"Love You Tyler" exemplifies passion and persistence of Drama alumni

In less than nine minutes, “Love You Tyler” strikes a deep chord with viewers. The film opens as roommates Luke and Tyler discuss Luke’s new girlfriend. An unexpected shift in the conversation prompts the necessity to address aspects of their delicate friendship. The short film, which has screened at a wide range of film festivals and has a home on Omeleto, came to life with the help of a strong cast and crew of UNCSA Drama alumni.

Writer, co-director and producer Devon Diffenderfer (B.F.A. Drama ’13) stars as Luke in the film. He took a break from producer duties to share with us lessons learned from “Love You Tyler” and what students should be focusing on when preparing for their career after UNCSA.

Why is it important to tell the story of “Love You Tyler?” How did your personal experiences or experiences of those close to you contribute to script development?

I first wrote the story because I had a need to act, to be honest. I wasn’t getting any opportunities and thought to myself, “why wait for an audition or for your friends to give you an opportunity?” I could write a role for myself, and create a short that would make people laugh. So, in two nights of writing “Love You Tyler” was born.

It delves into queer identity a bit, as well as how love can be complicated – which I’ve had some experiences with. I think it’s important to question romantic norms and sexual identity sometimes, in this case with awkward comedy, filled with a few surprises and twists.