Page 187 – NYFA

NYFA Los Angeles Hosts Exclusive Talent Meet & Greet for Acting for Film Students

On Thursday, June 23, Chair of Industry Outreach and Professional Development Barbara Weintraub held her annual Talent Meet and Greet. The event serves as a giant casting call exclusive to New York Film Academy acting for film students.

_20A2087 — NYFA Meet & Greet Industry Guests

Actors were encouraged to prepare their pitches and research each agency before they arrived. At 7 p.m. students began lining up in the lobby of the Riverside building, head shots and resumes in hand.

Agents from Moving Pictures Artists, Brady, Brannon and Rich, Coast to Coast Talent, Debra Manners Talent Management, Ideal Talent, and Prodigy Talent were ready to receive the students. Agents from the Daniel Hoff Agency said they wouldn’t be surprised to find new talent at NYFA: “We had someone come last year. We knew we would be coming back.”

Weintraub said of the evening, “This is a wonderful opportunity for our acting alumni to find representation and help further their careers after graduating.”

After making her way around the tables, Gina Powerless joked that she had been a little nervous at first but at the end of the night, she was singing a different tune. Powerless felt she was well received and hoped to get a phone call shortly.

The next day, students were getting appointments. Laura “Fernada” Ruiz Niebla said, “I have a meeting Wednesday next week with Jean Marc from Central artists. Thank you for the opportunity and looking forward to seeing you soon.” Lucia O’Brien heard from Moving Pictures Artists the following morning, and Nuria “Nunu” Vega was contacted by Renee at the Daniel Hoff Agency. She has since been signed.

The New York Film Academy would like to thank the agencies and organizations that helped make this event so special and wish a heartfelt good luck to each of our students in their search for representation.

NYFA Co-Sponsors The Best Of Miami

Miami, Florida is a paradise that is not only brimming with creativity, but is also a thriving center for business-savvy professionals. As a part of this diverse and bustling community, the New York Film Academy’s South Beach campus is honored to have had the opportunity to co-sponsor June’s The Best of Miami event.

On June 27, Miami New Times, celebrating its 30th anniversary, put together a party that filled the newest of Miami’s finest venues, the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science.

The party had a line that wrapped around the Museum entrance. Everyone from the “who’s who” of Miami was anticipating the event, which included vendors from all over Miami. Each of the six floors of the Frost Museum had something exciting going on, and the New York Film Academy South Beach was happy to join in on the festivities as a co-sponsor. NYFA’s booth was situated inside the planetarium where the attendees were able to mingle amongst the stars.

On the same floor just across the way located inside what is known as their Deep Aquarium a DJ was spinning tracks while attendees from the diverse crowd broke it down on the dance floor. Above the dance floor was the deepest part of the aquarium that hung low nearly able to touch by an outstretched hand. A few doors down was a minimally lit room with columns of jellyfish swimming around lighting up the room in a natural artistic manner.

NYFA’s guests of honor included Acting for Film Chair Mark Mochabee, Filmmaking Chair Maylen Dominguez, and Program Coordinator Laura Gasperini. Although the event was filled with tons to do, the New York Film Academy carved out its own niche in the planetarium. The top floor of the aquarium was open for the attendees to pet a live stingray while they swiftly swam by.

One of the most memorable aspects of this event was the skyline, a filmmakers dream; surrounded by water with a backdrop of Brickell on one side and downtown Miami on the other.

Miami New Times made a wave with this event, finding the perfect and newest venue in Miami to throw a spectacular party. The New York Film Academy was able to make its presence in South Beach known while enjoying the fun of the event, which reminded every attendee of Miami’s motto: “We live where you vacation.”

NYFA Filmmaking Grad Assaad Yacoub’s Film “Cherry Pop” Featured in NYLON

Screenshot 2017-06-27 08.36.50 — NYFA filmmaking alumnus Assaad Yacoub via IMDB.

As Pride Month celebrations bring the LGBTQ+ community to the world spotlight, New York Film Academy had a chance to go behind the scenes with the creator of “Cherry Pop,” triple-alumnus Assaad Yacoub, who graduated from NYFA’s 2-Year Filmmaking Program in New York City before going on to complete both his BFA and MFA degrees in Filmmaking at NYFA Los Angeles. His much-buzzed feature film stars Bob the Drag Queen from “Rupaul’s Drag Race” along with Tempest DuJour, Latrice Royale and Lars Berge.

With a recent interview in NYLON and a busy schedule touring such film festivals as Outfest Los Angeles and the London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, Yacoub took some time to talk with NYFA about his “Cherry Pop” journey.

NYFA: Congrats on your feature film debut with “Cherry Pop”! First, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what brought you to the New York Film Academy?

AY: I’m Assaad. Nice to meet you!

When I was younger, I would take our old school video camera and film my brother and my friends doing anything and everything. I enjoy the art of telling a story. It’s fun! I used to dance with a group in Dubai and that form in itself is storytelling. Then I went to art college where I majored in painting. I remember one of my teachers, Rachael Hines, and I’ll never forget this, told me to get the hell out of the Middle East and move somewhere that would actually allow me to succeed and have a career in my talents.

At the time there was no “art scene” in Lebanon or the Middle East — no one took it seriously as a career pursuit — art classes were basically just electives not majors. Moving to the states was the best thing I could have done for myself and my future. That’s how I ended up at NYFA!

NYFA: Your feature “Cherry Pop” started out as a student short film project at NYFA, can you tell us a little about the journey you underwent to turn that student project into a feature?

AY: The feature was actually also a project I did at NYFA as my thesis in the MFA program. It started as a short film in 2013 and we enhanced it into a feature film by 2015.

The short film’s success is basically what decided to make the film into a feature. The festival circuit showed me it was valuable to movie audiences and I decided to push forward with it. When I started my master’s program, from day one I knew I was going to choose the feature track and make this film.

NYFA: What advice can you offer to fellow NYFA students eager to make their first feature film?

AY: You have to be prepared. And even when you think you’re prepared you have to be even more prepared. Mistakes are going to happen no matter what. The more prepared you are the easier and quicker you will solve obstacles as you go along.

Stick to one idea and go with it. Stick to your guns, believe in your idea and what you’re doing. Other people will then believe in you.

NYFA: You mention in your NYLON interview that you were especially interested in showing a “day in the life of a drag queen” with “Cherry Pop.” Why do you feel it is important for people to have a chance to see that world? Why is this story so important to tell, at this moment in time?

AY: It’s important because a lot of people just don’t understand what drag queens do and who they actually are. The topic is now more important than ever – the timing is perfect especially with transgender/LGBTQ+ community speaking out a lot more nowadays. It’s amazing to be a part of the bigger picture of it all.

NYFA: Has the experience of working on “Cherry Pop” in any way transformed the way you approach filmmaking?

AY: Yes. I learnt I do not what to produce ever again. Ha! — I’m sticking to directing!

It was my very first feature film so there really was so much I didn’t know and was learning on the way. I learnt a lot about post-production and about what happens with the movie after you achieve distribution.

A fun thing on set that was new to me was that we built the “Cherry Pop” sets. I have never experienced having full control of how the space was going to look, which was pretty cool.

NYFA: Would you say your time at NYFA was helpful in preparing for your experience making “Cherry Pop”?

AY: My time at NYFA was the only experience I had to prepare for “Cherry Pop” so yes it was very helpful! I think everyone should go through the feature track [in the MFA Filmmaking program] because the classes we took were invaluable. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of Lydia Cedroni, Justin La Reau, William Dickerson and Mike Civille — thanks guys!

NYFA: Are you working on any upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

AY: In addition to touring with “Cherry Pop” nationwide, I am working on its TV adaptation. We just finished writing the pilot. I have a bunch of music videos coming up for “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Queens. Those should be lots of fun. I also just pitched and sold a web series to an online streaming platform.

NYFA: Is there anything I missed you’d like to mention?

AY: Ya! If you’re in LA on July 10 come watch “Cherry Pop” at The Harmony Gold Theatre. If you’re in San Francisco July 11, we will be at The Castro Theatre. Come!

The New York Film Academy would like to congratulate Assaad Yacoub for the success of “Cherry Pop” and thank him for sharing his story with the NYFA community.

NYFA Alumnus Miguel Garzon Martinez Releases “The Broken Legacy” on Amazon

New York Film Academy alumnus Miguel Garzon Martinez has been hard at work on his latest project, “The Broken Legacy.” Now that the film has completed it’s festival run, it is available to stream on Amazon and Vimeo.

Martinez sat down with us to talk about his experience writing, directing, and editing the project.

NYFA: Tell us a little about your latest project?

Martinez: “The Broken Legacy” is a personal project for me. It came from a mixture of past experiences. This was an incredible opportunity to explore those experiences. I was able to share my own thoughts about how the world works. Before I came to study at NYFA, I was a teacher at a high school back home in Colombia. I had some crazy experiences that taught me many things about the nature of people, and about myself as well.

Originally the film was set in a high school. But then I realized that in order for me to make it happen within my budget I had to make some changes. I changed the setting to a research facility where the characters are forced to live together, which definitely amps up the stakes and the drama. But, at the end of the day, I wanted to portray the light and darkness that lives inside of all of us, which I show personified in the two leads: Steven and Tomás.

NYFA: Why is this story important to you?

Martinez: I needed to tell the story of “The Broken Legacy” because it’s heavily based on my own experiences. Sharing something so personal with the world is terrifying and difficult. I felt that as a filmmaker I had something to say, and that feeling continued to bug me until it became this film. However, my intention is not to preach or to tell people what to think or how to behave. For me, it was very important to portray characters who were honest. I tried to show every side of the conflict.

NYFA: What was the hardest part of making this film?

Martinez: When I think about my biggest challenge making this film, and maybe this answer is not as thrilling, but it was unexpected to me as well: it was editing. When you’re so close to something you stop seeing things. It becomes harder and harder to judge what is working and what isn’t working.

After several months of work in post-production and some test screenings, I had to make a very difficult decision. I stepped away from editing and hired an editor to do a new cut from scratch. I had to do what was in the best interest for the film.

I had a wonderful editor, Aashish Mayur Shah, who brought so many ideas to the table and a strong vision that enhanced my previous work. It was a great learning experience.

NYFA: What did what you learn at NYFA that helped you make this film?

Martinez: My experiences at NYFA were integral to making “The Broken Legacy.” It is incredible looking back at how much of what I learned in school helped me through this project. NYFA’s hands-on approach really prepared me to be in command of the set, because I have already done it before many times in smaller projects.

On top of that, I was very lucky to have two great directing teachers, Nick Sivakumaran and Adam Nimoy, who showed me how to visually tell a story without losing sight of the spine of each character. Most of my crew was wonderful people that I met at NYFA, including one of my actresses and co-producer Cynthia Bravo. I would never have been able to complete my film without the NYFA community.

NYFA: Would you do anything differently if you could?

Martinez: I think that if I could go back in time, I would have approached the screenwriting process differently. Writing a film is by far the most complex part. I wrote the script in eight months and I still feel like I could have used more time.

Looking back, there are little moments where I realize that I should have added this or that to make it perfect. It is kind of like that feeling you have after walking away from a conversation and suddenly know exactly what to say. It’s very annoying, but I have learned from it. Now, I try to focus 110 percent on those details during the writing process.

NYFA: What festivals did you take the film to?

Martinez: “The Broken Legacy” has screened at the Pasadena International Film Festival, where it won Best Feature Film, and at the Gwinnett Center International Film Festival, where Michael Stahler won Best Male Actor for his portrayal of Steven. We also screened at the Manhattan Film Festival, Culver City Film Festival, Speechless Film Festival and Hoboken International Film Festival.

NYFA: What was it like watching your film with an audience for the first time?

Martinez: Watching the film for the first time in front of an audience was incredibly uncomfortable. I felt as if I was naked in front of them and they were staring into my soul. However, and this is weird, it’s also a wonderful experience because it allowed me to connect with them. Every time I hear a little reaction, like a gasp, I know that people are invested in the story that I want to tell. It’s amazing because ultimately I want to make films so people can watch them and get involved with the characters. Eventually, you get used to people staring at you naked.

NYFA: What is the message you hope viewers walk away with?

Martinez: The main questions the film asks is, would you be able to sacrifice your happiness in this world to achieve a great work of art? Is it worth happiness, worth immortality? I don’t want people to walk away with an answer to that dilemma, but I want them to walk away asking themselves, is it possible to have both? And what would they be willing to sacrifice to achieve immortal fame?

NYFA: What’s up next for you? Are you working on any new films?

Martinez: Right now, my main focus is the distribution of the film. “The Broken Legacy” is finally available on Amazon and Vimeo.

I am also developing a couple of new projects. I am in the middle of the post-production on a short film that I did in Colombia. It was produced by another NYFA alumni, Juan Sebastián Sarmiento Bazzani. I really wanted to have the experience of doing a short film back home. Thanks to the people I met at NYFA I was able to do so.

Finally, I have also been collaborating with a wonderful group of actors in New York City, where I currently live, to develop a series of short films that will soon be on the festival circuit.

The New York Film Academy would like to congratulate Martinez and all those involved in the making of “The Broken Legacy” on their success. To learn more about the film click here.

NYFA Welcomes Hire Heroes USA

On June 24, The New York Film Academy College of Visual and Performing Arts (NYFA) Veteran Services Department was fortunate to collaborate with Hire Heroes USA (HHUSA) to host a daylong exclusive employment workshop for NYFA’s veteran students. The NYFA military students also benefited from one-on-one time with the Transition Specialists from HHUSA.

6B2A0174 — Hire Heroes USA is a nonprofit that provides free, expert career coaching and job sourcing to hundreds of transitioning U.S. military members.

Hire Heroes USA is a nonprofit that provides free, expert career coaching and job sourcing to hundreds of transitioning U.S. military members, assisting veterans and spouses with finding employment.

The first half of the eight-hour workshop was a practicum related to resume theory, networking techniques, and how to affectively prepare for an interview. Representatives from Hire Heroes USA, Jamie Rimphanli and Walter Serrano, coached veteran students on how to properly format their resumes and discussed, in-depth, the importance of networking and how to prepare for a job interview.

For the second half of the workshop, industry professionals from Disney Studios, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Legendary Entertainment, and Plan A Locations joined the workshop for a moderated Q&A panel discussion. Panelists discussed how they began their careers in the entertainment industry and how they’ve navigated their careers for success.

Highlights from the day included an exercise that had all of the participants do a speed networking session. Also, HHUSA brought a photographer who took professional head shots for the veteran students’ LinkedIn pages.

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“We felt that this training and these types of vet student-centric activities are increasingly important because they help prepare our students to meet with HR/Talent Acquisition teams from the major studios,” explained NYFA Director of Veterans Services Department John Powers.

Retired Army veteran and MFA cinematography student Bryan Hudson stated, “The Hire Heroes USA workshop was a fantastic forum to introduce veterans with industry insiders and provide the opportunity to learn from them. The event was beneficial to everyone involved about learning the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of the interview process and how to break into the entertainment industry. One thing that I learned from the workshop is to establish relationships that will be beneficial to both parties. Thank you to the NYFA Veterans Department for putting on this marvelous event, and I hope that this will be the first of many events with Hire Heroes USA.”

The NYFA Veteran Services Department is extremely grateful to Hire Heroes USA for partnering with us to bring this wonderful opportunity to NYFA veteran students.

NYFA FILMMAKING ALUMNUS ASSAAD YACOUB FEATURED IN NYLON MAGAZINE FOR “CHERRY POP”

New York Film Academy filmmaking alumnus Assaad Yacoub’s feature film “Cherry Pop,” starring Bob the Drag Queen from “Rupaul’s Drag Race” along with Tempest DuJour, Latrice Royale and Lars Berge, has created buzz during Pride Month — and caught the attention of NYLON magazine, which features an interview with the filmmaker this month.

“Cherry Pop” juxtaposes the glamor of drag performances with the drama and hilarity of the backstage relationships on one night in a drag club, as one legendary performer takes her last bow and one new drag queen makes her debut. The film has been awarded with Best Film, Best Director, Best Feature Comedy, Best Cinematography in a Feature Film, Best Editing in a Feature Film, and Best Original Score by the London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema.

Filmmaker Assaad Yacoub’s energy is contagious, and as he shares with NYLON, his “Cherry Pop” is not only about the color, energy, and drama of drag, but also has a deeper purpose: “I think that’s what I want people to get from it — you have to accept someone no matter what they are, and you have to accept yourself. It’s an important message because a lot of people are doubting themselves and they don’t know what to do, and they’re hearing negative things in the media about who they are. No, you should stick up for yourself and be proud of who you are. I hope people can look at the characters and be like, ‘If they can accept themselves, I can accept myself, too.'”

“Cherry Pop” made its first appearance as Yacoub’s undergraduate thesis project at NYFA Los Angeles, but it truly started even before then, during his studies at NYFA New York. As a student in NYFA’s 2-Year Filmmaking Program, Yacoub would spend much of his free time at New York’s famous Stonewall Inn, a National Historic Landmark at the heart of the LGBTQ+ community. It was there that he met Bob the Drag Queen. Yacoub persuaded the rising star to be a part of his student project, “Cherry Pop.”

From New York, Yacoub went on to complete not one, not two, but three NYFA programs, graduating from the 2-Year Filmmaking Program before earning his BFA and MFA in Filmmaking at NYFA Los Angeles. While in school, Yacoub was well known for tackling social issues in his films, such as “The Wing,” which earned an humanitarian award for outstanding achievement from the 2015 Best Shorts Competition. After graduating, Yacoub became a part of NYFA’s Industry Lab and completed several music video projects. And all throughout Yacoub’s NYFA journey, “Cherry Pop” gained a life of its own.

Premiering with a bang at NYC Pride’s OutCinema, “Cherry Pop” will soon make a splash on the West Coast at Outfest Los Angeles and at the Castro Theater in San Francisco.

Along with NYLON magazine, the film has also been featured in The Pride Los Angeles as one of the most-anticipated films of Outfest 2017. To learn more about “Cherry Pop,” visit the filmmaker’s website and watch his recent appearance on NYFA’s Popcorn Talk.

NYFA LA Welcomes Writer & Producer Neal Baer as Guest Speaker

On Wednesday, June 21, Neal Baer came to the New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus to talk about his illustrious career in television. Baer has the distinction of being a key figure in two groundbreaking series. He was a writer and producer on both “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” and “ER.” Director of the Q and A series, Tova Laiter, hosted the evening.

Students filled the Riverside Theater to hear Baer speak about the history of the television industry. Many of the students were surprised to learn that “ER” once enjoyed an incredible share of the market. “There’s no drama airing today that comes close to having 40 million viewers. Not even ‘Game of Thrones.’”

Of course, a huge portion of the show’s success was the wildly talented and relatively unknown cast, including George Clooney. Baer recalled the excited fan reaction to seeing Clooney in a tuxedo. So mad was the fury, that Baer made sure to include a scene with him in a tuxedo in “Hell or High Water.” The episode went on to be the show’s highest-rated and even earned Clooney an Emmy nomination.

“I’ve had a very different career than my friends. I’ve only ever been on four shows,” Baer said after being asked about his incredible trajectory. “I started in 1994. That’s twenty-three years. I don’t know anybody else who has done four shows straight through.”

Whether it was talent, luck, or a combination of both that kept Baer on top, he always made sure to use the best of the time he had. “I loved SVU because every week I got to explore. You had to get into the story through a murder or assault but then I could do a show about teen access to abortion. They let us do amazing things with guns, homeschooling, HIV deniers, euthanasia, everything I was interested in was put into the show.”

That inspiration translated into his hiring practices as a showrunner. Baer was fond of calling obscure actors from childhood favorites to come on the show. Carol Burnett chastised him when he called to ask her on the show: “You used to watch me with your parents on weeknights, didn’t you?” Once, Debbie Reynolds even shared a saucy story about Ava Gardner with Baer.

“How could you not want to bring these people on your show,” Baer said. “I’ve been very blessed to work with incredible people.”

One student asked if Baer had any advice for students looking to break into the industry. Baer responded, “They’ve made it very difficult to be a director. I think what you have to do if you want to work, as a director, is shadow. You attach to a director and you just become their shadow. You’ll go to casting meetings, location scouts, anything the director does, you’ll be there.”

The New York Film Academy would like to thank Mr. Baer for taking the time to speak with our students.

NYFA Gold Coast Campus Hosts Casting Director Ben Parkinson & Actor Joey Vieira

0U8A193050 — Ben Parkinson (left) and Joey Vieira (right) speak to NYFA students at the NYFA Gold Coast campus.

Ben Parkinson (C.S.A), casting director on “Jungle” with Daniel Radcliffe, “The Shallows” featuring Blake Lively, and Australian feature “Don’t Tell,” along with actor and casting assistant Joey Vieira, offered their insight into the world of entertainment to eager acting for film students of the New York Film Academy Gold Coast during a Q&A session on Friday, May 19.

Mr. Parkinson has been casting for over 17 years with major experience in various facets of the industry. He has worked in New York, Los Angeles and Australia-wide on major motion pictures, indie films, local and international television commercials, and music video clips. Ben’s unique eye for casting and his compassion for each project has made him one of Australia’s most highly accomplished casting directors.

Mr. Vieira, a California native with over 20 years experience in acting, relocated to Australian in 2014. His career has include roles on Channel 7’s mini-series “Hoges,” “Illusion V,” “Texas Rising,” “The Simpsons,” “The Shield” and “Kitchen Confidential,” as well as feature films “San Andreas” and “Jungle.”

Hosting a comprehensive presentation to students, Parkinson and Vieira provided invaluable insider knowledge of the industry.

NYFA Australia acting for film student Ethann S. says of the session: “I had fun, had a laugh and learnt some interesting things … The boys helped with my question regarding contracts with a possible agent and negotiating … I definitely felt like I got something out of today. And hopefully the next time I see them it’s in the audition room.”

Fellow student Danni-Elle C. added her thanks “for the opportunity … it was super informative.”

The New York Film Academy Australia would like to thank Ben Parkinson and Joey Vieira for taking the time to speak with our students.

Late June Updates From the Broadcast Journalism School

This week I want to start off with a look at Spanish language media in the United States. Once a small, niche market, it is increasingly becoming a force in American journalism. NBC purchased the Telemundo network a number of years back. An investor group bought the other major Spanish language network, Univision. And while Univision might be best known for its prime time telenovelas, it’s news effort is first rate. The New York Times Magazine has a great story on how Univision is playing an important role in the communities it serves, combining first-class news coverage with aggressive rumor control.

As most of you know, I am a big fan of electronic gadgets, and a firm believer that — if necessary — you can produce an entire news package on your iPhone. But you don’t need high tech to be a good journalist. A reporter in Boston used postcards (you know, postcards … “snail mail”) to gather information on the gentrification of the city’s East End. Since many of the people he was trying to reach don’t live “digital lives,” he distributed postcards throughout the community telling the story of gentrification, and asked people to recount their own experiences. And since the people he wanted to speak with generally communicated in Spanish, the postcards were in español too.

Digging for stories goes far beyond email and voice messages. It involves engaging with, and talking to, real people.

Of course, if you want to compete at the national and international level, you better have a good digital game too. CNN developed Great Big Story as a way to diversify their brand, so that they weren’t entirely dependent on news addicts like me (and you?). It is also an acknowledgment that even the most dedicated follower of news can use some time away from the headlines. (Off-beat and involving stories always find an audience.) Bloomberg reports that CNN is growing Great Big Story into a 24-hour streaming channel. And they are betting $40 million dollars on the project…

File this under the heading, “Murphy’s Law — Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong, at the worst possible moment.” (All of my former students have heard this before. Maybe too many times … but it bears repeating.) That’s what happened at the BBC last week. For four, very long minutes, the computers that pretty much guide the “News At Ten” program went haywire. The result was one of the most catastrophic mess-ups I have ever seen.

But through it all, BBC presenter Huw Edwards did exactly what we train our students to do when something goes terribly wrong in the studio. He remained calm (at least outwardly), and was ready to go once things were finally sorted out.

Take a few minutes and watch the video. It is quite instructive.