By Rylan Epstein
If my Mom taught me one thing growing up it would be this: you should never downplay your creativity, even if you get a little weird with it. My childhood was filled with “just because” dress up days and library trips, and I really don’t think I’d be where I am today without my Mom encouraging me to be strange and passionate in everything I do. I wrote non-stop as a kid, from short stories I’d tell my sisters to make them laugh when we were supposed to be asleep, to skits and plays I’d handwrite in notebooks until my fingers cramped and I couldn’t get out another word. I’ve always known that it’s my passion.
Combined with an obsession with storytelling of all kinds and a love for making people laugh, I’ve found myself pursuing comedy writing and filmmaking. I love spending my days creating something, and every moment that I’m able to laugh in the writer’s room, or on set, or editing is proof that I’m on the right track. I’ve made it a goal in my process to familiarize myself with as many aspects of the stages of production as possible (both to gain experience and to become a more well-rounded director), so I’ve also spent time on independent film sets as head of set design and script supervisor in addition to my writing, directing, and editing projects.
Recently, I’ve been working as a writer and director with Temple Pilots on TUTV – our episode “South Street” is coming soon…- editing digital comedy sketches for Temple SMATH, and creating a short form comedy series with my best friend and talented actress, Alana McCullen, called Roommates. We shoot the sketches mainly in my apartment on an iPhone, and I edit the footage once the filming process if over. Every episode starts with a very loose concept, and we work on the story improvisationally, so it’s allowed for a lot of growth in my comedic timing and on-the-spot writing skills.
Looking ahead, I’m currently in the process of writing my feature film script Business Partners which is a comedic coming of age film set in Staten Island, New York. Additionally, I’m excited to be working as an intern with JTWO Films this year, and I’m stoked to see where the next few months of my creative journey will take me!
Rylan Epstein is a junior at Temple University pursuing a degree in Media Studies and Production with a minor in Screen Studies. She works with the Klein study abroad and career services offices as a short form video editor and content creator and spends her free time writing, co-starring in , and editing the sketch comedy series Roommates alongside her best friend. She’s also worked as a writer, co-director, and editor with Temple Pilots on TUTV for their upcoming episode “South Street” and has collaborated with Temple SMASH as a digital sketch editor.