He got hooked on show business at UNT. Now this director is up for a NAACP Image Award

College, they say, is a time to determine what you want to do with the rest of your life.

For Arlington’s Trey Haley, that didn’t take much time at all.

“My first job was working as a cable programmer at Sammon Cable, which was the local cable company at the time, while I was attending the University of North Texas,” Haley recalled. “While working there I had access to the editing bay and I would hone my skills and cut all types of teasers and trailers for my personal use.

“I remember being up at all hours in the night and losing track of time when I was editing. It was during my time at Sammon Cable and while, at the same time, reading scripts, attending film festivals, watching and learning more about the process of creating motion pictures while at University of North Texas — I knew 100% this is what I wanted to do.”

Haley, an Arlington Lamar graduate, is now 47 and is a rising director in the entertainment industry. He is also the president of Tri Destined Studios in Los Angeles.

And he is up for a NAACP Image Award when the honors are announced at 7 p.m. Feb. 25 on BET.

Among his most notable works are the popular BET+ Original Series “The Family Business” and the mini-series “The Black Hamptons.” He has directed every episode of each, which includes 42 for the former and four for the latter. Season 4 of “The Family Business” reached the top spot in Amazon Prime viewings last season.

Both television shows are both based on novels by New York Times bestselling novelist Carl Weber. In 2022, Haley won a HAPA (Hollywood African Prestige Award) for best director of a television series for “The Family Business.”

“’The Family Business’ and ‘The Black Hamptons’ depict the power and strength of family. As a director being able to take his fan-favorite stories from book to screen is an exciting process,” Haley said. “Delving inside Carl’s mind to learn about the nuances of his characters in order to bring his visions to life has truly been an incredible journey. My business partner, Nikaya D. Brown Jones, who is also the executive producer and co-show runner for both of the shows, has a successful track record with Carl.

“As far as directing every episode, I didn’t become involved in these shows with that as a goal. But the creative process between Carl, Nikaya and myself has worked out so well we figured why mess with a winning formula because the networks — BET and BET Plus — have been very happy with the end results. And there is so much more to come.”

Breaking into the business

After leaving college, Haley’s first job in the entertainment industry was as a production assistant on a music video for Michael Bivens — a member of the legendary R&B Group New Edition. A week prior, he met the music video’s director, Darren Grant, on the set of another music video he was directing, where Grant, one of the industry’s top music video directors, gave him some valuable advice.

“He gave me a few nuggets about the industry and how to get in it. He said getting a job as a PA was a good start because I would have an opportunity to literally see all that goes on behind the scenes from start to finish. It would also be a great way to start networking with other producers and members of the crew,” Haley recalled.

Grant also told him about another music video he was shooting the following week and connected him with the producers.

“Prior to meeting Darren and landing a job as one of his PA’s, I was working a 9 to 5 job in L.A. trying to figure out how to work full-time in the movie business,” Haley said. “I’m grateful to Darren for sharing his wisdom and the opportunity he gave me because it was my first job on a production in the industry.”

The list of who’s who in entertainment Haley has worked with is plentiful. It includes the likes of Ernie Hudson, Armand Asante, Billy Dee Williams, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Anthony Hamilton, Yvette Nicole Brown and Nick Turturro.

“I’ve been working as a professional actor for over 50 years. I can honestly say that Trey is among the best directors I have ever had the honor of working with,” Hudson said. “Trey has that rare intuitive quality that very few directors have, the ability to listen and to trust the actor’s process. He encourages everyone to explore and bring out their absolute best work. His trust and confidence, and his inclusive spirit is an inspiration to everyone on the production.”

Haley has worked with the production companies of Morgan Freeman (Revelations Entertainment) and Quinton Tarantino (A Band Apart). With Freeman’s company, he was part of a six-month internship program.

“Working with Morgan Freeman’s company Revelations Entertainment was incredible. It was really an eye-opening learning experience. I was able to do coverage, which is a script reviewing process for the company while also getting an inside look into what it actually takes to make a film, in real time from development to production,” Haley said, still excited years later at the memory.

“I would encourage anyone looking to understand what it takes to get a project off the ground to explore internships. I was able to learn valuable information about running a production company and working with creatives which helped prepare me for my role as President/Partner at Tri Destined Studios. As an intern, I was able to see the pitch decks and the company executives shared a wealth of knowledge with all of the interns which expanded our learning curve tremendously.”

Giving back

Haley still vividly recalls how excited he was as a youngster to absorb everything in the business he could learn. In fact, he often does presentations and hands-on work with students at colleges and universities.

“When I’m not on set directing or producing, I really enjoy mentoring and conducting master classes for high school and college students who are interested in pursuing careers both in front of and behind the camera,” he said.

Haley’s advice and insight was more than just a lecture for students, said Ronald Diltz II, course director of project and portfolio/digital cinematography at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.

“It was an opportunity for them to be inspired and encouraged that anything is possible, when you work hard and stay persistent,” he said.

Ultimately, Haley was drawn to directing and producing for one reason above all. He loves telling stories visually and the power that a story well-told can have on lives. He said telling a story from his perspective and changing the way someone looks at life, such as taking away their stress for an hour or two, is both satisfying and intriguing.

“Both directing and producing have the power to change and save the lives of people in so many important ways. I also enjoy collaborating with other creative minds and taking something from the page to screen. I love the entire process,” he said.

Lorisa Bates, BET vice president of content strategy, co-productions and multi-platform, called Haley a “true storyteller.”

“Not only is he a team player, but he knows how to find the dramatic peaks and valleys in any script,” Bates said. “He knows how to get his point across through his calm and harmonious demeanor.”

Conveying a message

Haley said one of the main underlying messages in each Tri Destined Studio project is catered to people of color and their pursuit of success. He, in fact, is a prime example of what can be achieved.

“We want to convey that you can be a winner in this world and can achieve anything you put your mind to,” he said.

Haley loves directing different genres and the challenge each one brings. However, he said if he had to pick a favorite, he loves dramas that have lots of suspense and adventure intertwined within the story lines. He also enjoy mystery/thrillers.

In fact, he has a thriller he directed for MarVista Entertainment in New Orleans coming out in the spring, he said.

“An announcement about the project will be made soon. I’m really excited about it, so please be on the look-out for it,” he said.

And while he admits it is hard to pick a favorite among his works, when pressed he said the movie “Always A Bridesmaid” and “The Man in 3B” are on the list, along with, of course, “The Black Hamptons.”

Looking ahead, Haley expects to certainly stay busy both directing and running his studio. Could something else be in the cards?

“I haven’t written any scripts yet, but I do have several screenplay ideas I want to create,” he said.