The real estate business. The music industry. Self-made man. Bankruptcy. Federal prison. Not the usual career path for a writer-director. But Lyle is not your normal creative-hyphenate. As a writer for the past 15 years he has been weaving his life experiences in and out of fictional characters – a tour in the Marine Corps as an Intelligence Analyst, brushes with both sides of the law, the real Miami Vice, and more. Now he is putting his experiences to work behind the camera.

Lyle has been methodically preparing for his current (pre)occupation: Filmmaking. His professional studies have included a stint at UCLA’s Writers Studio, Seattle’s TheFilmSchool, and many other professional screenwriting programs, including the fine McKee story seminars. He has been represented and optioned, but never produced. Until now.

His film career took off in 2005, when he and his co-producers (Roma Holmes and Janet Jennings) began making films under the Directors, Ltd. banner.

Their first film, Last Stand, was written and directed by Lyle. The horror film is currently in post production being stylized by RotoCartFX™—an animation process designed to enhance character and action traits. A process created by Lyle. (For a writer-director, Lyle has an unusually advanced understanding of today’s technology. He is equally comfortable on the set and at the post house. Lyle is Final Cut certified by Apple.)

Meanwhile, the second film from Directors, Ltd., Lost On The B Side, also written and directed by Lyle, is in the can and heading out to festivals. The movie features the music of 26 indie bands from nine countries around the world. Lyle was intimately involved in the entire process, including editing and scoring the film. There are an incredible 46 songs on the soundtrack.

Asked about any aspect of filmmaking, and his latest picture in particular, Lyle is willing to launch into a hardy discussion that can easily consume several cups of coffee and a Danish or two. It’s his hands on experience, combined with a very studied approach, that gives Lyle a depth of knowledge that is surprising even to experienced pros.

However, when asked how he came up with the story for Lost On The B Side—the story of a young music executive whose life goes to hell when he meets the wrong woman—the usually effusive Lyle wants to quickly change the subject away from his own turbulent years in the music business. (Things that make you go, “hmmm?”)

Lyle currently lives in Seattle with his family (wife, Janet Jennings, and two children ages 10 and 14). He is working to complete the post on Last Stand, writing his next screenplay, blogging, and preparing for his upcoming shoot, a family comedy.