The Essential List: Steven Tralongo

Steven Tralongo is a commercial director from Costa Mesa, California. He is the son of a Sicilian immigrants, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He did his undergrad at the University of Colorado, Boulder and earned his MFA in film and television production from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. He enjoys spending time in the ocean and in the mountains with his wife, two young kiddos and dog Gigi.

Steven’s work has garnered recognition from SHOOT Magazine when he was chosen to be part of their New Directors Showcase for 2022, as well as earning special commendation and being shortlisted at the 2023 Porsche Awards, PHNX Awards, Young Director Awards and the Editor’s Choice List on Ads of the World. He was featured as the director of the month for shots creative’s June 2023 installment of 'shots Unsigned' and nominated for 'New Director of the Year' at the 2024 Shots Awards.

In addition to his commercial work, Steven is currently polishing his debut feature script 'Night Beat', which was awarded with a semi-final placement in Outstanding Screenplays Feature Script Competition as well as placing in Screencraft’s Feature Screenplay and Screenplay Fellowship Competitions. He also has a short script on Coverfly’s Red List that he is working to bring to screen.

Lifestyle

• Place of birth: Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Brew City
• Hometown: Costa Mesa, California
• Staycation: Home or the desert (Palm Springs)
• Vacation: Telluride, Colorado / Costa Rica / Southern Italy or France
• Pet: Our dog Gigi
• Place of work: Desk in the garage
• Place of workout: In front of said desk
• Good Habit: Working out / Transcendental Meditation
• Bad Habit: Too much caffeine and ZYNies, not enough water
• Mode of transport: Three row Volvo #DadLife
• Bonus Travel Essential: Packing cubes

Culture

• Artist: Felix Vallotton, Renato Gattuso, Andrew Wyeth, Egon Schiele, Christian Clayton
• Musician: Victory, Sneakout, Devin Therriault, The Growlers, The Modern Lovers / Townes Van Zandt, Colter Wall, Vincent Neil Emerson 
• Commercials / music video director: My buddies Samy Mosher and Eric Maldin
• Film director: Frank Capra, Jean-Pierre Melville, Louis Malle, Errol Morris, Scorsese, Paolo Sorrentino, Fincher, Derek Cianfrance etc
• Author: John Fante, George V. Higgins, James Crumley
• Photographer: Right now? Probably Jake Inez
• Film: 'Le Samourai', 'Goodfellas', 'Dead Man', 'Bottle Rocket', 'Gattaca' 
• Series: 'Quarry', 'Mad Men', 'Sopranos', 'The Bear', 'Band of Brothers'
• Invention: The toilet seems like an all-timer
• Commercial: Errol Morris’s Miller High Life series, Dodge - Dodge Brothers series
• Music Video: 'In Bloom' - Nirvana, '1979' - Smashing Pumpkins, 'Cocaine' - FIDLAR
• Video Game: Tecmo Super Bowl / Diablo
• Board Game: 'Candyland' with my daughter
• Book: 'The Sun Also Rises', 'Tropic of Cancer', 'Ask the Dust', 'The Temple of Gold', 'Confessions of Dangerous Mind'
• Graphic Novel: 'Watchmen' 😑
• Podcast: 'Hacking Your ADHD'
• Newspaper (off or online): Apple News
• Magazine: Dwell, Thrasher, Surfer’s Journal, Popular Mechanics
• Obsession: Cosa Nostra and WWII history, Teddy Roosevelt
• Bonus Culture Essential: Sebastian Maniscalco, Criterion 247—I leave it on next to my desk without sound and LBBO!

Food and Drink

• Breakfast: Kefir + Good Belly (gut health) / Carne asada breakfast burrito (gut bomb)
• Restaurant: Norma’s in Hell’s Kitchen or Felix in Venice
• Cheap bite: Double double, onion, ketchup instead, chopped chilis, fries light well from In ’N Out
• Working lunch: Usually some sort of bowl with chicken, brown rice, veggies
• Dish: Everything from the old country - Annelletti al forno (basically Sicilian lasagna but with little ring noodles instead of flat noodles), spiedini alla Siciliana, Arancine (If you’re from the Palermo area it’s a feminine word), sfinciuni
• Snack: Kind Protein Bar
• Guilty Pleasure: Bacio di Latte gelato, cannoli, Nashville Fried Chicken, Philly cheesesteak 
• Bar: Capri Club in Eagle Rock
• Booze: Skinny Marg with Fortaleza Blanco, Negroni, Grillo or a chilled red
• Not Booze: Topo Chico, Ghia, Poppi, Ardor Energy
• Bonus Food: Smart Sweets Sour Blast Buddies
• Bonus Beverage: Modelo Limon y Sal Chelada

Kit

• Phone: iPhone
• Computer: Mac, iPad Mini with an Apple Pencil
• Headphones: AirPods Max + Earplugs 
• Camera: Fuji Natura S analog / Sony FX3 digital
• Pen / pencil: Muji Gel or Parker Jotter / Penco Prime Timber
• Where you document an idea: Notes or Voice Memo
• Casual Clothing: Chinos with a cuff and crease, cardigan, henley
• Smart Clothing: Supreme collabs, Second Layer, Scott Frasier, Noah NYC, Husbands Paris
• Footwear: Vans, Chucks, Loafers, Docs
• Accessory: Gold pinkie ring, gold bracelet, gold charm necklace…grease ball shit
• Collection: Vintage Colorado Buffaloes gear
• Home comfort: Clearweather Banthas
• App: Habit Tracker, Apple Podcasts, the ‘gram, SmartGym
• Website: shotdeck.com
• Blog: Tumblr, Cinephalia & Beyond, Every Frame a Painting 
• Work program: Adobe Suite, Freeform
• Digital work tool:  FrameForge, Artemis
• Analogue work tool: Post-it notes, Ink+Volt desk pads, Intelligent Change Planner, analogue timer - Alan Gordon director’s finder
• Morning grooming / makeup essential: SPF, Arm & Hammer Natural Deodorant, Le Labo Another 13
• Bonus Kit Essential: Scott Fraser perforated undershirt, Cherry LA swingers sunnies