Written by Max Holm, USC blog contributor
On May 13, 2006, USC point guard Ryan Francis was shot and killed in his hometown of Baton Rouge, LA. He was just 19 years old. Ten years later, filmmaker TaRhonda Bazille produced a documentary shedding light on Francis' life, entitled "The Ryan Francis Story." USC social media intern Max Holm caught up with Bazille to discuss the making of the film.
Max Holm (MH): Before getting into the specific film on Ryan Francis I wanted to ask you about your background in film.
TaRhonda Bazille (TB): So I actually don't necessarily have a background in film. This is actually my first documentary that I've been blessed to be a part of. I do have a strong passion for stories, sharing stories, telling stories. That's kind of how I got into it. I wrote a book previously, so to be able to do something visually made everything OK for me. I actually have a degree in engineering so it's kind of weird, because I write as well, and the two are so different. I get asked, 'How did you get into engineering or how did you get into writing?' But as a child I always enjoyed writing and it just kind of manifested.
MH: So with this being your first film, why this story? Why Ryan Francis? What drew you to it?
TB: I would say that there are two main things that led me to tell Ryan's story. The first was his mother, Ms. Paulette. We have a really good relationship. We're very close. And I know how broken she was from the tragic loss of her only child, Ryan. Two years ago I realized that she would have conversations, whether it was me and her talking or other people, but there was always one thing you knew not to discuss and that was Ryan. It was the elephant in the room. So I wanted to change that for her. I wanted to help change her most painful memory into something special. So I went to her and got permission, and I kept her close throughout the entire process.
And then the second reason is pretty much because I've lost a lot of friends to gun violence, so much that it became the norm. And it's like, 'Oh it's another sad story,' but then it happens again. So when I looked at Ryan's life and everything that he accomplished, I truly believed that he has the platform to inspire change. So those were the two main things that led me to tell his story.
MH: Now with this film submitted to film festivals, what do you hope to achieve with this film?
TB: I'd say there are three things I truly hope to achieve: the first would be healing for his mother, the second is for people to understand that our children truly do need us and there is a major problem with violence in our inner city youth, and the third is I pretty much want people to know and remember Ryan Francis.
MH: When did you start working on the film and how long did it take start to finish?
TB: I started working on it toward the end of 2014, so almost two years. It's funny because a few years prior to me actually beginning this, my brother came to me and asked if I would do a movie about their team, because he played with Ryan in high school. I told him I'd consider but couldn't make any promises because it was such a big story, and it's the type of story you can't touch unless you give 200 percent. So I knew it would take all of my heart. When I finally felt it was time I started with making the documentary.
MH: So when did you end up wrapping up the film, final takes, edits and all?
TB: I finished all of the interviews in December of 2015. And then I took about three months to transcribe everything. I took all the interviews and detailed them word for word and created this whole Excel sheet. It was over 500 pages, it was crazy. It made the editing process so much easier, though, because I knew where everything was, who said what. I finished the editing in late July, early August.
MH: So especially since this was the first film you've worked on, what were the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of this whole process for you?
TB: I would say that from start to finish, I enjoyed the entire process. It had a lot of challenges and so many points where things could have stopped it from being completed or coming to life, but it just kept going. I think between all of the families, working schedules, gaining and giving trust --- these were people I did not know before --- it was amazing that they loved Ryan so much that they talked to me and we built these relationships. Them trusting me with their image on camera, to me that was pretty amazing. Meeting people from all walks of life all for the love of Ryan really was a big deal.
MH: Along those lines, having met all those people, who were the most interesting people you talked to? Were there any moments that stood out looking back, where you thought to yourself, 'Wow, that was really special?'
TB: I did, but to be honest I interviewed 27 people and each and every one of them was compelling. Honestly, no lie, there were so many amazing storylines. I believe that everyone can relate to at least one person or story line in the documentary. So many emotions and different stories were shared. It was unbelievable. But they all had something unique. It's crazy because many of them said some of the same things. So people were picking up off of one another and it's how you know they were telling the truth. A lot of them had very compelling story lines, from his mom to pretty much all of them. They all just had amazing stories.
MH: So gearing this film toward USC, what do you think USC and the Trojan Family, especially those that don't or didn't know Ryan Francis, can take away from this film about Ryan but also the film in general?
TB: That USC had a great impact on Ryan's life. I think that USC gave him a chance. They helped complete his story, the tail end of his time here on Earth. They took a kid that was from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and they gave him a chance to live his dream. USC changed his life.
Skip to main contentAll Rotators Playing
- BUY TICKETS
- Purchase Now
- Manage My Account
- SeatGeek: Buy or Sell USC Tickets
- Student Tickets
- Group Tickets
- Premium Seating
- Faculty & Staff Tickets
- GAME DAY
- Game Day Central
- Mobile Ticketing Guide
- Campus Parking
- Clear Bag Policy (All Venues)
- Giveaways & Promotions
- Fan Code of Conduct
- ABOUT
- History & Traditions
- Job Opportunities
- Name, Image & Likeness (NIL)
- Recruits
- Staff Directory
- "The State of Troy" Announcements
- DEPARTMENTS
- Academic Services
- Athletic Medicine
- Compliance
- Sport Psychology
- Sports Nutrition
- Sports Properties
- Student-Athlete Enrichment Programs & Services
- Trojan Athletic Senate
- FACILITIES
- United Airlines Field at L.A. Memorial Coliseum
- Galen Center
- Dedeaux Field
- Allyson Felix Field at Loker Track Stadium & Colich Center
- Heritage Hall
- David X. Marks Tennis Stadium
- John McKay Center
- Merle Norman Stadium
- Port of Los Angeles
- Rawlinson Stadium
- Rolling Hills Country Club
- Uytengsu Aquatics Center
- Bloom Football Performance Center
Trojans footer
© 2026 University of Southern California Athletics