OC Communication alumnus featured for his latest film

Oklahoma Christian University alumnus Kyle Roberts has a lengthy list of successes as an Oklahoma City filmmaker. While receiving Emmy Awards is impressive, he may be most proud of his reputation for creating high-quality, family-friendly storytelling. 

Roberts’ latest film, “What Rhymes with Reason,” was featured for just that reason recently in the OKC Friday newspaper. Written by respected film professional Lance McDaniel, who served for years as executive director of the deadCenter Film Festival, the article highlights Roberts’ reputation. 

“Roberts combines his love of family-friendly storytelling and his mastery of stop-motion animation to serve a roster of big-name clients, including DreamWorks, Disney, Nickelodeon, LEGO, Hasbro, National Geographic and Mattel,” McDaniel said. 

He also praised Roberts’ latest film for helping create jobs for more than 70 Oklahoma actors and crew members. 

“What Rhymes with Reason” is a modern adaptation of the Book of Job, set in Oklahoma City. It tells the story of a high school student who, lost in the darkness of depression, journeys into the mountains with his friend to discover how to overcome dangers of the wild, the burdens of youth and the difficult path to adulthood.

"This story is about real teenagers wrestling with real problems,” Roberts to the newspaper. “The number one reason teens do not get help is because they don’t know how to ask for it. The teens of today are seeking answers to big questions, and our film offers a tangible starting place for finding those answers.”

Roberts graduated from OC with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and Corporate Media. Roberts’ first feature film was “The Posthuman Project,” which he showed at OC after its theatrical run. It is a coming-of-age teen superhero film that uses superpowers as a metaphor for adolescence. The film won Best Oklahoma Film at deadCenter and 14 other film festival awards, including seven for Best Feature and one for Best Director at the Orlando Film Festival. 

Earlier in his career, Roberts produced a popular music show called “Static” that received so many views on YouTube that he was selected to compete on the SYFY network’s first season of “Viral Video Showdown.” Roberts also recently produced a 16-episode series for eOne Television called “NERF House Showdown.”

Assistant Professor of Communication Dave Jurney enjoys hosting Roberts in his classes to help prepare the next generation of Christian filmmakers.