Twirling At Ole Miss

Bio – John M. Tyson

John M. Tyson’s love of film and storytelling led him to the world of filmmaking at a young age. Since his induction, JT has worked as an editor, cinematographer, director, producer, and assistant director on a diverse range of projects. Throughout his career, JT has enjoyed working with a number of acclaimed directors and a diverse group of talent ranging from sports giants and supermodels to academy award winning actors.

JT’s directorial debut came with a national campaign spot for the National Lacrosse League (NLL) that aired nationwide during the winter of 1999. A competitive Lacrosse athlete during his youth, directing this spot was a special moment for JT. He worked closely with the sport’s leading players and created a collection of images from a variety of media, including 35mm film, 16mm and Live Broadcast, to create a dynamic vision of the different facets of the sport. Following the NLL spot, JT directed the commercial for “Sideman,” the 1999 Tony Award winning Broadway play. The spot starred the original cast, including Emmy Award winning Edie Falco (“Sopranos,” “OZ,” “Nurse Jackie”), and combined stage play action with motion graphics in homage to the classic “Blue Note” jazz album. Narrated by the great Jazz DJ Michael Bourne (WBGO), the spot premiered during that year’s Tony Award Celebration. JT both directed and produced the award-winning documentary “Portraits of Possibility,” a low-budget documentary featuring Olympic Class blind athletes. The United States Association of Blind Athletes sponsored the project; “Portraits” has won several awards including the Silver Apple award at the Oakland Educational Film Festival.

In 2009 JT directed a spot for Pepsi Co. and NASCAR featuring racing superstar Jeff Gordon and hip hop star Pharell Williams, that aired during ESPN’s showcase of the Pepsi 500 NASCAR race. JT was a great fit for this project in part because of his experience working with world class athletes including Derek Jeter, Brett Favre, Charles Barkley, Vinnie Testaverde, Michael Strayhan, John Kruk and John MacEnroe.

Much of JT’s resume represents his extensive experience on both feature films and commercials. In film he has collaborated with industry giants, most recently, Keanu Reeves in “Henry’s Crime” and “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee,” “Redacted” directed by Brian de Palma, “Gracie,” directed by Academy Award winner Davis Guggenheim, “Chasing Amy,” directed by Kevin Smith and starring Ben Affleck, “Casa de Los Babys,” directed by John Sayles and starring Daryl Hannah, “The Ballad of Jack and Rose,” directed by Rebecca Miller and starring Daniel Day-Lewis, and many other films including “Claire Dolan,” “The Substance of Fire,” “I Shot Andy Warhol,” “Twelve Monkeys.”

JT’s producer credits include Associate Producer on “Walking to the Waterline,” for which he was also the First AD, starring Alan Ruck and Matthew Broderick. JT also received an Associate Producer credit on “Duane Hopwood,” which starred John Krasinski, David Schwimmer and Janine Garofalo.

JT’s commercial clients include HBO, CNN, MTV, VH-1, Spike TV, ABC, TNT, NBC, IFC, Fox TV, FX, Nickelodeon, Lifetime, Travelers Insurance, Nike, The US Open, AT&T, Burger King, AMC Theaters, Mabelline, Estee Lauder, and the promo for “Project Runway”, amongst others. Through this commercial experience JT has worked closely with great talents including Kristy Turlington, Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista, Heidi Klum, Tim McGraw, Susan Sarandon, Jeff Goldbloom, Jennifer Connelly, Jenna Elfman, Richard Geere, David Schwimmer, Tracy Morgan, Howard Stern, and Kid Rock, to name a few.

John Tyson graduated with a Master of Arts from The London International Film School.
When not traveling the world racking up frequent flyer miles, JT lives in New York City.