Telly started making films at a young age, drawn to the ability to tell stories visually, and film's capability to convey emotion. Throughout his teenage years he made countless short films and two feature films. He then studied cinema at the University of Toronto for four years, getting his bachelor's degree in fine arts. Afterward, he attended Vancouver Film School's Film Production program in 2019. In 2020, Telly started a production company, Persephone Media, directing and producing over a dozen music videos, corporate videos, and two short films.