Non-Profit · Film & Sound Studio · Boulder, Colorado
Reality Ranch
Research Institute
Colorado's first state-of-the-art full-service film and sound studio — built for the world, from the land
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Non-Profit · Film & Sound Studio · Boulder, Colorado
Research Institute
Colorado's first state-of-the-art full-service film and sound studio — built for the world, from the land
Our Mission
Reality Ranch Research Institute is a Colorado non-profit organization dedicated to education, training, research, and innovation in film, video, DSD Pro, Dolby Vision and Atmos, and the groundbreaking technologies shaping the future of entertainment — working all the way back to the birth of the industry and its contributions to society.
Located between Boulder and Estes Park, we are building a state-of-the-art destination facility in preparation for the Sundance Film Festival coming to Boulder in 2027. We will work alongside Sundance and the Redford Center to provide for their current and future needs — and showcase innovation in technology, media, and entertainment to visitors from around the world.
We hire Disabled Veterans and local citizens for a wide range of positions, and engage retired professors and professionals to teach, research, and preserve the history of entertainment technology.
Reality Ranch is based on the law of thirds; one third goes to the people of the project, one third goes to the community, and one third goes to the future.
What We Do
A certified destination for the most demanding professionals in the industry. Our studio holds certifications across all major movie streaming services, Dolby Vision, DTS, Dolby Atmos, and Lucas Films — providing the full spectrum of post-production capability under one carbon-negative roof.
We provide education and fundraising opportunities for our community and the needs of state and local governments. Disabled Veterans and local citizens fill a range of roles; retired professors and working professionals teach and research entertainment technology — from digital cinema's cutting edge to the earliest days of the industry.
The studio itself is a statement. Non-profit oversight. Fully self-sustaining. Carbon negative. Fireproof. Groundbreaking design built with hempcrete and hemp block — materials that store the CO₂ they absorb for the lifetime of the building, and last 200–300 years.
Reality Ranch Research Institute is an independent research and educational organization — providing education and fundraising opportunities for our community and the needs of state and local governments.
Studio Vision
"Our goal is to build, maintain and manage a destination facility for Filmmakers, Sound & Vision Professionals, Students, Faculty and interested visitors from around the World."
— Reality Ranch Research Institute · Mission Statement
Studio Construction Research
The Reality Ranch studio will be constructed with hempcrete and hemp block — materials at the frontier of sustainable building science. Here is the research behind why.
Studio Materials · 2025
Carbon-negative by nature, fire resistant by composition — and ideal for a professional sound studio. Hempcrete's natural density and breathability provide acoustic mass and moisture regulation without chemical treatments.
Future Technology · 2025
Prefab panels, smart sensor-embedded walls, and hybrid systems are transforming hempcrete from an artisanal technique to a scalable, precision construction method. Won't burn. Stores heat. Stores carbon for the life of the building.
Material Science · 2025
How the industrial hemp plant's hurds, fiber, and core become hempcrete walls, fiber insulation, panel boards, and reinforcing materials — grown in under 4 months, with no synthetic pesticides.
Systems Research · 2025
Conventional structures last 30–50 years. An ecological building made of wood, hemp, and clay lasts 200–300. The Reality Ranch studio is designed as a generational asset — and a model for what comes next.
In Production
Five-year-old Natalie suffers from a rare disease of unknown origin. Her father David watches helplessly as she endures painful experimental treatment — until he discovers the true nature of her affliction and faces making the ultimate sacrifice to save his child.
Production Partners
Reality Ranch Research Institute collaborates with leading independent production companies and audio engineers whose work reflects our shared commitment to story, craft, and community.
A Colorado-based production company founded in 2022, specializing in family-friendly, Christmas-themed feature films — stories of resilience, romance, and the holiday spirit.
An independent film production company with a diverse slate spanning holiday romantic comedies, thrillers, and dramatic features — including the upcoming feature White Sycamore.
Colorado-based actor, producer, and casting director. Lyle DeRose brings both on-screen presence and behind-the-scenes experience to independent film — with producing credits spanning holiday features, thrillers, and dramatic films.
Award-winning writer, director, and producer based in Denver, Colorado. A founding member of Enchanted Valley Productions, Cahill began his career at 19 when Walt Disney Company optioned one of his TV-movie scripts. He has worked across virtually every production role — from PA through cinematography, editing, and directing — on feature films, documentaries, and television.
Colorado-based independent film producer with credits spanning holiday features and dramatic films. Producer, Engineer, Sound Designer, Radio Host, Film Maker, Serendipitist, Zen Novice, & Dreamer. ✌🏼
A seasoned Colorado entertainer — fingerstyle guitarist, vocalist, musicologist, and recording engineer. House musician at Ritz Carlton locations in Beaver Creek, Lake Tahoe, and Denver since 2003. His sound spans Americana, blues, bluegrass, folk, jazz, swing, funk, and classical, with influences ranging from Keb Mo and Ry Cooder to Chet Atkins and Bonnie Raitt.
DSD pioneer and President of Super Audio Center in Boulder, Colorado. Gus Skinas has been one of the foremost engineers in high-resolution audio for over two decades — mastering and authoring SACD and DSD releases for some of the most celebrated recordings in jazz, rock, classical, and pop.
Our Network
Reality Ranch Research Institute is honored to be connected with an extraordinary community of artists, athletes, innovators, public servants, and supporters from across the country and around the world.
Get in Touch
Whether you are a filmmaker, student, educator, potential partner, or simply curious about what we are building — we would love to hear from you. Reality Ranch Research Institute welcomes collaborators, supporters, and visitors from around the world.