Beginning his career in the fine arts, John Hyams graduated from Syracuse University's School of Visual and Performing Arts, earning top awards in painting and sculpture. Hyams exhibited and sold work in Los Angeles and New York before turning his attention to film. In 1997 Hyams wrote, directed, and produced the critically acclaimed "One Dog Day," which debuted at the Taos Talking Pictures Film Festival. He directed episodes of the ABC television series, "NYPD Blue" and went on to direct Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren in Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009).