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New York Film Academy Youth Program Grad Lily Buchanan in Syfy’s Happy!

New York Film Academy kids Filmmaking camp grad and child actor Lily Buchanan recently had a starring turn in Syfy’s dark comedy series, Happy!

Happy! stars acclaimed actor and New York Film Academy Guest Speaker Christopher Meloni as a degenerate ex-cop-turned-hit-man who, after flatlining in the line of duty, is brought back to life — only to discover he can now see and hear a child’s invisible friend, an animated blue unicorn named Happy. Needless to say, bizarre and thrilling antics ensue.

The surprising, gritty, and hilarious show is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Darick Robertson and Grant Morrison.

In Happy!, Lily Buchanan portrays the role of Jamie in not one, not two, but three episodes. We don’t want to give away any spoilers, so you’ll have to check out the show on Amazon Prime — just be aware that viewer discretion is advised, as the storyline of Happy! doesn’t shy away from violence or mature topics.

Happy! is one in a string of recent successes for New York City-based child actor Lily Buchanan, who has also churned out scene-stealing performances in 2018’s Real Love and The After Party.

Buchanan carved out time in her busy schedule over the last holiday season to take on the New York Film Academy’s intensive Holiday Filmmaking Camp for Kids. During her time at the Academy, she enjoyed a special opportunity to see Dominique Morisseau’s original play, PIPELINE, at the Lincoln Center Theater (LCT) — and got meet the play’s star, NYFA Instructor Jaime Lincoln Smith.

Congratulations on your role in Happy!, Lily — we look forward to seeing what’s next on the horizon!

New York Film Academy Alum Receives International Film Festival Manhattan Award

Jameelah Rose del Prado Lineses
Jameelah Rose del Prado Lineses

New York Film Academy (NYFA) alum Jameelah Rose del Prado Lineses knows first-hand how much hard work goes into making a film—which makes her Honorable Mention at 2017’s International Film Festival Manhattan all the more rewarding. In October, after screening her documentary “The Lifestyles of Expats in Jeddah,” Jameelah was the proud recipient of the IFFM’s Film Festival Director Louie Award Honorable Mention.

This isn’t Jameelah’s first award, either. Her previous documentaries, “Historic Jeddah” and “Our Journey to Hijaz” have also garnered significant praise from multiple festivals in the last several years.

2017’s International Film Festival Manhattan
2017’s International Film Festival Manhattan

A recurring theme in her work is the challenge women face while living in Saudi Arabia. The uphill battle women face, especially in filmmaking, has helped focus her vision and strengthen her voice.

Jameelah first attended the New York Film Academy’s 8-Week Filmmaking Workshop in June 2011, before enrolling two months later in the 1-Year Filmmaking program at the New York City campus. There, Jameelah was given hands-on training with state-of-the-art film equipment and taught the skills necessary for pre-production through post-production.

This intensive education prepared Jameelah for a career in filmmaking.“My instructors at NYFA ensured their students after graduation are already well-rounded and equipped to work in any film department,” stated Jameelah.

Even after making several documentaries and garnering numerous honors, Jameelah still applies the training she received at NYFA. “I made sure that I took down notes for every class,” said Jameelah, adding, “I still have all my notes until now, and I review it at times when I need a refresher.”

The New York Film Academy congratulates Jameelah on her Honorable Mention for “The Lifestyles of Expats in Jeddah,” and looks forward to the important stories she will tell in the future!

Jameelah also recently celebrated the world premier of her short film “Reunion,” for which she is the associate producer, at the Anthology Film Archives. “Reunion” is an official selection for the NewFilmmakers New York  film festival.
The Lifestyles of Expats in Jeddah
The Lifestyles of Expats in Jeddah

New York Film Academy Alum Hired by CBS News and Trained by Fellow Alum

This week, 2017 NYFA Broadcast Journalism graduate Lara Gato began work as an Associate Producer at CBS News. To add to what is already a proud moment for her alma mater, Gato is being trained by 2015 NYFA Broadcast Journalism grad Nour Idriss.

Lara Gato  came to the New York Film Academy from her home in Madrid, Spain, to pursue her dream to become a journalist. Her fantastic work was recently featured on the NYFA Blog as a standout example of a professional reel.

NYFA Alumna and CBS News Associate Producer Lara Gato

“The reel doesn’t get you the job,” NYFA Chair of Broadcast Journalism Bill Einreinhoffer explained to the NYFA Blog. “The reel gets you the interview which can get you the job. It is the ticket that gets you in the door.”

Nour Idriss, who is training Gato at CBS News, moved to New York City from her home in Aleppo, Syria. It was while still completing her program at NYFA that Nour was encouraged by a NYFA guest speaker to apply for work at CBS News. She used a story she did as a NYFA student to help secure a role. She works both in the production team for “The CBS Evening News Weekend Edition” and as a freelance associate producer for video at CBS.com.

With “The CBS Evening News,” Idriss told the NYFA Blog she produces and edits VO’s, teases, and packages, overseeing headlines and assisting with gathering research and material. On the digital side at CBS.com, she During the uses a suite of software to publish web content.

The New York Film Academy congratulates Lara Gato and Nour Idriss for their success and looks forward to hearing more from them at CBS News.

Celebrating A Successful Shanghai Film Week at New York Film Academy

The New York Film Academy (NYFA) was proud and honored to host Shanghai Film Week from Jan. 9-12, created in partnership with the Shanghai Film Group, Shanghai Film Art Academy, and the Shanghai Film Distribution and Exhibition Association.

A vivid celebration of Chinese film and culture, Shanghai Film Week coincides with the beginning of the 2018 Chinese New Year festivities. The joy of the New Year was a part of the magic behind the enthusiastic and full turnout, with many of the events of the week seeing packed audiences and full houses.

On its opening day, Shanghai Film Week shared space with Chinese Cultural Performances at the Jewish Heritage in downtown New York. The Chinese Cultural Performances offered a wide and colorful variety of presentations from Shanghai-based cultural and educational institutions, from folk dancing and music to martial arts.

Delighted attendees were treated to presentations by the East China Normal University, Shanghai Theatre Academy, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Film Art Academy, and Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The performances concluded with a ceremony to acknowledge and thank the many prestigious institutions and talented individuals involved in shaping the Chinese Cultural Performances.

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Following on the energy of the performances, Shanghai Film Week continued the theme of celebration with a focus on Chinese film. The assembled crowd was treated to a Film Panel hosted by New York Film Academy President Michael J. Young.

Shanghai Film Week’s Film Panel discussion offered rare insight, flavored with optimism, on topics from the history of cinema in China to the future of the international entertainment industry. Industry experts discussed “The Present and Future State of the U.S. and China Film Collaboration,” with panelists including award-winning author and NYU Tisch professor David Irving, Shanghai Film Art Academy President Jiang Bo, renowned film critic and NYFA instructor Peter Rainer, film director of the first screening film Sherwood Hu, NYFA Chair of Broadcast Journalism Bill Einreinhofer, and Vice President of the Shanghai Film Group Corporation Xiaojun Wang.

After the panel, many more guests arrived for the Shanghai Film Week Opening Ceremony and first film screening. A rousing speech by Deputy Consul General Zhang Meifang from Consulate General of People’s Republic of China in New York and a ceremonial ribbon-cutting kicked off the Opening Ceremony, immediately followed by the screening of panelist and film director Sherwood Hu’s 2013 feature “Amazing.”

The popular film features NBA superstars Scottie Pippen, Mel Chude, Dwight Howard, and Carmelo Anthony, and offered the enthusiastic audience an exciting ride through the world of a virtual reality game that takes on a life of its own.

Shanghai Film Week also screened six additional films at the NYFA Theatre at its Battery Park campus, all of which have won numerous awards and accolades in China. These films included “The Last Tomb,” “The Monkey King,” “I Wish I Knew,” “Phurbu & Tenzin,” “Legend of the Naga Pearls,” and “Cock and Bull.”

The New York Film Academy thanks its Shanghai Film Week supporter and partners: Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York; the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV; Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government; Information Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government; Shanghai Film Group; and Shanghai Film Art Academy.  

 

New York Film Academy Broadcast Journalism School Visits NBC News

So, for graduates of the NYFA 1-Year Broadcast Journalism program, these pictures should bring back some memories!

This month, the Fall 2017 1-Year students got an exclusive “behind the scenes” look at NBC News. It was all made possible by NBC News military affairs contributor Col. Jack Jacobs, who is also Chair of the NYFA Veteran’s Advancement program.

While visiting NBC News, the students had the opportunity to meet MSNBC anchor Joy Reid.

Then, they visited the set of her program “AM Joy,” while the show was in progress.

Since prime time anchor Lester Holt was off, the NYFA students decided to help out as “substitute anchors” on the set of the “NBC Nightly News.”

…and made a quick visit to make-up.

They even had to chance to visit the set of “Saturday Night Live” during rehearsals. (You can hear the band playing here.)

In fact, they even found out about some of the jokes on that night’s show, 10 hours before air time!

These tours are available only to students in the NYFA Broadcast Journalism 1-Year Conservatory program. This group seems to have had fun…

New York Film Academy Acting Alum Adrian Voo Talks Teen Comedy “Little Bitches”

Not many of us wish that we could go back to high school, but for New York Film Academy (NYFA) Acting for Film Conservatory alumnus Adrian Voo, revisiting teen angst never looked better. This month, the world will see him co-star in Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s “Little Bitches,” a raucous, R-rated teen comedy that will release digitally Jan. 23 on iTunes, Amazon, VUDU, Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Microsoft Store, Play Station and Google Play.  

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Voo was bitten by the acting bug when he was a business major at San Francisco State University. Following his dream led him to NYFA Los Angeles campus for an intensive year of conservatory training before going on to snag mainstream attention in the Jason Biggs comedy “Amateur Night.” “Little Bitches” follows three former-best-friends-turned-frenemies who must find a way to make peace in their senior year of high school in what Sony Pictures describes as a “crazy, twisted, coming-of-age female-empowerment comedy.”

The NYFA Blog had a chance to catch up with Voo to hear more about “Little Bitches,” what he loves about comedy, and what’s next.

NYFA: First, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what brought you to the New York Film Academy (NYFA)?

AV: My love for film has spanned my lifetime but I had never really given acting much thought until my final year of business school. I was auditioning for plays and became fascinated with the craft. After receiving my BS, I decided to explore acting and searched for an intensive film school, and that’s when I found NYFA!

NYFA: Do you have any favorite NYFA moments from your time studying with us?

AV: One of my earliest childhood memories was being in absolute awe while on a tram tour at Universal Studios. So the first time we had an on-camera class on New York Street was a little “magical” for me.

NYFA: Congratulations on your role in Sony Pictures’ “Little Bitches”! How did this project come about for you?

AV: Thank you! Long story short, I was pitched to Scott Aversano (producer). I was so excited to hear that he was assembling a teen comedy, knowing his previous success with “That Awkward Moment” and “Orange County,” among many others. We had a good meeting and he brought me in to read for Nick Kreiss (writer/director).

NYFA: You’ve had a great streak of working in some big comedies. For our students, what do you find the most challenging about intensive comedy work? How do you prepare?

AV: I’ve found the most challenging part to be forgetting that it’s a comedy — and not trying to be funny! I think comedy works best when you trust the script (the writers) and find the dialogue rhythm. Once you have the rhythm, you can add improv for color.

NYFA: You recently served as an executive producer of “Dear Dictator” with Michael Caine and Katie Holmes, as well as appearing in the film. Tell us about that process, and why you felt drawn to this story?

AV: I had worked with the writer/director’s on “Amateur Night,” which was their true life story, so I was thrilled when they invited me to be a part of “Dear Dictator.” The script is so inspired (it was featured in the Black List in 2006). It’s a satire but, ultimately, a story about a non-conventional family. There’s some familiar film moments but it’s truly a film like no other…

It was also a full circle moment to work with Michael Caine since I studied his “Acting in Film” book at NYFA!

NYFA: Would you say your time at NYFA was at all useful in preparing for the work you’re doing now?

AV: Very much so! When I first walked through the doors, I had a little stage experience and almost no formal training; I dreaded speaking with fellow actors whenever I was in productions because they used jargon that I had never heard of. NYFA instilled technique and discipline, and molded my process today. I’ve also become a strong proponent for hands-on training and found it to be an essential element.

NYFA: What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

AV: Let’s just say, for now it’s “Little Bitches” and “Dear Dictator” in March! I hope you guys will enjoy the films as much as we had making them. Cheers to everyone at NYFA!

The New York Film Academy would like to congratulate Adrian Voo on his work in “Little Bitches,” and looks forward to seeing “Dear Dictator” soon!

New York Film Academy Veteran & Cinematography Alum’s Horror Feature Streaming on Amazon & iTunes

NYFA veteran alum Alister Conway has found success with his first independently-produced feature film. The Doll takes the familiar horror trope of a haunted doll coming to violent life to new extremes, with this particular “doll” portrayed by Valeria Lukyanova. This is the screen debut for the model and viral internet sensation, known as the “The Human Barbie.” As The Los Angeles Times observes of this casting choice, “Turning a beauty into an inhuman monster is actually a clever premise.”

Conway took the time to share some insights from his experience bringing The Doll to life with the NYFA Blog.

NYFA: How did your project The Doll come about? What inspired the idea?

AC: Through my many networking trails, one night I attended an event at the Soho House. I met an incredible psychologist, Susannah O’Brien, who shared many similar ideas and feelings on the rapidly changing climate of the film industry.

At the time I had no idea she was also a director organizing a new team to produce a collection of scripts that she written … one of the scripts was The Doll project. It was wild how she had the entire project laid out in her mind with clear bold strokes, these crazy details that blew my mind, with the Human Barbie Doll starring in it all.

… Long story short, by the end of the conversation she asked if I’d be willing to shoot the project. I can’t remember my exact response. But it was something along the lines of “Oh **** yes! I’d love to.”

NYFA: For our students, can you tell us a little bit about your role as the cinematographer and co-producer? How did you juggle those responsibilities, and what surprised you the most?

AC: Coming from a stern military background combined with the hustle mentality of a Brooklyn New Yorker, I’ve always motivated my mind to multitask at the drop of a dime. Originally, I was brought on as the cinematographer, a privilege I still can’t thank Sahara Vision Productions enough for. Then I approached the production team to bring me on as a producer to help manage the overall day-to-day process of pre-production.

They were reluctant at first until they noticed a $8,000 deficit that wasn’t in the original budgeting. I moved around a few numbers, brought on a few associates at lower rate, made a few deals with equipment lenders, etc. and they were very impressed with what I accomplished. So they tried me out as a co-producer.

Surprises? After two years overseas in Iraq, not too many things surprise me these days. I’ve learned to play along in the mindset: “Hope for the best. Plan for the worst. Live in the moment.”

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NYFA: Congratulations on your distribution for The Doll with Amazon Prime! Can you tell us a little bit about how you went about securing this deal?

AC: Thank you. After talks with many distribution companies, we were fortunate to solidify a deal with Gravitas Ventures. We went with them because of their extensive media catalog and reputation of doing what they say they’re going to do — not easy to find distribution companies today with those standards: packaging the deliverables, going through media Q&C, press and social media handling. Gravitas was great throughout the process.

NYFA: Anything we missed that you’d like to share with the NYFA community?

AC: Prior to my move to LA from New York, my sole focus was shooting and editing projects for the best possible look. I never focused my attention on the business aspects of the world of content sales and producing. There was a rush that I never expected. It opened me up to a completely different mindset of the filmmaking process.

Don’t be afraid to try something new on set. Pay close attention to the business mechanics of the world of creating contenting. There are so many avenues within this realm that not only help me keep my sanity during the harsh process of filmmaking but helped build a greater appreciation for the long term financial benefits and my personal growth.

The New York Film Academy would like to thank Alister Conway for sharing a part of his story with the NYFA Blog. The Doll is available to stream on Amazon Prime and iTunes.

 

Packed House For New York Film Academy Gold Coast Screening

NYFA May 2017 Diploma of Filmmaking End of Year Screening & Graduation

For New York Film Academy Gold Coast’s May 2017 Diploma Filmmaking students, the holidays didn’t just represent the end of 2017, but the end of a year of learning, training and artistry. On the 21st of December, the group held their graduation at Event Cinema Pacific Fair, along with the End of Year Screening of their final films.

With a packed house of friends and family, the group of talented, passionate filmmaking students were able to share their achievements in a tangible way, by showcasing the films their vision and hard work made manifest. By having a full theatre audience and seeing their final films up on a big screen, the students got a taste of what their future careers could look like. Being inspired and surrounded by loved ones, the filmmakers were able to celebrate the holidays and their accomplishments of 2017 all at once.

In addition to gaining vital filmmaking skills, learning by doing, and applying them to their work, the students’ time at NYFA was valuable in other ways. Filmmaking lecturer Trevor Hawkins elaborated, “What is apparent—apart from learning the art and craft of filmmaking, after spending the year working on each others’ films—the students have formed bonds and connections that will continue on into their professional filmmaking careers.”

NYFA May 2017 Diploma of Filmmaking End of Year Screening & Graduation
NYFA May 2017 Diploma of Filmmaking End of Year Screening & Graduation

Indeed, forming relationships with colleagues is just as important to the collaborative art of making movies as the practical skills needed to bring them to life. While this is just the beginning of their careers, the students were already showing off their distinct talents. Each of their final films portrayed their own unique voice, and demonstrated just how much they’ve grown since starting the program in May.

Hawkins added, “We wish them all the best and look forward to all their future projects.” The New York Film Academy congratulates the students on their films and a job well done!

New York Film Academy Alumnus Yassin Koptan Brings Cairokee’s “Layla” to Life

New York Film Academy filmmaking alumnus Yassin Koptan has done what many young filmmakers dream of doing: he made a music video for his favorite rock band.

Cairokee is a band pushing the boundaries of censorship in their native Egypt. When the General Authority for Censorship of Works of Art would not release the album, the band circumvented their authority and posted “A Drop of White” on YouTube on July 11, 2017. Their song “Al-Kayf” has over 53 million views.

In the fervor of that historic release, NYFA alum Koptan wanted to participate in the moment and make a video that would bring the band to a more global audience.

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Cairokee is well known for their unique style and their political message, so it may seem strange that Koptan opted to make a music video for one of their more intimate tracks. “‘Layla’ is one of the first Cairokee songs with a personal feel to it,” Koptan explained. “I love art driven by political expressions, but I wanted to be way less on the nose about things. ‘Layla’ was one of the few songs where I was able to do that. I wanted to approach things creatively and universally without interfering with the band’s current image.”

The band’s current image is sleek and clean, and Cairokee frequently appears in coordinated outfits. In the first music videos they released for “Drop of White,” each member is dressed entirely in black and performs in a circle. Koptan subverts this imagery in his interpretation of ‘Layla.’ He chooses instead to use bright, almost neon, colors.

Koptan believes a large part of the album’s success was due to the permeating themes of young love. “Everyone I spoke to about ‘Layla’ saw bright visuals when listening to the song. It is the classic boy meets girl love story,” he said.

But the introduction of a bright color palette wasn’t enough of a change for Koptan. His story focuses on an elderly man who wakes up to discover his partner has passed in her sleep. Unable to accept the loss, he does everything in his power to bring her back. At first, he splashes her with water. Then, he tried to jump-start her heart. Eventually, the old man decides he does not care if she’s dead. He’s going to love her anyway.

Koptan elaborated on this decision saying, “I discouraged myself from the safe choice. I decided to make something that truly represented the test of eternal love. What is more painful than accepting the loss of a soul mate?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=251&v=7bROwqA-cNs

The choice turned out to be a rather controversial one. “Audiences in Egypt are not used to stories that mix love and death,” said Koptan.

Even so, many Egyptians’ tagged their friends in the comments section of the YouTube video. According to Koptan, a common discourse was whether or not the video could be considered art.

“No matter which way they felt, I was flattered,” Koptan explained. “The video has over 10,000 views on YouTube and more people watch it every day.”

Specifically, Koptan credited NYFA Instructor William Dickerson with a motto he was fond of using on set. “(Dickerson) told us limitations breed creativity. When we didn’t have enough dresses and suits for the mannequins on set I simply asked my crew, ‘What would our limited protagonist do?’ He would improvise! This philosophy was the heart of the production.”

As with most independent productions, money was a constant struggle. “I did not have all the funds to make the movie until the day before we were scheduled to film,” Koptan said. By working as an editor for a marketing company and freelancing in his spare time, Koptan was able to pull together the $6,000 needed for the two-day shoot.  

Koptan described the work as rewarding. “I had to balance not just earning the finances, but managing them for the film as well. I was the director, producer, and the writer. Each job requires extensive preparation before we could begin production. But, it was all worth it. These are the challenges all independent filmmakers face.”

The New York Film Academy would like to congratulate Yassin Koptan for all of his success. We look forward to the next project.