We were lucky to catch up with Ryan Cameron recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ryan, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Right now, I’m working on my personal project. It’s a short film called “Forks in the Road”, which follows a couple on a date night trying to decide on the future of their relationship. Originally, the project is a feature film that I’d already written. I wanted to shoot it, but I had to be realistic about the process. I decided to take the essence of what the feature is about and make it into a short film. I’m so passionate about ” Forks in the Road” because it’s about a young black couple in the south. It is representative of the southern black culture I see around me every day. I want to share it with the world and dismiss the stereotypical narrative that has been portrayed about the south in various films. Black people don’t have many romance films to pick from, and I want to provide something not only for black people but for everyone to enjoy. Right now, my producer and I are casting and searching for crew members. We have an Indiegogo fundraising page that is getting some traction. We hope to meet our financial goal for the film before the countdown ends!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a filmmaker, screenwriter, creative, videographer, and film crew freelancer. I’ve lived in the south my entire life, and it has made me who I am as a creative. The films I want to create center around southern black stories. I graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in Media Arts and a concentration in film. After graduation, I had to maneuver finding a job in my field in the middle of a pandemic. Like many others, I struggled and ended up getting a regular job that I didn’t enjoy. I just wanted to be behind a camera, and life wouldn’t allow it. I applied for grad school and got accepted but realized that’s not what I wanted to do. After feeling sorry for myself, I learned of a website that lists film crew positions. I signed up, and that’s how I got my first job on a reality tv show for A&E Network. I made connections with Producers and Production Assistants. I received more jobs after that as a Production Assistant that I’ve enjoyed. After working on other people’s projects, I realized that I want to focus on the stories I want to tell. I freelance as my main job for financial support while working on my film “Forks in the Road” after work. It’s exhausting to be on set for 12 plus hours then come home and continue to work, but it’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. Most of the jobs that I’ve booked have been as a Production Assistant. I’ve finally booked my first gig as a Prop Master, and it feels amazing to see the items I’ve created and placed in a movie scene on a screen. Slowly but surely my dreams are coming true!

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Other than wanting to win an Oscar, I want to be a part of the black renaissance that is happening in the film industry. So many young creatives from Quinta Brunson to Barry Jenkins are telling our stories . Not just in Hollywood but right here in Dallas as well. I’ve networked with many individuals whose talents are out of this world. Their creativity and the things they can do with little to no resources are inspiring. Networking with these creatives and helping each other rise to meet our goals is satisfying.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I’ve worked on films sets that have been mentally and physically draining. Sometimes I would count down the hours and a times felt like quitting. Through it all, I have to make myself realize that I get to wake up every day, go to a film set (sometimes meet famous people), make movies and tv shows, and in a couple of months to a year, I see my name scroll across the screen during the credits. I’m one of the luckiest people alive! I’ve networked and made friends on sets that have helped me get the majority of my jobs. Being a part of a community that understands you and has similarities is fulfilling. On my personal projects, what’s rewarding is seeing how far I’ve come. During the pandemic, I recreated my favorite scene from the movie “Love and Basketball”. I got a group of my filmmaker friends together, and we shot the scene. I could see the growth in my abilities within that project, from how I directed the crew and cast members to my lighting skills. It made me realize that damn, I’m good!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://msryancameron.wixsite.com/website
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rizznye/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-cameron-6aa695197/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/rizznye
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE_V9BnDrEbihCIDQzHRYmg
• Other: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/forks-in-the-road/x/28642263#/

Image Credits
Justin Pulley Maya Brown