Alumnus and filmmaker Ty Manns to speak at Wright State

Ty Manns is a graduate of Wright State’s Communication Program, filmmaker and retired Army major.

Terrance “Ty” Manns, a Wright State University alumnus, filmmaker and retired Army major, will give two talks at Wright State.

Manns, who graduated from Wright State’s Communication Program in 1989, will speak to students in the School of Social Sciences and International Studies on Thursday, March 16, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in 112 Oelman Hall.

He will also give the keynote address at Wright State’s Army ROTC Ball on Friday, March 17.

Manns’ talk, “Prepare, Unknown and Expectations,” will center on his time at Wright State and how it helped prepare him for the road ahead.

“One of the critical foundations I stand on now is the experience and the education I gained at Wright State,” he said. “Filmmaking has always been a part of me, writing specifically. I’ve had a creative vibe about me for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved the art and beauty of storytelling. I just took the necessary long road to get to where I am today.”

Wright State’s Veteran and Military Center will also host a free screening of Manns’ film “My Brother’s Keeper” on March 17 from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Manns wrote his first script in 1991 while stationed in Germany but didn’t actively pursue a career in filmmaking until he retired from the U.S. Army after 24 years of service in 2003.

He said he wanted to start his own production company but felt he lacked the necessary management experience, which he began to seek out in the cooperate sector. He worked for and eventually became the CEO and managing director of a small defense sector company.

With that experience under his belt, he finally felt ready to pursue his dream and started Ty Manns Productions in 2013.

In 2017 his feature film “A Question of Faith” premiered in over 600 theaters. His second film, “My Brother’s Keeper,” was released in 2019 as part of the Universal Studios distribution partner and received critical acclaim as a Dove Award-nominated feature film.

He also wrote, produced and directed the 2020 BET Plus original film “Redeemed” and the Impact Network original film “The Life of Me,” which is set to be released in April.

He is currently preparing to produce and direct the film “The Best Christmas Ever” for another major streaming platform.

Manns eventually joined creative forces with Bishop Charles Mackie to form Manns Mackie Studios, Productions and Distribution, which has distributed over 60 movies to various networks and streaming platforms.