Troy McCall was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota in 1979. He spent his youth establishing himself as an artist, exploring painting, drawing, and photography. At the age of 13, McCall got hold of a family member's camcorder and started creating short films, taking on the roles of writer, director, and actor for many of them. After graduating from high school, he initially pursued a degree in architecture, but his greater interest in the film industry led him to attend a panel at the 2001 Hollywood Film Festival, where he decided to pursue a career in film. At this festival, he met Tom Tangen, an independent actor/producer, who invited McCall to the Sundance Film Festival to assist with Presswork for Elusive Entertainment. In 2008, McCall graduated with a bachelor's degree in filmmaking from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.