Dyer’s Path to Purpose
by Caylin Anderson
The roar of engines echoed from across the Iraqi desert as convoys rolled through Camp Taji. In the middle of the chaos was a young communications specialist named Tristan Dyer, carrying more than just radio equipment. Dyer took the stories of his fellow soldiers, stories that the world might never hear unless he told them.
Dyer often found himself standing around the television screen with his fellow soldiers, eyes glued to the screen as it displayed moving pictures. Television often serves as a form of distraction, allowing individuals to unwind and watch something enjoyable after a long day at work. However, this was not the case for Dyer. The television was seemingly stuck on news channels, with reporters elaborating on strategy and attacks. These news stations refused, however, to elaborate upon the “human element.”
“Soldiers were portrayed as though they were made by cookie cutters, all the same. I knew then that I could represent this depiction of soldiers at war in a much better light,” stated Dyer.
As soon as Dyer received his honorable discharge from the military, he decided to take it upon himself to depict the stories of soldiers at war through the art of visual journalism. He aimed to capture the raw, unfiltered humanity of soldiers, showcasing their struggles, camaraderie and resilience in ways that the news failed to convey.
Through his work, Dyer sought to humanize the soldiers, offering a poignant and personal perspective that resonated deeply with audiences worldwide.
Photography was just a stepping stone for Dyer. While attending the Brooks Institute of Photography and earning a bachelor's in visual journalism, something deep inside him awoke—his passion for documentary film.
While at the Brooks Institute, Dyer worked tirelessly on “The Other Way Out,” a film depicting one woman escaping a 15-year addiction to opiates. The film is entirely narrated by the woman, recalling the experience of her addiction and the use of a controversial method of recovery called Ibogaine. Her story is illustrated through stop-motion animation and time-lapse photography.
The film won the 2009 Best Animation award at the New England Film Festival, along with an Alliance for Community Media award for best non-professional animation.
“The Other Way Out” was only the beginning for Dyer. The following year, Dyer contributed to a documentary series titled “Operation In Their Boots,” which features the work of five veterans-turned-filmmakers. The documentaries depict the devastating impact of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. All five of the films premiered on November 9, 2010, at the Downtown Independent in Los Angeles, California.
Dyer's documentary in the “Operation In Their Boots” series is titled Enduring Erebus.
“Enduring Erebus was shot using stop motion animation. The common theme among the people in my film is that they can't sleep very well,” stated Dyer in an interview with NPR.
Dyer's documentary focused on substance abuse among veterans. Four veterans—three men and a woman—provided the narrative for his film.
The film highlights the struggles these veterans face as they cope with their experiences, using vivid imagery to convey the emotional toll of war. Through their stories, Dyer sheds light on the challenges of reintegration into civilian life and the ongoing battle with addiction.
After dedicating countless hours to work in film and documentary, Dyer has found himself at Piedmont University with a desire to pursue a career in academics as an assistant professor teaching film and documentary production classes.
Though this is his first semester teaching at Piedmont, Dyer and his family moved to Habersham County in 2020 from Southern California.
“My son was just about to enter kindergarten, and California was on super strict quarantine lockdowns,” Dyer explained. “My parents lived in Sautee, and we had been visiting for 10 or so years and loved the area. We made the leap so my son could have the country childhood that we had in Maine, as well as being able to attend school in person and to be close to some of his grandparents.”
Dyer has taken easily to his role in overseeing the film and documentary production major, hoping to bring a “figure it out” spirit.
“Making a film is like a giant set of obstacles on the way to the goal of telling a certain story. I feel the most fun part of creating films is coming up with clever ways to get around or through those obstacles. Sometimes those solutions lead to a really compelling aspect of the film.”
While Dyer is new to the mass communication department, he is determined to bring his ideas to life.
“Making the best possible choices on gear that would maximize the students’ learning and creativity is my immediate goal. Piedmont is a smaller school compared to institutions like UGA or Georgia Tech, but the knowledge and skills across the campus are vast. We have some very talented students and those talents could really benefit a lot of people outside of our little corner of campus,” stated Dyer.
As the film major continues to grow, so will Dyer’s determination to become a better filmmaker, assist students in creating something great, and inspire future generations.