“Ryan J. Smith makes a film we thought only the big studios could make” is what American filmmaking outlet Film Threat said of the 25 year-old’s first feature endeavour Lottery. They’re now deeming his follow-up heartbreaker Talking To Ghosts “a well-crafted thriller in dramatic clothing”. A staggering feat considering both films were made for a fraction of one mainstream television episode’s budget. The maverick filmmaker’s efforts are now reaching global audiences via streaming services.
“I hope other people looking to get into filmmaking see what I’m doing and realise that they can do it, too” says Ryan. “It’s never been easier and cheaper to make movies and get them out there, the same goes for any kind of art. Lottery and Talking To Ghostswere made for around £7000 each — money raised independently through various day jobs. Now the success of those movies on streaming platforms has allowed me to commit full-time to filmmaking. Nothing is impossible in today’s world.”
Talking To Ghosts is led by theatre prodigy Nina Holland-Smith, Skint Film Company veteran Neizan Fernandez and The Dark Knight actor Grahame Edwards – it tells the story of a young woman who finds herself in the midst of a black market arms deal gone wrong. “It’s a love story. The gunfire is just for show.”
“This particular story began life as a very aggressive revenge film, but by the end, it became a much more hopeful movie than first envisioned” says Ryan. “I was out for blood at the start — but I found myself healing towards the end. It’s a very raw movie, certainly the most emotionally complex story I’ve told.”
Talking To Ghosts star Nina Holland-Smith said this about the young filmmaker: “Working with Ryan was really great. He has a vision in his head and knows exactly how to make it come to life. He works non stop! He made me feel so relaxed on set, we all had so much fun filming as cast and crew. The film itself is quite dark, but we definitely found moments in between to lighten it up and have a laugh and a cup of tea!”
At only 25 years-old, Ryan runs his own studio, the Skint Film Company, which is responsible for the development, production and global exhibition of his movies. He works with his friends Adam Bentley (visual effects), Alisdair Pickering (music) Lewis William Robinson (sound recordist) and Meredith Grace (production designer) — but he is now looking to expand and allow for greater opportunities for unseen talent. “The idea is to grow the studio and productions indefinitely in order to hire more and more emerging talent who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity for creative work.”
Fylde coast actor Harry Mclafferty, who starred in both Lottery and Talking To Ghosts, says “it’s always a great laugh on set. The atmosphere is comfortable and exciting, which says a lot when there’s usually so much to film in a day. Despite the small team and limited budgets, the projects Ryan produces are consistently impressive and something, as an actor, I know I’ll always be proud of.”
Talking To Ghosts was filmed in November 2022 across the Fylde Coast and features a roster of newly-cinema-stamped Northern locations. “I’ve always gotten a kick out of being the first filmmaker to plant the flag in certain areas” says Smith. “It’s kind of my duty at this point to put the Fylde Coast on the map filmmaking-wise.”
The Skint Film Company shows no sign of stopping, with a full roster of feature entertainment planned for 2024 and beyond. “The next film is a big one” says Ryan. “It’s a more family-accessible comedy-drama, which will span more characters and locations than I’ve ever dealt with. It’ll be an interesting one to shoot and I know it’s going to take a lot out of me, but I’m ready for it.”
Ryan J. Smith’s two current feature films Lottery and Talking To Ghosts are out now on digital.
