New York Film Academy: What Makes Us Unique

May 27, 2011

New York Film Academy is one of the fastest growing, most hands-on film and acting schools in the world. With programs in filmmaking, acting, cinematography, producing, photography, game design, musical theatre, animation, screenwriting, documentary, broadcast journalism, and much more, there is a course for you! Check out a few reasons to study at New York Film Academy:

Photo of Chord Overstreet

NYFA Graduate Chord Overstreet stars as Sam on TV Series Glee!

HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS: New York Film Academy offers the most hands-on film program in the world. From week one, film students have access to cameras and acting students perform screen tests.  In one year, students can expect to make 8 films and work on at least 28 more.

Aubrey Plaza in Funny People

NYFA Graduate Aubrey Plaza stars as Seth Rogen’s love interest in Funny People. She also stars alongside Amy Poehler in TV Series Parks and Rec.

COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS: Students are able to network with filmmakers, producers, cinematographers, actors, performers, animators, photographers and game designers without leaving the building! New York Film Academy supports collaboration between our departments through informal mixers, mandatory pitch sessions, and joint projects. Producing students are required to team up with filmmakers for at least one project. In addition, New York Film Academy offers regular casting calls through CASTNYFA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU-hWengEMU) that allow student and alumni actors to audition for up to 100 filmmakers at once, all casting upcoming projects.

Lisa Cortes

NYFA Graduate Lisa Cortes Co-Produced the Oscar-Winning film Precious 

ACCESS TO INDUSTRY: New York Film Academy’s outstanding faculty includes several Oscar and Emmy Award winning filmmakers. Teaching staff have worked professionally for companies/networks including HBO, Disney, Discovery Channel, Fox, Comedy Central, Bravo, History Channel, and more. In addition, they hold degrees from NYU, UCLA, USC, AFI, and Columbia. The Musical Theatre instructors starred on Broadway in Wicked, The Addams Family, Chicago, Les Miserables, and more. Producing mentors have screened features at Sundance and Cannes in the past year. In addition, New York Film Academy invites several guests from the industry to screen work and provide advice and guidance. In the past few months, students have heard from actors including Sir Ben Kingsley (Ghandi), Kevin Kline (The Ice Storm), Glenn Close (Dangerous Liasons), Matthew Modine (Full Metal Jacket); directors including Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind); producers including Al Ruddy (The Godfather), Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman), and Debora Cahn (Grey’s Anatomy/West Wing). Steven Spielberg (Jaws) and Nancy Myers (It’s Complicated) will both speak this month.

Paul Dano in Little Miss Sunshine

NYFA Graduate Paul Dano starred in Little Miss Sunshine and There Will Be Blood

DIVERSE STUDENT BODY: New York Film Academy has a student body that draws from over 76 countries. Students bring with them different artistic sensibilities, stories, and belief systems. This diversity of background allows students to receive a variety of opinions on their work and reveals new perspectives that strengthen them as artists. In addition, students have opportunities to network with filmmakers all over the world that will later provide valuable connections if they pursue international film production.

NYFA Graduate Camilla Luddington as Kate Middleton

NYFA Graduate Camilla Luddington (right) starred as Kate Middleton in Lifetime’s William & Kate.

LOCATION: New York Film Academy is constantly expanding. Students can do year-round courses of study in New York, Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi, and Australia. The New York Film Academy also offers short-term opportunities at Disney Studios Florida and Harvard University and has international locations in Paris, France; Lugano, Switzerland; Mumbai, India; Florence, Italy; Rome, Italy; Moscow, Russia; Kyoto, Japan; Tokyo, Japan; Seoul, Korea; Lagos, Nigeria; Shanghai, China; and Beijing, China.