Dayton native co-produced ‘Masters of the Air’ miniseries

In the summer of 2021, Sylva, whose post-production credits include “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Blade Runner 2049″ and “Arrival,” joined “Masters of the Air” having worked with Playtone on Tom Hanks’ World War II film “Greyhound.” He spent a little more than two-and-a-half years on the series in Los Angeles and London, and admits it was initially a very daunting undertaking.

“I was horrified because I had never done a miniseries before,” said Sylva, 38. “It’s one big movie narratively, but in terms of actually finishing it it’s nine movies. It was a beast but we’ve been cranking away bringing this story to life.”

The terrific cast, fully capturing the humor and brotherhood imperative to survival against the backdrop of battle, is led by Academy Award nominees Austin Butler (“Elvis”) and Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) along with rising newcomer Callum Turner (“The Boys in the Boat”). Sylva praises the handsome actors for restoring the relevancy of bona fide movie stars for today’s audiences.

“Serendipity has definitely been in our favor,” he said. “As a filmgoer and television watcher, I think people are excited to watch these movie stars. There’s a lot of talk about how movie stars are no longer relevant, but ‘Masters of the Air’ among many other wonderful films and TV shows in the past year have proven that to be false. People want to see unbelievable actors bringing unbelievable stories to life. The men and women in the show portray characters that sacrificed everything every time they woke up in the morning with great heroism.”

Remembering Julia Reichert

In addition to his work as a producer and post-production supervisor, Sylva, who grew up in Vandalia, has created short films as a director and writer that have been screened at festivals in London, Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and Ohio, among others.

Looking back on his path, he has fond memories of studying film at Wright State University. Beyond learning the critical fundamentals of the craft, he says the importance of understanding film as a business was equally paramount. He still leans on valuable lessons from such professors as Charles Derry and Jim Klein, but will always consider groundbreaking Academy and Emmy Award-winning Yellow Springs documentarian Julia Reichert “massively instrumental” to his personal and professional trajectory. Reichert, who died in 2022 having battled a rare form of terminal cancer, taught film production at Wright State for 28 years.

“Julia Reichert and I were close friends,” Sylva said. “She was a complete powerhouse of a human and filmmaker. I miss her so much. I remain very grateful for the opportunities I can directly attribute to Julia Reichert.”

In particular, when Sylva was beginning to contemplate and visualize what his future in film would entail, he recalls Reichert’s words of wisdom that foreshadowed the career he would ultimately fashion for himself.

“Julia stressed the importance of being excited to be in the trenches, wanting to have long hours and lots of challenging times, and working very independently-minded in order to bring out the most successful version of any story you’re trying to be a part of,” Sylva said. “She also told us to be curious and to meet people. Being good at connecting people was one of Julia’s many strengths. She was also good at knowing that making movies is about relationships and the people you surround yourself with. And in the 15 years since I graduated, I’ve never stopped meeting people, asking questions, being curious, and finding people I consider my tribe. It’s been a really fun journey.”

‘Real life with real stakes about real people’

In researching “Masters of the Air,” Sylva said he came across a statistic noting the average life expectancy for World War II bombers during the time period within the series was about six weeks from the start of combat. And as the grandson of a World War II bomber, he acknowledges the show holds deep significance for him and his family.

“World War II was something my grandfather, Selby Mason Foster, survived and was extraordinarily proud to have been a part of,” Sylva said. “He flew a B-26 Marauder in 65 missions during the war. It’s an honor to be able to honor his legacy through this show.”

He also hopes audiences are encouraged and moved by the sheer scope of the series and the emotional potency it conveys on a relatable human level.

“The heroism on display by these characters is very inspiring for audiences,” Sylva said. “No offense to Marvel or fantasies like ‘Lord of the Rings’ or ‘Harry Potter,’ but ‘Masters of the Air’ is a sweeping epic set in real life with real stakes about real people told in a very larger-than-life way. And for me, there’s something very exciting about seeing this on screens in 2024 when you’re constantly told as filmgoers that cinema is dying and it’s all about TikTok, short form content, and what you can consume on your iPhone. But this show says we’re not done telling these epic stories in these epic ways just yet.”

How to watch

New episodes of “Masters of the Air” drop Fridays through March 15 on Apple TV+.