Documentary School at the New York Film Academy

Documentary School

Over the past several decades, the documentary film has gone from a niche genre to a form of filmmaking that is more ubiquitous than ever. These days, documentary filmmakers have more avenues than ever to showcase their documentary work, from television stations dedicated to non-fiction programming to a growing number of production companies and distributors committed to showcasing the work of new voices in documentary filmmaking. In response to the increased presence and popularity of documentary films, the New York Film Academy’s documentary school developed a uniquely hands-on curriculum that immerses students in the craft of documentary filmmaking.

Upon enrolling at the Academy’s documentary school, students commit themselves to an intensive and demanding curriculum that immerses them in the numerous aesthetic and technical demands of the genre.

Documentary Courses

Depending on the workshop or program a student enrolls in, he or she can expect to take a documentary course in the following subjects that include:

Sound	Camera and Lighting	Producing and Directing the Documentary
Editing	Documentary Craft	Documentary Production Workshop
Producing	Camera, Lighting and Sound	Film Dynamics
Writing	Cinematography - Master Class

Documentary Classes

Each documentary class offered at documentary school at the New York Film Academy is held at different points throughout the year. Click here to view the start dates and tuition rates for our documentary classes.

Documentary Degrees

If you would like to continue your documentary education and earn a degree in documentary filmmaking, you are able to apply your coursework toward credit in the New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus documentary degree program.

• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Documentary Filmmaking

Documentary Workshops

Students have the option to take the documentary school’s intensive six-week documentary workshop to prepare them to make their own films through hands-on workshops and creating original documentary film projects.

• Six-Week Documentary Workshop

Documentary Programs

The documentary school at the New York Film Academy also offers a year-long documentary program that extensively trains students in the craft of documentary filmmaking.

• One-Year Conservatory Documentary Filmmaking Program

Documentary Faculty

The New York Film Academy boasts a distinguished and varied documentary faculty composed of professional documentary filmmakers who assist students in completing the school’s challenging curriculum. With each member coming from a unique and prestigious background, students work with a well-rounded faculty that includes:

	Andrea Swift: With over fifteen years of documentary film experience, Swift served as the executive producer and a director for the PBS newsmagazine In the Life, which was a two-time Telly winner and three-time Emmy nominee. She also edited, produced, and directed the documentary DEAFSMITH: A Nuclear Folktale and recently wrote and produced the upcoming documentary Strat-O-Matic: The Movie.
	Caron Allen: Possessing years of experience in documentary filmmaking, Allen has created documentary films for corporate, industrial, and educational clients. With film topics that have ranged from WWII to genocide to teaching children opera, Allen’s extensive background allows her to provide unparalleled insight into students’ projects. She created the sound design for the Oscar-winning documentary Long Way Home and currently serves as a consultant to other documentary filmmakers.
	Eddie Rosenstein: An instructor in Documentary Craft and Non-Fiction Television, Rosenstein is the creator, executive producer, co-showrunner, and director of the History Channel series Sandhogs and is the executive producer and showrunner of the series How the States Got Their Shapes, Surveillance City, and Missing. He has produced and directed fourteen films and has worked for clients that include Kodak, AT&T, Johnson Wax, Pepperidge Farms, and much more.

Documentary Alumni

The documentary school at the New York Film Academy has graduated numerous alumni that have gone to find success in documentary filmmaking. Learn more here.

Career Opportunities

As documentary films transcend film, television, and even the internet, there are more career paths than ever available to the aspiring documentary filmmaker. Our alumni have gone on to serve in many of the following positions as well as companies such as the ones below.

Director	Writer	Assistant Director
Cinematographer	Producer	Programmer
Series Creator	Grant Writer	Audio Mixer
Showrunner	Executive Producer	Sound Design

Contact Us

To learn about the New York Film Academy’s documentary school, please call our offices at +1 (212) 674-4300 or click the following links.

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