Alan Suna, CEO
Suna helped turn the old Silvercup Bakery building in Long Island City into the production site for shows like The Sopranos and Sex In The City.
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What one factor is most important to success?
Perseverance.
What do you look for in an employee?
Willingness to work hard, common sense to know what they know – and what they don’t – and being able to distinguish the difference.
What’s the best way to save money?
The best way to save money is to make more of it. It’s the truth.
What’s the best way to spend money?
The best way to spend money is to spend it where you get satisfaction, get value and know that you’ll have something at the end of the day after having spent it.
What’s your greatest pleasure?
I haven’t had it yet – I haven’t broken 80 on the golf course. Actually, the greatest pleasure is doing good work, doing good deeds and having some money left over to enjoy yourself.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
It depends on the morning. But nowadays, exercise.
How do you deal with stress?
Exercise helps, playing golf helps, riding a bike helps, skiing hard helps and having a great family helps.
What one lesson do you hope to pass on to your children?
Be of good heart and work hard. And I’ve done that already, so I’m a lucky guy.
How do you bounce back from adversity?
That’s where the perseverance part come in. That’s really it. You keep on going. If you hit a stone wall go around it or find something else to do.
What’s your favorite thing about Queens?
I love Queens. I love its richness, I love its diversity, I love its people. What can I say? I’m a Queens kid and I love Queens people.
Since opening the first studio in what was the former flour silo room of the landmark Silvercup Bakery in 1983, Alan Suna and his brother, Silvercup President Stuart Suna, have transformed it into the largest independent, full-service film and television production facility in the northeastern United States.
The complex comprises a total of 17 shooting spaces on its main lot located at 42-22 22nd St. in Long Island City. They range in size from 3,000 to 18,000 square feet and include five 16,000 square foot studios (each with grid heights of 28 feet) on its East Lot, which is located at 34-02 Starr Ave., in Long Island City.
In addition to providing production facilities, Silvercup has a fully-equipped on-site lighting and grip department, as well as a lumber yard with paint, hardware and other set building supplies. Silvercup’s location lighting subsidiary company, Silvertrucks Lighting, also provides a full compliment of lighting and grip equipment, as well as generators, camera cars and cranes.
