Faculty Directory

Harrison Allen

Harrison Allen is a Development Executive and Producer currently working at Kebrado, a celluloid-only film company run by Brian Tetsuro Ivie. While in the undergrad film program at NYU, Harrison produced THE LAST THING MARY SAW (2021), a period piece thriller starring Isabelle Fuhrman, Stefanie Scott, and Rory Culkin. The film was acquired by Shudder and was released internationally in 2022. After graduating, Harrison became a producer at BrickHead, producing music videos for artists like Frances Forever and Montell Fish. Harrison joined Intrinsic Value Films to oversee both film and television development for two years before moving to Kebrado, shooting two films between roles, CONCESSIONS starring Michael Madsen and Steven Ogg for which he served as an EP, and ISLE CHILD starring Samantha Mathis, Sam Robards, and Ben Wang, for which he served as a Producer. Both films are currently in post-production and are slated for 2025 releases. In 2022, Harrison became an adjunct professor at the New York Film Academy where he continues to teach BFA screenwriting and current event courses.

Anne Alvergue

Arsenio Assin

Arsenio G. Assin received his BFA from City College of New York’s Picker Institute in Film and Media Studies. Afterward, he worked for several years in various genres in New York, including music videos, documentaries, commercials, industrials, ENG., and independent shorts and features in the different crew departments, such as a key grip, sound, electrician, AC, production design and eventually DOP. His work history has ranged from work for bigger productions, such as an AC for the New York second unit crew of Stanley Kubrick’s last film, Eyes Wide Shut, to smaller productions of independent companies such as cult favorite Troma Entertainment’s feature films Citizen Toxie and Poultrygeist. As a cinematographer, his work in indie films, The Viscous Circle and Sad Spanish Song has been accepted in several festivals as well as had a theatrical release. His longtime collaboration with director Preston Miller has seen his work in the micro-budget film Jones, reviewed by Amy Taubin in Film Comment as “a find.” He believes that it was these varied work experiences that gave him insight into the challenges that face new and upcoming filmmakers.

Thomas Barnes

An award-winning writer and director, Thomas Barnes’ films have screened internationally at dozens of film festivals and prestigious venues such as the Director’s guild of America. When the short film ‘Porgies & Bass’ screened on the Omeleto channel Youtube in 2018-2019, it garnered over 1.2 million views. His latest short film is ‘Hafus in Love’ (2020). A feature version of the film is planned for 2021. As well as narrative shorts, he has directed multiple music videos and commercials in Asia, Europe, and USA. These include spots for Coke and M&M and music videos for Rod Stewart, Keke Palmer, and Chinese superstars Faye Wong and Andy Lau. As a Senior Producer at MTV Asia, he was one of the core production team, shooting shows with MTV VJs and artists such as Radiohead, Bon Jovi, Chris Isaak, Peter Gabriel, and Bryan Adams. Thomas is originally from Hong Kong, of mixed Anglo-Chinese heritage. He has a BA in English Lit from London University and teaches directing craft at New York Film Academy.

Ashley Bank

BA in Film, NYU. Graduate of The Second City Conservatory
Ashley has been working in the entertainment industry for virtually her entire life. She’s worked as an actress, stand-up comedian, producer, and writer. As an actress Ashley has appeared in over 40 commercials, and has guest stared on TV shows like Family Ties, My Two Dads, Frasier, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She’s also appeared in numerous TV Movies, working with greats like Henry Winkler, Dolly Parton, and Raquel Welch, as well as the feature film The Monster Squad. She also worked as a producer for CBS News/48 Hours, and later for CBS News’ documentary department, working on documentaries for The History Channel, The Food Network, A&E, Discovery, and ESPN. She is a graduate of New York University, with a BA in Film, Journalism, & Political Science. She is also a graduate of The Second City Conservatory. For the Screenwriting Department in Los Angeles, she teaches The Business of Screenwriting, The Art of The Pitch, Acting as part of the Script To Screen course, and Scene Study. For the Producing Department in Los Angeles, she teaches Producing Documentaries, and in the Filmmaking Department she teaches Advanced Producing.

Piero Basso, AIC

Born in northern Italy and based in NYC, Piero Basso graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Cinema, from the University of Turin. In a career spanning over 25 years, Basso has photographed 17 feature films, and TV series, along with numerous documentaries, short films, music videos and commercials.

His work has been honored at some of the most prestigious film festivals around the globe, including Venice (Una Famiglia, Competition), Locarno (Seven Acts of Mercy, Competition), Cannes (Darker than Midnight, Semaine de la Critique), Berlin (Dafne, Panorama, Fipresci Award as Best Feature Film and Canone Effimero at the Forum in 2025, Special Mention of the Documentary Award Jury), Turin (Santina, Competition), Oberhausen (Zakaria, Competition), Clermont-Ferrant, Busan, Huesca, Marrakech, Santa Barbara, and several others. He recently received a Best Cinematography Award at the 23rd Beverly Hills Film Festival. In 2009, he was invited to join the AIC, the exclusive Italian Association of Cinematographers and he is a member of the International Cinematographers Guild.

Leslie Bates

Leslie Bates has an undergraduate degree in Marketing and English Literature from San Diego State University, and a JD from Lincoln Law School. After a stint in Turkey as a contracts attorney, Leslie returned to America to complete an MFA in Screenwriting at the American Film Institute. She has written and produced the dramatic feature, Broken Angel and the documentary, Cesar Chavez, as well as producing countless short films, commercials and live theater. Her other credits include producer of the Istanbul National Ballet production, Agir Roman (East Side Story), at the Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood.

Katy Berry

Katy Berry is a New York based comedian, writer, and musical improviser who studied writing at The New School in New York City. Her screenplay POPCORN earned her a place in the 2020 Black List and Women in Film Feature Residency and is now being produced by Gunpowder & Sky, along with her second feature, CLICK CLICK PLAY. Her feature NEG is being produced by Aperture Entertainment. As a musical comedian, Katy has traveled the world at venues including The Kennedy Center, NYC’s Town Hall with David Byrne, and multiple sold-out Edinburgh Fringe Fest runs. In addition to live performances, her original writing and videos have been featured in Vulture, Studio360, Bustle, Chortle, Reductress, The Guardian, the Magnet Comedy Film Festival, NYC Web Fest, Coney Island Film Festival, Chain Film Festival, and more. When not teaching at NYFA, she’s leading the charge as the lead of Brooklyn Comedy Collective’s musical improv program.

Joseph Bonier

An active Sound Mixer and Sound Designer, Joseph graduated with a BA from the University of Maryland. Joseph also has a degree for Recording Engineering from the Recording Connection. He has worked as Boom Operator and Sound Mixer for numerous features, TV shows and shorts. He also worked as an Engineer at Avalon studios in Washington DC and Matrax productions in Philadelphia, PA.

Lea Tolub Brandenburg

Lea Tolub Brandenburg has been teaching, acting, and directing for over 30 years.

She’s worked in film, theatre, commercials, industrials, and voice-over. Currently, she teaches Directors Craft in NYFA’s
online short-term programs. She’s directed seven original short films and hundreds of scenes/shorts in her acting for film classes. As a casting director, she’s cast two features and a number of commercials. She wrote, directed and produced the short: And Again. The film was an official selection of the Big Apple Film Festival and GenCon. She is the co-author of “The Actor’s Workbook: How to Become a Working Actor”. In 2015 she received an MFA in Film from Vermont College of Fine Arts demonstrating that you never stop learning and growing as an artist.

John Briscoe

Editor of multiple commercials broadcast both in Western Pennsylvania as well as Los Angeles. Worked as a freelance contractor on various independent films, webisodes and commercials. Editor of an 8-episode “war time” style documentary independently and aired locally in Los Angeles. Director, Producer and Editor of various segments airing on Pennsylvania television including a commercial for Hyundai, as well as various local food establishments and businesses.

Amanda Brzezowski Associate Chair of Filmmaking

Amanda Brzezowski received her MA in Film Studies from Columbia University. She has presented papers at multidisciplinary conferences held at Emory University in Atlanta and the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. Previously Amanda worked at POV, the longest-running documentary series on PBS, screening documentaries in consideration for the series, and coordinating the annual Editorial Committee Meeting with programmers and independent filmmakers. Since 2013, she has screened documentary films in consideration for festivals including DOC NYC, Camden International Film Festival, and Tribeca Film Festival. Amanda has also directed short documentaries for local nonprofits to help raise money for community programs supporting children, seniors, cancer survivors, and musicians. Currently, she teaches in the Documentary Traditions & Aesthetics courses for the NYFA Documentary Conservatory programs and is the Associate Chair of Filmmaking.

Joe Burke

Joe Burke is an award-winning indie filmmaker, actor, and director known for his heartfelt, character-driven stories and resourceful approach to micro budget filmmaking. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, he studied filmmaking and theater at Columbia College Chicago before earning his MFA in Directing from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. Burke gained early recognition with his debut feature Four Dogs, and recently world premiered his new award winning movie Burt, winning Best Comedy Feature at Cinequest, Best Picture at the Phoenix Film Festival, and the Special Jury Award at the Florida Film Festival. He’s been a film professor at NYFA since 2014.

Derrick Cameron

Derrick Cameron is a native of Chicago, IL. Upon seeing “Do The Right Thing” at the age of 11, he set out on a path to his chosen profession. He graduated from Morehouse College in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in history. He then matriculated to the graduate school of film at Florida State University, where he graduated in 2002 with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Motion Picture, Television, and Recording Arts.

Derrick has written and directed four acclaimed short films entitled “The Man,” “Caroline,” “Cherry Hook,” and “It Never Entered My Mind.” “Caroline” screened at the Toronto Film Festival, San Francisco Black Film Festival, and the RAI channel in Italy. “It Never Entered My Mind” is currently on the festival circuit, having screened at the Cannes Short Film Festival, Chicago South Side Film Festival, Portland Film Festival, and won Best Short at the Malta Film Festival. Derrick has produced three short films, most notably the short film “ANTS,” which won first place in the comedy category at the 2003 College Television Awards and screened at the Cannes Film Festival, both of which Derrick attended. Several of Derrick’s screenplays have won awards, specifically his original pilot “The Saint of Striver’s Row” and his spec Western “The Widower,” which placed in the top 10% of the Nicholls Fellowship. He was also featured in the February 2004 issue of Vanity Fair magazine as one of Budweiser’s New Discovery Filmmakers. Finally, Derrick also wrote and directed the 2008 feature film, “Right on Louise.”

Derrick is a past Executive Director at Ghetto Film School (GFS) in the South Bronx, NY. He left GFS to pursue personal projects and resume his career in academia as an adjunct professor of filmmaking at New York Film Academy.

Denise Carlson

Denise Carlson is a producer, consultant and development executive with twenty five years of experience in the entertainment industry. She was at Disney Channel for 9 years as the Director of Original Movies, responsible for overseeing the development and production of 47 television movies, including the megahit High School Musical, as well as other highly successful films such as Wendy Wu and The Cheetah Girls movies. She has also produced series for Disney+ and independent productions. She is on the board of the LA Femme film festival, which is dedicated to presenting films that are made by and about women. She has a BFA from Rollins College and a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Ryokan College.

Neil Casey

Neil Casey is a cinematographer whose body of work includes feature films, short films, documentaries, music videos, and live events. He started his career in New York, where he worked as a camera operator and lighting technician for film and television before moving to Los Angeles to earn his master’s degree. For over a decade he has had the pleasure of working with a variety of artists and companies, including Stan Lee’s World of Heroes and POW! Entertainment. At NYFA, Neil works to teach aspiring directors and cinematographers the art, practices, and technologies that exist in the ever-evolving world of cinematography.