Q&A: Ryan Connolly on Film Riot and Triune Films

Think you need to live in Hollywood and have a huge budget to make films? Not so. Meet Ryan Connolly, the host, writer, director and producer of Film Riot, a weekly online show that peeks behind the scenes of independent filmmaking. Part zany, part gory, it's a show that leaves no stone unturned when it comes to piecing together a film--from penning the dialogue to creating the special effects.
 
For Connolly, Film Riot and his independent film company Triune Films are a natural fit. With heroes such as Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg, there was never any question about his career path--he was going to make movies. Turning his dream into a career was, and still is, an everyday test of endurance. Connolly confirms that to do what you want in life, you have to be willing to sacrifice, but never compromise.
 
Here is what Ryan had to say about starting his business and what he now gets to call “work.”
 
Company name: Triune Films

Web site: http://filmriot.squarespace.com/

Industry: Film/Entertainment
 
What led to your interest in filmmaking?

There was never anything else for me. I started making my own short films with my parent’s home video camera when I was 8-years-old. From that point on it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. Though I wasn’t sure what position I wanted in the industry, I just knew I had to be a part of making movies. In 1993 when I was 11 years old I saw Jurassic Park, which is when I realized that writing and directing was what I had been craving all along. From that point on I wrote and directed anything that would pop in my head.
 
Who influenced your passion for filmmaking?

The people that inspired me are ones that I have never met. Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg were and are my two biggest inspirations. Their passion for what they do and their insane abilities have always inspired me. They really get that a film is for the audience; it is first and foremost entertainment and escapism.
 
What inspired you to start Triune Films? And what made you decide to produce a humorous and informative show like Film Riot? Which came first?

I started Triune because I wanted to make the kind of entertainment that I would like to see without having a studio over my shoulder telling me what is or isn’t good. Then, as I was making some of my short films, I came up with the idea of Film Riot. I wanted it to be a show that would help people who are in the position I was before film school. I’ve heard a lot of people be discouraged because they think they can’t do what they are passionate about, which is never the case! I wanted Film Riot to entertain of course, but more than anything else, I hoped that it would inspire some other hopeful filmmakers by showing them that they can do it too!

 
You work with your family and friends on your films, and it looks like you have a lot of fun doing it. What is the most fun part about your career, involving your family and friends, and why? How have they supported you along the way?

My family has been amazingly supportive. I wouldn’t be where I am without them. Even when I was young and my dreams seemed completely unrealistic, my parents never discouraged me. And of course working with friends and family on Film Riot is a complete blast. It is the most fun part of the whole thing. We basically just get together and goof off for a few hours, then call that work. Film Riot is really the only part of Triune that they are a part of, so that may be why I love it the most.
 
Can you describe your typical day?
My typical day involves a lot of business e-mails and phone calls, writing the new episode to come, editing the one we just shot, keeping up with all the social networking, and drinking plenty of coffee. Haha.
 
How do you balance your work and your personal life? 
Balancing the two is not easy. It is something that I have had to learn over time, and am still learning. Luckily for me my fiancée is very understanding.
 
Besides filmmaking, what are your interests, your hobbies?

I do have other interests like music and photography, but I just don’t have any free time to do either of those anymore. Although, I have been making some extra time to start fitting watching films into my schedule again. Thank you Netflix.
 
What is your vision for Triune Films and Film Riot?

My ultimate vision for Triune is to become a company that turns out excellent entertainment. In the future Triune will not just be a film and television studio, but will also deal in music and comics. And of course Film Riot will be one of those avenues.

 
Where do you see yourself in 10 or 20 years?

Fingers crossed, I will be writing, directing and producing feature films under my company Triune Films. It would be really great to not only write and direct my own films, but also be in the position to give guys like me a shot by producing theirs. I also have some plans for TV series, but film is my one true love.
 
Can you describe some of the struggles you have faced since you decided to start your own company?
Starting a company is extremely difficult, much more than I had ever assumed it would be. There are constant struggles, especially financially. When you are starting a company, you end up having multiple full time jobs. The one that pays the bills, the one you love (which you hope will pay the bills some day) and the one that gets the extra cash to advance your goals. Every milestone Triune crosses is a victory and something I will always remember. Getting a company like Revision3 [an online television network] to back us is an excellent example.
 
What were some of the most difficult hurdles you faced when launching Film Riot or Triune? Did you ever feel like giving up?
Time, money and the failures that are bound to happen are always a hurdle when you are trying to start something from nothing. I’ve never thought about giving up before. I’ve wanted a break, but never to give up. Once you start thinking like that it’s a down hill spiral.
 
What were some key steps you took to achieve the success of Triune Films and Film Riot?

The best thing I did was to create a demo reel by writing and directing my own short films and taking whatever project I could get, even if I wasn’t getting paid. Within a year I had enough money to buy my own gear and a pretty decent demo reel. From there I was able to show my work around and get much better jobs. It was a little by little, brick by brick situation.
 
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made to launch your company? Was it worth it?

The biggest sacrifice is the loss of personal time. Starting a company is a 24/7 job with very little room for error. But it is definitely worth it. I love what I do and could never do anything else, so the lack of free time is a welcome sacrifice.
 
What is the biggest mistake you have made when it comes to your career?
This is an easy one. I didn’t work hard enough at the start. I let everyday things distract me far too often. But once I realized it, I just worked harder.
 
What do you think is the most important lesson you’ve learned up to now, and how has it shaped you personally and professionally?

That would be to always stick to your convictions. Never compromise to get ahead. You will always regret it. I was once offered a role as Director of Photography on a feature that was going to have a good run in the indie scene. It was a hard decision, but I declined the job because the script had a few scenes in it that would definitely have gone against a few of my convictions. At the time it was much needed work, and would have been great for my reel, but I made the hard (and in my opinion), right choice. Just two weeks after that I landed my job with Alienware/DELL, running Alienware's video studio. It worked out.
 
If you liked this profile of Ryan Connolly, take a look at this piece for ideas about launching your own business.