FILMMAKER & PRODUCER

Anthony (Tony) Leps draws upon an extremely diverse artistic and technical background spanning over 25 years to tell inspiring stories through cinematic images.

Tony is the Co-founder of Red Front Door Studios, providing international video production services to corporations, filmmakers, and individuals. His productions have sent him across the globe, acting in various roles such as Writer, Director, Producer, Post-Production Supervisor, and Technical Consultant.

As one of the earliest DSLR filmmakers, Tony specializes in story-driven narratives, as well as advertising and marketing communications, through stunning still imagery and high-quality video content.

He served Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems for over 15 years in a multitude of roles, and was significant in building the foundational corporate-wide I.T. infrastructure.

Tony Leps later transformed the company’s marketing efforts as Designer, Photographer, Cinematographer, and Digital Asset Manager. As an artist and musician, Tony has performed in various circles, including Carnegie Hall, the Today Show, the Tony award-winning Broadway show “Blast!”, the 1996 Olympics, and the Walt Disney Company.

When did you start and what was the trigger for you to become a photographer and filmmaker?

The first computer our family ever got was the Atari 800, and I became fascinated with computers and the multitude of components involved. Simultaneously, I was always drawing and I loved the artistic graphic elements of video games. Because of my technical and creative backgrounds, I wanted to merge the two. One of my first jobs was at Mitsubishi Power Systems in the IT Department, but I wanted to be involved with something more creative, so I was eventually given the opportunity to work in Marketing. My role involved basic graphic design and print work, but the image library I was working with was a bit dated. I found I had a natural proclivity for photography, and when DSLR cameras became more available, I saw an opportunity to develop my own style with both still images and video. With Mitsubishi, I traveled around the country and the world, shooting and creating promotional narratives of their power plant facilities and the employees who worked there. Following that, I was hired at Disney as a video producer and have been able to focus more on the narrative aspect of filmmaking, and help bring more stories to life.

Tony Leps

What has been your best experience so far?

There have been a lot of great experiences. Any chance I get to collaborate with my brother Chris, as we did on the Century of Light documentary, or together on various other projects. At Disney, I’ve been able to connect with so many of the guests. I have witnessed the incredible impact that Disney has on their families.

Also, visiting Japan and collaborating with so many talented people there, as well as seeing the incredible sites and experiencing their culture. While working at Mitsubishi, I saw the inner workings of power plants and steam turbines first-hand, which was awe-inspiring. It made me stop and actually realize what it takes to generate power, which is something we take for granted.

What does storytelling mean to you?

Storytelling is all about human connection. When I was a child and found myself struggling with emotions or situations I didn’t understand, I could watch or hear a story that would give me examples of what I was experiencing. Those stories provided me with a different perspective and allowed me to deal with the emotions… or at the very least, helped me witness someone else who had experienced the same thing. Storytelling is a way to share our deepest truths, because while we may feel alone at times, none of us are truly alone and all have shared experiences.

What comes to your mind when you think about ONE WORLD?

Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue dot has a lot of meaning. The world is both insignificant and precious at the same time. It’s just us here, and we are all in this together. We all make up this massive, yet tiny organism. The more we can learn and understand about each other, the more we can live harmoniously and create a better world.

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