Enamoured by the creative process of writing and filmmaking at a young age, Ryan always knew he wanted to be a storyteller. Growing up in the 80s and 90s with westerns and movies like Die Hard and Rambo, he began writing at the age of young of seven with a Lethal Weapon inspired, short story about a good cop taking out the bad guys.

Years later in a junior high drama class he wrote and acted in a play about a patient who experiences a series horrific events while under anaesthesia at the dentist, for which he received much praise from his teachers and classmates.

Graduating in 2006 from the Lethbridge College with a diploma in journalism, Ryan began writing freelance for local papers. But the desire to write novels and for film was never far from his mind, and the idea of going to film school to learn how to write screenplays became a possibility.

In 2006, while working part time in a local grocery store's produce department Ryan became friends with coworkers Aaron and Kevin, who's 2008 T.V. pilot "Making It" he would later appear in.

Now introduced to independent filmmaking, and impressed by the success of "Making It," Ryan joined Aaron and Kevin as a writer and producer on their new endeavour "Hoodoo Voodoo."