NYFA BFA Acting for Film Student Rosario Amico has had the unique opportunity to work on set of A Good Cop while also completing his BFA at New York Film Academy.
Rosario spoke with NYFA on the art of balancing his work and his studies, mental health and booking without an agent!
New York Film Academy (NYFA): First, can you tell us a bit about yourself, where you’re from? A memory that you’d like to share?
Rosario Amico (RA): Hello! I am from Garden City Long Island, NY – grew up there my whole life. I am 22 years of age and I got bit by the acting bug at 15 and I haven’t stopped since. A memory that comes to mind, since this is an interview about me and acting, I thought it would be appropriate to recall the moment in time I decided to quit conventional college for the third time studying business management to pursue my dream of being an actor full time.
NYFA: What brought you to the New York Film Academy?
RA: I started performing on the stage in musical theater productions in highschool and I did regional shows for about two years after graduating high school. Until one day I literally decided I wanted to do something different. I wanted to make my transition to film and TV. None of my theater contacts had any knowledge of that field. I knew I needed to take it upon myself to find a school where I could get the education required to succeed in film and TV. I had a friend from high school who went to NYFA right after graduating. So I reached out to her, visited the school and here I am! I loved the hands-on approach.
NYFA: Why did you decide to do the One-Year program?
RA: I initially signed up for the one-year program because if I didn’t enjoy it, I figured it would be much easier to just walk away and I’d have a certificate of some sort. Also I hadn’t finished any school I started up to that point and I wanted to finish something.
NYFA: What made you want to study more? Why the BFA Program at NYFA?
RA: First, I want to say I don’t believe you can ever get enough of an education. I mentioned earlier I only did the one-year program in case I didn’t like it, as like a trial period. I discovered I loved it and made the decision to further my education in case my dream career didn’t go as planned.
NYFA: What was the audition process like for A Good Cop? How did you prepare?
RA: I have an Actors Access like everybody else that aspires to become an actor. I didn’t have representation at the time so I was submitting myself for roles. I submitted for A Good Cop and received an invitation to submit a self tape via Eco-Cast. I then received an in-person call back at the studio in NYC – it was a screen test essentially. After that, I had my second in-person audition with a room full of producers and executives. I was asked lots of questions about the character, the show, and my thoughts on them. I was also asked more personal information like my availability during this designated period of time. They said they would let me know either way next week. And then I got the great news that I booked the part!
NYFA: You’re still a student in the BFA program, how do you manage working on a show while being a student? What are your day-to-day duties?
RA: Well, l I never imagined that I would be fortunate enough to get the amazing opportunity to work consistently. It was a challenge at first and ultimately made the decision to take off from school for a semester. The reason being I wanted to fully dedicate myself to my work and get to know my character. My day to day duties at the time consisted of a lot of zoom meetings with the cast and in-person rehearsals. I think taking care of my mental health and physical health was a huge piece of the puzzle to staying consistent and up to snuff. It was very overwhelming especially for someone who hadn’t done anything before so it was important I remained grounded in my own life so that I could work well. Talking with my teachers from NYFA helped a lot as well.
NYFA: What other projects are you working on or do you plan to work on? Do you have any projects coming up?
RA: I finished filming season 1 at the beginning of September 2021 and the show aired on national television on December 5th. So I’ve mostly been relaxing and enjoying my time off while watching the show every Sunday with friends and family and focusing on my studies. My agent started reaching out to me about auditioning again which I have been doing. Hopefully the show gets picked up for season 2 which would be the dream because I signed on for 4 renewals. But I’m back to the drawing board and I’m moving to LA in September of 2022 so I have a lot of things I’m focusing on right now.
NYFA: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to your work and to your work on A Good Cop?
RA: I think the biggest thing I learned from NYFA that doesn’t have to do with technique but has to do with character, was developing my sense of belonging. Going to set everyday believing I was meant to be there. So learning confidence and the belief I deserve to be there as much as everybody else. This gave me great confidence to perform at my peak. I am indebted to NYFA for the terminology I learned and all those countless hours on simulated set environments definitely prepared me for the real deal. When it came down to acting I was very fortunate I had a character I got a chance to dissect over 10 episodes and really break down my script and find my WHY. label my beats within my script for each scene. I think the constant practice really delivered for me when I got the script I immediately got to work breaking it down.
NYFA: What advice would you give to students just starting out at NYFA?
RA: I think really it might just be as simple as taking action. Immediately. Get your hands on a camera or jump on the opportunity to be on a set in any way shape or form. Put yourself out there. I have gotten tons of advice over the years but something that stands out to me is what my high school theater director told me “there will always be people who come who are better looking or more talented, but nobody should ever ever work harder than you”. People think it’s luck. The harder you work you’ll notice the “luckier” you’ll get. Also if there is a story you want to tell…do it. You are not just an actor who acts out other peoples stories, you are also a creative. You have the ability to make an impact. Also don’t take the NYFA staff for granted. They are all very friendly, successful, and extremely talented individuals. Go to them…just go to them, they will help. I honestly couldn’t have done it without them although I’m not done yet.
NYFA congratulates Rosario Amico on his work on A Good Cop! We look forward to seeing more of his work!