Ryan J. Smith on independent filmmaking and bringing Arthur’s Empire to Raindance Festival

Ahead of the premiere of Arthur’s Empire at the Raindance Film Festival on 20 June, we caught up with MetFilm School graduate Ryan J. Smith to discuss his filmmaking journey, the creative drive behind his work, and the mindset that has helped him build a career on his own terms.

A graduate of MetFilm School London’s BA (Hons) Practical Filmmaking (Two-Year) degree, Ryan has established himself as a writer, director and producer through his studio, Skint Film Company. Since founding the film studio in 2019, he has developed independent features, including Lottery, Talking to Ghosts, Kid and now Arthur’s Empire.

His latest film has already attracted attention ahead of its premiere, earning nominations for Best UK Feature, Best UK Feature Director and Best Performance in a UK Feature at this year’s Raindance Film Festival.

In our conversation, Ryan reflects on his time at MetFilm School, the journey behind Skint Film Company, and the lessons he’s learned making independent feature films.

You studied Practical Filmmaking at MetFilm School. How important was that hands-on experience in preparing you for the industry?

I’m self-taught in filmmaking, having been producing features, shorts and documentaries from age thirteen for no money. Studying at the Ealing Studios campus showed me the reality of working within an operational studio and pushed me out of my comfort zone. Any hands-on experience of any kind is essential for young filmmakers.

Alongside making your own features, you’ve also established Skint Film Company. Could you tell us a little more about it and what inspired the idea?

I realised no one was coming to save me, so I had to pull the trigger myself and establish an infrastructure to produce my own films. Skint’s mandate is to produce and exhibit wide-appeal feature films at a price point. We’ve done well on our current ultra-low-budget films, and now I want to push the scope and scale of my future productions a lot further.

Your latest feature, Arthur’s Empire, tells the story of an antiques hall facing redevelopment on the Blackpool coast. What first drew you to that location and story?

I’m originally from Blackpool, so I know what I can and can’t get away with in terms of shooting. It’s also a case of when you have no time and very, very little money, you need to shave off the anxiety of filming somewhere you don’t know. Also, nobody is making feature films in Blackpool, so you have that novelty.

Arthur’s Empire was made on a very low budget and shot in just three days. How did you and the team manage to pull that off both in pre-production and during the shoot itself?

We made the movie for £4000 total and shot the whole thing in three days consecutively across Manchester and Blackpool. The crew was me and two college friends who were in town for one of the three days. You really don’t need a lot to make a feature film – you just need to be bloodthirsty enough to show up and get on with it.

Arthur’s Empire largely takes place in ‘The Empire Antiques’, a fictional trinkets hall. What was it like bringing that world to life on set?

Easiest job ever because I didn’t need to do anything. We turned up at a real antiques dealership and shot the movie… free real estate! It’s a very good example of “write what you know”. I’m friends with the owner, so I was able to take over the place for mates’ rates and make the movie. The behind-the-scenes stories of the shoot are actually rather boring because it was just a case of giving some locals a heads up. Good lesson for other filmmakers, though: keep it close-knit, keep it low-key.

How did you approach casting and working with your actors to shape the tone of the film?

I’ve worked with a few of the actors before on other movies, and I think with comedy, you absolutely need that trust and shorthand. It’s such a tricky genre that if you don’t fully trust everyone on board, then you’re fighting an uphill battle. If you trust your actors, all you have to do is make sure you’re on the same page and let them go. Filmmaking, really, is just making sure everyone knows where the toilets are.

Having made films like Lottery, Talking to Ghosts and Kid, how did you find yourself moving into a project that leans more into comedy with Arthur’s Empire?

I grew up making comedies, so it was a welcome return. I’d also just come off the back of three dramas, so all I wanted to do was have fun. The next movie we’ve just wrapped (Springer) is totally different; it’s an action-thriller shot on location in rural Scotland. I think it’s healthy to run as far away from what you’ve just shot into something completely different. I’d rather become a plumber, than be that guy who just makes one type of movie over and over again in the same genre.

Arthur’s Empire is screening at the Raindance Film Festival this year. How does it feel to be sharing the film with a festival audience?

Arthur’s Empire playing at Raindance is a big achievement; we’re all very excited for it. It’s a huge festival, and our screenings have sold out. People behind closed doors seem to be responding very well to the movie.

Inspired by Ryan’s story?

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