED YOUTH, BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT NOMINEE, “RUN AWAY THEY’LL SEE US”
2020 TRINITY FILM FESTIVAL, BEST DIRECTING, “YOU ALMOST SAW ME”
2020 NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY AWARDS, SEMI-FINALIST BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY, “THORNS AND OTHER SOFT SURFACES”
2020 TRINITY FILM FESTIVAL, BEST DIRECTING, “YOU ALMOST SAW ME”
2020 NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY AWARDS, SEMI-FINALIST BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY, “THORNS AND OTHER SOFT SURFACES”
2020 SKYLINE INDIE FILM FESTIVAL, “RUN AWAY THEY’LL SEE US”
2019 AESTHETICA SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS QUALIFYING), “THE SILENCE IS BLACK AND WHITE”
2019 THE ARTHOUSE FILM FESTIVAL, SEMI-FINALIST, “LUDERE”
2019 PROFESSIONAL VIDEO LIBRARY OF THE EUROPEAN MARKET OF INDEPENDENT & YOUNG FILM FESTIVAL, SOCIAL WORLD FESTIVAL, “LUDERE”
2019 THE GOLDEN SCRIPT COMPETITION, BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY, “AND HOME WE CAME”
2019 AESTHETICA SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS QUALIFYING), “THE SILENCE IS BLACK AND WHITE”
2019 THE ARTHOUSE FILM FESTIVAL, SEMI-FINALIST, “LUDERE”
2019 PROFESSIONAL VIDEO LIBRARY OF THE EUROPEAN MARKET OF INDEPENDENT & YOUNG FILM FESTIVAL, SOCIAL WORLD FESTIVAL, “LUDERE”
2019 THE GOLDEN SCRIPT COMPETITION, BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY, “AND HOME WE CAME”
2019 PRINDIE: PRINCETON INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL, “FOOL HATRED MY PLAYMATE”
2019 CHAIN NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL, “LUDERE”
2019 INDEPENDENT SHORTS AWARDS, BEST STUDENT DIRECTOR HONORABLE MENTION, “LUDERE”
2019 COLUMBUS BLACK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, “YOU ALMOST SAW ME”
2019 BLOW-UP INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FILM FESTIVAL, “LUDERE”
2019 HIGH PEAK INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL, “YOU ALMOST SAW ME”
2018 VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, FILM/VIDEO ARTS FELLOWSHIP
2019 CHAIN NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL, “LUDERE”
2019 INDEPENDENT SHORTS AWARDS, BEST STUDENT DIRECTOR HONORABLE MENTION, “LUDERE”
2019 COLUMBUS BLACK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, “YOU ALMOST SAW ME”
2019 BLOW-UP INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FILM FESTIVAL, “LUDERE”
2019 HIGH PEAK INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL, “YOU ALMOST SAW ME”
2018 VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, FILM/VIDEO ARTS FELLOWSHIP
FILM/TV REP
THE CRAIG ENDEAVORS | Atlanta, GA
Daetrius Craig
djc@thecraigendeavors.com
DEL SHAW MOONVES TANAKA
FINKELSTEIN LAZCANO BOBB & DANG | Los Angeles, CA
Sloan Whiteside-Munteanu
swhiteside@delshaw.com
PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR’S COMPANY
directorscompanyfilms.com
IMAGINARY FRIENDS HOUSE
if.house
THE CRAIG ENDEAVORS | Atlanta, GA
Daetrius Craig
djc@thecraigendeavors.com
DEL SHAW MOONVES TANAKA
FINKELSTEIN LAZCANO BOBB & DANG | Los Angeles, CA
Sloan Whiteside-Munteanu
swhiteside@delshaw.com
PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR’S COMPANY
directorscompanyfilms.com
IMAGINARY FRIENDS HOUSE
if.house
