Meet Ryan Shelor

 

We recently connected with Ryan Shelor and have shared our conversation below.

Ryan, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Purpose, to me, is all about having a dream and relentlessly striving for it. Of course, that’s easier said than done—because, as Jeff Goldblum famously put it, “Life, huh… finds a way.” A way to derail, detour, or distract us from our dreams.

I’ve had the same dream since I was a kid: to make movies. The spark ignited during the summers between 4th and 5th grade when I watched Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark every single night. I was hooked—completely immersed in the adventure, the action, the SOUND EFFECTS, and the masterful storytelling that, to me, solidified Steven Spielberg as The Master. I wanted to be him.

But, as I said, life finds a way. I went to film school, worked in the industry, dropped out, worked in antiques, got into martial arts (which I still practice and teach)—yet, through it all, the dream never faded. It gave me something to chase, something only a few ever achieve. That pursuit keeps me growing.

I believe that without purpose, people slow down. Discipline slips. We wake up one day in jobs or places we never intended to be. It’s happened to me more than once. And sure, there are younger people who’ve already achieved what I’m after. But at 42, I’m still striving. Still growing. And I’ll never stop.

It’s that old saying: “Aim for the moon, and you’ll land among the stars.” I’ve learned that chasing greatness often leads to something even greater than you imagined.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
When I was younger, I naively thought you could only have one passion. You pick something, you commit, and you just go—until death. Ha! I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2005 and dove straight into the film and television world. I worked countless production assistant jobs—basically running errands, driving crew members, fetching food, and occasionally making a secret tequila run for the producers. Eventually, I worked my way up into the set decoration and props departments. These were fun gigs, but deep down, my heart wasn’t satisfied telling other people’s stories—I wanted to tell my own.

After six years in the business, I stepped away and took a secure job working for my mother in the antiques world. She was an incredibly driven woman who built Foxglove Antiques into one of the best antique stores in the Southeast. I remember she used to say she was a “12-year overnight success.” That always stuck with me—people see the finish line, but they rarely see the grind it takes to get there. I spent eight years learning the ins and outs of antiques, but during that time, I also discovered another passion: martial arts. I started training in American Karate and eventually earned my 2nd-degree black belt.

As I grew in martial arts, my creative fire reignited. I got back into writing, back into producing—the dream was alive again, but this time, in new ways.

One night, during the tail end of the pandemic, my then-girlfriend and I were deep into RuPaul’s Drag Race, and out of nowhere, I stood up and declared, “I want to put on a drag show!” I figured, I’ve worked in film, I know how to produce, I can do this. The next day, I got to work. We put together an outdoor event called “The End is Nigh!”—a drag and stand-up comedy show benefiting Lost-n-Found Youth, an Atlanta-based charity that helps LGBTQ+ kids find shelter, job skills, and a sense of identity. That night, we raised over $12,000 for them. The following year, we did another show, “Supernova,” raising an additional $16,000. I had never felt more fulfilled.

That was my wake-up call. I had to return to filmmaking.

But with no recent film credentials—only the drag shows—convincing investors to fund my wild dreams wasn’t easy. That’s when my business partner, Cayman Eby, introduced me to Scott Hansen of Digital Thunderdome. Strangely enough, Scott, Cayman, and I had all attended SCAD at the same time! Scott had been making horror films for a decade, and together, we realized that the best way to build a strong resume was to help others build theirs.

Then, life threw me another curveball. My mother passed away from pancreatic cancer. My father had already passed in 2016 from Alzheimer’s. Suddenly, my two biggest cheerleaders were gone. I was alone. I knew that if I was going to achieve my dream, it had to be on my terms. So, I took a risk.

I took out a $100K loan against my condo to help fund Scott’s new horror film, Devour. And epic it will be.

Working with Scott and Digital Thunderdome was an incredible experience. I was back to producing, co-writing, and—most importantly—building a family I didn’t even realize I needed. Filming Devour became my lifeline during one of the darkest moments of my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

And it didn’t stop there. Through the connections we built, we found a novelist with a story that would become Flying Banzai’s first original feature film—a frontier horror called Bloodletting.

Just last week, we attended the European Film Market (EFM) to pitch Bloodletting to potential distributors and financiers from around the world. Now, we’re gearing up to cast, and things are moving fast!

This journey has been anything but linear, but I’ve learned that passion isn’t a straight path—it’s a wildfire. And right now? That fire is burning brighter than ever.

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?
Patience, public speaking, and being yourself.

At the end of the day, this world is all about sales. But it’s not just about selling a product—it’s about selling yourself. If you come across as something you’re not, people won’t buy into what you’re offering. More often than not, success isn’t just about what you’re selling, but whether the other person wants to work with you moving forward. Anyone can get X anywhere—but if you’re authentic, that’s what makes people choose you.

Teaching martial arts has been the ultimate training ground for these skills, especially working with kids. And let me tell you—kids are ruthless. They act out, they have breakdowns, they desperately want to please but don’t always know how. If I had to name one superpower, it would be my ability to manage 20 kids on my own. It requires patience, public speaking, and the ability to be entertaining enough to keep their attention. And if you can command a room full of kids, you can work with anyone.

I’m not saying everyone needs to take this exact path, but I do think there’s value in putting yourself in situations where you have to lead, adapt, and communicate effectively. Volunteer for a rec league. Coach a soccer team. If you can capture the hearts and minds of kids, you can do the same for adults. And ultimately, try to have fun!

What is your biggest hurdle next or what are you looking for?
Financing.

This movie train isn’t stopping! We have the team, the director, and the perfect locations—all lined up to begin shooting Bloodletting in just a few months. But like any independent film, securing the final portion of financing is our biggest challenge.

We’re aiming for a $1 million USD budget (a modest amount by today’s industry standards), and as we’re getting close! As we push forward, locking in a notable cast will be a key step in securing additional investors. Strong talent attracts financing, and financing brings the vision to life.

This is the last opportunity for equity investors to get in! We’re offering first money recoupment, plus a 20% ROI, followed by a 50/50 split in perpetuity. The film industry is a high risk, high reward game, and we’re looking for people who are excited to ride this roller coaster with us—not just for Bloodletting, but for the future of storytelling.

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