For over a decade, I’ve watched Kyree Terrell evolve from a party and event videographer into one of Philadelphia’s most prolific independent filmmakers. I remember when he launched My New Philly, a media platform dedicated to reshaping narratives about our city, capturing joy, possibility, and what was “new” and often overlooked. He led teams of young journalists and filmmakers through our neighborhoods with cameras and curiosity, documenting stories that uplifted and inspired.

Today, through Focused Studios, Kyree is in full creative bloom, writing, directing, and producing as many as three feature-length films per year. Several of his works are streaming on Tubi, a platform that has become a haven for emerging indie filmmakers. But watching his work online is one thing; witnessing it in a theater, surrounded by an audience erupting in laughter, is another. I recently attended a screening of Rent-A-Bae, starring Raelia Lewis, Tata Sherise, and Syreeta Ocile. From start to finish, the theater pulsed with energy and laughter. It felt like watching a star hone his craft in real-time, film by film, taking a devoted community with him every step of the way.

In this conversation, we talk about legacy, lessons, and the love it takes to build something lasting.

Jos Duncan-Asé: Kyree, can you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?

Kyree Terrell: I’m a self-taught filmmaker from Philadelphia. I started Focused Studios in 2011 to tell the kinds of stories I felt were missing, authentic, vibrant, Black stories that feel good and last. I’m heavily influenced by films from the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s. Back then, I think we loved ourselves a little more, and we told stories that affirmed us. Somewhere along the way, we lost that thread, and I wanted to pick it back up.

Jos: What sparked your passion for performance and storytelling?

Kyree: It started when I was a kid at Beeber Middle School. I wasn’t popular, just kind of flew under the radar. But I decided to do Kriss Kross’s “Jump” in the school talent show. I remember running all the way to school that morning so I wouldn’t miss my spot. That feeling of being on stage, making people move with me, it was electric. I was out of breath, barely had my outfit together, but I did it. And that moment stuck with me. It made me realize I had to be in front of people.

Jos: And how did filmmaking come into play?

Kyree: After years of rapping, singing, and modeling, I hit a wall. I was in a modeling competition where I gave everything I had, and I lost for reasons that had nothing to do with talent. That ride home changed my life. I said, “Never again will I give that much just to have someone else say ‘no’.” I decided right then to become a filmmaker to tell the stories I always wished someone would tell. I didn’t know how, but I was determined. I got a job at Comcast just to buy a Canon 7D, studied nonstop, and shot everything I could. I turned events into short stories, wrote scripts, and stayed up late learning camera and lighting techniques. It became an obsession.

Jos: Who are your creative influences?

Kyree: Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, they shaped my humor and style. I had VHS tapes of their shows and watched them over and over. Spike Lee, John Singleton, Denzel, and Fishburne were my cinematic heroes. They gave us characters with depth, stories that hit. I learned that it’s okay to be influenced as long as you stay true to your own voice.