James Adames

James Adames' big break in the film and television business was more than a career change - it was a second shot at life. Adames, 27, was wrapping up a two-month prison sentence on Rikers Island when he learned about the Made in NY Production Assistant Training Program, a partnership between the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations. Now in its fifth year, the four-week program has put hundreds of low-income New Yorkers on the path to entry-level jobs in film and television for free. To return the favor, Adames has begun his own solo campaign to change the lives of others, from strangers on the street to his one-time mentor. Raised in Washington Heights by a single mother, Adames dropped out of junior high school and fell in with a drug-dealing crowd. In 2006, he was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and, in 2007, sentenced to four months in prison. He got off in two for good behavior. Made in NY offered a way to enter the industry in the fast lane, but still, he had reservations. With two kids to support, Adames had little time to spare finding income. Adames decided to go for it and graduated from the program in October. Since then, he has exceeded expectations, finding consistent work and moving swiftly from entry-level tasks to working as a key PA and, more recently, as a locations manager. He was even able to move from Washington Heights to Parkchester, Bronx.