Lay of The Land #221: Ryan Kelly (Substance) — Building Cleveland’s Film Industry
Ryan Kelly is a filmmaker, entrepreneur, and partner of Substance, a film and television production company based in Cleveland.
What if Northeast Ohio had the infrastructure to support large-scale film productions? That question first took root when Ryan found himself on the set of Cherry—a feature film shot in Cleveland by the Russo Brothers, the acclaimed Cleveland-born directors behind Avengers and Captain America—soaking in the experience of working alongside Hollywood heavyweights in his hometown.
What followed was Ryan’s relentless pursuit of that vision and his work to build up Northeast Ohio’s film industry.
Before founding Substance, Ryan co-founded TRG Sound & Vision alongside industry veterans Adam Wilde and Geoff Yaw. TRG boasts one of the largest sound stages in the Midwest: 160,000 square feet of studio space, a Virtual Production Wall, a 40' by 60' cyclorama wall, and 40 semi-permanent sets staffed by skilled industry professionals to meet the demands of large productions.
As a filmmaker, Ryan is the director and producer of the docuseries WrestleHer, which tells the story behind sanctioning high school girls’ wrestling in Ohio and the generation of athletes growing the sport.
Ryan’s journey is a powerful blend of artistic conviction and entrepreneurial grit. In our conversation, we explore how he carved a path into the film industry from scratch as a touring musician and drummer, what he learned from working alongside others in the industry—like Transition Studios, whose story was shared by Shawn Rech in Episode 85 of Lay of The Land—and how he approaches creative risk, storytelling, and making Cleveland a true contender on the national production map.
00:00:00 - From Punk Rock to Filmmaking: A Journey of Artistry
00:08:08 - Navigating the Filmmaking Landscape: Players and Perspectives
00:13:16 - The Evolution of TRG: A Hub for Creative Production
00:21:11 - The Artist-Entrepreneur Duality: Balancing Creativity and Business
00:28:19 - Cleveland's Potential: A Production Hub in the Making
00:33:35 - The Birth of Substance: A New Identity
00:40:51 - The Multifaceted Role of a Filmmaker
00:47:36 - Inspiring Projects and Personal Connections
00:55:00 - Hidden Gem
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Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.
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Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.
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