Tyrone HuFF shot his first film back in the 10th grade —Ã¢€” but it wasn’t what he would call a masterpiece.

“It was about some secret agent fighter weapon stolen by bad guys,â€Â said the Fresno State alumnus, “and it was really bad. It was called “The Flamdometer,â€Â and I’m not even sure how you spell that.â€Â

HuFF has come a long way since then, as he anticipates the Fresno debut of his film “Chiles,â€Â a 10 minute autobiographical short, at the “Film Takes Flightâ€Â film festival, Hosted by Fresno filmworks, to be held at the Tower Theatre April 18 to 20.

“The idea for the film was first planted in my mind when I met my future wife while attending Fresno State,â€Â HuFF said. “My wife is Mexican, and it’s about the language and cultural barriers that I as a young Black man faced when I met her parents.â€Â

HuFF has been making movies since that first one in high school, but his love of writing goes back even further.

“I grew up in a rough neighborhood in the Bay Area,â€Â he said, “and my parents were grounding me all the time to keep me out of trouble. I had a lot of time on my hands, so I was always writing.â€Â

But HuFF hadn̢۪t always planned on writing for the screen.

“At first I wanted to write novels and short stories, but then one day my friend James’ mom came home with a video camera, and I started penning scripts. So I would write these movies and my friends would star in them.â€Â

After high school, HuFF went on to attend Fresno State and put his dreams of directing on the back burner to play football, but a year later, his grades were suffering, and he once again had filmmaking on the brain.

“Fresno State did not have a film program, so I talked with my adviser Tony Garduque about creating my own major,â€Â HuFF said. “Once I’d figured out what I wanted to do, my grades picked up, and I graduated in 2000 with a degree in cinematic studies.â€Â

After graduation, HuFF took film classes in the Bay Area and wrote his first drafts of “Chiles.â€Â

“The original version starred my wife, my in-laws and one of my friends,â€Â he said. “It was quite an experience working with them.â€Â

HuFF fulfilled his dream of going to graduate school by attending Chapman University̢۪s Dodge College Conservatory of Film and Media Art, from which he received a Masters of Fine Arts in film production.

“Chiles was one of about 10 stories I was pitching for my thesis,â€Â he said, “and it ended up being the one I chose for my final project.â€Â

HuFF rewrote the script and sent it around to various cinematographers and production designers, then went about assembling a cast and crew.

“We had a blast making it,â€Â he said. “We rented a house for two weeks, planted a garden that resembled my father-in-law’s.â€Â

And since “Chilesâ€Â was filmed in both English and Spanish, HuFF found it both a reward and a challenge when directing the Spanish portions.

“My Spanish definitely improved,â€Â he said. “It gave me the opportunity to watch them perform, and see how they reacted to one another. It was easier to read the actors without paying attention to the words being said.â€Â

“Chilesâ€Â was named one of Chapman University’s top five films and has been showcased at the Director’s Guild theater in Los Angeles, as well as in New York and France, HuFF said.

“But I’m really excited about the Fresno screening,â€Â said the father of two. “I’m bringing my whole family. I can’t wait to show my kids where I went to school, and see some old friends.â€Â

HuFF spends much of his time these days traveling and promoting his film, but future projects include a music video and a feature-length version of “Chilesâ€Â.

As for his inspirations, he was able to pinpoint exactly who inspires him the most.

“Spike Lee is one of the few directors in Hollywood who’s making the films he wants to make,â€Â HuFF said. “He does not make cookie-cutter films.â€Â