CJPyles

C.J. Pyles, a 1996 Murray State University electronic media graduate, is already working 10 to 12 hour days on the “Las Vegas” Montecito Resort and Casino set with the cast shooting scenes for the show’s fall episodes.

A Sigma Pi alumnus and former member of the American Society of Interior Designers, Pyles serves as on-set dresser for the “Vegas,” show, touted as television’s largest ever television set built.

Pyles works daily with the cast members that include James Caan, Josh Duhamel, Vanessa Marcil and Murray native Molly Sims. “ Working with all the cast is amazing, they are all top notch and professional and it's just like one big family,” he said. “Molly and I are great friends and have discussed our Murray connections numerous times. “

Pyles is responsible for maintaining the set to model the Vegas casino scene as seen in America ’s gambling capitol. “I have been a few times to Las Vegas and try to emulate what I have seen, but always have an eye for the numerous projects I encounter.”

Along with Pyles overseeing the operation of all the slot machines on the set, maintaining the various areas, signage and continuity of the look of the scenes, he is also responsible for accuracy in the era they are portraying. He arrives on the set each day after the set dressing team and decorator have worked vigorously to bring the director’s vision alive, ready to always help in making last minute changes. “There is still a chain of command you must respect because so much effort has gone into making the set as real as one might experience when in Vegas.”

Pyles then calls the production designer or the decorator with changes that need to be made. “Usually the decorator will provide extra dressing for me if I need more for the director to achieve the look that has been designed.”

A former entertainment reporter at MSU’s television station, Pyles began his career working with movie production sets after graduating. He lived in Nashville , Tenn. , and was granted a paid internship opportunity by Studio Productions. Craig Pulley, his uncle and the former television director with Nashville ’s WTVF Channel 5, had initially inspired him to move there in hopes of working with him. While in Nashville , Pyles career expanded into the world of music videos where he began as an art production assistant, then decorating, and finally advanced to designing sets for various country artists.

From this initiative Pyles was able to work as a production assistant on a Faith Hill music video, then as a set dresser on the “Green Mile” movie set that was predominately filmed in Nashville and also on the “October Sky” set, filmed in Knoxville , Tenn.

During his Nashville tenure he also landed a job on “The Last Castle,” filmed in Nashville with Robert Redford. “It was a wonderful experience working with Redford who is an American icon,” he said.

When finished shooting in Nashville , the producers called and asked Pyles if he was available to do some re-shoots in LA. Without hesitation he packed a bag for a couple of weeks, which turned into months and now years.

As Pyles’ career developed another opportunity presented itself when he befriended Patricia Norris, a production designer, on the set of “Big Bad Love,” a southern film written by Mississippi writer Larry Brown. “Patricia has worked on the “Godfather,” “The Elephant Man,” many David Lynch movies and was one of the first-ever pioneers or women in the production industry,” he said. “It was great to be able to work with someone of that caliber who has also assisted me in obtaining other movie projects.”

Right after finishing the “The Last Castle,” re-shoots, Norris offered Pyles the chance to stay and work with her on a film produced by Mel Gibson, “The Singing Detectives.” An independent film shot in Los Angeles with Robert Downey Jr., Katie Holmes, and Robin Wright Penn. , the movie led Pyles to move to Los Angeles and try his hand in the Hollywood scene. By working on this film he had acquired enough days to join the the Prop Master, Decorator, and Prop Maker Union.

A Nortonville, Ky., native who transferred to Murray State from Johnson and Wales University, in Providence R.I., Pyles said he continually pulls from his experience at MSU and the socialization skills he acquired from the numerous friends he met there. “When I first began at Murray I roomed with a guy from New York ,” he said. “Then I roomed with a tennis player from Sweden and after rushing the fraternity I lived in the frat house. I gained an abundant amount of multicultural experiences while meeting a diversity of people.”

Pyles said the Kentucky roots he claims always help him in the fast paced 12 to 14 hour workdays he encounters when working on any project. “There are so many different personality types I work with and the Kentucky charm comes in handy when dealing with all the different people I encounter.”

While working on the set of “Beauty Shop,” Pyles said he contacted a southern friend to help actress Alicia Silverstone depict a southern accent . “She was trying to develop a Georgia accent and asked me about the appropriate dialect,” he said. “I called a friend of mine and asked if he would call back and read a line or two into my voice mail so she could hear it since the Kentucky and Georgian dialects are different.”

Currently Pyles is in the final negotiations of implementing an Internet-based medium he is launching with his own production company and business partner Richard Toyon, who is also the production designer for the “Vegas” show. “We are still in the final stages of finalizing this, but when finalized we hope to broadcast a new positive style of medium using the Internet.”

Pyles says his Murray days are still helpful to him as he recently met Cody Farley, a 1989 MSU electronic media graduate and Sigma Pi fraternity brother. “He’s a writer and is helping us with a couple of scripts we are pitching in the near future.”

As Pyles continually works daily on the set shooting scenes for the fall debut, he won’t be watching the show with the cast when it airs. “ Unfortunately I am usually working when the show airs, so I watch the DVD’s from each week when I get the chance.”

Pyles loves the daily pace he experiences in his fast-paced work environment. “I really love what I do and respect the whole effort,” he said. “I’m right in the middle of all other departments and love the communication between all of us."