NYFA Students to Compete in Music Video Competition

April 24, 2014

September Soul Music logo

The New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, in association with director/producer D. Channsin Berry, is holding a music video competition open to NYFA LA students.

The director and producer of such noteworthy documentaries as Dark Girls and The Black Line (Profile of the African-American Woman Part 3), Mr. Berry has recently formed his own music company September Soul Music and is giving students at NYFA LA the opportunity to submit ideas to direct, produce, and edit music videos for two of his artists. The songs include “Movin” by R&B/Adult Contemporary artist Electric Blue Man and “Extremes” by R&B/Pop artist Corey Cross.

Producing instructor and Chair of Diversity Development Cheryl Bedford, who recently moderated a panel on Black Hollywood at NYFA LA that included Mr. Berry, says, “NYFA’s Black Hollywood Panel has brought together wonderful partnerships.  These are excellent opportunities for our students!”

Students who are eligible to submit their pitches to Mr. Berry are second or third year honor students and each candidate must put together a crew of NYFA LA students in good academic standing. The music video for Corey Cross will be performance-based while Electric Blue Man’s treatment should be smooth and classy, along the lines of Pharrell Wiliams’ “Happy” music video. The location is a small sound stage and a white cyc, allowing students a great deal of freedom in bringing their pitches to life. Both music videos will be shot on the same day, encouraging students to keep their ideas inexpensive and of high quality. Mr. Berry will then actively promote the music videos, offering students a chance to get their names out in the entertainment industry.

Students interested in participating should submit their ideas to submissionsla@nyfa.edu by Monday, April 28th. A committee will then narrow the field down to five finalists, each of whom will have five minutes to pitch his or her idea to Mr. Berry.