Second year students in the TV & Film Production program at Dutchess BOCES’ Career & Technical Institute learned how to make headways in the entertainment industry Nov. 6 from a director of photography with over 40 years of experience.
Tom Bracone, whose work includes commercials, police procedurals like "Law & Order: SVU" and "Blue Bloods" and films like "American Psycho” and “Meet the Parents,” came to visit after Instructor Justin Brown met friends of Bracone’s at a dog park and asked if he would speak to his students. Brown used this instance to encourage his students to be outgoing as it can lead to opportunities.
“The only reason I know him is because I started talking to someone,” Brown said of Bracone. “If you see someone out there doing production, start talking to them.”
Bracone, who also worked as a focus puller and camera assistant, agreed with Brown’s point, adding that having connections in the industry is just as vital as having the right skills. He recommended students check out the International Cinematographers Guild, as they guarantee a living wage, benefits and mentorship, and local boot camps for production assistants, run by Stockade Works in Kingston and Choice Films in Newburgh, where a mock soundstage is erected to give participants a sense of what tasks need to be completed.
“You’re knee deep in it and they’re making a list of names and contact information for production assistants,” Bracone said of the boot camps. “This way, you’re a fly on the wall, you’re observing what’s happening.”
While artificial intelligence is making its way into the industry, Bracone said actors and writers have included stipulations in their contracts preventing producers from replacing them with AI, adding that there is a large pool of local filmmakers in the Hudson Valley providing jobs to industry professionals.
“With all of this work going on up here, they are actively looking for people who live locally and know their way around,” Bracone said regarding local filmmakers. “Right now, New York is booming.”
When asked about productions he worked on, Bracone shared that he had to avoid being star-struck when he met Tyler Perry, Bradley Cooper and director Ridley Scott and how doing commercials for Burger King and Longhorn Steakhouse, at times felt more like a science experiment because everything had to be calculated just right.
“For Longhorn Steakhouse, the grill lines on that steak are put on very specifically, ¾ of an inch apart … there’s a guy that’s spritzing little drops of water on that slice of tomato that’s only ¼ of inch thick,” Bracone recalled. “You’ve got to really know what you’re doing and then to see the results and to see something truly spectacular occur, it’s like ‘Oh yeah.’”
Lily Hurd, who aspires to be a camera operator, appreciated hearing Bracone talk about his experience, how to stay safe on film sets and the benefits of being part of the union and said she learned a lot. She praised Brown for inviting professionals in to share their wisdom.
“He finds any opportunity to teach us something every day, something that we didn’t know beforehand.”
