KP: The first film was centered around my identity as a professional athlete – the fate of which I left open ended, questioning whether or not I was going to continue to commit to the game. I also withheld a lot of the truth in Shifting Gears I until I found the courage to have a more tell-all approach when it came to telling the story on the second film. Regarding technique in production, the second film had two shooters, Lorenzo Salas and Mike Smith, who helped capture b-roll and footage of me coaching my high school team. I can definitely see growth in the quality of production and my journey as a filmmaker/story teller from the first to second film.
FLM: Now that you have two films under your belt, what are your goals moving forward as a filmmaker and content producer?
KP: I want to just stay in my lane. I want to develop my cinematography skills within my niche, which is storytelling and documentaries. I’m finding my swag with that and people like the way I tell their stories and find their soul on camera. I don’t want to be put in a box, but I understand now that I have to build that craft so as to hopefully work with artists like Kanye and those who may have had a struggle or a transitional period in their life where they’d like to say their piece, their way. So, if I have a production house that’s based on feeling and authenticity, I’d be able to express their story through intentional production and visual ambience.
FLM: When fans flock to see a Kyle Prater produced film in the future, what should they expect to see?
KP: I’m still freshly new to this and I certainly don’t want to act like I’ve made it, nor shit on the creatives who have dedicated their entire careers and lives to this craft that I am just getting a handle on. With that being said, I am confident in my creative intuitions and techniques as they continue to develop, and I know I will produce a good and increasingly better quality of work every time. So that’s what I hope they can look forward to.