Page 204 – NYFA

NYFA Game Design Alumnus Creates His Own “Borders”

One of the more controversial topics in recent months has been immigration and America’s stance on border control. Like other artists, New York Film Academy Game Design School alumnus Genaro Vallejo and his teammates, John DiGiacamo and Gonzalo Alvarez, created a unique gaming experience to express their point of view on the subject.

The game was recently discussed in The Huffington Post, and the New York Film Academy spoke with alumnus Genaro Vallejo to find out more about creating “Borders.”

Where are you from, and what brought you to NYFA?

I was born in Acapulco, a beach town in the south of Mexico, I spent most of my life there until I moved to college to Mexico City. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I decided to pursue my lifetime dream of becoming a game designer. I looked up schools in New York, and I found NYFA was the best option for my needs at the time.

Did you create “Borders” while at NYFA?

“Borders” was created shortly after I graduated from the One Year Game Design Program. This project was created for a “Game Jam” event in which a game has to be developed during a weekend. Although the task seemed almost impossible at first, the skills learned at NYFA — alongside the help of my teammates John DiGiacomo and Gonzalo Alvarez — enabled us to create a polished experience in a span of three days.

Was there a retro game that inspired “Borders”?

Gonzalo, the main artist, took inspiration from the harsh experiences from Mexican immigrants trying to find a better life. The art-style and moral issues were inspired by games like “Papers, Please” and “Passage” (By Jason Rohrer).

What do you hope people will get out of this game? Are you making a political statement?

Personally, I think empathy is the key thing that I want people to take with them when they play “Borders.” If you try to understand and feel the struggle and problems of others, you will be more open and thoughtful of others’ actions and motivations.

Can you tell us how your job at GameCo came about, and what your role is with the gaming company?

At first, I was hired at GameCo to write Game Design documents for upcoming games for their platform. Eventually, I began to get involved with QA, Hardware/Software installation and troubleshooting, and Translations. The skills learned at NYFA were without a doubt valuable assets that helped me to get a job at GameCo and expand my versatility in the company.

I think one of the most important skills learned at NYFA was the whole process of creating the game. From prototyping, documenting your game idea, working in the game editor, to play-testing and fixing bugs. All of the steps you take are important, and you always have to keep focused on moving forward.

Are you currently working on another game or project that you’d like to share?

I’m currently working on Mama Hawk, a mobile game about a Mother Hawk trying to feed her babies. Hopefully you can give it a look!

We certainly will! If you’re interested, please CLICK HERE to learn more about Mama Hawk!

NYFA SOUTH BEACH FACULTY’S SHORT FILM “SCENES FROM OUR YOUNG MARRIAGE” TO PREMIERE AT MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL

Film enthusiasts in South Florida have gathered once again for the Miami Film Festival, which runs from March 3–12. Founded in 1984, the Miami Film Festival is a charity that connects art with audiences, and fosters a value for cinema for future generations. Stars that have graced their red carpet through the years include Gregory Peck, Sofia Loren, Kris Kristofferson, Candice Bergen, Kevin Kline, Michael Caine, Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Willem Dafoe, Demi Moore, Amy Irving, and many more.

Among this year’s selections is a short film created by New York Film Academy South Beach faculty called “Scenes From Our Young Marriage.” Ronald Baez, who will soon be teaching producing at NYFA South Beach, directed the film; Kevin Ondarza, NYFA South Beach equipment room manager is a producer; Eddy Moon, NYFA South Beach editing room manager, is a co-writer and producer; and Kyle Fritsche, NYFA South Beach editing room supervisor and facilities coordinator, is the editor of the film.

In the film, “Scenes From Our Young Marriage,” a young couple shares seemingly innocuous conversation in bed as we explore the emotional vastness of their short tenure in marriage.

“My experience of making the film and seeing it fully realized was one that was full of perseverance and personal growth,” said producer Kevin Ondarza. “The set always had a positive vibe, and the work and passion that went into it from the cast and crew comes across on the screen. The process was long and strenuous, but probably one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.”

The premiere screening of “Scenes From Our Young Marriage” will be March 11, 2017 at 3:30 p.m. at O Cinema Miami Beach.

NYFA Photography Alumni Spotlight: Eunnym Cho

Born in Seoul, South Korea with a background as a theater designer, photography has always been a passion for New York Film Academy Photography alumna, Eunnym Cho. Cho used her elaborate sets as backdrops for what were the beginnings of her exploration into photography as an art.

looking into the lives — “Looking into the Lives” by Eunnym Cho

“I would always take shots of the theater sets and costumes I designed for my portfolio,” said Cho. “At one point I figured having a deeper knowledge of photography would be helpful to get the shots I wanted, so I decided to take the One Year Photography Conservatory at the New York Film Academy. I started the program just to learn more on the technical side, but the course was a lot more than just that. I discovered the huge field over the program and took it serious from there.”

Since graduating from NYFA, Cho’s work has been recognized by several galleries, including:

The Art at the Center National Juried Exhibition 2017, Tomahawk Ridge Community Center, KS, 2017
45th International Art Show, Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, TX, 2017
City Lights Spring 2017 Juried Exhibition, City Lights Art Gallery, NV, 2017
New York International Photography Contest, Gateway Art Center NYC, NY, 2017
40th National Photography Exhibition, Larson Gallery, WA, 2017
Next Up, Next Gallery, CO, 2017
Conroe Art League 2017 Invitational Show, TX, 2017
LA Artcore Annual Photographic Competition, CA, 2017
38th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, NJ, 2017
Dreams, The Darkroom Gallery, Essex Jct. VT, 2016
Primary Colors, Final list, Honorable Mention, New York Center for Photographic Art, NY, 2106

“Untitled Gaze” is her first ongoing project and “Looking into the Lives” is the one that followed. “Looking into the Lives” is a series of street shots. The project involves two sub-projects: Part I was taken in the Dominican Republic and part II was taken in New Orleans, LA.

“One of the most memorable parts of the NYFA Photography program was the school trip to Dominican Republic,” said Cho. “It was the most enjoyable way to learn about the topic and, as it turns out, was where one of my projects, ‘Looking into the Lives,’ began.”

Untitled Gaze 2_Honorable Mention_NextUp_Denver — “Untitled Gaze” by Eunnym Cho

Her other ongoing project, “Untitled Gaze” is a series of images taken in various bars in Manhattan. “At first I was searching for unique, interesting elements of bars, but then I became more aware of the patrons, especially those who were alone,” added Cho. “So I set out to photograph, using the point of view of these individuals. Without looking at their phones, how did they fill the void? What would their eye focus on? In their inebriated state, what do they see? Focusing on singular item or area, I began to create abstractions of what they might see. Drawing inspiration from Uta Barth and Saul Leiter, I looked for things that might catch their eyes as they looked around from their barstool.”

Cho hopes having her work at galleries across the country will provide exposure to her work, but she would love to have an exhibition in her current hometown of New York City.

As Cho puts it, “There is no better place in the world in terms of the amount of galleries and museums that focus on photography.”

The New York Film Academy Hosts Weekly Podcast on “Popcorn Talk”

In a world of podcasting and videocasts, it was only a matter of time until the New York Film Academy got on board with its own insightful and thought provoking show, “New York Film Academy Hour,” which deals with all things filmmaking, acting, entertainment and more!

The weekly podcast, hosted by Joelle Smith and Pegah Rad, is hosted by Popcorn Talk and welcomes industry professionals from all areas of the entertainment business. Guests have included British Cinematography Rock God Tony Richmond, who has worked with legendary artists like The Rolling Stones and David Bowie, and NYFA alumnus Michael Gallagher, who has made hundreds of shorts, started the YouTube channel TotallySketch, directed the television mini-series “Interns,” “How to Survive High School” and “The Station.” He’s also produced three films: “Smiley,” “The Thinning,” and “Internet Famous.”

We talked to hosts Joelle Smith and Pegah Rad about NYFA Hour and more. See below!

How did the idea for NYFA Hour first come about, and how did you get the ball rolling?

JS: We saw an opportunity to bring the master filmmakers from NYFA to the vast audience of Popcorn Talk. Together they could help inspire the next generation of creators through YouTube. Thus the NYFA Hour was born.

How did Popcorn Talk become the host of NYFA Hour?

PR: Since Popcorn Talk is a network with an already large audience of television and movie lovers, it only seemed fitting to host the show on this network.

Which movie stands out for you as the main reason you’re so interested in “popcorn talk” and the movie business in general?

JS: The movie that made me want to get into movies was “Gangs of New York.” At thirteen, Scorsese was one of my favorite directors. But this movie didn’t hit me like his others. I understood that movies were a process and that virtually anyone could make a movie; and there is probably an equal chance that it’ll be bad or good. If Scorsese can flop and come back better than ever, then I could at least try.

PR: It’s hard to pinpoint what movie did this for me, but I guess you could say after I Christopher Nolan’s “Memento,” I fell in love with the psychological thriller genre.

Do you both also work or aspire to work in any particular field of the industry?

JS: I’m a comic book writer, television host, and film critique who does a lot of re-writes and reviews for up and coming artists. Right now I’m enjoying just being part of the conversation, but in the future I’d love to be a part of a writers room for an hour long drama. Writing as a team is so much better than writing alone.

PR: I aspire to work as a journalist or host for entertainment news. Recently, I started thinking about getting into acting as well.

Is there a moment or piece of advice from one of your guests that has stood out to the most thus far?

JS: There’s been one piece of advice that remains the same no matter who is sitting in the guests chair and that is, “Keep moving forward.” It would appear that the best thing a creator can do is keep creating. Even if you don’t have money, even if you don’t have a crew — and especially when you’re not sure what you’re supposed to be doing — if you keep creating at least you have a product.

PR: All of our guests so far have said that passion is the reason they keep on moving and staying in this industry. I think it’s important to stay passionate about your craft because that will keep you going for years.

If you could have any guest in the business on an upcoming episode…who would it be and why?

JS: I’d love to get Issa Rae on the show. “Insecure” is such a brave and impactful series. I’d love to discuss her process in moving from YouTube, to trying to launch a show on network, to finding a home on HBO. Shaq is also a NYFA alum, and I’m desperate to show the world his artistic side.

PR: I’m with Joelle in wanting Issa Rae and Shaq in as guests. I’ve seen so many sides of Shaq, but I’d like to see his artistic and creative side as well.

Which Oscar noms were your favorite this year? Who did you want to win?

JS: If it were up to me “Moonlight would win every award and we’d all go home happy such a film exists. I’m also elated I’m Not Your Negro has resonated with audiences. It’s a powerful documentary that need to be seen.

PR: “Moonlight” was hands down my favorite pick for this year and I’m so excited that they won! Also super excited that “The Salesman” from Iran won Best Foreign Film!

Which guests are coming up down the road?

JS: We’ve got a lot of really great guests coming up, but I’m most excited about Nunzio DeFilippes who is a prolific comic book writer and all around great human being. We’ve also got the head of Industry Lab, Kim Ogeltree, coming in to talk about all of the great projects being produced at the New York Film Academy.

PR: And Lamont Magee is coming up soon!

We’re looking forward to those podcasts and more! Be sure to check out NYFA Hour weekly on Popcorn Talk!

NYFA Instructor Wins Directing Awards for “The Engine of our Ruin”

With politics at the forefront of our daily news, it’s refreshing to see New York Film Academy Acting for Film instructor Maria Gobetti’s thought-provoking political play “The Engine of Our Ruin,” which played at The Victory Theatre Center in Burbank, California.

Written by Jason Wells and directed by Gobetti, the play provides plenty of laughs but also offers some chewy nuggets of political give-and-take to savor. One wrong word or one wrong inflection can lead to crisis in our volatile modern world.

The play is an LA Times Critics Pick that has won several awards, including Gobetti’s 2016 Arts in LA Stage Award for Directing. The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) recently announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles, and The Milton Katselas Award for career or special achievement in direction went to Maria Gobetti.

Set in a luxury hotel suite somewhere in the Middle East, diplomat Charles Manning-Jourdain meets with delegates of an unfriendly nation in the hope that a simple trade agreement will bring their two countries closer together. But this routine mission quickly becomes an international incident thanks to an idealistic interpreter with an agenda of her own; a belligerent official who brings a rumor of war; and Charles’s own staffers, whose attempts to cover up an after-hours party might just topple a foreign government.

“This was one of the best directing experiences I’ve had, and I’ve directed over 80 plays — most of which have been world premieres,” said director Gobetti. “I could not have done this without experienced actors. Students should know that these actors were always prepared, always ready to work, and had great ideas. I did not have to ever ‘coach,’ only ‘direct’ actors who were already making strong choices.”

Gobetti and Tom Ormeny, co-artistic directors of the Victory Theatre Center, are pleased to announce their next project — the first production of their season scheduled to rock the Little Victory — the world premiere of “Pie in the Sky.” Directed by Gobetti and produced by Ormeny, Katie Witkowski, and co-produced by Gail Bryson, “Pie in Sky” is set to begin previews on March 10 and is scheduled to run from March 17 through May 23.

A Talk with Producer Darryl Marshak at New York Film Academy LA

Legendary Producer and Talent Manager Darryl Marshak gave a rousing Q and A during the New York Film Academy’s Guest Lecture Series, run by Tova Laiter, at the Los Angeles campus. Students packed the theater to hear advice, stories, and anecdotes from the man who has represented such actors as Leonardo DiCaprio, Ernie Hudson, Phil Hartman, and Ray Liotta among many.

The Chair of the Acting for Film Department, Lynda Goodfriend, hosted the evening. Marshak brought memorabilia from his life’s journeys, including a hundred dollar bill signed by Leonardo DiCaprio and a dozen GoPros he handed out to students to film the event.

Marshak was asked about his early years as an agent and he had this to say before the Internet, you had your feet and you had dimes. You could use the pay phones on the back lot to do business throughout the day. You had to know not just the casting agents, but their assistants, too. Casting directors are like Elephants. They never forget. “

As for producing now: “It’s really hard to do this without a trust fund, guys. I was shooting on 16 mm and spending all the money I earned for the week on making the next film.”

When asked about transitioning from an agent to manager Marshak said: “It was harder to be a manager because I wanted to run it like an agency.” As a manager, Marshak helped both Hilary Swank, who was living in her car, get their start in the business.

The New York Film Academy would like to thank Mr. Marshak for taking the time to speak with our students. You can learn more about the illustrious career of Marshak here.

NYFA South Beach Faculty Team Up for “Scenes From Our Young Marriage”

New York Film Academy South Beach faculty teamed up to produce the short film “Scenes From Our Young Marriage,” which will premiere at the Miami Film Festival on March 11, 2017. Ronald Baez, who will soon be teaching producing at NYFA South Beach, directed the film; Kevin Ondarza, NYFA South Beach Equipment Room Manager is a producer; Eddy Moon, NYFA South Beach Editing Room Manager, is a co-writer and producer; and Kyle Fritsche, NYFA South Beach Editing Room Supervisor and Facilities Coordinator, is the editor of the film.

Founded in 1984, The Miami Film Festival is a charity that connects art with audiences, and fosters a value for cinema for future generations. Stars that have graced their red carpet through the years include Gregory Peck, Sofia Loren, Kris Kristofferson, Candice Bergen, Kevin Kline, Michael Caine, Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Willem Dafoe, Demi Moore, Amy Irving, and many more.

In the film, “Scenes From Our Young Marriage,” a young couple shares seemingly innocuous conversation in bed as we explore the emotional vastness of their short tenure in marriage.

The official Florida premiere screening will be March 11, 2017 at 3:30PM at O Cinema Miami Beach.

For tickets and more information, please CLICK HERE.

NYFA Dean of Academic Advising Screens His Newest Film “The Rachels”

Dean of Academic Advising at the New York Film Academy, Michael Civille, screened his third feature film, “The Rachels,” at the Los Angeles campus. Civille was joined by actress, Rebecca Stone, who has over fifty credits in shorts, features, and television series. The star of the film, Caitlin Carver, was also in attendance. Carver is set to portray Nancy Kerrigan in the upcoming film, “I, Tonya.”

Finally, Michael Pesa was in attendance. He is the former Chair of NYFA’s Cinematography program in LA and has over sixty credits, including “The Rachels.”

Lydia Cedrone, Chair of Feature Track at the New York Film Academy LA, hosted the evening. She kicked off the Q and A by asking Civille to elaborate on the development of the project.

“I am married to a very beautiful woman, named Hannah,” Civille began. “She is also an Executive Producer and the mother of my children. She works as the Senior V.P. of MarVista Entertainment, and we had talked for some time about wanting to collaborate.”

‘THE RACHELS’ EXCERPT (LIFETIME) from Michael Pessah on Vimeo.

“Finally, this script came up and she handed it off to me,” he continued. “We hired a writer, then she hired Rebecca to shepherd us as a producer. The production came together very quickly. We shot for fifteen days in July and August. We locked picture in about five weeks and then we spent the fall getting it done.”

Civille admitted to only taking about two months off from working full-time to complete the film. He says his secret is, “Work late and get up early.”

That work ethic was present throughout the film shoot. At one point in the evening, the cast and crew began to discuss the dreaded “bathroom day,” referring to a scene in the film that takes place in the bathroom. A tight budget and a single location meant the cast and crew would have to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time.

Stone elaborated, “We were lucky that we found a location for our school that allowed us to move around as needed. Thankfully, we were able to, for example, shoot everything in the bathroom in a day. It was ambitious.”

The rest of the cast and crew quickly chimed in agreement. Civille spoke of 110-degree days and a record-breaking heat wave. Of course, “bathroom day” fell on one of those days.

Carver spoke about her thirteen-page workday, “Bathroom day was one of the most challenging days. Madison, who plays Rachel Nelson, she and I were having the worst time with that scene. I think it was just being locked in a bathroom all day with toilets behind you and there are ten of our crew dudes behind us, and Mike is in there with us… It was a very challenging day. But then, Mike looked at us, ‘Let it go. Just let it go. I don’t care about the dialogue right now. Just let it go.’ And I think it ended up being one of the best scenes in the entire film.”

From all of the stress came an incredibly successful film. “The Rachels” had its premiere on January 15th on the Lifetime Movie Network.

NYFA Welcomes Renown Kazakh Cinematographer Azamat Dulatov

Recently, Kazakh Cinematographer, Azamat Dulatov, and NYFA alumnus, Aisultan Seitov, gave a Q & A at the New York Film Academy Los Angeles following a screening of “The Jackal.” The award-winning short film is the first mutual project of Dulatov and Seitov.

From early childhood, Dulatov was interested in photography and painting, and this passion for visual arts eventually led him into the field of cinematography. His first feature film “999” earned multiple awards among different festivals. Since then he has continued to work on successful Kazakh movies such as “Barrier” directed by Zhasulan Poshanova, “Marry in 30,” directed by NYFA alumnus, Askar Bisembin, and “Taraz” by Nurtas Adambaya, to name few.

Despite his extremely busy professional schedule, Dulatov agreed to be director of photography on Seitov’s thesis film, “The Jackal,” immediately after reading the script. “The script is the most important element to me when making a decision,” said Dulatov.

“If I like the story I would work on a small indie film and would even deny a big commercial project if the story isn’t that great. Also, I always discuss with the director and production designer as to how they see the film in terms of colors, temp, atmosphere. And what actors do they want to cast,” Dulatov continued. “Film is a team effort and it’s important to make sure we are all on a same track before we start shooting.”

While in Los Angeles, Dulatov and Seitov worked together on a new music video for Ivan Dorn, and prepared for an upcoming feature film, which will be shot in Kazakhstan in spring 2017.

When one student asked Seitov what is the best way to enter the professional world after graduation, he replied, “Use any opportunity to get on a professional set and meet people. There are a lot of projects shot in Hollywood every single day and they all need help. Go work as a PA, or just stay all day long and observe. Yes, you might end up working for free, but it is up to you to decide if this all is about money or experience.”

New York Film Academy would like to thank Azamat Dulatov for coming in to speak to our students, and we wish all the best to Aisultan Seitov.