Senior Ryan Newman, founder and director of Bearded Man Films LLC, does not have a beard -- at least not at the moment.\n"I just shot a wedding, so I had to shave for the wedding party," he said. "Otherwise, I never shave."\nDespite the recent makeover, Newman, a telecommunications major, is also the namesake of his Bloomington-based music video production company. BMF has grown in recognition lately by working for up-and-coming musicians such as Dave McMillin, Gentlemen Caller, 20 Minutes to Park and Those Young Lions.
Falling in Love
Newman said he never intended to follow the exact career path he is on today; he had always planned on attending film school. BMF was created almost by accident when he went to a 20 Minutes to Park concert in Wright Quad. Newman saw a lot of potential in the local band, so he approached them with the idea of filming a music video.\nAlthough this first project was relatively simple, Newman said he was enchanted by the process of making music videos. It was then that Newman began to change his career plans.\n"Through the process, I really fell in love with working with bands because I just think that the creative process of music is amazing," he said.
Not just a project
Through word of mouth and networking, BMF's client list began to grow. \n"It sort of started out as my own thing," said Newman. But as he expanded production, Newman recruited several of his closest friends to form a core group of BMF staff. \nAmong those involved in BMF are director and camera operator IU senior Rory Kramer, business manager and senior Brennan Knotts, photographer alumnus Andrew Lee and marketing director and senior Matt Mechlem. \nFor Newman, BMF is not simply a college project. He, along with some of his staff members, plan to remain with the company after graduating.\n"I'd like to see this company grow," Mechlem said.\nNewman said his ultimate goal for BMF is to build it into a fully independent small music video company. Although the scope of the studio is still relatively small, it shows signs of growth. \nMany of the videos Newman has directed have received widespread airplay on the Indianapolis Music Channel, and one of his Gentlemen Caller videos is currently a finalist in a competition and the No Exit Music Video Festival in New Jersey. In addition, BMF was recently approached by Secretly Canadian Records, a Bloomington record label, to create a treatment for singer Damien Jurado. \nIt is with this kind of growth that Newman feels it will be possible for BMF to take on new kinds of projects. This week he will be shooting a live concert DVD for McMillin, and in October, he will begin work on his first short film.\n"The progress, the growth is just amazing," said McMillin. "They're really, really talented. It'll be cool to see all that they can do."
Maintaining balance
Each music video shoot lasts one or two days, and sometimes a full day of shooting will run up to 17 hours. As busy as he is, though, Newman recognizes he is building up a base of experience that will be invaluable once he graduates.\n"It's important that I gain every ounce of knowledge that I can," he said. "Because when this is all said and done, then I have a real business that I have to run and operate."\nIn spite of these challenges, the BMF staff is energetic and always willing to work, said McMillin.\nThe now beardless Newman admits he is constantly seeking new talent and new horizons for BMF.\n"All I want to do is work," he said. "(I'm) always open for anything"
