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NYFA LA Sits Down with Reailty TV Showrunner Eric Streit

It’s not every day that New York Film Academy documentary students have a chance to meet a man whose past jobs range from running for U.S. Congress in Kentucky to portraying “Balthazar the Monkey Boy” in a touring carnival attraction. On Monday, October 24th, students met the man, Eric Streit.

Though of the most prolific and successful reality television showrunners in Hollywood don’t be fooled by Streit’s eclectic job history. His hit credits include Gator Boys, Mall Cops and New Girls on the Block. Streit’s heart lies in the sometimes crazy world of reality television.

Streit sat down with documentary students in New York Film Academy LA’s Industry Perspectives to discuss breaking into reality television. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Streit began his show biz career as a stuntman and actor. When he was hired to blow up a car for and pulling off the stunt on a tiny budget, Streit discovered his affinity for field producing for reality TV.

After working as a director on the Dr. Phil Show and as a producer on the docu-reality series Intervention, Streit produced 189 episodes of Little People Big World and was then able to move up to the rank of showrunner.

Streit spoke about how he prefers reality television to feature films in terms of production. “With TV you can go in with a 5 or 6 person crew and shoot in no time,” Streit said. Streit sees the reality television world as the “Wild West”. The only rule is hard work pays off.

Students were treated to previously unaired sizzle reels. Streit broke down the rules to what goes into making a good program and how it’s marketed. New York Film Academy would like to thank Mr. Streit for giving the students a detailed, thorough and highly entertaining look at the inner workings of reality television.

NYFA Veteran Students March in Veterans Day Parades

Veterans Day 2016 was a very special occasion for the New York Film Academy (NYFA) as dozens of veteran students and their families marched in Veterans Day Parades in the three major cities where NYFA has campuses— Los Angeles, New York City and Miami.

The NYFA student veterans in New York City marched along with nearly 20,000 participants in the 97^th annual parade, which is the largest Veterans Day Parade in the country. The grand marshals of the parade were military servicemembers who also worked at Ground Zero following the 9/11 attacks.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, the 109th Mayor of New York City, also marched in the parade alongside representatives from the newly formed NYC Department of Veterans Services (DVS), including Brigadier General (ret.) Loree Sutton, MD, the Commissioner for DVS. NYFA vet students were invited by Commissioner Sutton to march with the DVS contingency and the Mayor.

Students in Los Angeles joined the inaugural parade in Los Angeles, which was held on the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus and was led by former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda. The event featured live entertainment, a car show, children’s play area and games for the entire family.

In South Florida, communities honored veterans with events in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Student veterans marched in the 19^th annual Veterans Day Parade in Coconut Grove. These events also featured a community gathering, live music and food.

“The parade was a great opportunity for NYFA veterans to come together to honor those whom they served with as well as veterans from all generations,” said NYFA Veterans Outreach Coordinator, Eric Brown, US Navy. “They were also able to feel the support from their communities for their service.”

NYFA is thankful to support these annual events and is proud to serve military veterans and service members in their pursuit of a world-class education in filmmaking—and related disciplines—through its Veterans Advancement Program, which is Chaired by Colonel Jack Jacobs, Medal of Honor recipient.

NYFA LA Welcomes Special Guest Eric Goldberg, Disney Animator: “Moana”

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, legendary Disney animator Eric Goldberg brought an exclusive preview of Disney’s latest project, “Moana” to New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus. The chair of animation, Mark Sawicki, moderated the event.

Goldberg’s career is extensive. He’s worked on classic animated television shows such as “Looney Tunes” and “The Simpsons.” His work at Disney includes supervising the dance sequences in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” and serving as supervising animator for the Genie in “Aladdin.” His specialty is 2D animation. For “Moana,” he oversaw the animation of Mini Maui, the mobile tattoo of Dwayne Johnson’s larger-than-life Maui.

The theater was filled with animation and game design students both eager to hear from someone with over 25 years in the business and excited to catch a sneak peak of “Moana.” Goldberg did not disappoint in either area, treating students to over an hour of behind-the-scenes footage — including messages from the cast and crew, works in progress, and clips from the film.

Many students wanted to know how 2D animators could survive in a 3D animation world. Goldberg assured students that the fundamentals wouldn’t be disappearing from animation anytime soon. “I always encourage people to look at the principals,” he stated, “They’ve held together for 100 years.” Mock up, character design, and landscaping are still all animation jobs that are originally drawn by hand. “It’s about creating characters people can identify with. It’s a blend of both sensibilities: theatric and artistic.”

Walt Disney Animation Studios' artist Jin Kim showcases the look of the title character in the upcoming adventure "Moana." Says director Ron Clements, “Moana is a vibrant, tenacious 16-year-old growing up on an island where voyaging is forbidden. But Moana has been drawn to the ocean since she can remember and is desperate to find out what’s beyond the confines of her island.” Directed by Clements and John Musker and featuring the voice of Native Hawaiian newcomer Auli'i Cravalho in the title role, "Moana" opens nationwide on Nov. 23, 2016. ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved. — ©2015 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

For those hopefuls trying to get into Disney, Goldberg had some additional advice. “Disney is always looking for talent.” He suggests going to the Disney website and looking at the portfolio requirements. He also suggests a tactic that he called “observe and caricature” to up one’s game. “How can you identify a friend in a crowd from behind and 20 yards away?” Goldberg asked. “It’s their walk. You know how they carry their weight. How they walk when they’re sad or mad.” Goldberg suggests practicing nailing those walks and gestures in order to improve basic skills.

The New York Film Academy would like to thank Mr. Goldberg for sharing his wealth of knowledge with humor and humility. NYFA would also like to thank Tova Laiter for bringing this presentation to the school.

“Moana” will be in theaters near you on Nov. 23, 2016.

A Discussion with Hollywood Manager Nicholas Bogner at NYFA LA

On November 9, 2016, Hollywood Manager, Nicholas Bogner, gave a spirited Q and A at the New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus. Bogner represents such giants as Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) and Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl). Actors aren’t the only profession Bogner represents. He also counts writers and directors amongst his clientele. Students from every degree program packed the auditorium to hear the head of the literary branch of Affirmative Entertainment give them the inside scoop.

What makes Bogner unique is that he’s worked in almost every aspect of Hollywood. He’s written and sold television pilots, he was an agent, and he’s produced films. It’s this diversity in his career that he attributes to his success. He understands what it takes to sell a script, both from a buyer and seller’s position. That empathy and belief in his clients are often what help make the sale. “You can’t be half in,” Bogner stated, “When people start to say no, you can’t back out.”

This is the key difference between a manager and an agent. An agent will take a script to five places and if they all say no, they’ll ask for re-writes. “I’ll take a script to fifty different places,” Bogner said. “You only need one yes.”

One insightful student asked Bogner what traits he considers red flags when looking to sign writers. Bogner responded, “It’s not just about being great on the page, it’s how good you are in the room.” Filmmaking is more than just an art; it’s also a business. Writers have to impress, placate, and convince executives their project is worth the investment. If a writer consistently fails in pitching the project, they won’t have much of a career at all.

Another student asked about the number of scripts a writer should have prepared. According to Bogner, specs are not necessary anymore. “People finally realized (a spec) was just writing another person’s characters.” What is important is to have two strong scripts.

Do not send nine log lines and ask a manager what they would to read. Time was a factor very much stressed by Bogner. Managers are busy. There are a lot of people trying to get their face seen and their work read. “We’re looking for talent. Yes, it’s daunting, but I’m always looking for that new voice,” Bogner promised. But, managers don’t have time to read lengthy email explaining why they should read an individual’s script or watch their reel.

Instead, Bogner encourages short sweet emails. Lead with the best, most completed work. “Think about what you’re saying, do a little research, and make it quick,” said Bogner. Other effective tools to have when seeking representation are a solid recommendation from someone working within the industry and a short film that’s on the festival circuit.

One last piece of advice, from Bogner, to all creatives is, “I try to avoid following a trend because if you’re aware of a trend, you’re probably at the end of it.” He also suggests not worrying about social media following. “The (work) will bring the followers.”

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

Ralph Gibson, Chair of NYFA’s Department of Contemporary Photography, Opens Major Exhibition in Paris

gibson and serrano — Renowned American Photographer Andres Serrano and Ralph Gibson, Paris 2016

Recently, the renowned photographer, and NYFA’s Chair of the Department of Contemporary Photography, Ralph Gibson, opened a major photography exhibition at the prominent Galerie Thierry Bigaignon in Paris.

The famous American photographer exhibited a new series of large-format color photographs entitled Vertical Horizon. Gibson, best known for his black & white monochrome images of the human form, has also often explored architectural elements in his works. The works in this exhibition evolved from the time that Gibson began doing color digital photography some years back.

As the gallerist Thierry Bigaignon states, “Ralph Gibson’s images highlight the idea of boundaries and opposition. They’re visual oxymorons, so we decided to title the exhibition Vertical Horizon, which perfectly encapsulates these concepts.”

gibson and clark — Ralph Gibson and Larry Clark, filmmaker and photographer, at the opening of L’ Histoire de France at the Hotel Scribe, Paris. Nov -4, 2016

Gill Mora, one of the world’s most important art critics and historian of American photography, recently commented on Gibson’s new photography series, “Ralph Gibson is without doubt the most European of American photographers, and knows our culture perfectly. His mastery of composition, halfway between graphic artwork and abstraction, has never precluded the sensuality that is the particular trademark of his photographs. It is time to rediscover Ralph Gibson.”

At 77, Ralph Gibson is as active as ever — both in his studio and at the New York Film Academy. In addition to lecturing to NYFA students, Gibson also takes on a mentoring role to students as part of a unique mentorship program that NYFA established for long-term photography students.

CONVERSATION AND Q&A WITH ERIC GOLDBERG: “MOANA”

The New York Film Academy Los Angeles welcomed Disney animator Eric Goldberg to its theatre this week. The Guest Speaker Series event included an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Disney’s latest project, “Moana,” for an enthusiastic audience of NYFA students. Animation Chair Mark Sawicki moderated the event.

Goldberg’s specialty is 2D animation, and the scope of his career is extensive, including work on classic animated television shows like “Looney Tunes” and “The Simpsons” as well as iconic Disney films. Highlights include supervising the dance sequences in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” and serving as supervising animator for the Genie in “Aladdin.” For the upcoming “Moana,” Goldberg oversaw the animation of Mini Maui, the mobile tattoo of Dwayne Johnson’s larger-than-life character, Maui.

The NYFA theater was filled with animation and game design students both eager to hear from an industry expert with over 25 years of experience in the business and excited to catch a sneak peak of “Moana.” Goldberg treated students over an hour of behind-the-scenes footage — including messages from the cast and crew, works in progress, and clips from the film.

During the Q&A, Goldberg assured students curious about the survival of 2D animation in a 3D world that the fundamentals wouldn’t be disappearing from animation anytime soon.

“I always encourage people to look at the principals,” Goldberg said. “They’ve held together for 100 years.” Mock up, character design, and landscaping are still all animation jobs that are originally drawn by hand. “It’s about creating characters people can identify with. It’s a blend of both sensibilities: theatric and artistic.”

For students interested in a career with Disney, Goldberg had words of encouragement: “Disney is always looking for talent.” His advice to aspiring professionals was to study the portfolio requirements on the Disney website and to practice a tactic that he called “observe and caricature.” To explain this exercise, Goldberg asked students, “How can you identify a friend in a crowd from behind and 20 yards away? It’s their walk. You know how they carry their weight. How they walk when they’re sad or mad.” Goldberg recommends practicing capturing those walks and gestures in order to strengthen animation skills.

Audiences can enjoy Disney’s “Moana” in theaters near you on Nov. 23, 2016.

Fashion Photography from NYFA Alumnus Viktor Klimenko

For as long as he can remember, New York Film Academy Photography alumnus, Viktor Klimenko has a fondness for the arts. His interest and pursuits began in fashion after designing his own clothing line and only grew from there when he created magazine advertisements that featured his garments.

“I started to sketch and draw scenes that I would imagine a photographer would capture,” recalled Klimenko. “This lead to me experimenting with trying to recreate my sketches into reality.”

After attending the New York Film Academy Photography program, Klimenko says he learned a lot from the instructors.

Since completing the program, Klimenko has been working with fashion magazines, as well as individual projects for clients. While his current focus is on male models, he hopes to soon expand his work towards female fashion as well.

“Now that everyone is a photographer, I feel like limits have to be pushed even more. I know many photographers that can’t get jobs, and the main reason is that while they may have quality work it could lack creativity. Today, when you look through magazines you can see why a certain photographer was chosen and why the editors used him or her to be published in their magazine. Now it’s all about that thin quality that’s hard to explain. I personally respect and value photography when I can see the effort that was put into it. It can be complex or simple and minimal, but the way the artist put it together will show the amount of creativity that went into the project.”

Be sure to check out more of Viktor Klimenko’s fashion photography work on his website at www.viktorklimenkophotography.com.

NYFA Presents Artwork of Beijing Film Academy’s Sun Lijun

This month, the New York Film Academy held an event that presented the work of Sun Lijun “Fan Beilu,” which included traditional art and his documentary “Go Together.”

Professor Sun Lijun, vice president of the Beijing Film Academy, is committed to innovation and the training of young Chinese talent. He has made an outstanding contribution to the domestic animation industry. He has participated in the production of many animated films, including “Little Soldier,” “Sunny Story,” “Happy Running,” “Bateelaer Saga,” “Legend of a Rabbit, ” “Fantastic Adventure” and others.

Lijun noted that China is now the second largest movie market in the world behind Hollywood, but could learn more in terms of the quality of the content. According to Lijun, Chinese films are currently “dumplings” compared to American films, which he said were like “big cakes.” He hopes that more American filmmakers, such as the students from the New York Film Academy, will partner with Chinese filmmakers in order to continually improve the quality of the films.

Lijun’s recent documentary “Go Together,” which he screened at NYFA’s theater at 17 Battery Place, tells the story of a group of Chinese filmmakers who show their animated film to underprivileged children in some of the remote areas of China’s Sichuan province.

Produced by and starring Sun Lijun, the film not only shows the whole picture of Sun’s journey with four other team members, but also the magnificent landscape and culture of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Starting in Chengdu and equipped with professional projection equipment, the team brought the magic and joy of the screen to towns on the plateau with an elevation of over 4,000 meters.

More than just showing animated films for the children, Lijun’s actions have attracted tens of thousands of people’s attention through the internet and social media, and has become a charitable activity, which collects donation for the children in Ganzi.

NYFA Sponsors Producers Guild Produced By: New York Conference

The New York Film Academy was recently a sponsor of the Producers Guild of America 3^rd Annual Produced By: New York Conference. Reaching across film, television and new media, the Produced By Conference is an educational forum conducted by acclaimed producers, including numerous Oscar and Emmy Award winners, as well as the next generation of creative entrepreneurs.  Held at New York City’s Time Warner Center, a group of NYFA Producing Students, along with Producing Chair Neal Weisman and Producing Admissions Representative Sal Irizarry, participated in panel sessions and guest speaker presentations featuring a wide spectrum of industry professionals.

Those attending heard from producer-actor hyphenates as Tina Fey, Chris Rock, Matt Damon, and the producers of current and upcoming projects like “Jackie,” “Manchester by the Sea,” “Hidden Figures,” “Loving,” “Madame President,” “The Young Pope,” and “Silicon Valley.” Some of the more popular panel topics included: The Future of Producing, It’s Show(runner) Time, TV Today: Embracing the Second Screen, Using A Life To Tell A Story: When Real Life Becomes Fiction, and The Future of Producing.

A special feature of this year’s Conference was the appearance of NYFA Producing instructor Mark Lindsay. His foreign sales experience was highlighted in the Demystifying the Money: Straight Talk About Film Financing panel discussion, led by frequent NYFA Industry Speaker and film finance expert John Hadity.

This is the second Produced By: New York Conference sponsored by NYFA. The Producing Department is one of the few programs in the New York City area whose students are eligible to participate in the PGA East Student Membership Program. This two-year program gives highly- motivated students currently enrolled in a producing-focused degree or certificate program the unique opportunity to become part of their own PGA community by attending regular meetings, creating and supporting events, networking with peers, receiving invitations to PGA events and screenings, and sharing and advancing their knowledge of film (scripted & documentary), television, and new media.