Christopher Paparis, Marine Corps veteran and Veterans Coordinator at the New York Film Academy New York City campus was invited to the 2016 Veteran Immersion Program, a joint collaboration between “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” (TDS) and American Corporate Partners (ACP). Chris participated in a seven-week internship where a group of 15 other veterans were able to observe, learn and contribute with all members of the crew—from pre-production to the live taping of the show!
Only 16 veterans are accepted into the competitive internship each spring. Those invited are able to interact with the producers and writers during round-table discussions focused on that evening’s show. Veterans participating in the program do more than just sit on the sidelines and observe during these meetings—they are encouraged to participate and chime in with their own ideas! The purpose of the Immersion program is not only to introduce veterans to the television industry, but also give them an opportunity to showcase their talents.
“It was eye opening to sit in that room with all the writers and producers and see how the spontaneity of the Daily Show’s humor comes about. As an aspiring writer and producer, it provides me a sense of clarity knowing that the training I received at NYFA has prepared me well for this opportunity,” said Paparis. “Meeting Trevor Noah was a blast and really funny; he brought a lot of energy into the meetings I attended!”
Over seven weeks, the vets are given a crash course in television production and networking, with the opportunity to speak and learn from professionals about the logistical, creative, and technical aspects of TV. During the final week the interns attend a career fair attended by hiring executives from Viacom, Disney/ABC and Time Inc., as well as Comedy Central.
New York Film Academy’s Veterans Services staff continually train to support the military service members, veterans and their family members that become part of the NYFA educational community.
The New York Film Academy proudly serves military veterans and has been privileged to enroll more than 1000 veteran students at our campuses in New York City, NY; Los Angeles, California and South Beach, FL., since 2009. NYFA has full time support personnel and dedicated Office of Veterans Services at each of its three domestic locations.
In order to best serve NYFA’s student veteran population, staff members go through a rigorous training learning about veterans’ benefits, mental health resources, and often attend special professional development events and conferences.