A Look From One Year Out: Elena DeLuccia ‘17
As a Television, Radio and Film (TRF) Instructional Associate (IA), I have the fortunate opportunity to work closely with some of Newhouse’s most notable professors. This position is an awesome addition to my academic schedule, as it created more learning opportunities for me while I complete this year in Syracuse.
Coincidentally, one of my tasks for my IA-ship involved me contacting a previous Newhouse TRF IA, and it was a pleasure meeting someone who was in my shoes just last year. Elena DeLuccia, a TRF ’17 graduate, is the production assistant to Daniel Hank, producer of over 500 television commercials and feature shows.
“Overall, the job is awesome – but it’s all because of the producer I work for. Dan and I have a relationship where I’m able to ask any question about what we’re doing, the budget, the show dynamics, etc and he gives me an honest answer. I also get to accompany him into important meetings, on set, and I’m usually the first point of contact for him or the other producers. It’s amazing to be in such an open environment and learn from one of the best in the business. I learn something every day and it’s so helpful because I aspire to be in his position one day! If I didn’t work for Dan, my experience would absolutely differ.”
DeLuccia and I are similar because we both IA’d for the same professor and same class; we share the experience of working closely with Professor Chase Clifford in TRF 400 Production Management, and DeLuccia recounts great memories with Clifford as well as some other prominent Newhouse figures and experiences.
“Chase Clifford is incredible. She introduced me to Dan and created an opportunity for me to meet him, so I owe her so much,” continued DeLuccia. “Michael Schoonmaker was available every time I had a career panic when I was finding my first job and then jumping the boat to my second. I can’t tell you how many frantic voicemails he got from me! He’s a very patient man.”
“I think that a lot of the experiences I had with Proseminar, production management and my 205 class gave me the most to prepare for this,” added DeLuccia. “Learning the ropes of production and learning to work with people different from you (and sometimes difficult people) is so important. It’s also an important lesson to keep your head down and do your best in every situation. And those early mornings in Proseminar really do kind of get you in a mindset of being on time and ready to go when you’re expected to.”
As a Media & Education major here at Newhouse, I luckily don’t have to deal with 8 a.m. TRF Proseminar sessions. But the sentiment is worth noting, as DeLuccia has adjusted to the real world quite well. She also makes a great point about learning the ropes of production management while here at Newhouse; Professor Clifford does an excellent job demystifying the role of a producer and the production management industry. Having the opportunity to listen to her lectures as her IA helps me entertain careers in this field if I could find something I love… Just a hint, being a production assistant for a show like It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia would be pretty neat.
Overall, gaining insight from DeLuccia was an enjoyable experience because it helped me see how other Newhouse students have made the transitions from a graduate student to someone with a career. Although I have high aspirational goals to make a breakthrough in entrepreneurship and be my own boss at a young age, continuing to build my knowledge across multiple parts of the media industry will also be beneficial in my journey as a multimedia entrepreneur. You can never know what opportunities will arise down the road, so increasing your familiarity across multiple contexts in your industry is the best way to handle uncertainty.
He has been published across a wide variety of media outlets, including Sports Illustrated, the Cornell Daily Sun, SportTechie, Clutchpoints, Cavs Nation, the Cornell Chronicle, and many more.
Tobe has a plethora of hobbies, including writing, athletics, drawing, acting, and collaborating with others about ideas and startups working in the multimedia space.