Guyanese Director/Producer wishes to pass on world-class skills

OVERSEAS-based Guyanese director/producer Ryan Singh is on his way to his homeland this April to reunite with family and friends, while at the same time looking for opportunities to train those in the local acting industry.

With one of his family members celebrating her 89th birthday around April, Ryan decided to plan his trip around the same time. Ryan’s last visit to Guyana was back in 2003.
“It’s a very exciting time in Guyana. It feels like there are a lot of opportunities for Guyana and a lot of hope, and I want to be able to be a part of that movement. I still feel such a connection,” he told the Pepperpot Magazine

Ryan is also looking forward to working with young people and sharing “world class skills” with them, so far as acting and the development of films, etc. are concerned.
“I’m a little apprehensive, but not scared; excited, but unsure of what to expect. I hope that I can come and bring something valuable to add to the natural, homegrown talent that I have observed is already present there.”

Depending on what he discovers this time around, Ryan said he may look at bringing a team on his next visit to help with his training workshops.
Ryan migrated to Canada to pursue his dream of filmmaking and is now exploring ideas of returning to Guyana to help those in the local fraternity.

The 41-year-old was born and raised in New Amsterdam, Berbice, and was about 16 years old when he left the country to pursue his dreams. Having spent some 25 years in the filmmaking industry- 10 professionally- he wants to come back and help with capacity building in the local industry.

Son of local poet, writer and producer Leon Saul, Singh attended Trinity Street Primary and New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary and completed university studies in Canada.
Now the father of six-year-old twins, Ava and Sebastian, Singh started off his career on his father’s stage when he was just about six years old and was invited up to recite a poem. Both his children are already doing well in the acting fraternity.

Ryan is a filmmaker, director, producer, actor, and director of photography. Although going to Canada did not immediately offer Singh the opportunities he had sought as a young man in Guyana, he eventually succeeded in producing theatre with the help of his dad following his graduation at university.

He would eventually press on to make award-winning documentaries and short films while acting in major productions.
He has worked as an actor on ‘Downsizing’ and was the behind-the-scenes videographer on ‘The Breadwinner’ (Nominated for one Golden Globe, six Canadian Screen Awards, and a bevvy of Annie Awards).

He has also been a producer on Rasta: A Soul’s Journey (2011), Housekeeping, IRL: The Series (2016) (TV show and Web Series), Fried Bakes and Dumplings (2014), Mom (2013), Graffiti Alley (2016) and The Black Experience Project Report (2017). He directed Mom, Fried Bakes and Dumplings and Graffiti Alley.

Apart from being behind the scenes, Singh has also acted in ‘Conduct Unbecoming’ directed by Sidney Furie, ‘11 Blocks’ that was co-directed by Matthew Bennett and Sasha Moric and ‘Mr. Crab’ that was directed by Faisal Lutchmedial.

He was the ‘Best Documentary under 40 Minutes’ Winner for ‘Mom’ at the Caribbean Tales International Film Festival CTIFF 2013; and winner of the ‘Audience Choice Awards’ for ‘Fried Bakes and Dumplings’ Greater August Town Film Festival GATFFEST 2016, in Jamaica.