Early in his career, Life worked as an American Film Institute intern on John Landis' Trading Places. He went on to direct episodes of The Cosby Show, A Different World, and Sister, Sister. In recent years, he has primarily directed documentaries, notably a series of documentaries about Japan (and the relationship with Americans living there). He also directed Native Son (2003) for the Discovery Channel and Live Your Dream: The Taylor Anderson Story (2013). On stage, he directed off-Broadway plays, including Do Lord Remember Me (1982 and again in 1984, both times starring Frances Foster).