Driven to Tell the Story
When Tayis Stephens entered Loyola’s Digital Media and Storytelling graduate program, he came with a mission. He wanted to learn how to tell stories that matter—and he knew exactly where to start: with his brother, Michai.
Michai Stephens is a professional race car driver whose journey defies expectations. He didn’t grow up in the sport. He had no connections, no sponsors, and no track record. What he had was drive. And Tayis had a front-row seat to it.
Michai Stephens beams with pride after a hard-fought race, standing beside the No. 34 Mercedes-AMG GT3 — the name on the window and the win under his belt.
“I always knew his story needed to be told,” Tayis says. “But I didn’t have the tools to tell it until I got here.”
His capstone project, a 15-minute film titled Untapped Talent: The Story of Michai Stephens, blends over two decades of archival footage, original interviews, and newly shot material. It’s a portrait of perseverance and belief—and it’s also deeply personal.
The Stephens brothers pose for a family photo.
Growing up in Evanston, Tayis and his brothers enjoyed making videos together. What started as a creative outlet turned into a calling. After earning his undergraduate degree, Tayis decided to take storytelling seriously and applied to Loyola’s DMST program. He came looking for skills. He left with a finished film that tells a story only he could tell.
I always knew his story needed to be told,鈥� Tayis says. 鈥淏ut I didn鈥檛 have the tools to tell it until I got here. Tayis Stephens, Digital Media and Storytelling gradaute student
Michai Stephens steps out of the cockpit during a pit stop in the Mercedes-AMG GT3, a purpose-built beast for GT racing.
Michai’s path into motorsport was anything but typical. He began with no formal experience, training on instinct and grit. He taught himself how to compete in one of the world’s most exclusive, expensive, and competitive sports. Over time, he earned scholarships, attracted mentors, and proved that raw talent combined with unshakable commitment could go far—even without the traditional backing.
Michai Stephens (left) celebrates victory on the podium with co-driver Mikaël Grenier after clinching first place in the GT World Challenge America.
For Tayis, the challenge was distilling 20 years of footage and memories into one clear narrative. “It was hard to go through everything and determine what was important versus what was not,” he says. “But I knew the message had to be about more than racing. I wanted people to feel inspired. To believe in their own ability to pursue something that feels out of reach.”
Tayis Stephens, a graduate student in the Digital Media and Storytelling program, captures a moment trackside while working on his capstone project.
The film balances family perspective with journalistic distance. It explores Michai’s doubts, setbacks, and breakthroughs, but it doesn’t slip into sentimentality. Tayis shaped the story using techniques he picked up in the program—pacing, music, structure—all in service of a core question: what does it really take to chase a dream?
Now that the capstone is complete, Tayis is already thinking about what comes next. “This project showed me how much I care about telling stories with meaning,” he says. “I want to keep doing that.”
The official cover of Untapped Talent: The Story of Michai Stephens, a capstone film by Tayis Stephens that captures his brother’s relentless pursuit of a racing dream against the odds.
Story by Destiny Woods • Photos by Brian Cleary and Alan Piao
Driven to Tell the Story: Tayis Stephens Captures His Brother’s Fight for the Finish Line
“I always knew his story needed to be told,” Tayis says. “But I didn’t have the tools to tell it until I got here.”
His capstone project, a 15-minute film titled Untapped Talent: The Story of Michai Stephens, blends over two decades of archival footage, original interviews, and newly shot material. It’s a portrait of perseverance and belief—and it’s also deeply personal.
Growing up in Evanston, Tayis and his brothers enjoyed making videos together. What started as a creative outlet turned into a calling. After earning his undergraduate degree, Tayis decided to take storytelling seriously and applied to Loyola’s DMST program. He came looking for skills. He left with a finished film that tells a story only he could tell.
Michai’s path into motorsport was anything but typical. He began with no formal experience, training on instinct and grit. He taught himself how to compete in one of the world’s most exclusive, expensive, and competitive sports. Over time, he earned scholarships, attracted mentors, and proved that raw talent combined with unshakable commitment could go far—even without the traditional backing.
For Tayis, the challenge was distilling 20 years of footage and memories into one clear narrative. “It was hard to go through everything and determine what was important versus what was not,” he says. “But I knew the message had to be about more than racing. I wanted people to feel inspired. To believe in their own ability to pursue something that feels out of reach.”
The film balances family perspective with journalistic distance. It explores Michai’s doubts, setbacks, and breakthroughs, but it doesn’t slip into sentimentality. Tayis shaped the story using techniques he picked up in the program—pacing, music, structure—all in service of a core question: what does it really take to chase a dream?
Now that the capstone is complete, Tayis is already thinking about what comes next. “This project showed me how much I care about telling stories with meaning,” he says. “I want to keep doing that.”