Meet Rylan Stedman

We were lucky to catch up with Rylan Stedman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Rylan with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

A lot of it comes from my own drive to make the most out of every opportunity I have. I’ve always believed that if you’re going to commit to something, you should give it your all. On top of that, my family has always supported me, especially during times when things didn’t go my way. In high school, playing basketball and working with a trainer taught me the importance of giving 110%. Later, when I shifted into choir and music, I learned how rewarding it is to work hard and see real progress, eventually joining a barbershop octet and serving as president of a music honor society. What keeps me motivated is knowing that if I’ve made it this far, I can get through whatever comes next — and that growth comes from pushing through. I try to give my all in everything, whether it’s film, school, or music, because I know I only get one chance at it.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a freshman-year Film student in my spring semester at the University of North Texas with a plan to minor in Business Law. I grew up in Cedar Park, Texas, near Austin, and attended Cedar Park High School, graduated in May of 2024. In high school, I was involved in a number of different groups and extracurriculars, such as Choir, Basketball, Theatre, Golf, and DECA (business leadership club). Being part of so many different groups helped me learn how to collaborate with others and gave me a foundation for the creative work I’m excited to keep building on in film. I am currently planning to transfer to the University of Texas at Austin to continue developing my skills in their highly regarded film program.

I’ve always had a deep love for movies, and that passion grew from my experiences in theatre and acting classes, where I became fascinated with the filmmaking process. I spent years watching behind-the-scenes clips to learn how it all comes together. In January 2024, I shadowed a videographer for a high-school musical theatre awards nomination video, which gave me my first set experience. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to build a foundation in filmmaking that includes working as a boom operator and Second Assistant Camera for the pilot of Resurgence. Bridget Ann, the lead producer and actress in Resurgence, added me to the crew of 45-minute short film Locks and Lies because of my work on Resurgence. I worked on Locks and Lies from January to March of this year, traveling to Austin from Denton on weekends to help on the crew side— from editorial consulting to performing various other positions on set. Locks and Lies premiered in April 2025, and we are submitting it for the Austin Film Festival. During that time, I also helped start RagTag Productions with a team of passionate filmmakers. Shortly after, I co-wrote, co-casted, and co-directed a short film called Chrysos, which was another important step in growing my skills and experience as a filmmaker.

What excites me most about filmmaking is seeing how audiences connect with the films and characters, knowing that something we worked hard on can have a real impact on people. What makes my work unique is the genuine effort and sincerity that is put into every project, especially given that we primarily work with no budget — but that only fuels our creativity. Every film I’ve been part of has been an exercise in originality, from Resurgence to Locks and Lies, and I’m excited for what’s next. This summer, I’m directing Requiem, a RagTag feature dystopian heist film, which I’m also producing with Bridget Ann, Kira Griffin, and Anna Knobloch.

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 impactful areas in my journey has been problem-solving. Having the ability to adapt and be flexible when unexpected challenges come up has made a huge difference in how I approach projects and keep things moving forward.

Taking initiative and leadership has also been really important. Especially in independent projects where one person does multiple jobs, stepping up when needed and helping guide the team makes the whole process stronger and keeps everyone motivated.

Another key part of my journey has been establishing strong relationships with the people I work with. Building trust, communicating clearly, and supporting the people around me has made every project more rewarding and has opened up new opportunities. Also, I have come to be close with my film colleagues outside of production as well, and it really helps make the experience all that much better when we do work on projects together.

A big lesson I learned early on is that you aren’t going to get anywhere if you don’t put yourself out there, you have to be willing to take risks and get involved. My advice to anyone starting out is simple: just pick up a camera and shoot something, no matter how small. Get a few friends together, even if it’s just filming on a phone, and just record. Additionally, get on set as much as possible, in any role, because every experience builds your skills and your confidence. If there’s one thing I wish I had learned sooner, it’s how important networking and building relationships are, and how critical good preparation and planning can be for a project’s success.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

Over the past year, the skill I’ve improved the most is my creativity. This growth has changed the way I approach my work — especially with upcoming projects like Requiem — because now I have the confidence to trust my ideas. Instead of getting stuck wondering what to do for a scene, I focus on how I can make the ideas I already have work in the best and most creative way.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Kyra Cox

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