We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andrei Tone a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Andrei, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I chose the topic of fostering an essential quality—specifically, the discipline and resilience required to build a creative business in one of the most competitive cities on the planet. When people hear “New York,” they picture skyscrapers, subways, and the nonstop hum of ambition. When I hear New York, I picture something more specific: the birth of Tone Films New York City—my doorway into becoming a truly established NYC video production company.
My journey in New York didn’t start with a glamorous rooftop shoot or a big-name client. It started with me standing in the middle of Times Square at 2 a.m., holding a camera in one hand and a vision in the other, wondering if I had just made the boldest move of my career… or the most reckless. I wasn’t a local. I wasn’t plugged into the industry. And the city definitely wasn’t waiting with open arms. But New York has a way of testing you early. If you can stand the test, you earn its respect.
Building Tone Films New York City demanded a different level of discipline than anything I had developed before. It’s one thing to run a business; it’s another to run one in a city where the standard is excellence, speed, and originality—all at once. Early on, I realized that the only way to thrive was to create habits that matched New York’s pace without letting it steamroll my purpose. So I built rhythms that grounded me: waking up before sunrise, keeping a strict project workflow, and developing a philosophy that every shoot—no matter the size—deserved cinematic precision.
One breakthrough moment came from a project that nearly fell apart. We were filming a corporate piece for a financial firm downtown. Halfway through the day, the client changed direction completely. New concept, new tone, new structure. For a few seconds, I felt the ground shake. But then something clicked: this is the reason we came to New York. This is where creativity meets adaptability. My team and I pivoted instantly, rebuilt the shot list on the spot, reworked the storyline, and delivered a final product the client ended up calling “transformational.” That day, Tone Films New York City grew up.
What I didn’t know then—but see clearly now—is that New York shaped my leadership as much as my craft. It forced me to stay sharp, stay humble, and stay hungry. It taught me that excellence isn’t a moment; it’s a habit. And it instilled in me the confidence to say that Tone Films isn’t just a business that happens to operate in New York—we are a NYC video production company built from the DNA of the city itself.
Today, when clients partner with Tone Films New York City, they’re not just hiring filmmakers. They’re collaborating with a team forged by pressure, defined by discipline, and committed to turning vision into impact—no matter how big the dream or how bold the story.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
When people ask what I do, I always smile because the real answer is layered. On paper, I’m the founder and owner of Tone Films, a company that has now expanded to eight major cities—most notably Tone Films New York City, which has quickly become one of the most dynamic branches of our work. But in essence, what I do is simpler: I turn visions into visual experiences. I take stories—corporate, personal, brand-driven, or mission-focused—and translate them into films that feel alive.
Tone Films started with a camera, a goal, and an unreasonable level of belief. I didn’t grow up around filmmakers. I didn’t have a Hollywood uncle slipping me into studios. I started the way many entrepreneurs do: with the decision that my dreams would not be optional. Even before the expansion, Tone Films had a clear purpose—help brands communicate with authenticity, clarity, and cinematic excellence. But everything elevated when we entered New York.
As we built out Tone Films New York City, something clicked. It wasn’t just another location—it became the creative heartbeat of our operation. New York forced us to innovate faster, refine our style, and raise our standards beyond what we thought was possible. And that’s ultimately what shaped our identity as a fast-growing NYC video production company.
Professionally, my focus is split into three main areas:
– High-level corporate video production,
– Brand storytelling, and
– Creative media that inspires people to act, feel, or think differently.
Corporate work may not sound glamorous to some, but I believe it is one of the most exciting categories in filmmaking today. Businesses are not just selling products anymore—they’re selling transformation, trust, and identity. When a company hires Tone Films, they’re looking for more than a camera crew. They want strategy. They want clarity. They want visuals that elevate their brand. And they want someone who can make it look effortless.
One thing that makes Tone Films truly special is our obsession with precision. Every scene has intention. Every angle has purpose. Every storyline is crafted to move people emotionally, not just inform them. We treat every project—big or small—with cinematic-level care. It’s the philosophy that helped us land clients across finance, tech, real estate, education, and beyond.
But what I find even more meaningful is the ripple effect our work creates. When we shoot for a startup, we often see their confidence grow. When we create content for nonprofits, their mission becomes magnetic. When we work with established brands, they rediscover their own story through a new lens. That’s the beauty of filmmaking—you’re not just producing visuals; you’re shaping perception.
What I love most about this field is that it’s always changing. Cameras evolve. Platforms evolve. Audiences evolve. So we evolve with them. That’s why Tone Films has never been just a production company—we’re a creative partner for the brands we serve. We’re the team in the room asking, “What’s the emotional center of this message? What makes this story matter? And how do we make sure your audience feels it?”
Right now, one of the most exciting developments is our expansion in New York. Tone Films New York City has positioned us at the intersection of business, culture, media, and innovation. We’ve invested in new cinematic equipment, expanded our local team, and are actively partnering with brands that want to produce bold, high-impact content. Being recognized as an emerging NYC video production company isn’t just a milestone—it’s a responsibility. It keeps us hungry, sharp, and always pushing into new creative territory.
We’re also launching new services designed for 2025’s media landscape. Short-form content packages for brands that want to dominate platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn. High-level commercial storytelling for companies ready to elevate their marketing. And a new documentary-style division that captures real stories with raw authenticity—something I personally love creating, because it strips away the noise and keeps the focus on truth.
Beyond that, we’re stepping deeper into the world of internal corporate communication. Companies today want more than training videos—they want content that makes their team feel proud to be part of the mission. They want recruitment films that stand out. They want culture pieces that actually inspire. Tone Films is perfectly positioned to deliver that.
Professionally, my focus for the next season is simple: scale with excellence. Grow our reach without losing our heart. Expand our creative vision without diluting our identity. And continue building Tone Films into a brand that not only produces work—but produces impact.
If there’s one thing I want readers to know, it’s this: Tone Films is built on conviction. On passion. On the belief that stories matter, people matter, and quality matters. Whether we’re filming in Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles, or New York, that belief never changes. And as Tone Films New York City continues to grow, I’m more inspired than ever to keep building, keep creating, and keep telling the stories that deserve to be seen.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
When I look back at my journey—building Tone Films from a single camera into a multi-city production company—the three qualities that made the biggest difference were discipline, strategic thinking, and relational intelligence. These weren’t just skills I picked up along the way; they became the foundation that allowed me to scale, adapt, and stay grounded while navigating an industry that changes faster than a New York minute.
1. Discipline
Discipline sounds boring until you realize it’s the quiet engine behind every breakthrough. In the early days of Tone Films, especially while establishing Tone Films New York City, discipline was the thing that kept everything moving when motivation dipped or the path felt foggy. Creative industries can be unpredictable—you might have three shoots one week and none the next. Discipline creates stability. It keeps your craft sharp, your response times fast, and your quality consistent.
How to develop it:
Start with structure. Build small, repeatable habits—editing practice before work, daily outreach to potential clients, reviewing your goals weekly. You don’t need a tidal wave of change. You just need consistency. Discipline compounds, and once it does, it becomes your competitive edge.
2. Strategic Thinking
At some point in your growth, talent stops being the main differentiator. Everyone talented edges toward the same skill ceiling. Strategy is what separates people who plateau from the ones who rise.
For me, strategic thinking meant learning to zoom out. Instead of asking, “What shoot should I take next?” I asked, “What direction does Tone Films need to move in?” That mindset shift is what gave us the clarity to grow into eight major cities, build Tone Films New York City, and position ourselves as a leading NYC video production company. It forced me to make decisions that served the future version of the company, not just the present one.
How to develop it:
Study your field. Study adjacent fields. Study what the leaders are doing and why. Strategy isn’t guesswork—it’s informed perspective. Set aside time every week to think long-term: Where do you want to be in five years? What trends are emerging? What opportunities are hiding in plain sight? If you don’t build time for thinking, you’ll spend your entire journey reacting.
3. Relational Intelligence
Relationships are the currency of every industry, but in filmmaking, they’re the multiplier. Every major opportunity in our journey—from the first big corporate client to expanding into New York—was tied to people. How well you listen, how well you communicate, how well you follow through… those things shape your reputation long before your portfolio does.
Relational intelligence is the ability to connect meaningfully while maintaining professionalism, vision, and boundaries. It’s building trust without forcing it, leading without dominating, and understanding people enough to tell stories that actually resonate.
How to develop it:
Treat every interaction—clients, team members, collaborators—as an investment. Show up prepared. Communicate clearly. Follow up quickly. And don’t underestimate the power of being someone others genuinely enjoy working with. People hire skills, but they rehire character.
Final Advice
If you’re early in your journey, here’s the truth: you don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need to be hungry to grow. Lean into discipline, sharpen your strategic mind, and invest in relationships. These qualities have helped me build Tone Films from the ground up, expand our influence into markets like New York, and navigate challenges I never saw coming. And the best part? You can start developing them today—no permission required, no perfect timing needed.
Stay patient, stay focused, and stay bold. Your future self will thank you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tonefilms.com/nyc-video-production/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tone.films/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonefilms.us
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tone-films/
- Twitter: https://x.com/films_tone
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tonefilmsproduction5712/videos
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tone-films-dallas
- Other: https://tonefilms.com/tone-films-visual-excellence-in-nyc/
Image Credits
Tone Films | NYC Video Production Company
