We had the good fortune of connecting with Justin Ryan Green and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Justin Ryan, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
Something that I used to have a problem with in my filmmaking was getting started or getting motivation. I had a lot of fear of not making it as a filmmaker even though I didn’t do anything about it and just wanted to go through the motions. Since graduating undergrad, I have luckily had a lot of motivation, and there were times when no opportunities would come my way but I learned that sometimes the only thing you can do is not give up. There were many film jobs and positions I was denied, and the only thing I could do after that was not let it lower my spirits and just keep pursuing my goals. There may be a time when I need to give up a project due to budget constraints or other factors, but for now I will not give up and do what I can.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I would like for my art to be human and show a diverse array of human experiences. As a filmmaker, I try to be humble and value the talent and work of my collaborators to help them shine as well. The journey has not been easy and there are likely still rough patches ahead, but what keeps me going is understanding that filmmaking is problem solving. There will never not be a problem to solve in this field, and I have tried to learn to adapt and grow from challenges, even if they affect my personal life. What I hope sets me apart is my deep love of the medium of film, and trying to implement the genius techniques of those who came before me. My goal for now is embodied by a quote from Harrison Ford at the beginning of his acting career when he was talking about how many people were trying to get into acting, or ‘got on the bus with him’, “ I realized early on that success was tied to not giving up. If you simply didn’t give up, you would outlast the people who came in on the bus with you.” I want my mindset to remain patient, and tenacious, and to never give up. What I want people to know about me is that if I work with you or for you, I will treat you with respect and uphold the vision by any means necessary..

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The absolute coolest spot in Atlanta is the video rental store, Videodrome. Everyone who works there knows film like a film historian and they are always kind and down for a chat about movies. A spot that I have been to a few times that stuck out to me is a bar called Sister Louisa’s Church. Some of the coolest people I have met in Atlanta have been at Sister Louisa’s. Right next to Videodrome is a great BBQ spot called Sweet Auburn BBQ that has the best cornbread and banana cream soda I’ve ever had. A classic spot that never fails is J.R. Crickets, I think its impossible to order bad wings there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The people who deserve a shoutout the most are my parents. My mom is a school teacher and has worked hard her entire career, and she has taught me work ethic and humility. My dad and I have shared movie watching experiences that have shaped my taste as a filmmaker. I also want to thank my girlfriend, Kylie, who never stops supporting me even if it means we are going to be broke sometimes. I want to thank my professor from undergrad, Dr. Bane for imparting his passion and love of the craft onto me, as well as my professor in grad school at SCAD, Jaime Villa Ruiz for always giving me opportunities in film sets. I would like to thank the Los Angeles Film Studies Center for lighting the fire of filmmaking in me and showing me that this is an obtainable goal and also for giving me some of my best film friends. Last I want to thank my creative hero, David Lynch for shining his light on everyone he works with and being fearlessly creative, he is the filmmaker I would like to embody the most.

Website: https://www.justinryangreen.com/

Instagram: @justinryangreenfilm

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-green-931754254?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Facebook: Justin Ryan Green Film

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@justingreen2605?si=8UIg10KCA6ZYyW8Q

Other: Email: jrgreenjr@gmail.com

Image Credits
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