Thomas A. Smith

Filmmaker

Tom's headshotThomas Smith (DGA, SAG-AFTRA, ATAS) spent thirty-six plus years of working in film, television, and commercials, a career that started as an unpaid crew member on an AFI film, "When The Bough Braks", in 1982. This AFI project gave him his initial experience and the connections needed to find his place in Hollywood. This led to working in lighting on a number of feature films, including as best boy on the feature film, “Night Patrol”, starring Murray Langston. He added work as a commercial production assistant, then location scout/manager for the feature film “Choose Me”, which led to location scouting for commercials, as well. In October of 1985, he joined the Directors Guild of America, as a commercial 2nd assistant director, moving up to work as a commercial 1st AD before opting to become the 2nd 2nd AD on the television series “Guns of Paradise”, in 1989.

“Journey of Allen Strange”, a show for Nickelodeon, provided him his first series as the 1st AD, in 1997. If asked, he will tell you he still loves being on set and meeting the challenges that come with the job of the 1st AD. Sketch comedy shoots have kept him busy of late, these have included “The Hollow Men”, "Mind of Mencia", "Tosh.0", "Chocolate News”, "Jimmy Kimmel Live", and "In The Flow", to name only a few.

Occasionally finds himself in front of the camera.

Member:
Directors Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA, and the Academy of Television Arts.

Awards:
Directors Guild of America (1993) - "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom. (2nd AD)
The Communicator "Award of Distinction" (2004) - "Getting Involved With Leona Valley Sertoma" (Producer)

Personal:
Eagle Scout / Life Member of the National Eagle Scout Association
Past President of Leona Valley Sertoma
Married to Melody Smith (1988)

 

1st AD Resume    Full Resume    IMDB Profile

On the set of Choose Me in 1983

Choose Me (1984) - Directed by Alan Rudolph
Location Managers - Tom Smith, Douglas Forbes

Thomas A. Smith – /1st AD Resume (DGA)

1st Assistant Director Credit Listings

818.359.3647   /   smittyfilms@gmail.com
Download: Hard Copy Version
(All experience is single-camera style filming, unless otherwise noted.)

Problematic With Moshe Kasher – Pilot / Central Productions, LLC
Director – Kitao Sakurai  Producer – Caitlin Daley  EP’s – Moshe Kasher, Alex Blagg, Josh Lieberman
Neckpee Island – Pilot / Horizon Productions (Disney XD)
Director – Paul Hoen  Producer – Skot Bright  EP’s – Matt Dearborn, Tom Burkhard
Watching The Wilson’s – Pilot / Brant Point Productions (MTV)
Director – Jay Blumenfield Producers – J. Blumenfield, Tony Marsh, Francesco Pace
Cheater Files – Pilot / 51 Minds (MTV)
Director – Richie Keen Producer – Irene Crinita
In The Flow – Series / Verde River Productions (FOX)
Directors – Various Producers – Todd Yasui, Jamie Foxx
Alabama – Pilot / Devlin Entertainment (FX)
Co-Directors – Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant Producers – John Lynch, Ken Lipman, Lucy Huang
Spoof – Pilot / Wild Jams Productions (FOX)
Directors – Danny J. Boyle, Peter Fowkes Producers – Michael Binkow, Michael Evans
Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down – Pilot / Central Productions (Comedy Central)
Director – Michael Shapiro Producers – John Lynch, Ken Lipman
Players – Series / Devlin Entertainment (Spike TV)
Directors – Various Producers – John Lynch, Lucy Huang
The Chocolate News – Series (Field Shoots) / Central Productions (Comedy Central)
Directors – Danny J. Boyle, Rusty Cundieff Producers – Robert Morton, Jim Ziegler
Man Stroke Woman – Pilot / Fremantle Media (FOX)
Director – Danny J. Boyle Producer – Rob Mello
Mind of Mencia – Series (Field Shoots) / Central Productions (Comedy Central)
Director – Danny J. Boyle Producers – Vicki Ariamal-Prieto, Darren Wadyko, Craig Wyrick
South of Nowhere – Series / The Jersey Production Co. (The N)
Directors – Various Producers – Greg Hampson, Amy Gibbons
The Hollow Men – Series (Field Shoots) / Lynch Siderow Prods./Greenhouse 405 (Comedy Central)
Director – Danny J. Boyle Producer – Darren Wadyko, Scott Tomlinson
Magic Jersey – Series (various) / The Jersey Production Co (Disney)   /   Prepping AD
Directors – Various Producer – Bob Mora
Just Deal – Pilot / Tom Lynch Company (NBC)
Director – Bethany Rooney Producer – Greg Hampson
100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd – Series / Lynch Entertainment (Nickelodeon)
Directors – Various Producers – Bob Mora, Greg Hampson
The Journey of Allen Strange – Series / Lynch Entertainment (Nickelodeon)
Directors – Various Producers – Bob Mora, Chip Vucelich
Back To Norm – Pilot / Central Productions (Comedy Central)
Director – Michael Dimich Producer – Darren Wadyko
Sports Show With Norm Macdonald – Field Shoot (w/ Ron Artest) / Central Productions (Comedy Central)
Director – Mark Lafferty Producer – Jim Ziegler
2011 Kids Choice Awards – Opening Pre-Roll (w/ Jack Black) / Teensaurus Rox, Inc (Nickelodeon)
Director – Joe DeMaio Producer – Jim “Mo” Moroney
Jimmy Kimmel Live – Field Shoots (various) / 12:05AM Productions (ABC)
Directors – Joe DeMaio, Bradley Morris, +others Producers – Vicki Ariamal-Prieto, Brandon Crosby
Tosh.0 – Field Shoots (various) / Central Productions (Comedy Central)
Directors – Scott Zabielski Producer – Scott Tomlinson
Talkshow With Spike Feresten – Field Shoots (various) / Skyview Entertainment (FOX)
Directors – Danny J. Boyle, Peter Fowkes Producer – Jim Ziegler
Living in Captivity – Pilot / Shukosky-English Entertainment (FOX)   /   Multi-Camera – Production Supervisor
Director – Philip Charles MacKenzie Producer – Tom Lofaro
Miscellaneous
  • DGA Award – “The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom”
    Director-Michael Ritchie 1st AD-David Sosna   /   Key 2nd AD
  • The Communicator “Award of Distinction” – “Getting Involved With Leona Valley Sertoma”
    Producer/Director: DVD for Leona Valley Sertoma – a non-profit service organization
  • B.S. in Business Administration Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO
  • Add’l experience: commercials as both a 1st and 2nd AD; various one-hour episodic shows as Key 2nd AD.
  • Eagle Scout (B.S.A.)

"In The Flow" with Affion Crockett

It does seem suspicious when they want the AD to play the guy who gets punched. Still, it was fun.

video sequence from 'In The Flow'