Maryland-based Director James Ryan developed his love for filmmaking at an early age, shooting movies on VHS and mastering the tedious art of VCR-to-VCR editing. While working as a teacher, he spent weekends cleaning houses to save up $5,000, which he used to fund his debut feature, "Life as We Know It." His sophomore effort, "The Girl in the Woods," marks a bold step forward in his evolving career as a filmmaker.