TV entrepreneur not waiting for Hollywood

SYRACUSE - Ryan Prucker isn't waiting for his big break in television; he's producing his own television series and putting them on the air himself.

Prucker, founder of Imagelight Advertising and Production, LLC, has two television series on the air and more in the works. The company produces

Prucker buys time on UPN 6 for his television shows and makes his money through sponsorship and ad sales.

Three Course Delight is a cooking show where two chefs and a baker create a meal. The show's participating restaurants underwrite production costs and receive promotional spots during the broadcast. Three Course Delight airs Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. twice per month on UPN 6. The show's Web site (www.threecoursedelight.com) offers downloadable video previews and an episode guide that features photographs of each meal.

Exploring History's Treasures takes viewers on a trip to historical sites with author Frank Pandozzi and co-host John Decharo. The first series of episodes explores "Ghost Towns of the East," uncovering lost settlements across Central New York. The hosts use a metal detector and archaeological skill-, to show remnants of the past. The show's Web site (www.exploringhistorystreasures. com) has an episode guide and fully downloadable episodes. Exploring History's Treasures airs Saturdays at 10 a.m. on UPN 6.

"The show has taken on quite a following in the metal-detector community," says Prucker, "we're getting feedback from all over as a result of putting the episodes online."

Though the shows use Central New York talent, Prucker explains, they don't have a local look. He's developed each one so that it could be shown anywhere without seeming "distant" to viewers. Imagelight is shopping its shows for potential syndication in other markets.

Imagelight can produce and air some of its series for approximately $1,200 per episode. Prucker's target audience members are "channel surfers" who are just stepping up the dial to see anything interesting. He prefers purchasing airtime on UPN 6 because the station offers him just as many viewers as more costly network affiliates. The lowpower UPN station reaches the same number of households over the cable system as some of its higher-priced rivals, he explains.

Imagelight is also working with Pandozzi to create a documentary about Syracuse's North Side. Pandozzi published his historical novel "North Side Story" last year.

Prucker studied media production at Onondaga Community College and Binghamton University. During his studies at Binghamton, Prucker produced television programming for Binghamton University's closed circuit television system that serves more than 12,000 students on the campus.

Following college, Prucker landed a job as a producer at Sinclair Broadcasting, the company that owns Syracuse's Fox and WB network affiliates. Over the years, he's purchased more than $24,000 in professional video equipment and computers. Last year, after working at Sinclair for three years, Prucker decided to start his own media and film company.

"Technology has really leveled the playing field in production," he says, "today's desktop computers can produce results that weren't possible outside a studio years ago."

In addition to commercials and television shows, Imagelight has produced corporate instructional films and in-house promotional videos for several companies. Imagelight has produced more than 30 commercials over the past year.

Imagelight plans to expand into adjacent media markets and develop new television series.

"I'm not waiting for things to happen," says Prucker, "I know I have to make my own things happen."