Film or music: It’s all about telling stories

ASHEBORO — Ryan Camp is producing music again after giving it up to make films.

The 1999 Southwestern Randolph High School graduate had chosen film making over music a decade ago and formed Camp Films to create low-budget movies, videotape weddings and work with local businesses.

“Music has been a big part of my life but 10 years ago I gave it up,” Camp said Oct. 2. “Now, it’s like meeting a long-lost friend. When you’re inspired, you go ahead and do it.”

One of the fruits of that inspiration is his single, “The Cost,” a recording that came out Sept. 30. It’s just one cut of nine songs from the album Veilen, scheduled for a Dec. 26 release. Meanwhile, Camp plans to release another single on Oct. 31 and still another in November.

His music is available on a number of sites including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. He also has a Youtube site under Camp Films.

Camp describes the music on the album as a “blend (of) acoustic/alternative rock, haunting Americana, and a dark Western atmosphere — drawing influence from Alice In Chains, Hozier, and The Calling.”

Commenting on The Cost, Camp said it “features contributions from several talented musicians and was mastered by legendary NC producer Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, Soften the Glare). Physical editions on both vinyl and CD will also be available.”

Of interest to local music fans, Camp said members of Southbound 49 played on The Cost recording.

The lyrics of The Cost, he said, have a spiritual connotation with the message of “learning to choose our battles wisely. Not letting something come between you and what you believe in.”

Camp said his spirituality comes from being raised in a Baptist church. “A large part of my life journey … inspired the lyrics and my life. It comes through in my music.”

He got his start in music as lead singer for a local rock band called Cynder. They even produced their own music videos. 

In 2004 the band auditioned for a spot in MTV’s reality show, “The Battle for Ozzfest,” working with Ozzie and Sharon Osbourne. 

Cynder was chosen to compete against several other bands for the grand prize. Cynder went to the finale and wound up in second place.

When he came back home, Camp said, he “had to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. Film and video seemed natural.”

That goes back to his teenage years when he and friends used a camcorder to make primitive videos. He started a Youtube channel called The Piedmont Motion Picture Show to post his films and offer advice and resources to aspiring filmmakers. 

One of Camp’s high school classmates was Ty Brueilly, originator of the Sunset Film Festival held in Asheboro. A couple of Camp’s films were shown during the festival in January of this year.

So don’t get the idea that the multi-talented Camp has now left filmmaking for producing music.

“I’m still filming,” he said. “I hope to have a new horror film for Halloween. I’ve been focused more on music but I still do film.”

In fact, Camp is combining the two genres by creating music videos, such as one for The Cost.

“I look forward to a lot more,” he said. “And I’m writing more music.”

Whether it’s film or music, the bottom line for Camp: It’s all about telling stories.