Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Byron Ruf. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Byron thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

To be successful, you have to be (a little) crazy. The idea of pursuing a career in film is inherently crazy. Every filmmaker’s idea of success will differ. For me, my idea of success means making the kind of films that my idols have contributed to the pantheon of filmmaking: Spielberg and Indiana Jones, Lucas and Star Wars, Hughes and The Breakfast Club, I’ll stop myself before I talk your ear off. But in essence, big-budget blockbusters with iconic storytelling and a ton of heart. At one point in time, all of these iconic films were deemed impossible to create. But the filmmakers’ persistence and devotion to their vision for the film got them made.

Have you ever heard the all-too-common conversation where the young filmmaker tells their parents they want to pursue filmmaking? Parents usually point their child-artist in another career direction. Most parents don’t want their child to fail in an industry that is arguably not profitable for most. As an independent filmmaker, funding is the single most important factor in my day-to-day decisions – whether to invest in my future by putting my own money into my films – or to save that money for my personal life. It’s often the choice of having a budget for my next movie or going on a nice vacation with my friends/family. I work a nine-to-five job to support myself and my work. Teacher by day, filmmaker by night. After my day job, I come home and work on my films all through the night. Often I’m tackling three films at the same time because it’s up to me to make it to Hollywood and I’m crazy enough to believe my dream can come true and who needs sleep anyways.

To be crazy means you need to take risks. The biggest challenge in the film industry is figuring out how to stand out from the rest of the filmmakers who wish the same dream as you. When it comes to crafting the stories I wish to turn into films, I always think of ideas that seem too ambitious: designing jib-shots with sweeping camera movement, dolly shots that stretch for miles, homemade techniques to mount a camera to a moving car… Admittedly, this is the bane of my existence. But in figuring out how to pull off these ambitious ideas, I often find I can create something greater than expected. Never tell me the odds, because by hook or by crook, I’ll find a way to achieve my vision.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Filmmaking is the only job I know how to do well and perhaps the only job I can ever see myself doing for the rest of my life. When I was eight years old, my parents sat me down to watch a movie: Star Wars (1977) As I watched the opening of the film, I was instantly transported to another world, in a way I had never experienced, and may never experience again in my life. Some will call this childhood event cliché because many filmmakers point to this film as the pivotal point that sparked their creative journeys. But I did something that other filmmakers didn’t do; I was so inspired by Star Wars, that my childhood was spent recreating the original movie shot for shot.

I call it “Star Wars: A Ruf Hope.” At age fourteen, I roped my neighborhood friends into playing the key roles. Han Solo was played by yours truly. I built the visually-iconic sets in my makeshift film studio: the Mos Eisley Cantina, the Death Star trash compactor, Docking Bay 94, the Millenium Falcon cockpit, etc. You’d be amazed what you can achieve with Dollar-Store poster board and pvc pipe. I will never forget the late nights fifteen-year-old me spent keyframing lightsaber visual effects painstakingly, frame by frame in Adobe After Effects. I watched all the documentary behind-the-scenes footage I could find on how Industrial Light and Magic achieved the space flight shots. I learned that by moving the camera past a static model of a spaceship against a green screen, the ship would appear to be moving while the background stayed still. Immediately I set up my own model shop and made spaceships take flight. This was the greatest film school I could’ve asked for. I taught myself every department of filmmaking, from acting to editing. This experience cemented the idea that I need to become a film director.

I finished remaking the film when I was sixteen. I held a premiere for my entire neighborhood and the thrill of showing them my finished film changed the trajectory of my life. Goodbye medical school. Hello film industry. You can imagine how happy my parents were when they found out…

I’ve been making films since I was eight years old. Of course, I eventually moved on from my Star Wars craze and began telling my own unique stories. After I graduated from the Film and Television program at Drexel University, I formed my production company, Ruf Productions LLC, as a means to continue to express myself as an artist. I’m in a fortunate position now where clients recognize the merit of my film portfolio and wish to collaborate with me on the stories they’re passionate about. I love telling stories that resonate with audiences. As an empathetic person, my greatest victory is when I can use my film to reach out to audiences and have them connect with the struggle and plights of my characters on screen, such as the awkwardness of finding your place in a new friend group in my teen comedy short “Last Summer Night,” or the difficulty of seeing a loved one succumb to Alzheimer’s in my drama short “Afterglow.” I wish to highlight the comedy, drama, and beauty of our shared human experience.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a filmmaker is hearing the audience’s reaction to your work. Nothing beats the thrill of showing my new film to a theater full of strangers. Sitting in the middle of the audience, the lights go down, and my heart beats into overdrive from the nervous tension. I’ve methodically thought out every decision that went into making my film. Now is the moment of truth to see if the audience will escape into the world of my film.

Hearing an audience laugh at the jokes on screen or cry at the drama unfolding before them is the greatest joy as an artist. When a film doesn’t work, you know it. The tension in the room is suffocating. But when a film works, you feel it. You feel the energy in the room as every audience member partakes in the shared human experience. That to me makes the whole filmmaking process worth my time and effort.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

As co-owner of my film company, Ruf Productions LLC, our goal is to tell inclusive stories from every community. As a hybrid of two-ethnicities, it is my mission to bring diverse storytelling to the screen. We achieve this through our open-minded casting choices. Bringing together an ensemble cast of different ethnicities presents the reality of today’s multi-cultural world. Through the stories my company chooses to tackle, Ruf Productions helps create and share stories from different communities. Thus far, we’ve told LGBTQ+, African-American, and Asian centered stories. We’re excited to bring more representation on screen. Film is a great medium for experiencing other people’s perspectives on life. I want every audience member to have the opportunity to connect with the characters they see on screen.

Contact Info:

• Website: byronruf.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rufproductions/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRufMan

Image Credits
Noah Philipose Jacob Nagle Eddie Mattiko Luke Araza