Ryan Piers Williams was born and raised in El Paso, TX. He graduated from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. Upon graduation, he worked for Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney on several of their productions including “Ocean’s 12,” “Ocean’s 13,” “Goodnight, and Good Luck” and “The Good German.”

Williams has written and directed over 10 short films. In 2004, he was awarded a grant from the Austin Film Society’s Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund and a grant from Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program, both of which were used to make his short film, “Muertas.”

MUERTAS went on to screen at over 14 film festivals including the Austin Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, New York International Latino Film Festival, and Palm Springs Short Festival.

“The Dry Land” is Williams’s first feature film.