For Elea Tsentzelis, working as an audio engineer, director and video producer was creatively fulfilling–especially when his sound team won an Emmy Award for their work with The Daily Mail–but he yearned for another creative facet to his life.
Over the last eight years, he has developed a knack for transforming abandoned spaces into high-tech creative studios that he’s built from the ground up–each one growing larger from the last. Most currently he is the owner of 383 Studios, a multi-use lifestyle video & photo production studio in Downtown Brooklyn, which launched in September 2024. One visit to his business website, 383.NYC, reveals this studio is camera-ready, and foodie-friendly.
Here, Tsentzelis recounts his journey as a founder of multiple collaborative spaces in NYC, as well as his advice for taking the bold step toward consistent content-creation, no matter your industry.
Tell us about how you discovered your first space and how it led you to open 383 Studios?
My first studio was about 350 square feet in my great grandmother's old house. From there, I actually moved into the basement of 383 Myrtle Avenue, where I helped produce content for YouTubers, Twitch Streamers, and shoot content for different brands and businesses. Now, we've expanded to the main ground level, and have about 4500 square feet of space, with multiple sets, a fully functioning production kitchen, a lighting grid, and a massive 14 foot cyclorama wall. The purpose of the studio is to give anyone, from brands to creators, a chance to create something in a cool, sleek, elegant space, while also having fun in the process.
I moved into the basement of 383 Studios in 2021, and turned the gross, run-down basement, into a multi use studio, primarily focused on gaming content, music & podcast recording, and video editing. In June of 2023, the tenants of the store level left, and after realizing that the 7 foot drop ceilings hid another 7 feet of height, I knew there was something there. Fast forward a year and a half, countless meetings with architects, plumbers, contractors, chefs, and here we are.
How many employees do you have so far?
At the moment, I am the only "staff" in the studio, but I do have advisors on my team that have been helping in the build process.
What was your career before embarking on this entrepreneurial journey?
I'
ve been working in the food space for about 5 years now, primarily with the Food Network, and after working with hundreds of chefs, I've realized a lot of them don't have the avenue of coming into a space, shooting content, and using it to advertise themselves. A lot of chefs don't have time to make content on their own, but they see the value in producing content with a crew and a space to hold it all in. Also, the space can transform into an event space, giving these chefs an opportunity to hold private dinners, pop ups, or even workshops. This is something I feel can help them grow to newer heights. The best part is, we would capture the events for the chefs' social media and advertising needs.
Aside from the production kitchen, we have a prep kitchen, a 9-foot seamless backdrop wall, a beautiful lounge that can be used for interviews, podcasts, testimonials, etc., and a beautiful 14 foot cyclorama wall, that can be illuminated any color you want, for perfect photo and video shoots. I spent the last year and a half meticulously building this space to not only look good, but give you the best results for whatever it is you want to make.
You just had your grand opening over the summer, how has business been since launch?
Since opening this month (September), we've already had the wonderful opportunity to have a few photoshoots in our cyclorama wall, cooking demos, and our Open House.
What’s the biggest challenge to running a creative studio?
Getting your name out there. There is a massive need for pushing these things on social media, and getting anyone you know in the industry to come see the space, just so they can tell anyone they know. Putting money into advertising can take a toll right in the beginning, so by doing large events to promote the space, and collaborating with other creatives, is probably the best thing to push something new like this.
A digital presence is important, but how do you leverage it to boost your business, which is a physical space?
In September we held an Open House and it went great! There were about 60 RSVPs, and we even had about 30 people come in just from walking by. It was a great first day in meeting the community and showing what we have to offer. IRL events are SO important to gain new clientele, because even if you have nice pictures, they don't do justice in showing off the space. People need to come see the studio, get a feel of the kitchen, stand in the Cyc wall, and see how it all looks on camera. By pulling them in to do all of those things, I feel it's the best way to meet new people and hopefully get new clients.
On the digital side, one big thing we want to do is shoot video for everything we hold there, and boost it all over social media. Short form video is so important for advertising, that even larger brands are throwing their budgets into pushing out TikTok videos. We've realized that you need to capture someone's attention in about 7 seconds, and keep them wanting more. The best part is, food is one of the most popular ways to attract people, and having the kitchen gives us that opportunity to reel them in.
Why did you choose a .NYC domain for your business? How does this extension contribute to branding?
I chose 383.nyc because I wanted to make sure people knew that this creative space is in the heart of Brooklyn, and it's created by real New Yorkers. I am a first generation American, and a born-and-raised Brooklynite, and proud of it too. Having the .NYC domain just solidifies how much we love this city and everything it has to offer.
What is your advice to others who aim to produce more artistic content, or pursue a more creative endeavor?
Do something you like, and consistency is key. If you do something you like, you won't ever get tired of it, and hopefully it will just make you love it even more. Consistency matters so much for content creation. If you tell your audience you're putting out a video every Wednesday, they expect to see it, because they want to support you. Hopefully, if you do those two things, not only can you see a new creative outlet, but you could make some money doing it too.
