We recently interviewed Ryan LeMasters. He has directed some really cool short movies. And recently he has made his directorial debut of narrative feature film with “All Out Dysfunktion!”.
Pro Media Mag: What inspired you to get into this industry?
Ryan LeMasters: High school editing got my wheels turning. It was in those classes of dubbing video on tape-to- tape systems that I discovered I enjoyed the art of editing. In college, I was able to take it a step further and really started understanding the process of developing an idea and translating it with the proper tools and storytelling. Even though it took a lot of time and effort to complete my senior film, I really enjoyed the process, and didn’t find it stressful. That’s when I knew, this was the industry for me.
Pro Media Mag: “All Out Dysfunktion! ” is your directorial debut. How was your experience?
Ryan LeMasters: It was challenging, to say the least. Most directors would probably agree and have shared that experience facing the difficulties on a first feature length film. The scope of what you’re used to grows exponentially. Plus, funding is often not a luxury for first time directors. We were fortunate to have some incredible supporters who believed in the project. No matter how much the budget is, you’re really put in a hard place, making sure that you utilize everyone’s time and money efficiently. I learned a lot, and look forward to taking those lessons and improving on my next projects.
Pro Media Mag:You have worked with Producer/writer David Bianchi on a few shorts how was the feature different?
Ryan LeMasters: The previous short films that David and I worked on together, we really had the luxury of time, and we weren’t really accountable to anyone, but ourselves. On AOD!, that all changed. Christina Jo’Leigh joined us as our producing partner and line producer. We couldn’t just “wing it” on items, we really had to follow a procedure, and weigh all possible outcomes on any potential decisions. It was also a challenge making sure that when David was on camera, he really needed to take the producer hat off and trust that Christina Jo’Leigh, (a production ace), as well as everyone else we had working with us were doing their jobs. That was also true when it came to his writers hat. I had to make sure that he didn’t let that interfere with my job as a director, nor his many other jobs.
Pro Media Mag: You had Directed 3 short films previously. What differences did you find in directing this film over your previous work?
Ryan LeMasters: This was my first ensemble piece, which really puts your feet to the fire in making sure each character is represented properly, and not lost. On my three shorts, I only had to concentrate on two or three characters, so I had more time to spend with my actors giving and receiving input. With AOD I needed to make sure we cast the proper personalities, because I knew I was going to have to lean on their ability to understand the script and who their characters were. We were very fortunate to have found such a great cast.
Pro Media Mag: What has been one of the biggest achievements in your career so far?
Ryan LeMasters: That’s a really strange question to comprehend, because I don’t feel like I’ve had big achievements, yet. If anything it would be the completion of this film, as there are several people out there that would love for the opportunity to direct a feature. I’m really hoping this leads to more projects, from other producers and companies.
Pro Media Mag: What projects do you have coming up?
Ryan LeMasters: Right now I actually have 4 projects in development. Two are feature length films. One of those films is another ensemble piece revolving around a music festival, the other is a drama in small town America that could best be described as a father/son film. The other two projects are a documentary on an old high school friend, who died tragically in a car wreck with his whole college cross country team, and the other is a mini web series that explores the mindset of Angelenos and their pursuit of happiness.
Pro Media Mag: Who would you most like to work with?
Ryan LeMasters: Man, this is tough, because as you watch more an more films every year, you just see more great talent arising. To name a few, I would have to include Natalie Portman, Alicia Vikander, J.K. Simmons, and Daniel Day-Lewis.
Pro Media Mag: What advice would you give to someone interested in direction?
Ryan LeMasters: The best advice I could give, would be to never give up. Be humble, always listen to those around you before making a decision, and just know, no matter how much you think you’re prepared, you will always screw up something (big or small). Just remember to learn from those mistakes and don’t let them eat you up.
Pro Media Mag: Are you on Social Media? How you can be followed online?
Ryan LeMasters: I’m on Twitter as @LeMastersRyan, but I really don’t tweet much. I’m more of a reader of other people’s tweets and a retweets. On Instagram I am @gvpictures. And if you are interested in watching my recent movie “All Out Dysfunktion!”, You can PRE-ORDER THE FILM HERE
