Maywood native, former NFL player turns football into film passion

MAYWOOD, Ill. (WLS) -- Having made the transition out of professional football, Kyle Prater became a filmmaker.

He has directed and produced his third short film, titled "SAMPLES OF LIFE," which was released this winter. The film, made during the pandemic, pulls back the curtain on the process by which an artist creates.

For Prater, it was a transformation, and the isolation he experienced served as a form of therapy, forcing his practice to become his artistry.

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Prater grew up in Maywood, and became a five-star football recruit in high school. He ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver in the country in 2010. He played football for both the University of Southern California and Northwestern University before achieving his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL. It was while he was pursuing his football career at two of the most acclaimed film and communication universities in the world that he discovered his passion for the visual arts and for telling the stories of brands, products and people through film.

Prater founded Chasing Greatness Productions in 2016 as he began working with and learning from some of the most respected and renowned brands in the world. The documentary-style narratives capture a subject on their journey to greatness, Prater said.

For Prater, CGP is more than a creative way to tell a story, it is a mantra, a mission and a way of life.