Shane Ryan-Reid's filmmaking journey began at the tender age of seven, when his father introduced him to video editing at five. He initially created action films, inspired by the likes of Jean-Claude Van Damme, but by 14, he had shifted his focus to dramas and films about troubled youth. Shane's primary motivation for directing was to have the opportunity to act and write, rather than to direct itself.
It wasn't until he was 19 that Shane's perspective on filmmaking changed dramatically. Watching Tim Roth's The War Zone (1999) and the explicit Baise-moi (2000),he realized the potential impact he could have on issues like child abuse and sexual assault through his work. This newfound awareness led him to create films addressing these topics, which in turn made him a controversial figure in his hometown.
Shane's early films gained an underground and indie following through the internet before he made his theatrical debut in 2007. However, his promotional materials for that film sparked outrage from Academy Award-nominated actress Lesley Ann Warren, who successfully had them banned.
In 2009, Shane planned to make a film about human trafficking and the Stockholm Syndrome, inspired by the real-life story of Jaycee Dugard. Although he dropped the project, he went on to create My Name Is 'A' by Anonymous (2012),a film about convicted killer Alyssa Bustamante. Shane believed Alyssa was unfairly treated by the media, comparing her situation to a "monstrous witch-hunt."
Shane's career continued to evolve, with director Albert Pyun casting him in The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper (2014),his first leading role. He then appeared in Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance (2015) and co-starred in American Virus (2015),which he also co-wrote with his lead actress, Kathryn Eastwood.
In 2019, Shane starred in Choke (2020),a continuation of his character from his debut feature film. Since then, he has landed leading and supporting roles in over 35 films.
Around 2020, Shane began co-producing projects for other filmmakers, totaling over 150 films by 2024. His production credits include films featuring Shelley Duvall, Ed Harris, Holt McCallany, Sophia Ali, Tom Sizemore, Kevin Spacey, Alan Ruck, Richard Dreyfuss, Louis Gossett Jr., Bruce Dern, Sally Kirkland, Peter Weller, Eric Roberts, Malcolm McDowell, Lance Henriksen, Nancy Allen, Nikki Blonsky, Bai Ling, Jonathan Lipnicki, Eli Roth, Lorelei Linklater, Tom Arnold, Lin Shaye, Bonnie Aarons, Robert Englund, Devon Sawa, Tara Reid, Edward Furlong, Michael Madsen, Richard Grieco, Jason Scott Lee, Steve Guttenberg, 'Weird Al' Yankovic, Coolio, and many more.
Shane has collaborated with acclaimed producers, including Jonathan Sanger, Dale Armin Johnson, John Fusco, Peter M. Lenkov, and Corey Taylor.
