Life & Work with Richard Bryer of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Bryer.

Hi Richard, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My filmmaking journey began when I was eight years old, and I would steal the family camcorder to make YouTube videos in the backyard. What started as my cousins and I recording our wildest imaginations turned into a passion for storytelling. The films I draw the most inspiration from are rooted in this campy, childlike whimsy. Films like Josie and the Pussycats, The Toxic Avenger, and American Movie have always been some of my all-time favorites. The “do-it-yourself” mentality of those films constantly pushes me to test the boundaries of what I am capable of creatively.

Currently, my latest short film, “What’s My Sign Again?” is preparing to enter the festival circuit. It’s a Y2K-inspired high school teen comedy about a science geek who discovers his crush obsessively worships astrology. He then sets out to build a device that would alter the position of the stars in the sky to make them truly compatible. The film focuses on how astrology can be used as a superficial dating label. I’m very excited for it to be screened and hope it makes it to a town near you!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Describing obstacles and challenges is rather tough. I’ve had my own hardships, but they don’t compare to what other people have experienced. I’ve lived in a small town in Ohio for most of my life, went to small town schools, and I’ve been doing my best to stand out among the rest and trying to have my voice be heard.

Make Your Own Damn Movie! is a book by Lloyd Kaufman that left a significant impact on me at a young age. Throughout the book, Kaufman proclaims that anyone with a shoestring budget can create their own fantasy stories with enough perseverance and tact.

Having lived in the same town my entire life, going on exotic adventures seemed far out of reach. This desire to make the everyday mundane a spectacle is reflected in my films. My characters often have a first-world problem that they tend to blow largely out of proportion, their impulsive decision-making propels them into a series of unfortunate events, at their expense, until the overall lesson is learned.

A film that continues to inspire my approach to writing is Three O’Clock High. The film’s premise is simple: a student has to face the school bully at three o’clock. The film follows his misadventures to escape the school, but through the powers that be, he still ends up confronting his bully. The lengths our main character goes to get what he wants is enticing, engaging, and immensely relatable.

What inspires me most about the film, is that the main character goes on a series of fantastical adventures, all within the confines of his hometown. I believe that writing stories in a realistic setting- with realistic consequences -leaves a lasting impact on the audience. I don’t have much in common with wizards, aliens, or dragons, but I have everything in common with someone who shares my daily struggles.

I strive to emphasize the personal connections between my characters and believe keeping my stories grounded in realism makes them more honest. While writing with a shoestring budget in mind, the absence of fantasy elements allows the audience to spend more time with these characters and put themselves in their shoes. The idea that ties all of my characters together is their desire to be somebody, to venture outside the confines of their environment and be seen as an individual.

The films I’ve produced in college showcase this mentality: strong character focus with a DIY aesthetic. Before filmmaking, I worked as a freelance photographer and incorporated the skills I used to make abstract portraits into the cinematography of my films. Utilizing non-traditional lighting and camera angles to invoke significance in the character’s journey specifically through spotlight attachments, lens filters, multi-colored lighting, and split diopters. A quirky, obscure, and inventive approach to the film’s photography is what sets me apart from others.

As I begin to venture outside of my hometown, I will continue to embed my own midwestern experiences into the lives of my characters and how they’re presented to an audience. Their tragedies and hard-earned victories are rooted in what we all battle daily. As my career is about to begin, I hope to one day present their stories on a big screen and make my own damn movie.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Aside from working on my own film-related projects, I have been doing freelance photography and video for a couple of years! I love being creative in any media-related field and am always trying to add new skills to my arsenal.

Recently, I had the pleasure of directing two music videos for Breathe In Stereo and Firebrand, which are easily among my favorite projects I’ve been part of so far!

Currently, I really want to be a screenwriter. Being able to write and direct one feature-length film would be the dream. Maybe “What’s My Sign Again?”, maybe something new… we’ll see! I also love being able to adapt to any creative field. If you asked me three years ago, I would’ve said that I wanted to be a photographer. Five years before that, I would’ve said full-time YouTuber… ten years before that, it would’ve been a space cowboy. You get the point.

I love seeing where my creative muscles will take me next; it’s fun to look back and think, “so that’s what I was really into then”.

One of my personal favorite accomplishments was seeing my short film “CHARGER” be screened at the 49th Cleveland International Film Festival in 2025. The film festival was always a significant bucket list item for me, and having accomplished it so soon gave me a sense of “anything is possible”. Hearing everyone applaud as the credits rolled is a moment that will stick with me for the rest of my life.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
No matter what, you have to put 110% into whatever it is that you’re passionate about. Doesn’t have to be art, it can be anything. You have to treat your passion like a job (within reason), don’t wait around for things to happen!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://richardjbryer.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardjbryer/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-bryer-633212217/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM_5X70lcFTfIHXLPnjxGJA