The man behind the mission
Resources for family problems
While searching for locations in and around the State of Michigan for the film 'The Parricidal Effect' Ryan had coincidently stumbled across a dilapidated farm house. On entering the premises to assess the possibility of it being a location for the film, he uncountered the local Sheriff who was not at all pleased of his intrusion. Once Ryan had enlightened the Sheriff of his intension the Sheriff then started questioning the film's plot. After Ryan had told him the film was to do with children taking the lives of their parents, their siblings and themselves the Sherrif's eyes grew big and he removed his hat from his head. He turned to point at a piece of flat ground across the road from where they were standing. He said "You see that piece of ground over there?" after Ryan confirming the gesture, the Sheriff goes on to explain, "There used to be a house there, it was burned down after a 16 year boy killed his father and is now serving a life sentence."
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After that Ryan realized the film had to be made, and even more so, a campaign needed to be launched in the hope that it could help both child and parent in finding peace from a family feud. God knows, we all have them.
Ryan and his Land Rover on a recent film project in Africa to do with the war against the Rhino horn trade. A documentary called 'The Inner Core'
An excerp from a news media article on Ryan and the making of his last film "Lords of Exile'
"I read somewhere that many writers only come into their craft after being battered by life. Christopher Vogler writes in his book, ‘The writer’s journey’, that writers are like chosen Shamans that are whisked away by spirits. They are laid out on a table and all their bones removed and broken. Before their eyes, their organs and bones are then split, cooked and resassembled in a new order. They are then returned to their own worlds to create stories and myths that guide, heal and give meaning to life.
As the dying light slips behind the hills, I sense a fraction of the super pain this hero has endured. He turns to me and smiles’ ‘Problems are potential opportunities. For me it is the only way that you can gain wisdom – through hardship.
I am on my own journey now – wherever it may lead."
Ryan's background
Ryan grew up in the small suburbs surrounded by horses on the outskirts of Johannesburg in South Africa. His teen years found him doing what many only dream about, lifesaving on the South African coast lines, surfing, horse training, adventure climbing, sailing the treacherous waters of Africa and flying his sail plane in the majestic Drakensburg mountains of Natal. He fell in love with the power of nature, experiencing it and capturing it with something that was never far from his grab, a camera.
Before he turned 20 he had not only joined but proven his skill and was appointed the leader of an anti-poaching unit for a 100000 hector Game Reserve situated in the natal midlands. While spending weeks in the bush tracking, watching and waiting he used every spare second filming and compiling footage with borrowed equipment.
Never having set foot in a movie production classroom Ryan chose to grow his filming skills by offering his services for free. After learning what was needed he started his own production company focusing on adventure and wildlife documentaries.
One thing led to another and before long he was shooting commercials, documentaries and short films including the heart pounding feature film, "Lords of Exile". The story of an orphan boy's journey into the nightmare of human trafficking and back again.
Why the kids against Violence campaign
The story behind
the pledge!
