Phil Tuckett is an accomplished assistant communication professor who specializes in many different areas of film production.
“I’ve been doing this for 44 years, and I haven’t made my best film because it’s a life-long proposition,” Tuckett said.
Tuckett was on the San Diego Chargers football team for one season. During his off season, he wrote an article that was published for Sports Magazine called “How I Won My Lightning Bolt.” Shortly after that, he was hired by a man named Ed Sabol, founder of NFL Films.
Starting off, he was hard-working and dedicated. It eventually paid off when he won his first Emmy show awards for “Football America,” “Lost Treasures of NFL Films,” “100 Yard Universe” and “Autumn Ritual.” Today, Tuckett owns 30 Emmy awards.
Some of Tuckett’s favorite projects were “Faces of Evil,” “American Football” and “Blood From the Stone.”
He is the director of DocUtah film festival and digital film production at Dixie State University. Tuckett and his wife now have their own production company, Bristlecone Films. He has also worked with a variety of different artists such as B.B. King, Snoop Dogg, Cydni Lauper and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Tuckett spent most of his time working for NFL films, and before he started, he had no idea how to make a film.
“The concept of learning is by doing,” Tuckett said.
Tuckett said he wants students to gain a deeper understanding of film production and bring their dreams to life.
Tuckett’s students are currently working on 15 projects, and all of their classwork is based on individual projects they are working on.
“We are going over the film-making process, and I want to direct and write,” said Ashley Harrison, a junior communication major from St. George. “I’m hoping to learn how to since Tuckett has a lot of experience in the film industry.”
Not only is Tuckett a hard worker, but he is also an inspirational professor on campus.
“The amount of experience he has in film production and being friends with Snoop Dogg — everyone should aspire to make those business connections in life,” said Hailen Jackson, a junior communication major from St. George.
When Tuckett and his wife opened Bristlecone Films, they decided to name it after Tuckett’s livelihood.
“Bristlecone pine is the oldest living thing on the earth, and they grow so slowly,” Tuckett said. “I felt like my career was like that. The older I get, the better I am at what I do; that would be a good goal to have being the longest-living film director.”
Tuckett said Bristlecone production company is more of a side job to him because he is more interested in helping DSU students succeed.
“When I got the offer to come back to teach, I found that a lot of the things I wanted to do with my production company I could accomplish with the students,” Tuckett said.
One of the successes recently was from Tuckett’s documentary class. “My Fathers Highway,” produced by the students, opened at DocUtah.
Tuckett said CMI staff Ben Braten is very important to DSU’s digital film program, and he provides expertise, new technology and creative visions.
“Ben and I work very closely together, and he is just as responsible for the growth and success for this program,” Tuckett said.
Tuckett said he is dedicated to making the program better and more beneficial for the students, hoping that one day the DSU digital film program will grow to something as big as Julliard.
