He used to drive his family mad watching Star Wars on repeat as a kid, now Patrick Ryder, who is still very much a sci-fi fanatic, is making his own films.
“For me, film is the best possible form of entertainment,” says the 35-year-old from Harrow, “it can transport you to another world, it can change your mood and your outlook on things.
“Growing up I would sit and watch films all the time. One of the most amazing experiences for me was seeing Jurassic Park for the first time on the big screen, it was the first time I had seen anything like it.”
The father of two, who owns the production company Little Glass Pictures with his wife, Christine, adds: “The X Files has been a massive inspiration on my life when I was growing up. It inspired me to be interested in TV and film.
“Science fiction in particular I feel is a very important genre, it has so many layers and styles. I have always wanted to create something that visually would have a very strong style - a character we could design and building specifically for the film itself.”
Patrick explains that is latest film, Human, is exactly that - “a brand new uplifting sci-fi short”.
Human follows a young girl called Anna (played by Leila Kotori), who discovers a robot called Allium (played by Alex Phillips and voiced by American comedian and actor Mitch Rouse), in an abandoned warehouse. The pair spark up an unlikely friendship and as Anna delves into the robot’s past, she uncovers why he was left alone and the identity of his mysterious creator.
The robot suit was designed by Alex Phillips, who grew up and went to school with Patrick and the duo have been working on films for some time. Patrick, who completed his first film five years ago, says: “The process to making a film always starts with a very simple idea - a spark that gives the story a reason to be told.
“I write all my own scripts, but I have also on many occasions teamed up with my wife, Christine, who is really brings to life the stories being told.”
Speaking about professional directors in the film industry, Patrick, who studied art and design at Harrow College has found the likes of Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Jeff Nichols and Martin Scorsese a big inspiration on his career and for that reason, he says he tries to make as many varied and unique films as he can.
“I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a particular genre,” he tells, “I have a real love for creating films in a whole array of genres from drama to dance, horror to thrillers and sci-fi to comedy.
“Ultimately my goal is to complete a full feature and be able to expand and create bigger and bolder films.”
Patrick, who also works as the head of production for the DVD company IMC Visions, has won a number of awards from film festivals since he started, including the New York Film Festival, Film The House and Madonna herself selected his dance film, Shift, as the winner for Art for Freedom campaign, where he received $10,000 to give to two charities of his choice.
And although his goal is to go and produce feature films, the biggest thing in his life will always be his family. He says: “I split my time between by creative film projects and my family.
“Family for me is the heart of everything, my children are the most important thing in my life and very much the films and the work I put into them is inspired by them.”
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