SHANE RYAN For more information on Ryan you can go to IMDb
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SHANE RYAN Writer/Director & Main Actor in the "AMATEUR PORN STAR KILLER" films
bit about this time in your life. Actually, I started making short films when I was about 7 and then started doing extra/background work after high school. I wouldn’t consider those real roles as it came from extra work though I did get all of my SAG vouchers on my second job, which was “That’s So Raven”. They asked me if I wanted to do it and get all my vouchers and I said sure and got the part. Non-speaking but it was such a big “extra” role and because I get electrocuted they did require a couple days of rehearsal. Then I did “The O.C.” right afterwards. Then I accidentally hurt my back doing a minor stunt with Billy Bob Thorton (the coolest person ever) on “Bad News Bears” but you can’t really see it. I also got hurt again when Josh Duhamel ran into me during a chase scene on “Las Vegas”. But the guy’s like twice my size and I don’t even think it phased him. Anyways, all that shit was for pay, little pay, just to make some money while getting experience being on big sets. It made me realize how much I love doing the indie guerilla thing where you just run and shoot and move on instead of taking 10 hours to shoot one scene in “Desperate Housewives” moving a heavy ass rock in the rain while some bitchy redhead diva screams at everybody to “shut up” while she’s comfortably warm inside. Your first features (not mentioning "Big Boobs, Blonde Babes, Bad Blood") were the APSK series. How did you manage to finance, direct, and star in them without going nuts? I have gone nuts! Well, the first 3 combined only cost 75 bucks to make, so that wasn’t too bad. As far as directing AND starring, that also came easy since it’s done mockumentary style. It was cake to just hold the camera and act the part. If it would have been another actor doing it and I had to direct what they did with their character AND the camera, I don’t know if that would have worked. So, the only really difficult thing was finding the right actress for each film, and being the character that I was. Finding a girl to do a role like that for no money is asking a lot. And on top of that, even if somebody is willing to do it, that doesn’t really mean anything. The big thing is connecting with that person because you’re going to be very intimate with them (unlike a regular movie) but you’re also going to be degrading them and faking their murder, so, you really got to be on the same level, and know it before you shoot it. Go over everything. But also keep it open and fairly unknown, since it’s improvised, which is the part that really is going to help capture the realism. You have to know how far you’re going to take it sexually, and also how you’re going to kill them so nobody gets hurt, but you don’t want to go over the parts in between too much. That way it keeps it true. So, when it happens, when words are said, they are, for the most part, real. The big thing that got me stressed with these films is playing that type of character. It’s funny, I’ve read tons of stuff where people say I must have had the time of my life fucking, and slapping, and calling these girls bitches. And I think, “fuck man, what’s wrong with you?” I don’t get off at all on that shit. I felt like shit after making the movies. I kept telling Kai (from APSK2) sorry and sorry, over and over again, while I was editing it. It sickened me watching how I treated her in the film. And then people think you’re really that way, because it couldn’t possibly be acting, or simply making a movie. The haters can’t give you that credit. So, that’s the going nuts part. Could you tell us more about the concept of the APSK series and your intentions as an artist. I had made several features before APSK that I was never able to finish and I was at a time in my life where I just felt like I wasn’t going anywhere. I hadn’t even been able to make one completed feature film, and my dream was to make movies. Or really to act in them, and I had never acted in a completed feature film either, so I was getting even more depressed. And everything around me was going to shit. And I guess I figured if I could at least make a fucking completed movie, I’d have something. But I didn’t feel like I’d live long enough to see that day so I thought of what I could shoot in one night that I could easily throw together in the editing room in a few days. And that’s how I thought of “Amateur Porn Star Killer”. I had always wanted to see a feature length version of the snuff film in “8MM”. I felt like I could watch a whole movie just based on how a young girl responded to that situation So, I called up my friend, who was 19 but could easily pass for a young girl, and we did it. I knew that title would get people’s attention and I knew I could get it distributed. Actually, at many points I thought that nobody would watch it or distribute it, but I also felt in the back of my mind that somebody would, so I didn’t give up. I never wanted to do a sequel but when I finally did get it distributed I decided I didn’t want to wait another 3 years to get a film out there. So, I just decided to do a sequel, and I figured it would let me have the chance to explore more on this idea, and dig into the character more. When it came to the third that was about seeing if I actually could do a trilogy.. I never thought I would do something like that so it was fun deciding how to end it, and trying to explore the character even further. I also wanted to see if I could have the main victim be done entirely in one shot, and we did it, with Regan Reese, so that was awesome. I had wanted to do that in the first but it didn’t work, so I got to do it in the 3rd. Did you conduct any research for the story and how was the casting like? No research for part 1, other than being fascinated with “8MM” and the idea of snuff films. Oh, and I forgot to mention years ago my mom gave me a videotape of Ted Bundy’s final interview the day before he was executed. That always stuck with me as a huge inspiration. I was so shocked at how charming and mellow this guy seemed. I felt like I could just chill and have coffee with him. So, I tried to kind of have my character be like a younger Ted Bundy, basically. For part 2 I watched David Fincher’s “Zodiac” a bunch, just trying to get an idea for the way the dates and times and victims and locations were presented. That was basically my inspiration for Part 2. And for Part 3 my inspiration was pretty much the first APSK and wanting to do what I set out with the original. Visually “A Snake of June” had some inspiration, with the black & white cinematography stained in blue, though there’s no high contrast in mine because it didn’t work being shot mostly at night, and on video. And the blue was a lot less in mine. The beautiful Kai Lanette's performance in "Amateur Porn Star Killer 2" was incredible. How was she able to deal with the psychologically daunting nature of the material? She seemed totally cool with it, took it as it was, just acting. Of course, there were certain things that got to her, like she doesn’t enjoy being spit on and stuff like that, obviously. But she used it to fuel her performance. She didn’t hold a grudge or get all traumatized by it later. I think she put herself in that situation while we were filming, like thinking of bad shit when my character starts showing his true side, and letting herself get seriously pissed at me, but keeping in the back of her head that it’s a performance. So when everything’s over, she’s right back to normal. We became friends after doing the film, and started dating about a year later, so we’ve been together for awhile now, and I haven’t seen any problems with her mental state because of it, lol. She’s pretty tough so I don’t think she let anything get to her. If you want more insight to that you can check out her interviews she did about the film. LINK A LINK B How do you produce a film with a subjective camera angle? Are you in the room? Are you ever behind the camera? Yeah, it’s just me holding the camera and the girl in the scene. I’ve seen movies done mockumentary style where the actor is not actually holding the camera. That’s usually how it’s done, from what I know, especially in big films like “Cloverfield”, but even in most indie films as well. So, as far as directing, it’s more like interacting with the people in the scene. Maybe guiding them by walking to a certain spot you want to shoot, or asking them things to take them in a specific direction, but you just have to go over the big things before you shoot and then let it flow from there and see what happens. I understand that there is a 3D version of the third installment. Do you provide the glasses with the DVD or the 3D experience is only in the theatres? The 3D is for the 4th installment, there’s been lots of confusion with that. The distributor wanted me to do the 3rd in 3D and I didn’t want to, and didn’t even think it could work for a movie already so shaky and nauseating. So, I said I’d do the 3rd one like the others, and then make a fourth in 3D (which will also have a 2D version) and I wanted it to be a parody of the APSK trilogy. It was supposed to come out the same time as the 3rd, so that was also confusing, but it’s been postponed for awhile as we’re still editing it. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the theatres, it’s not like these films get big releases, usually just a few screens. But I know the DVD comes with a couple of 3D glasses Do you plan on extending the series any further? God no. I hope not. I’m so done with it. The only thing I’ve thought of is my brother wants to do a much bigger budgeted regular narrative film about the killer character. It would be more about the chase. Finding him. Maybe learning more about him, who he is, and the families and friends of the victims. But doing these ones the way I have been is too mind-fucking. You start to actually feel dirty like the character. I’m fucking through with it. A trilogy is plenty, we get it. And then a parody. Like I said maybe a regular feature, but no more of these first person APSK films, forget it. What other types of films do you see yourself making in the future? Could you give us some info on “Sex Kids Party aka The More the Better”? I just got a trailer up finally, (you can see it here) It deals with gay, lesbian and straight interracial relationships. But the idea was showing these relationships without ever making that part a big deal. Meaning people are people, regardless of color, race, or sexual preference, so I tried to tell it from a completely unbiased look. The actual story just deals with all of them trying to overcome the same obstacle; taking their partner’s virginity in time for an orgy. A silly premise but it gave way for me to make my point about how I feel about relationships. It shouldn’t matter what your background is. But every movie that makes that point always has to bring up that somebody is black, white, etc. I wanted to show mixed couples without that ever being an issue. That’s the best way to overcome prejudice, when it doesn’t even need to be mentioned anymore. There’s a bunch of stuff I’d like to do, and I really want to just act in some more films, so we’ll see how it goes. I see you have kept yourself busy acting in a few other horror features. Could you give us the insider on "Vaginal Holocaust"? It was a very quick shoot. I got the gig at the last minute through my friend Sean Cain, who actually plays me in the 3D film, and I did a little bit in his film “Silent Night, Zombie Night” (more info). I play this loud mouth asshole in “Vag”. It should get lots of attention for its title and the director, Creep (who I also got in the 3D film), should be one to look out for very soon. He’s doing a shit load of movies and I wouldn’t be surprised if you suddenly see films come out everywhere by this guy within the next year. “Vag” also has plenty of fucked up bloody situations and nudity for horror fans. I don’t really want to say too much else and I wasn’t there for a lot of the shooting (I was in my cabin trying to sleep, lol), so I wouldn’t even know, but you can keep updated through http://vaginalholocaust.com/. What is your favorite serial killer film(s)? Well, I guess it’d be Fincher’s “Zodiac”, if that counts. I’m not really into horror films that much and most serial killer films I’ve seen are these cheesy B horror movies. I prefer more of the detective work side, and/or really digging into the mind of the killer, but not the bloody kills. “Zodiac” was incredible to watch for it’s detective work. “From Hell” was pretty good too, speculating on whom might be Jack the Ripper. I can’t think of a movie right now that did a great job of getting inside the mind, maybe “Seven”. Oh, wait, “American Psycho”, there we go, how the fuck did I forget that?! My all time favorite. Finally, when you get home and relax on the sofa what's your favorite brand of beer to drink? Hmm. I don’t usually sit on a sofa. And I don’t drink. I’m pretty straight-edged. No drugs, no alcohol, no smoking. I’m not even really a guy. I don’t like beer, cars, sports or acting macho. When I did drink it was usually Smirnoff Ice, Long Island ice tea, and the only beer that didn’t taste like piss was Heifweizen but even that didn’t taste good. I got along much better with girls when I had friends. Now I’m a loner again. Interview conducted by: Jorge Antonio Lopez |
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