In 2008 Ryan was organizing with communities in the Twin Cities in the fight for racial and economic justice. The first film he ever produced was in support of five homeowners facing foreclosure with Bank of America during the economic crisis. After months of protest over fraudulent banking practices, little progress was made in supporting the five families. But one day after releasing the film people from all over the country contacted the bank demanding they negotiate the fraudulent loans with each of the homeowners. They all remained in their homes and Ryan recognized the power of storytelling in creating change in the world.

As a writer, director and producer Ryan has made hundreds of projects from music videos, narrative films, documentaries and commercial work for small businesses. He loves building collaborative teams to support individuals and organizations in bringing their stories to life.

Ryan’s narrative short film serenity won the Audience Award at Twin Cities Film Fest in 2023 and Best Short Film at Portugal Indie Film Fest 2023. His experimental sci-fi musical The Return won best original soundtrack at Trapped Film Festival 2020.