The BFA and MFA Photography Gallery Show of the Spring 2016 graduating students from the New York Film Academy Los Angeles was held at Schomburg Gallery, in the famous Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, CA. The seven MFA students and three BFA students had a wonderful turn out of 250 people. Aside from family and friends, one of the guests was the retired curator of photography from the Getty Museum – Weston Naef – who stopped by to enjoy the exhibition.

Bergamot Station is a facility housing multiple art galleries in Santa Monica, California. The site was previously a railroad station from 1875 to 1953, serving the Los Angeles and Independence Railroad and later the Santa Monica Air Line. The station was named after the Wild Bergamot flower, which once grew in the area. The Bergamot Station is on schedule to become a Historical Landmark in the next few years.

The New York Film Academy and Schomburg Gallery at Bergamot Station have created a partnership and the BFA and MFA Photography shows will be exhibited there every semester going forward.

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One of the biggest global stories this week is the biennial heads-of-state NATO conference taking place in Poland. With Britain’s pending exit from the European Union, and continuing tensions between NATO members and Russia, this summit has taken on added significance.

And NYFA News is there!

Yesterday Alisa Rajkitkul and Urvashi Barua left for Warsaw. Earlier this year, Urvashi and Alisa—thanks to hard work, superior reporting skills, and a bit of luck—were able to become accredited White House reporters. (That’s right, just like the correspondents from ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.)

They were invited by the White House Press Office to travel to the NATO Summit, along with a Presidential visit to Spain on the way back to the United States.

Alisa Rajkitkul and Urvashi Barua

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New York Film Academy Documentary Department is proud to announce that Freya is an Official Selection of the G2 Green Earth Film Festival. Last November, the film premiered with four other NYFA student documentaries at the prestigious DOC NYC at the IFC Center in New York City.

Filmed by seven students during a NYFA filmmaking expedition to Belize, Freya follows the story of an endangered loggerhead sea turtle fighting to survive a shark attack against the odds.

The students who worked on Freya spent a week filming and helping the local volunteers. The expedition focused on the imperiled Mesoamerican Reef including coral reef conservation, endangered sea turtles and manatees.

“Following Freya’s story has been the opportunity of a lifetime,” says director, Rachael Peltzer.

On the expeditions, young filmmakers explore threatened ocean worlds and raise a call to activism through the power of documentary storytelling—all in collaboration with some of the top marine conservation organizations. Expedition collaborators include Mission Blue, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, Oceanic Society, Ecomar, Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association, Sea to Shore Alliance & Coastal Zone Management of Belize, Hawksbill Hope, and the Belize Fisheries Department.

“It’s exciting to see the expeditions spark a deep love for the oceans in young filmmakers; and a passion to tell stories that can help save them,” says Andrea Swift, Chair of the Documentary Department at NYFA.

“The ocean is in great danger,” says producer and former student, Gary Bencheghib, who is currently working on another documentary called Recycled Mississippi. “We are hopeful that stories like Freya’s will help increase awareness of such critical environmental issues.”

The post NYFA Docs’ “Freya” Selected to Screen at G2 Earth Film Festival appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

Gazelle: The Love Issues, directed by New York Film Academy One-Year Documentary graduate Cesar Terranova, started as a five minute short project. It then grew into a feature documentary and became one of the most awarded festival recipients.

Since its premiere at the Brazilian Film Festival, critically acclaimed Gazelle: The Love Issue has won numerous awards including: Best Brazilian Feature Film by Jury at the Festival Mix Brazil (Nov/2014), Best Documentary Feature at the Mexico International Film Festival (Apr/2015), Gold Award for International Documentary Feature at the Documentary and Short International Movie Award in Jakarta/Indonesia (Mar/2015), Special Festival Award at the Rio Festival Gay de Cinema (Jul/2015), Best Cinematography in a Documentary at the Tenerife International Film Festival (Jul/2015), Best LGBT Film at the QCFF: Queen City Film Festival in Maryland/USA (Oct/2015), Jury Special Mention at the Cine Detour On The Rouad in Rome/Italy (Nov/2015), Best Professional Feature at the IAFOR Documentary Film Festival in Kobe/Japan (Nov/2015) and, most recently, Best Documentary Feature Award at the North Hollywood International Film Festival (Apr/2016).

Congratulations on winning so many awards with your movie! Where did you find inspiration for the initial idea?

Thanks! Before going to NY to study I was living in French Polynesia and started to buy online magazines. Then I found this strange magazine named “Gazelland” with lots of colors and odd creatures…but it was beautifully crafted and assembled with amazing photos. And when I started the program at the New York Film Academy, Gazelle Paulo, was the first person I approached to make a doc about. First, I asked if he would be willing to be a part of my 5 minute short… then it became my thesis film, and I continued working on it until I achieved a full length feature doc.

What was the most challenging part in the creation of this project?

The editing process. It felt like it would never have a real ending. After graduating from NYFA, I travelled around the world, following the character, and then I got back home and sat for almost two years editing all the footage and materials I collected for over the course of three years.

New York Film Academy’s Chair of Documentary Department, Andrea Swift, who is a two-time Telly winner and three-time Emmy nominee, helped me so much by giving me feedback and pushing me to keep working on the editing until I got the satisfactory material that I submitted to a Festival in Brazil. Once it won the Best Brazilian Feature Film Award…only then, was I convinced I had a film ready.

How did you fall into documentary? Was it something you had always wanted to do?

My grandmother was married to a filmmaker, which was always a major inspiration. I was born and grew up in the middle of sets. At 16 I got involved in the business as a Dubbing Actor, at 24 I became a photographer working on cruise line ships. Step by step I got money and equipment to produce music and I became a DJ as well. Then with my first Canon 5-D, I decided it was the time to try filming. Docs felt like they would be cheaper to make, so it was my choice to begin making documentaries before stepping into the scripted films.

Would you say your training and experience at NYFA was useful in terms of making Gazelle: The Love Issue?

I tried to make a short film before attending the program and it was a huge mess. From my first short at NYFA until my achievement of the feature Gazelle: The Love Issue, NYFA gave me the skills and basic techniques I needed to organize my knowledge to be able to become a documentary filmmaker. The school helped me get to the point where I could make my film happen.

Do you have any advice for anyone interested in entering the documentary industry?

Take a month for tourism. Start your program focused on finding subjects that you may consider good for pilots. Use the strength of the program to produce shorts that may become your feature films. Make everything useful for your life! It will be forever in your creative personality.

“GAZELLE -THE LOVE ISSUE” VISUAL TRAILER from Cesar Terranova on Vimeo.

It’s been a pleasure to talk to Cesar Terranova. He is currently working on a film about Brazil and is also developing a trilogy about NY Artists. After Gazelle, he will start filming Scooter LaForge and Fernando Carpaneda.

NYFA wishes him nothing but good luck and success for the future!

The post NYFA Doc Grad Directs Award-Winning Feature “Gazelle: The Love Issue” appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

Stone Wong

Born and raised in Hong Kong, the New York based photographer and former New York Film Academy Photography student Stone Wong has been featured in Gothesque Magazine and Nam Magazine.

With a focus in fashion, beauty and portrait photography, Wong is especially strong in capturing the emotional moments of people, and he has a keen sense in presenting a blend of Chinese and Western culture in his works.

Beginning this Thursday, July 14, 2016, Wong will be presenting a Solo Photo Exhibition “In Search of Hong Kong” at the Cloud Gallery in New York City (66 W Broadway). His exhibition will run until July 28th.

Recently, NYFA had a chance to catch up with the busy photographer before his upcoming exhibition.

Would you mind telling me a little bit about yourself and your background?

My name is Huang Ka Kit. You can call me Stone. I was born and raised in Hong Kong. I grew up in a very normal family with my parents in the fashion trading industry. After I graduated from high school, I started helping them out while working as part-time photographer at the same time. It wasn’t until I turned 29 years old that I decided to chase my dream as a photographer.

What drew you to study photography at NYFA?

I fell in love with photography when I first owned a camera at the age of 17. When I turned 29, I realized life is not all about making money, so I decided to put a hold on my work in the fashion trading industry and pursue my dream in photography.

When I think of photography and fashion, New York is always the first city that pops up in my mind. I always wanted to live and study in New York at least once in my life. I’ve been learning photography on my own for a few years but I’ve never received any professional training. New York Film Academy provides the most hands-on program as far as I know. That’s why I decided to come to NYFA to improve my skills.

work by Stone Wong for Gothesque

What was your favorite aspect of your Photography Program at NYFA?

What I truly enjoyed the most was the close connection between our instructors and the students. It goes beyond class hours. Whenever I had any technical questions, regardless of time and distance, I could always ask for guidance and advice from my teachers during and after the class. For example, they guided me through the way of exploring and figuring out what photography means to me both as a photographer and an audience through my own efforts. Students have to rack their brains to express their feeling towards photographs and critique them in a professional way under instruction. Among all the courses, I love “Vision and Style” the most.

I also love the way students work as a team just like in a real work environment.

Before joining NYFA, I learned all of my technical skills from the Internet. I took photos based on whatever ideas or concepts popped into my mind. NYFA’s program helped me put my “scrapped” techniques and knowledge together in a more systematic and structured way, further improving my understanding of the art and technique as a photographer in a profound way. It also gave me a clearer direction of where I’m going to in terms of personal artistic style and career path through teaching me how to develop a concept, compose an image, use color, interact with models and eventually tell a story.

Wong’s work for Nam magazine

What’s your favorite work that you have produced thus far?

My final project “Lost in Chinatown” is my favorite work produced out of the NYFA program. In my opinion, photographic work should not only appeal to our eyes but also to our minds, which means I expect these visual images to influence people in a more meaningful way.

As a New York based Hong Kong photographer, I’m very proud to have a Chinese identity with strong experience in culturally diverse environment, which enhanced my reflection of China. From this “Lost In Chinatown” series, I want to create a peculiar yet coherent collection that challenges people’s perceptions on Chinese beauty. By having an American stylist, a Japanese make-up artist and a Chinese model to collaborate in this project, I tried to present vivid visuals of China in its new era.

“Lost in Chinatown” by Stone Wong

What has been the greatest challenge you’ve faced during the production process and how did you solve it?

It’s all about leveraging between creating a high quality photograph and dealing with the difficulties encountered all the way through pre-production to post-production: the limited time and resources to conceptualize a creative idea, setting up everything for shooting, controlling the unpredictable circumstances on set, and the necessary technical skills to polish your work and develop it into something you desired. I want my work to be perfect, so I will spare no effort to achieve what I want.

In what ways do you think NYFA helped you to develop the business skills needed to succeed as a professional photographer?

The program itself is very practical and inspires me a lot. The techniques and theoretical knowledge that I obtained from classes have been applied to some of my favorite photographic pieces.

Which artist influences you most and why?

Annie Leibovitz is one of my favorite artists. She is a great storyteller. Her photographs are just like condensed romantic films appealing to her audience emotionally. We have all the necessary recipes including lighting, scene, mood and subject — now you just need to blend everything together into a decent and delightful meal. That’s something I’ve always been looking for and working on.

“Deviate in Murk” by Stone Wong

Can you tell us about your solo fashion photography exhibition coming up this July?

Yes, I’m going to have my first ever solo photography exhibition at the Cloud Gallery in New York City. It’s called “In Search of Hong Kong Vision.” It will showcase some of my favorite pieces of work, including “Lost in Chinatown,” “Film Noir,” “The Lady,” “Fear,” “Deviate in Murk,” “The Gentlemen and Dark is Coming.” I want to present a harmonious blend of Chinese and Western culture while sharing a special view for China’s rapid development, Hong Kong and international vision, and humanity issues.

Hong Kong is my root, but I travelled and lived in different cities in China and the U.S. in order to widen my perspectives and culture inspirations. There is no definite answer for Hong Kong Vision. By understanding through thinking and discovering through experiencing, I attempt to define this unique view of Hong Kong Vision, and present his distinctive sense of Chinese and Western culture into his fashion photography and portrait works. I love the saying that “Photography is not only about the moment of pressing the shutter, photography is nothing but eternity.”

This exhibition will open on Thursday, July 14th, 2016 with a public reception at 7pm for the artist.

Please find out more information from the following link.

Where do you see yourself as a photographer in five years?

I want to be a full-time fashion and commercial photographer without compromising. I will keep working on my “In search of Hong Kong” project. I hope a couple of years later when I look back on today’s work, the quality of my work grows simultaneously with the increase of my age and accumulation of life experiences.

Any additional advice you would like to give to NYFA photography students?

If you love photography and decided to devote yourself to this industry, you should get started as early as possible. Photography cultivates your life in an artistic and educational way. It teaches you to appreciate the world and the fine parts of it by concentrating it into a tiny little image. But before you choose this career path, you should be aware that it’s a road with no turning back. It’s the enthusiasm and hard work that support you at the end of the day, so just be prepared to face all the challenges and the endless efforts you should make on your road to success. If you are not quite sure about it yet, you probably should enter schools like New York Film Academy and figure out who you want to be and where you want to go.

If you would like more information about Stone and to see his portfolio, please check out his website, Facebook & Instagram.

The post Former Student to Present Photo Exhibition at Cloud Gallery in NYC appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

This week, director David Bowers brought his latest project, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the third installment in the Wimpy Kid franchise, to screen at the New York Film Academy – Los Angeles Campus. Flanked by NYFA Cinematography Chair Tony Richmond and moderator Eric Conner, Bowers spoke about his long career in animation, working his way up the ladder, and navigating big Hollywood studios.

Students from the popular NYFA Summer High School Program were in attendance for the screening and were excited for the opportunity to speak with him about his successful career. Bowers had an illustrious career that began as a kid making Super 8 Claymation films. When he was twenty he began working as an animation artist on Who Framed Rodger Rabbit. Bowers said in the Q & A he was only hired because, “…they were desperate for anyone who could hold a pencil.” He went on to explain that this stroke of luck set him on a challenging and rewarding career path. Since the work on Rodger Rabbit was so new and complicated he was learning as the technology was being created. With the knowledge gained he was able to launch his career.

Bowers continued to ascend the ladder as an animator in American Tale: Fievel Goes West and the 90’s revival of Danger Mouse. Other works include FernGully: The Last Rainforest, We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story (produced by Steven Spielberg), and The Prince of Egypt.

But it wasn’t until he began work at the legendary production company, Aardman, that Bowers began his foray into storyboarding. First he worked on Balto and then The Road to Eldorado. Bowers recommended every film professional practice storyboarding, stating, “It’s an opportunity to make mistakes before you shoot.“

When Aardman and DreamWorks teamed up to do joint features Bowers was the obvious choice to direct. Students erupted when Flushed Away, Bowers directorial debut, was brought up. The director broke down his time on the nearly four-and-a- half-year project.

After the massive success of Shrek, DreamWorks’ first tentpole project, the expectations of Flushed Away skyrocketed. The American based DreamWorks wanted to push for a universal project. They wanted less British and more standard American English. However, Aardman, the UK based company, felt the cultural touches made the film distinct. In the end, the British cultural touches gave the film a certain truth of character that made it a favorite of children on both sides of the Atlantic.

Through the trying process of filming Flushed Away, Bowers learned what he liked and what he didn’t like about the animation process. The yearlong wait between storyboarding and viewable animation always felt too long. The teamwork and collaboration, on the other hand, were invigorating. Bowers shot one final animated feature film, Astro Boy, before moving to live-action properties.

When asked if there was one thing he could go back and change about his career, Bowers stated, “I’d launch into live-action sooner.” Later adding, “Live action is thrilling because you’re making things all the time.” Within just 8 months Bowers had shot and released the second Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules. “Even on your worst day when everything’s gone wrong… it (film) is still fun.”

Richmond, who shot the film, remarked at the onset movie magic they were able to create as a team. The luxurious country club is actually a very old community pool. Richmond described it as being “…rather dirty.” But with fabulous set dressing and a carefully placed camera they were able to convince the audience they were at a ritzy club.

A student asked the pair if they ever had trouble working with a director or cinematographer. Tony stated that a cinematographer’s job is to make the director’s vision come to life. He’s never had a problem working with a director.

Bowers said his greatest challenge was learning that there are times when your confidence will be knocked or you believe in yourself and other don’t. “Astonishingly,” he added with a laugh. “It’s not that you get knocked down. It’s that you get back up.”

New York Film Academy would like to thank Mr. Bowers for taking time out of his schedule to sit down and discuss his cinematic career with student. He did inform the audience that he was working on a fourth film in Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise. We look forward to seeing where Greg Heffley’s adventures take him next.

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President Obama meets the global media, and reacts to the tragic events in Dallas where five law enforcement officers were killed.

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photo by Alify Nasution

MFA Photography Alumnus, Alify Nasution, has been nominated by Cosplay Gen Magazine as one of the top 15 Best National cosplay Photographers of 2016. Nasution is a fine art photographer, specializing in conceptual portrait photography. He’s been shooting since 2009 but found a passion for photographing costume enthusiasts, otherwise known as cosplayers.

Cosplay is a design driven art form where fans create costumes based off their favorite characters. Media from which characters are pulled range from anime to video games, comic books, and even real people. Sometimes cosplayers take two characters and create a singular hybrid. This new age art form allows fans to demonstrate their incredible creativity and innovation.

The costumes can take hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to create. For many in the community, it’s more than just a hobby; it’s a lifestyle. Before turning to photography Nasution was a cosplayer. His first costume was Rogue from Ragnarok Online.

Back in 2005, when Nasution was getting started, there was no such thing as cosplay photography. Photographers would simply go to conventions and take ‘documentary-style’ photographs of the convention goers.

photo by Alify Nasution

This is when Nasution realized all of the efforts poured into making costumes and role-playing characters could be better appreciated if photographed professionally.  He saw how he could combine fashion photography, fine art photography, and portraiture to properly document these unique pieces of art.

In 2015 Nasution began his journey to become a professional photographer. He moved from Indonesia to Los Angeles to study Fine Art Photography and in 2016 he graduated from the New York Film Academy receiving his MFA in Photography.

photo by Alify Nasution

While at NYFA his knowledge of photography increased tremendously, both technically and theoretically.  During his studies he was able to explore vast concepts from political to fantasy, eastern and western culture, every race, creed and nation. Nasution remains steadfast in his goal to introduce cosplay photography to a global audience. He doesn’t just take a beautiful photograph; he preserves a story.

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NYFA alumna, Gabby Egito, being honored with the Portuguese-Brazilian Award

NYFA alumna, Gabby Egito, was recently honored with the Portuguese-Brazilian Award, one of the most important accolades of Lusophone communities in the United States. The honorees list was handpicked by a jury committee of journalists who gathered names of the art world, entrepreneurs and notable professionals who excelled in cultural or social awareness in support of their communities in America.

Egito was recognized for her achievements as a recent Brazilian filmmaker. Her fast rise began in 2010, when she came to the U.S. to attend a NYFA 8-Week Workshop at the Los Angeles campus. In the workshop she produced a 7-minute dark comedy, Synergy, which was honored at the Awareness Film Festival, in Hollywood. This sealed her participation in the NYFA One-Year Filmmaking program under a merit-based scholarship.

During her studies at the New York Film Academy, Egito wrote and directed two other films that became festival darlings including the thriller Stuffed and the psychological drama Taken for Granted. Egito has amassed nine awards and five nominations at competitions from coast to coast: Hollywood, Las Vegas, Orlando, Atlantic City (New Jersey), Houston (Texas), Atlanta (Georgia), Cleveland (Ohio) and Muskogee (Oklahoma).

Still from “Synergy”

“It’s amazing to look back and realize how much I’ve achieved since I arrived in this country with two suitcases and a dream of becoming a filmmaker,” said Egito. “NYFA certainly played a decisive role in this journey, providing me the hands-on experience I needed to start off.”

Egito is now working on a long-form documentary about disparities between American and Brazilian dating. “I want to address the cultural differences I’ve been observing in the past six years living in Los Angeles,” commented Egito. “It’ll be very amusing, I promise you.”

The Portuguese-Brazilian Award, organized by Ricky Terezi, was held on July 12 at a 19th-century Norman-style castle overlooking the Hudson River, 30 miles from New York City.

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As a part of Six-Week 16mm & HD New York Film Academy Filmmaking Camp our students learn how to actually shoot on film. Why, you may ask? Well, regardless of the fact that nowadays digital imaging is equivalent or maybe even surpassing the technical capabilities of film, many productions are still shot on film. This means that knowing how to work with 16mm is still a precious skill in the industry.

Recently, at a beautiful location at the Griffith Park, the students had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with film for the very first time. Have a look for yourself!

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The tradition of cowboying is alive and well—in Brooklyn. In former New York Film Academy Documentary student Amy Wright’s film, Legacy, which premiered at DOC NYC in 2015, Wright takes a glimpse into the lives of the men and women who comprise The Federation of Black Cowboys. From trail riding in Virginia, to giving riding lessons to kids back in Brooklyn, The Federation ensures that the legacy of America’s forgotten black cowboys will live on for generations to come.

This Wednesday, July 20, Wright’s film was recognized and awarded Best Short by the March on Washington Film Festival, which was held at the White House. The March on Washington FF strives to increase awareness of the events and heroes of the Civil Rights Era and inspire renewed passion for activism. The festival uses the power of film, music, and the arts to share these important stories.

In her film, Brooklyn’s own Federation of Black Cowboys ride the trails, transport inner city kids off the streets and onto horses, and work to preserve and celebrate the legacy of the forgotten 1/3 of old west cowboys who were Black. Wright shines a light on the lesser-known aspects of Black history. Her journey with the Federation of Black Cowboys, from urban Brooklyn to rural Virginia, reveals the nuanced intersection of Black culture and American iconography.

“The making of Legacy has been a whirlwind experience, from pitching it in the one year NYFA doc program to its screening today at the White House,” added Wright.

“These cowboys have character in every sense of the word, from their quiet integrity to their colorful personalities,” says Andrea Swift, Chair of the Documentary Department, New York. “Seen through the lens of Amy Wright’s camera, scions of the American West like Captain Lee, Rabbit, Momma, Bug, Magic and Mountain Man fill the screen and the imagination with an unconventional vision of life on the range—if the range was Brooklyn.”

Wright’s film is yet another shining example of the high quality, award-winning films that haven been produced with the New York Film Academy’s Documentary Program.

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As the clock struck 7:00 at the New York Film Academy Los Angeles Campus the lobby began to fill with acting students and alumni. Agents from Abrams Artists Agency, Central Artists, Daniel Hoff Agency, DDO Artists Agency, Howard Talent West, Ideal Talent Agency, LA Management, McKeon-Myones Management, Media Artists Group, Prodigy Talent, Debra Manners Talent Management, sat perched behind desks ready to take the student’s head shots and discuss their future.

Frederico Mallet a recent MFA Acting graduate attended the recent looking for commercial and theatrical representation. “I think it’s fantastic that Barbara made this happen,” said Mallet. “Because she is really great. She’s one of the finest people at NYFA. She’s at it all the time. She cares so much about us and I’m really grateful that she did this.”

The event was organized and run by Barbara Weintraub, Chair of Industry Outreach and Professional Development. She wanted to give recent and soon to be graduates an opportunity not only to network and practice pitching themselves but hopefully to land an agent and secure work.

Spring 2015 graduate, Katisha Seargent, “I graduated in May and I’ve been trying to get out there. I was doing a lot of self-submissions. I was so grateful to the school put together a program to help us get that foot in the door because it’s something we’ve been trying to do since we graduated.”

“I watched the footage that they made us shoot on our very first week at NYfA and I just compare it to where I am now and the growth is just exponential. It’s ridiculous. I learned so many things. My interpersonal communication skills rose exponentially. My confidence…it just went through the roof. I’m playing roles now that I never thought that I would do, that I didn’t think I was good at. I found out I have a comedic side. I never thought I was funny. You find out so much about yourself through this process here at NYFA.”

Acting student Owen Rousu knew he only had two minutes to impress the agents, “I have a commercial agent already so I’m looking more for theatrical. My little spiel goes, ‘Hey, I’m Owen. This is my theatrical headshot. I’m looking for theatrical representation; either a manager or an agent. I’m SAG eligible. I think what sets me apart from other actors is I spent five years in the army. I deployed twice as a US Army Ranger. So, the roles that I would go up for are usually army, marines, cops, firefighters, or the bad guy, apparently. I get a lot of villains, which actually, I love.”

When all was said and done we had several students reach back to tell us about their experience.

The meet and greet was such a great event! I got an audition for commercial representation at Daniel Hoff! Which is an agency I’ve wanted to audition for so bad!

So, thank you!

Best,
Linnea

Thank you so much for yesterday the event was great! I was already contacted by two talent agencies!

 

So, thank you so much! Those events must keep on going! They are of great help.

 Gonzalo

Thanks for last night event!! I got contacted by DDO agency already for an interview next Thursday for possible representation!

Thanks,
Todd

The New York Film Academy would like to thank all the agencies that came to view our students and the current students and alumni who took advantage of this opportunity.

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Headed up by New York Film Academy Photography Chair David Mager, Instructor Chris Knight, and Instructor Andreanna Seymore, photography students were given a truly hands-on experience, capturing images for The LakeHouse restaurant in Bay Shore, New York.

Each instructor led three groups of students to capture environmental work, portraitures, and food product photography images that could be used for advertising and marketing purposes.

“One of my favorite things about this school is the hands-on class work,” said NYFA student, Stephanie Schnabel.

“Luxury Living”; photographed by students from the New York Film Academy Photography Program.

“We were really trying to show how beautiful the restaurant is, as well as the faces of the owners,” said NYFA Photography student, Emma Clinton.

Students’ final advertising photos were featured in a Luxury Living article that highlighted the ten-year anniversary of the Long Island beachfront restaurant. Luxury Living is Long Island’s premier lifestyle publication serving the needs of the area’s most affluent residents. Published quarterly by Newsday, Long Island’s leading content provider, Luxury Living celebrates the life well-lived with coverage of high-end homes and gardens, dining and entertainment, art and culture, travel and automotive, and retail, specifically fashion, beauty, jewelry and accessories.

“Luxury Living”; photographed by students from the New York Film Academy Photography Program.

“I’m really impressed with how everyone worked at this shoot,” said NYFA Instructor Andreanna Seymore. “After this experience, I can really see them working, shooting, and being really professional. I think that this experience has been very successful.”

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What started out as Thomas Della Bella’s final thesis film at New York Film Academy has now turned into a feature horror film coming out in theaters and iTunes worldwide on August 5th. Written, directed and edited by Della Bella, The Remains stars Todd Lowe (True Blood), Samuel Larsen (Glee), Nikki Hahn (American Horror Story), Lisa Brenner (The Patriot), Brooke Butler (All Cheerleaders Must Die), Hannah Rose Nordberg (General Hospital) and Ashley Crow (Minority Report).

With the NYFA BFA graduate’s film due out in a week, we thought we’d ask him a few questions about his film and his career as a filmmaker after NYFA.

Congratulations on THE REMAINS! Can you tell us how this film come about?

The Remains is the feature length version of my final year thesis short film Open House. I graduated the BFA Filmmaking program in late 2013 in Los Angeles. I knew going into my thesis film that I wanted to make a short film that could be used as a proof of concept for a feature. So, essentially, I wrote a 15 page mini-feature that followed a family that moves into a Victorian house. I broke the script down into three traditional acts with every 5 pages constituting Act I, II and III. So in the final 13 minute film you get this really cool and fast paced haunted house story.

Now, at the time I had an internship at Blumhouse Productions. Blumhouse is the pinnacle of horror and thriller movies out here and I knew from very early on that one day I wanted to be involved with these filmmakers. Some of their titles include: The Purge, Insidious, Paranormal Activity. As I was interning and PAing for them, I was in post production on my thesis film. Once the film was finished, I sent it around the office to everyone I became friendly with. The following day, a co-worker who watched the film called me over to her desk to tell me how much she loved the film and how she was impressed with the quality of the film.

Now let me also mention, the budget of the short film was $5,000 that I raised via Kickstarter. However, the tools that NYFA provided allowed me to elevate the short film to looking like a much bigger budget film.

The co-worker introduced me to an independent producer at the time named Eric Fleischman. I met with him for lunch a few days later and pitched him the feature version. About three months later, the movie was green lit through Eric Fleischman and Sean Tabibian’s genre production company Diablo Entertainment. From that point, we were off to the races. Everything fell into place at rapid speed and the movie was produced on a shoestring budget.

In your own words, what is your film about?

The Remains is, at its core, a homage to the haunted house horror genre. The film follows John and his family after they move into an old Victorian house after the passing of his wife. Soon after moving in, his two youngest children find a chest in the attic that contains a bunch of antiques. From that point on, an item attaches itself to each family member and slowly starts to possess each family member while pitting them against each other.

The themes I explored are all based around the crumbling of the family unit and the idea that you would do anything for the well being of your family.

Were there any influencers that got you into the horror genre?

Yes! Stanley Kubrick by far has to be one of my biggest influences. The Shining is one of my all time favorite films and you will see references of that in The Remains. I was just always blown away by the moodiness and composition of his films and I really wish I had a chance to meet him. But, specifically, The Shining, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and Barry Lyndon are my favorites.

I’d also have to say that James Wan and Leigh Whannell are huge influencers of mine. I grew up watching the Saw franchise and those films always left an imprint on my brain. But, I don’t think it was until Insidious in 2010, when I was in my early film school years, that I realized these are the types of films that I want to make and these are the people I aspire to someday work with.

Thomas Della Bella on set of “The Remains”

Thinking back to your time at NYFA. Do you believe your experience prepared you to write, direct, and edit the feature version of THE REMAINS?

Yes, 100%. I learned so much doing my 1 year in NYC and 2 years in LA with the NYFA education model. From the very first day of class, they put a camera in my hand, and honestly, the best learning is by doing. And that is exactly what you do while attending NYFA — you make films. I was very lucky to have such an amazing class that really worked together to make fantastic art. I am still very close with most of my classmates and I hired a few of them to work on my film! I’d also like to point out that many of my teachers at NYFA were extremely supportive of anything I wanted to do or try. I think they definitely helped gear me up to jump into a movie as a first time director.

Was there anything interesting that occurred on set that you’d like to share with us?

Probably the weirdest thing about being on set of The Remains was that fact that we shot the short film at the same house. There are two or three scenes that are exactly the same and untouched that we were shooting for the second time. And it was just a very weird sense of deja vu while doing those scenes. But, we shot the film at this amazing 129 year-old house that had the most fantastic home owners ever. They basically let us take over their house and do whatever we wanted, twice in a row, and that was such a positive experience.

Going back to the fact that the house is now 129 years old…it was just an incredibly creepy house. The second you look at the house from outside you immediately think to yourself, it’s haunted. But, I do remember on numerous occasions that the grip and electric departments were always rushing to get out of the house when we wrapped up every night, because the house is that much creepier at night. There were one or two reports of things moving around on their own, but, for my own sanity, I’ll blame that on the production assistants.

Thomas Della Bella on set of “The Remains”

What advice do you have for filmmakers looking to shoot their first feature?

My biggest piece of advice would be to make a short film with the goal of a feature version behind it. This way when you write the feature version, you have this amazing proof of concept to show potential investors and producers. Also, students should take advantage of crowd-sourcing sites like Indigogo and Kickstarter.

The best move I made early on was getting an internship at a company I was truly interested in. Interning lead to set work and, honestly, I learned the most while working in a production office and being on big budget sets.

Be sure to check out The Remains in theaters and iTunes August 5th!

The post NYFA Grad’s “The Remains” To Be Released Worldwide appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

A group of recent New York Film Academy alumni have teamed together to create a production company called Kaleidocircle Productions. Established as fifteen eager actors looking to continue their journey together, they are now a solid group of 12; Aleigha Spinks, Will Parker, Max Turner, Esther Van Zyl, Cesar Brandi, Vitoria Mattos, Laika Lalonde, Victoria Ruud, Natalia Garcez, Ana Paula Marques, Litha Bam and Jen Theophilus.

Kaleidocircle Productions

The production team, a multi-cultural film ensemble, collaborates with actors, filmmakers, writers, photographers, and musicians. They are working to provide high quality entertainment on a global platform while maintaining a level of intimacy and magnitude with their audience. Kaleidocircle strives to provoke, spark, and affect every walk of life the best way possible.

“Our team thrives on creativity and success from every corner of the globe,” said Aleigha K. Spinks, Managing Director.

Working within the LGBTQ community is very important to the company, with many of its founding members being a part of the community. Providing opportunities for not just young creatives, but minorities, alike. No matter the level of experience, Kaleidocircle is always willing to assist in the development of creative individuals.

“I have managed to not only act, but, write, direct and produce original material of high quality thanks to our companies network of artists across 6 continents,” said Will Parker, Artistic Director.

K-Circle, as they like to abbreviate sometimes, has created contemporary promotional material for the non-profit organization, Hetrick Martin Institute. They will also be producing their first professional short film in the fall — a story inspired by the true events of the gas explosions in New York City. They hope to touch their audience, evoking raw and honest emotions, while relaying a message of hope to each and every one of us.

Be sure to check out and follow K-Circle on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The post NYFA Alumni Form Kaleidocircle Productions appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

Not only does the New York Film Academy provide an intensive hands-on experience, but it also sometimes plays the role of matchmaker for actors, filmmakers, writers and other creative artists to begin a professional relationship that will last far beyond their years as students.

Such is the case for two alumni, Sara Seligman and Thomas Bond, who met at NYFA and began a working relationship as writing partners. Sara and Tom first met while taking the One-Year Filmmaking Program in 2007. The two initially worked on each other’s thesis films – Sara was Tom’s AD and Tom was Sara’s DP. After school they continued collaborating, and currently they have several feature film scripts that they’ve co-written.

One of their screenplays, Falcon Lake, was awarded a TriBeCa Film Institute Grant, which brought about the attention of potential film financiers and production companies. Through that attention, the team found producer, Anne Clements, and attached Oscar-nominee Adriana Barraza to play one of the leading roles. And more recently, Tom and Sara were selected to participate in the 2016 Film Independent Fast Track. Through that they received even more attention, both for their script and as writers in general. They had the opportunity to meet with several more production companies and agencies, such as WME. They have now landed their first investors and are still looking to gather the remainder of the production budget.

Falcon Lake began at NYFA as Sara’s first-year thesis film, Blessed the Fruit of Thy Womb. Her short was the seed that began the idea, and slowly it grew and evolved into the script it is today.

“The most important thing is to know that the skills we learn in school can be strengthened with practice, from directing to lighting to writing,” says Seligman in regards to her time at NYFA. “NYFA taught us that, when it comes to filmmaking, going out and doing the work is the only way to succeed, and repetition is the way to turn the work from decent to good to great,” added Bond.

Sara Seligman on set

In addition to their writing careers, both Sara and Tom have spent time working on film and TV sets, including The Mindy Project and The People Vs O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. “Working on TV and film sets has been extremely important in furthering my career,” said Seligman. “We can learn a lot in film school, but practical experience is invaluable. When applying for jobs, it’s the experience that matters most. Getting on-set experience helps me to learn all facets of the filmmaking process.”

“Working on set, you learn to manage the different legs of a project, and the personalities involved,” added Bond. “I love the challenge of working as a team under pressurized constraints, like budget and time restrictions. You really learn who is capable of what, and who will be around for the long haul in an industry that is very unforgiving.”

Thomas Bond at LA Film Festival

Sara and Tom continue to develop and collaborate on screenplays while holding steady jobs in the creative field. Sara is currently working as an Associate Producer at the ad agency Innocean. Before that, she was Jennifer Todd’s assistant on Ben Affleck’s Live By Night and key set PA for The Mindy Project. “I’m proud of the evolvement that each project has meant, and that I was able to work for one of my favorite directors on Live by Night with one of the best DPs in the world Bob Richardson,” said Seligman.

For the past several years, Tom has spent much of his time in the documentary world. “My proudest achievement is definitely getting the chance to work with Albert Maysles at his production company in Harlem, which I did for two years,” said Bond. “Working with a legend, who was so nice, smart, and giving, is an experience I’ll treasure forever. Rest In Peace, Albert!”

The post NYFA Grads Awarded TriBeCa Film Grant for Screenplay “Falcon Lake” appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

Italian native and New York Film Academy Photography graduate, Paolo Testa, says he’s “constantly working on different projects” since graduating. His work primarily deals with magazines and clients in the fashion industry.

photography by Paolo Testa

“I believe that a photography school offers you a priceless opportunity: taking pictures for the sake of taking them,” says Testa. “This allows your creativity to flow and gives you a lot of room for exploration and experimentation. Once you are out of school, you need to work and you lose your free time. My most memorable time at NYFA was spent in the studio. I was using it every day for the sake of experiencing and gaining more knowledge of the studio protocol.”

Testa’s latest work can be seen in WWD. Outside of the fashion industry, Testa is shooting a personal project called “My America” that will be showcased in the next issue of C41 Magazine, a fine art photography magazine distributed worldwide.

photography by Paolo Testa

Additionally, Testa has an active portfolio on the Vogue Italia website. Some of his photos have won awards on the website, including two of which won the Best of vogue.it.

As for some advice that Testa has for our current students and recent graduates, he says, “If you want to make it, you need to focus on one type of photography. Be honest with yourself and don’t try to imitate someone else’s work. Find your own language and write your own story with your own unique style.”

The post NYFA Grad’s Photography Portfolio Hosted by Vogue Italia appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

Through the assistance of the New York Film Academy’s Alumni Department, recent grads have had their share of success in landing some really solid opportunities in the entertainment business. Such has been the case with alumna, Rebecka Kristensson, who is currently working with the talented Steven V. Silver, ASC. Silver is the Director of Photography for both The Big Bang Theory and Mom. Now that Kristensson has had the chance to settle into her new position, we thought we’d catch up to see how everything is going at her new job.

Congrats on landing a gig with Steven V. Silver! Can you tell us how this exciting position came about?

I got the opportunity of working with him from a job ad that was sent out by some instructors at NYFA; in my case by my amazing mentor Denise Carlson (originally from Barbara Weintraub). I applied, and somehow my application reached Steven, with a few other applications. He called me in for an interview, and a few hours into our lunch meeting he hired me on the spot and the rest is history.

What are some of the tasks in your position?

My position entails many different tasks, such as scheduling, coordinating with post production and Technicolor, staying updated on newly drafted scripts, floor plans, etc. I’ve been working on websites and with publicity, especially since receiving two recent Emmy nominations for Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series, which he received for both ”Mom” and “The Big Bang Theory” this year. Also, since the production schedules overlap, I often represent Steven wherever he cannot be present.

What are some of the challenges? What are some of the perks?

The perks are definitely working with extremely talented and professional people that I look up to a lot. I get to pick Steven’s brain a lot — someone who’s been successful in the industry for a long time, creating the look of shows such as Two And A Half Men, Dharma & Greg, The Big Bang Theory, and Mom, as well as established the look of the pilot of How I Met Your Mother. Lucky for me, Steven is truly an amazing mentor. Also, I get to run around Warner Brother’s lot every day, which is always exciting. To be part of the Chuck Lorre machine is definitely an honor, and very educational indeed.

Do you believe your NYFA education was useful in terms of being able to work with a cinematographer on MOM and BIG BANG THEORY?

Definitely! I would neither have received the job ad, nor been considered for the actual job, if it wasn’t for NYFA. Even more so, I would never be able to keep up with this job and professional team without my producing degree.

What are you hoping this job will lead to? Where would you like to be in 5 years?

I hope this job will lead to great connections, lots of wisdom, and more opportunities with Steven, Warner Brothers and Chuck Lorre Productions. Outside the studio, I’ve launched a Swedish production company with my two partners – directors and writers – Petter Englund and Johan Englund, which I hope will stay active five years from now creating original content.

The post NYFA Grad Working with DP for “Big Bang Theory” and “Mom” appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

The New York Film Academy and the Venice Film Festival will be providing an unprecedented opportunity to five of our students and alumni as they will be be showcasing their films at the brand-new Venice Production Bridge platform in the morning of September 1^st at the Spazio Incontri of Venice’s Excelsior Hotel.

NYFA alumnus Giorgio Pasotti

The five NYFA student films that were selected include fiction, documentary and animation. The showcase will be introduced by NYFA alumnus Giorgio Pasotti, who has acted in Italian films such as the Academy Award Winning film The Great Beauty, After Midnight, and Salty Air.

Following the showcase will be a networking cocktail hour from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m., as well as one-on-one info sessions for those interested in learning more about NYFA’s hands-on programs, including its Florence, Italy location, just a short train ride away from Venice.

The following five short films will screen on Sept. 1st:

The Life Of Janka, by Luis Henriquez Viloria (fiction)

After the earthquake in Haiti in January 2010, thousands of kids went to the streets and became a target for organizations of child traffickers. These kids were traded like livestock. “Life of Janka” is a fictional story of two brothers who go through such an experience.

Fumo, by Sean Miyakawa (fiction)

Set in the mid-1920’s, a frustrated sound composer works as one of the first sound engineers in the history of cinema who happened to be madly in love with the main actress of the production. On the day he decides to finally declare his love to her, he finds out about an affair going on between her and the director. The discovery drives him crazy.

Alive & Kicking: The Soccer Grannies of South Africa, by Lara-Ann de Wet (documentary)

In Limpopo, South Africa, the village grannies lace up their soccer boots and start kicking their way down the field — and through centuries of oppressive taboos. They play serious soccer and then break into the laughter and traditional song that help fuel their singular struggle for decent lives and a league of their own.

The Perfumist, by Yukari Akaba, Shannon Lee, Daniela Lobo Dias, Sandra Rivero Ortiz (animation)

“The Perfumist” is a dramatic story highlighting the battle of Machine-Equipped Man against Cosmic Nature. Seeking the perfect scent for his perfume, Benedict Malville runs into the consequences of trampling on sacred, natural ground.

The Right Way, by Elena Zobak Alekperov & Flavia Groba Bandeira (animation)

A short animated story of the day in a mom’s life of raising her young child. While the child tests the mother’s patience, there is a final moment of relief after the mom reveals her secret oasis within the confines of the home.

The post NYFA Student Showcase at Venice Film Festival appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

NYFA grad Celina Liv Danielsen

Another of our grads, Chiara Carcano, was chosen to be one of the co-hosts of the 2016 edition of the Italian travel show Donnavventura. “Kiki” was selected from 180,000 contests, and starting on September 10th, she will be traveling the world for the next 100 days.

Recent graduate Federica Polidoro explained that the series is “Amazons for the digital age.” (No, not an online marketplace, but the female warriors of classical literature.) She will be facing challenging and extreme conditions, and reporting her experiences to TV, radio and magazine audiences. Congratulations Kiki, and don’t forget to wear your NYFA t-shirt!

By this time you have likely seen at least some of the network coverage of the Rio Olympics. But Brazilian NYFA grad Patricia Saad is taking a very different approach, exploring the local implications and legacy of the Olympic Games.

Take a look at Canal Ilumida. And that “walk and talk” she does in the introductory video… she learned how to do that at NYFA. Nice job, Patricia!

The post Broadcast Journalism Alumni Highlights for August 2016 appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.