Meet Ryan Collins

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

Ryan, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

Fortunately for me, I found my purpose in life at a pretty young age: making films. When I was 8 years old, I saw a fantastic movie called “Super 8”, directed by J.J. Abrams. In the film, the kids were making their own short movie, and that instantly inspired me. I used my birthday money to buy a cheap camera from CVS and started making films with my friends in the neighborhood. This sparked my love for filmmaking.

Once I reached high school, I started taking film classes, and that was when I began to take it more seriously because I realized I could do this for a living. During my senior year, my best friend Andrew Crandell and I shot a short film for a class project. When we showed it to the class, everyone loved it and cried from laughing so hard. I will never forget that feeling. It was the first time I truly understood the impact film can have on an audience. It’s one thing when your family watches your work, but when a group of random kids absolutely loves it, it’s a completely different feeling.

All these experiences in my life, along with the amazing films I’ve watched, have helped me carve my path and find my purpose. I’m so grateful that God revealed it to me at such a young age.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I recently graduated from the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. During my final year, we focused on creating our thesis films. Since this was going to be the last film of my college career, I wanted to push my boundaries. I wrote, directed, produced, and edited a WWII short film titled “The Translator.” The story is set during WWII, where a small group of U.S. soldiers captures a group of Nazis. While waiting for backup, one of the soldiers, Bailey, strikes up a conversation with the enemy’s translator. They soon realize they have more in common than they expected. However, things take a turn for the worse, and Bailey is faced with a moral dilemma—whether to do the right thing or not. “The Translator” draws inspiration from my father’s 20 years of military service, marked by stories too painful to recount-stories he kept to himself because some experiences should never be relived.
The film opens with the poignant quote, “Everyone has a chapter they don’t read aloud.” That unspoken chapter is the heart of “The Translator,” a story of the silences and buried memories that shape those who’ve lived through the unimaginable.

This project was challenging, but in all the right ways. Since its completion, “The Translator” has won nearly a dozen awards and has been accepted into over a dozen film festivals. It also received over 17K views on YouTube within the first four weeks of being uploaded. This film is my proudest work to date, and I’m incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of my family and friends, especially my parents.

While managing the publicity for the film, I’ve also been working on my upcoming feature horror film.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

One of the most valuable skills I’ve developed over the years, both as a director and as a person, is active listening. As a director, it’s easy to get tunnel vision, especially on set with so much happening at once. I believe a great director listens to others’ input because they might notice something that they didn’t. Just because someone suggests an idea doesn’t mean it has to be implemented, but I think it’s always wise to consider it. For example, on the set of “The Translator”, I had a specific shot in mind for the master. I had envisioned this shot for a while, but then my Director of Photography, Santi De Alba, proposed a similar shot from the opposite side, adding more depth. It looked so much better, and I was thrilled I took his advice. It ended up being one of my favorite shots in the entire film.

Another quality that pairs with active listening is confidence. It’s important not to confuse confidence with arrogance, especially as a director. As a director, you’re the conductor of the entire set, and if you show any signs of second-guessing yourself or not knowing the details of every scene or character, people will not only question the direction of the film but also your leadership. Confidence grows with experience. When I directed my first projects, I was nervous, but the more you practice, the better you get. I’m a firm believer in the saying, “Fake it till you make it.”

Lastly, it’s crucial to remember to have fun. At the end of the day, we make films because we LOVE them. It’s easy to lose sight of why you started. Not every moment on set will be fun, but it’s important to cherish those moments when everyone laughs and smiles. Recently, I shot a commercial with a small group of friends. It was very much run-and-gun filmmaking. One of my friends, who’s been on professional sets for years, said it was the most fun he’s ever had filming. It was just a group of friends making something together and enjoying the process. Those moments remind you why you chose this crazy industry.

So, remember these three things: be an active listener, be confident in yourself, and always have fun.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

It’s really easy to feel overwhelmed in this industry, and I’ve developed a few strategies to overcome that. People close to me know I’m a big over thinker, and it can often snowball. Most of the time, my overthinking leads to feeling overwhelmed, but one thing that has helped is breaking problems into smaller categories. My mom taught me this technique by encouraging me to make a list of everything I need to get done. I’m a very visual person, so seeing tasks laid out helps me realize it’s not one giant problem—it’s a series of smaller, manageable tasks.

This approach is especially useful in directing. As I mentioned earlier, production sets can get very hectic and overwhelming, but by breaking each issue into its own category, the problems feel less intimidating and more manageable.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Sabrina Moreno

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,