Alumni spotlight: Richard Lieberman

In show business, delays are costly. The property master helps keep the production on schedule and therefore on budget. This is what Richard Lieberman ’14 does for FBI on CBS and The Gilded Age on HBO.

“I’m in charge of anything the actors interact with on set,” Lieberman says. “I come in every day and make sure we have all the props we need. I deal with actors and directors and make sure they’re happy with what they have. If something needs to be fixed, I fix it. The job is mostly problem solving.”

When Lieberman arrived at Binghamton, he was interested in advertising because it combined art and business. As a sculpture student, Lieberman knew he didn’t want to become a full-time artist. He got involved with the Cinema Department, art directed for shows on BTV, and did production design for a few short films.

“When I graduated, I thought, ‘let me try film for a bit’ and one thing led to another. The reason I’m where I am today is because of my sculpture degree. I can make things from scratch. I’ve had to sculpt props. I worked on Halston and had to sculpt clay models of the perfume bottle designs Elsa Peretti sculpted on the show.”

Lieberman’s credits also include Oppenheimer, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and Homeland. In addition to putting his art skills to work, he appreciates working with great people and when the shows have unique details.

“When Oppenheimer came to New York and New Jersey, I worked with Robert Downey Jr.,” Lieberman says. “It was an amazing experience, being immersed in a passion project where everyone had to be on their ‘A-game.’ On Gilded Age, we have such an amazing culture. All the various sets, working in Newport mansions, people in elaborate ball gowns, the waltzes … places and props you don’t get to see in your everyday life.”