From Red Hook to DUMBO: A Q&A with Cut + Measure’s Alex Laviola

After years in Red Hook, the move to a Two Trees office building in DUMBO gave the team room to grow, a community to plug into, and an environment that impresses clients from the moment they walk in. With a cinema-ready color suite, an immersive sound room, and a creative neighborhood right outside the door, Cut + Measure shows what happens when the right space supports the work.

Q: What’s the very first thing you do when you walk into your studio?

Alex: Put the Nintendo on. And the music.

Q: Any morning ritual that sets the tone for your day?

Alex: Walking or cycling through Brooklyn Bridge Park with my binoculars during my commute. Bird watching. Getting fresh air before work begins. I do this at the end of the day as well.

Q: What’s your favorite part of a DUMBO morning?

Alex: Feeling like people are hustling—making calls, ready for work. I like knowing that people are putting in effort. It's motivating.

Q: Go-to coffee spot, and why?

Alex: Joe Coffee. They always remember my name and order. It adds a little something extra to the neighborhood vibe.

Q: How does being in a Two Trees building shape your workday or business?

Alex: It's two-fold. First, being surrounded by so many different types of businesses and industries sparks ideas. Even though we’re a film company, it helps me think about potential collaborations with architecture firms, photo studios—whoever. Businesses have to evolve, and this building encourages that.

Second, the building and our studio make a strong first impression, especially when we’re meeting with prospective clients like Disney or Netflix. It has everything partners look for, including security. It represents who we are.

Q: What do you love most about being part of the DUMBO community?

Alex: The support. My partners, Chris Ramey and Adam Stout, and I wanted to move here for years before leaving Red Hook. We loved Red Hook, but we knew the next evolution of our business needed DUMBO’s community and accessibility.

The filmmaking community here all knows each other and actively recommends each other. In our two years here, that’s been huge. Running into someone on the street who says they have a studio nearby always makes me think moving here was the right choice.

Q: What sparks inspiration in your space or neighborhood?

Alex: Being from New York, I always think about my favorite movies shot here—The French Connection, Ghostbusters, newer films like Anora. It feels like an accomplishment to have a company in the same film universe that inspired me as a kid.

Q: If someone’s never been to your studio, what would they notice right away?

Alex: Hopefully the peace and quiet—and that it's clean. Chris, Adam, and I want to maintain a boutique atmosphere where clients can focus without distraction. We want everyone, whether they work here or visit, to feel calm so the work comes first. That environment also helps the team get to know clients better.

Q: What small joy or ritual do you share with your team or clients?

Alex: Walks. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken a walk with someone from the team or a client through Brooklyn Bridge Park just to stretch our legs. And the conversations that happen in the studio—people miss those when working from home. I’m lucky to be part of a team I learn from every day, and that learning doesn’t happen if you’re not here.

Q: What might surprise people about your background or work?

Alex: I never went to film school. People are often surprised because I've been in the industry almost twenty years. Not sure how it happened, but it did. As my Uncle Carmine always says: perseverance.