Meet Kyle Tye | Film Director & Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kyle Tye and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kyle, why did you pursue a creative career?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved telling stories. Whether it was through performing a role on stage, writing prose, or making a movie, the opportunity to make people laugh, cry, think or feel something deep within themselves has always driven me to create. Though I enjoyed all of the ways I could tell a story, I was particularly drawn to picking up a camera. When I was 12, I used the family camcorder to shoot a Star Wars movie…using action figures. I fell in love with the magic of moviemaking and decided to make a career out of it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Limitations drive my creativity. While some artists may view them as too restrictive, I find them liberating. They help me weed out all of the overwhelming possibilities and fine-tune the core of the story.

I’ve always gravitated towards movies with a fantasy twist. Though I do love high-fantasy like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, I particularly enjoy when a character living in the mundane, everyday world has their life changed by a bizarre, out-of-the-ordinary event. This breed of storytelling lends itself to tight budgets and resources–limitations I’ve been familiar with since film school. But I’ve prided myself on the movies I’ve been able to create within these boundaries. It sort of feels like doing the impossible.

Although I moved to LA to pursue a directing career, it’s taken me longer than expected to actually…you know, direct. I’ve taken quite a few detours working as an editor, a transcriber, a barista, and even a sales associate at Staples (Dwight Schrute, eat your heart out). Amidst paying the bills, I spent my time soul-searching, trying out old hobbies and new to see what really stuck, what gave me the most joy. I think I just didn’t fully believe that directing was for me. Thankfully it took a few friends who believed in me and offered me opportunities to direct again to remind me of what I love to do the most.

Those opportunities manifested in the form of two short films: ‘Til the World Ends (2022), a sci-fi drama which went to 5 film festivals and the upcoming rom-com Pooped, which I’m currently editing!

I now work as a freelance video producer and editor, but I’m equipped with a renewed focus and drive to make my own films when I can. It isn’t easy to live in a city like LA, especially when you struggle with doubts, fears and the occasional imposter syndrome (all while trying to make a living!). But the thing I’ve found to be most helpful is community: meaningful relationships with people who genuinely care about you and want you to succeed. After all, it takes a village to make a movie; why not cherish the village?

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Coffee at Blue Bottle in Studio City (I used to work there; the coffee is great, but the camaraderie with my old crew is better), a hike at Malibu Creek State Park, a burger at either The Stand or the Habit, a classic movie at Rooftop Cinema Club, a Q&A screening at the LA Film School, brews and video games at Barcade in Highland Park, a craft cocktail at Alchemy in Sherman Oaks, ice cream at McConnell’s in Studio City, and a concert at the Greek.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The love of my life–Maggie Hood. She continually encourages me to stay creative and affirms me as a filmmaker, and since she’s an actor and producer, we find plenty of opportunities to collaborate and support each other. It’s you and me, Mags. I’d also like to shout out my mom and dad for investing in my artistic interests and supporting me throughout my life. And to my sister Kelly–who is also pursuing a creative career–I am so proud to be your brother.

Website: vimeo.com/kyletye

Instagram: @tyefyter

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-tye/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KyleTye13

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4379617/?ref_=tt_ov_dr

Image Credits
Abigail Smith Jon Kopaloff Danielle Beckmann