Exclusive Interview with Street Trash Director Ryan Kruger

We are very pleased to be able to bring you a Blazing Minds exclusive interview with Ryan Kruger who is the director of Street Trash (2024), you may have seen us announce the news of the release of the film and our very own Simon Henderson also brought us a review of the release. The movie will be coming to Digital and Blu-ray on February 17 courtesy of Lightbulb Film Distribution.

I must say a massive thank you to Ryan for the Q&A, so kick back and enjoy our chat.

  • What is your process for directing a film?     

I always say know your shit. The process of a film starts as early as pre-production, it’s all about knowing your characters and story and how you want to make the audience feel throughout the film. Sounds easy but I think many filmmakers forget what happens before and after a scene, Does the pace match up and so on. It’s your film so you should know the script in and out, so you know the look and feel and tone of the film.

  • What are your favourite movies and why?

I am a big fan of 80s movies in general, they just don’t make movies like they used to.  There’s too much to mention but it’s very broad in many genres. Horror was always great because of all the prosthetic make-up. The Fly, Terminator, The Hitcher, Christine, The Thing. Then there are films like Goonies, Stand by Me, Lost Boys and Empire of the Sun. *0s films just had a certain look and feel.

Still from Street Trash (2024) - Directed by Ryan Kruger
  • How do you work with actors to create the best performances?

I love working with actors, I started out first as an actor, and it definitely made me a better director. The important thing before even directing is casting, Casting the right actor changes everything.  Makes your life as a director way easier. I work differently with all actors. It’s all about the approach and how to work with them and push them in the right direction and having balance. There’s certain things I write which I want the actor to say word for word but at times there’s also giving them the freedom to change the odd thing as long as it getting the same point across. But also improv is always fun and bouncing ideas from that.

  • What is your vision for this project?

Street Trash, from the start I knew it was going to be a fun project. My vision for this project was to do my own thing as a sequel but have that Street Trash DNA with in-camera prosthetics and multi-coloured goo. But to bring strong characters you care for and a strong story.

  • What shots and camera angles do you prefer for particular scenes and why?

It’s a bit of a hard one to answer, it all depends on what you want the audience to feel at that moment. I do like making the audience go on a journey with a character, as for when I shot Fried Barry it was shot if we are experiencing stuff with him or wise closes to show what he was experiencing or feeling.

Street Trash
  • How do you tackle projects with very tight timelines or challenging locations?

All about the right crew, I’d rather have less people but the right people. So we can move fast and smooth and everybody is good at what they do. There’s nothing worse of having a big crew and working slow. 

  • How has technology changed filmmaking in recent years, and in what ways have you adopted new methods in your productions?

Well, we just shot this movie on 35mm, so was nothing new about it. This film was about all going back to basics with in camera prosthetics and shooting on film. I never thought I’d make a movie on film. It was also crazy that in South Africa we don’t have a processing lab for film, so every 4 days we would send the film to be processed in the uk and sent back two days later, and only then we could see what we filmed. Crazy and scary, But like with anything it’s all about getting the right team together. As a producer, there’s a lot to risk in case nothing comes out and you don’t have the scene. Which if you’re making lots of prosthetics and effects and lots of explosions that equals up to a lot of budget. So you don’t want to lose anything. So I guess digital is safer and easier. When it comes down to playback and no what you’re getting straight away.

  • What tips would you give aspiring filmmakers who are just starting their careers?

Just do it, people come up with too many excuses. If you find someone as passionate as yourself and get a small crew together there’s no reason why you can’t make a short film every month. I think this industry is super hard and it’s not just based on talent or hard work. You really have to love what you do in every way. I have seen some of the most passionate people throw in the towel when things get hard. Just keep going and keep creating.

Thanks to Ryan Kruger for chatting with us, Street Trash will be released on Digital and Blu-ray on February 17 courtesy of Lightbulb Film Distribution.

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