Page 233 – NYFA

NYFA Los Angeles Animation Instructor Highlights

Our award-winning faculty and instructors continue to shine in both the classroom and the professional arena. Recently, New York Film Academy Los Angeles Co-Chair of Animation and VFX, Matt Galuppo, and ace faculty member, Matt Sheehan, recently created a refugee awareness video for the Ad Council.

Galuppo’s company produced the beautiful PSA that is both touching and timely in this time of derisiveness. One can truly appreciate the trials and suffering of our fellow humanity around the globe. Sheehan is featured in the PSA as one of the people chosen to engage in the “experience” of being a refugee.

Meanwhile, NYFA LA Chair of Animation, Mark Sawicki, contributed matte painting work to the award-winning documentary “Inside the Garbage of the World” directed by Phillipe and Maxine Carillo. His work depicts hundreds of dead whales on the sea shore as a premonition of the ecological catastrophe that awaits if the issue of plastic pollution in our ocean is not addressed.

The film is now available on Amazon Prime and will be distributed by Dreamscape to universities and public libraries. The film will also be translated into foreign languages and distributed internationally by Journeyman pictures.

NYFA Grad’s Award-Winning Thesis to Screen at SAG Short Film Showcase

The Moment I Was Alone, directed by New York Film Academy graduate Kellen Gibbs, has been nominated for 20 awards at seven different festivals, winning Best Screenplay at Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema, Judges Choice at Monarch International Film Festival, Best Independent Film Score at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Award of Merit at the United International Film Festival, and Best College Student Film at Sanford International Film Festival. It premiered at the Carmel International Film Festival, also screened at Take Two Film Festival and will now be screening at the SAG Short Film Showcase on August 30th.

The film’s soundtrack was composed by Canadian-born and Toronto-based film composer Isaias Garcia, who is 3-time SOCAN & 2-time Hollywood Music in Media Awards winner. He and his team at MASTR Studios (Media Arts Symphony of Toronto) produced and mixed the original score at their Toronto studio in collaboration with the Ostrich Studio Orchestra in Argentina who recorded the soundtrack with a live orchestra.

With all of the awards racking up for Gibbs, we thought we’d find out more about his film and his young career as an award-winning filmmaker.

Can you tell us a little bit about THE MOMENT I WAS ALONE?

“The Moment I Was Alone” is a short I did as my thesis film at NYFA. It follows Quinn, an adolescent child who, while searching for her mother in an over populated street, witnesses time completely stop around her. To me it’s a coming of age story; watching this young girl grow and experience life from an almost third person perspective of it while dealing with the issues that she herself faces. What am I? Who am I? Can I love? Why do we love? Why did this happen? In some way or another these are questions that everyone asks themselves. I guess you can say that was the big idea for the film; make people think. Create something that’s thought provoking and can drop you into a new world and take you on an emotional journey.

How did this film come about?

The idea has been sitting with me for a long time. It came first as an idea just revolving around a story where time stopped. I’ve seen the idea a lot in superhero movies, cartoons, TV shows; I wanted to take it on a different route then I’ve seen it taken before. I loved the idea that a person can be completely surrounded by people but be so isolated and lonely at the same time. Over time and while at NYFA, the story turned into what it is now and needless to say I am very proud of what it became.

How would you describe your experience at NYFA?

I loved my time at the New York Film Academy. I have had some very influential teachers who have really helped and guided me throughout. Not only that but I think one of the factors about NYFA that really helped me was how hands-on and accessible everything was. It requires hard work because it’s not just theory we’re being taught; at NYFA you go out and make movies. And the outcome can be so gratifying. You don’t just look at movies and say, “I wish I could make that.” You get to say “I MADE that.”

Would you say NYFA’s training was useful in terms of being prepared to write/direct this film?

Absolutely. I never could have made this movie two years ago. NYFA has made me look at movies differently — deeper. And in extension, I now look at my movies the same way. This is all thanks to my teachers at NYFA.

What do you hope will come about from the SAG Showcase?

The film has already done so many things that I wasn’t expecting. It’s brought together different countries by its musical score, showcased the ability of many NYFA students along with rising newcomers in the industry. And after winning all the awards that we have, traveling around to different film festivals and being nominated for many more, I am just beyond honored to have been chosen to screen at the SAG Showcase. Of course I hope that the screening can help as I continue propelling my career forward but I am just incredibly excited to have had the opportunity to screen and show my film at so many places. That’s by far one of the best experiences; I’ve seen my movie so many times now but when you get in front of a new crowd and you get to hear the reactions of people viewing it for the first time, it rejuvenates you and makes it as if I am watching it for the first time again. You never really know what can come from these experiences but it’s always a blast and this one is just such an honor.

Are you currently working on any other projects?

Yes, sir! After graduating NYFA I was approached by an author by the name of George Lippert. He has asked me to adapt his novel “The Freezing Season” into a feature film and we are heavily into the process now with the goal of filming in February of next year. Many of the same people who worked on “The Moment I Was Alone” will be returning to work on this with us. These connections last. Things are definitely in the works and that will absolutely be an experience I can’t wait for.

NYFA Graduate Produces “Othello” at Theaterlab in NYC

New York Film Academy Acting graduate Luis Christian Dilorenzi and Jung Han Kim in co-production with Time Zone Theatre (London) have put together an acclaimed contemporary interpretation of “Othello” tour through England, and now to New York City, after a sold-out run at the Rose Playhouse, Bankside, London in 2015.

This stylish, fast-paced adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic transfers the action to the cityscape of modern London. In the cutthroat financial world, we dive into an abyss of power and intrigue, riddled with suspicion and jealousy.

Director Pamela Schermann sets this re-imagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy in the meeting room of the corporate’s office. Everyone is under constant surveillance, private and business lives entwine, workers are caught in a bubble without privacy or time off outside the Corporation. There’s always someone watching you, analyzing your every move and waiting for an opportunity to stab you in your back. In times like these, competition is high. But how much can and should we sacrifice to reach our career goals? What if in the end there is nothing left worth fighting for?

“Othello” is currently showing now through August 21st, 2016 at Theaterlab, 357 West 36th Street, New York City, 10018.

For tickets and more information, please click here.

Discount Codes:

Veteran Code is VETS
NYFA code is NYFA

NYFA Student’s “Tempting Fate” Wins Four Awards at The Dove Foundation

Kevin Nwankwor is a current New York Film Academy film student, whose Tempting Fate won four out of five Doves at the Dove Foundation. We sat down and talked to Nwankwor about his latest works, the early years of his career, and what he plans to do next.

Tell us a little about your film.

Nwankwor: Tempting Fate is a movie about two brothers, one of deep faith and the other buried in a life of crime, their worlds are torn apart when the wrong brother goes to jail and the other commits an unforgivable act.

The older brother, Edu, is a talented singer. He is calm, reflective and peaceful. He relies on his spirituality and the love of his wonderful girlfriend, Tracey, to help him combat a life-threatening illness.

On the other hand, Ugo is hotheaded, impulsive and at times a menacing human being. He finds himself wrapped in a life of crime which he knows will lead him down a path of destruction, but it’s not an easy one to leave; a point his gang leader Scorpion has made clear.

In an attempt to get money for a lifesaving procedure for his brother, Ugo triggers a chain of events that sends their worlds crashing. The film deals with themes of love, betrayal, and forgiveness.

You started your film career here at NYFA. What was the transition, from student to professional, like?

Nwankwor: It was not easy. First, there was this fear of failure. Then doubt sets in. But again, I must commend NYFA instructors because they took their time to really open my eyes to the “make believes” that happens in movies, not only by teaching but also sending us links to materials and showing us where we can get discounts as filmmakers.

My experience at NYFA made the transition an easy one, but above all the huge support from my family including my wife, Unoma Nwankwor, who is an award-winning author, my two kids, my special uncle who is also my Executive Producer, my Mum, and parents-in-law is what made the transition smooth.

Assistant Director is notoriously one of the most physically and mentally challenging jobs on set. What did your time as an AD teach you about the filmmaking process?

I worked as a Director in three of my movies and as an Assistant Director in two other movies. To be successful as an assistant director, you really have to work with a director that knows what he is doing – a director that knows his stuff. The worst thing that can happen to you as an AD is to work on an unprofessional set.

Yes, it is your duty as the assistant director to run the set but, unfortunately, if the director is unprofessional, late to sets, and the members of the crew are the director’s family members and you are kind of in a position where you know things are wrong but unfortunately your hands are tied you can only make the best of your situation.

Yes, I love it when I work as an assistant director but with a professional crew life is easier for you. Working as a producer / director… has been a pleasant journey for me especially with the skills I acquired from NYFA in terms of movie budgeting and scheduling. Before I started at NYFA, I was passionate about filmmaking. I knew what I wanted. NYFA groomed me and equipped me with skills towards my vision of making exceptional movies not just to entertain but also to inspire, motivate, and change lives.

What were you feeling the first time your film premiered?

Nwankwor: Hmmm – Tears, tears, and more tears. I trusted God all the way. I had some doubts along the way, tried to quit at some point but realized that quitting was not an option. But the very day the movie premiered I was filled with tears especially because I knew that I created a movie that made people cry and rejoice when they left the theater. Listening to their testimonies and reviews was fulfilling for me.

Now that you’ve shown your film, are you looking for distribution?

Nwankwor: Yes, we are seeking distribution for TV and another medium. We are currently on Pay-Per-View Stage on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play but we are in talks with Netflix at the moment and hopefully some other distribution companies. We made a Spanish dub of the movie so it’s available in Spanish and English.

What advice would you give to current students looking for success?

Nwankwor: Nothing is impossible. It all starts with overcoming fear. When I made my first budget it was $500K. I did not have $400 in my account… but I went on my knees asking God to direct me to the right person. The first person I pitched this project to was the last person I was expecting to act because he doesn’t look like a man that has a passion for entertainment.

But as God will have it, he believed in me and invested in the project and me. Soon the film was made. So, don’t be discouraged, be tenacious, work hard, have a positive attitude and above all believe in your project because if you do not, no one will, and if you believe that it will succeed then you will be willing to take the risk. No success without risk, even if it does not come immediately. It will surely come, so stay focused.

What’s up next for you?

Nwankwor: I am currently working on two projects now: Selina, a collaboration with Nachipala Productions, and Muna, which is my next feature film. My goal is to complete this new phase I started with NYFA. With the support from NYFA, I would like to go back to Africa and help the youths to hone their skills and talents in filmmaking and acting.

You can find more about Tempting Fate and Nwankwor’s other works at www.facebook.com/TemptingFateFilm/ and on Instagram and Twitter at @knn335.

NYFA LA Doc Chair Producing “Orchestrating Change”

New York Film Academy Los Angeles Documentary Department Chair Barbara Multer-Wellin is producing a documentary, Orchestrating Change, on an orchestra made up of musicians with mental illness who are combating the stereotypes their illness carries. We spoke with Multer-Wellin about what drew her to this project, and what she hopes people will learn after watching.

Tell us a little bit about your film.

The documentary is being co-produced and directed by me and Margie Friedman. We’d been friends and colleagues for a long time and were looking for a project to work on together when we heard about the work of Me2/Orchestra. Ronald Braunstein, a Juilliard-trained conductor, whose spectacular career was derailed by his diagnosis with bipolar disorder, started Me2. He and his wife, a career orchestra administrator, have created two (and soon to be more) orchestras made up of musicians with mental illness and those who support them. Their mission is to combat the kind of stigma Ronald and so many other people living with mental health diagnoses have faced.

barbara welltin — Barbara Multer-Wellin, Corey, and Margie Friedman

Most independent documentaries take a long time to produce because so few projects can obtain full financing up front. We’ve been filming Me2 for about a year now and that has given us the opportunity to document the growth of the orchestras and how much the musicians have gained from participating. Me2 is working towards a performance at a major concert hall that we hope will be the finale of the film.

I have to thank New York Film Academy for allowing me the flexibility to shoot in Boston and Burlington, Vermont on various days over the last year. I believe our students benefit because I, like so many of our Chairs and Instructors, am able to keep making work as well as teaching.

You can learn more about Me2/Orchestra and Multer-Wellin’s documentary, Orchestrating Change, by clicking here.

NYFA Australia Grad’s “Ice Cold” to Screen at Several International Film Festivals

Prior to attending the New York Film Academy Australia, Gold Coast, Jonathan Gesthuizen had never written a script. “I really struggled with it to begin with and soon realized that, while it was my weakest skill, it was the area of filmmaking that I was most passionate about,” said NYFA Australia alumnus Jonathan Gesthuizen. “The Director’s Craft Workshops and screenwriting classes were pivotal to being able to co-write and direct Ice Cold.

Now, Gesthuizen’s short film Ice Cold, which he produced while at NYFA Australia, will be screened at international film festivals after being officially selected for the Tokyo On-Line Lift Off festival, Access Code India festival, Eurofest in St Petersburg, Russia and Action on Film Festival in Los Angeles.

“Ice Cold was submitted for my Digital Dialogue film assignment,” recalled Gesthuizen. “Bobby Mailman (acting student, co-writer) and I were both students mid 2015 and the story came about when Bobby and myself collaborated on an idea based loosely around some of her early childhood memories.”

The short film is an action, thriller, romantic drama that centers around Jonny, Bella, and Dion as they struggle to grow up and survive in a world overcome with drugs, alcohol and violence. It is a story based around a young indigenous girl and her childhood sweetheart, Jonny, who are separated in their early teens and later reunite and escape from the clutches of Bella’s ruthless drug kingpin boyfriend.

“Ice Cold is about love breaking something open and conquering all, no matter what the obstacles are,” said Gesthuizen. “It’s about new beginnings, change, and how deeply love can be in its most simplest moments.”

Gesthuizen hopes the networking opportunities at the festivals will be a great opportunity to meet with other filmmakers and industry members as he tries to secure full feature funding from his script that is close to completion.

“It’s a huge jump from a short to a feature length film, but I believe in the story and that it will gain traction once exposed to a wider audience,” he says. “It’s also a great chance to be able to see how we stand side by side against our other film associates.”

In addition to Ice Cold, Gesthuizen says he’s currently writing a couple of other short film projects. One of his projects, Twenty to Heaven, is about a true life experience about a caving expedition that went wrong in the early 90’s and how he and others came close to death. The other is a film called Isle of Broken Dreams, which is about a secondhand opshop that has a huge selection of second hand wedding dresses. The film centers around several main characters and their stories as to how their dresses came to be at the shop.

The Multi-Talented Paul J. Salamoff Visits NYFA’s Business of Screenwriting Class

This past week, multi-hyphenate entertainment professional Paul J. Salamoff joined our Business of Screenwriting class to explain how this kid from Natick, Massachusetts went on to work on more than 50 films, TV shows, video games, comic books, and commercials, wearing practically every creative hat imaginable — writer, producer, director, executive, and yes — make-up artist.

Salamoff originally began his career as a Special FX/Make-Up Artist, working for years on such iconic films as “Critters 3-4,” “Ed Wood,” “Escape from LA,” “Batman & Robin,” “Doctor Dolittle,” “There’s Something About Mary,” “Dogma,” and “Me Myself and Irene.”

But, Salamoff was also bitten by the writer bug, and before long his career as a TV and film writer took off as well, with credits including “The Dead Hate the Living” (co-written with Dave Parker), “The St. Francisville Experiment” and “Alien Seige” for the SyFy channel. He was also recently named one of The Tracking Board’s Top 100 Up & Coming Screenwriters and has developed projects with Blumhouse Prod., Ritchie/Wigram Prod., Mosaic Media Group, Hollywood Gang, Silver Pictures, Valhalla Motion Pictures, Vertigo, Unstoppable Entertainment (UK) and Eclectic Pictures.

Salamoff is also author of the novel “The Silent Planet” and two non-fiction books: “On the Set: The Hidden Rules of Movie Making Etiquette” (which is in its 3rd Edition), and “The Complete DVD Book.” His short stories have been included in acclaimed anthologies including “Midian Unmade: Tales From Clive Barker’s Nightbreed,” and he is a two-time Bram Stoker Award Nominee.

As a comic creator, Salamoff is the writer of a number of comic book series including “Vincent Price Presents Black Scorpion” and the critically acclaimed “Logan’s Run:Last Day,” “Logan’s Run: Aftermath,” “Logan’s Run: Rebirth,” written with William F. Nolan. He is also the creator of the original graphic novel “Discord” and its prequel “Tales of Discord.”

In 2005 Salamoff became Vice President of Production for David Lancaster Productions working on Wes Craven’s “The Breed” and “Hollow Man 2.” After a successful merge with Bold Films, he became their Vice President of Production and worked on such films as “Legion,” “Bobby,” and Starship Troopers: Marauders.”

Having been involved with The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films for over twelve years; he produced the 22nd, 23rd, 33rd, 34th and 35th Saturn Awards. Salamoff has also produced Video Game TV/Web Development Diaries and Trailers working on such high-profile projects as “Reckoning: Kingdoms of Amalur,” “The Adventures of Tintin, Bulletstorm,” Mass Effect 2,” “Gears of War 2,” and “Dead Space.”

Salamoff answered a diverse range of questions from students ranging from how one gets into the comic book and video game writing arenas, to his process when he writes his screenplays (he sees the whole movie in his head before he begins, and bangs out the first draft in a mere 4-5 days!), to what it was like working on some of the more racy puppeteering and animatronics scenes for some of the most famous Farrelly Bros. movies.

A treasure trove of knowledge, as is evidenced by his many successes, the students thoroughly enjoyed his warm energy, breadth of Hollywood experiences, and hilarious anecdotal stories.

Next up for Salamoff, (amongst other things – no surprise), he is working steadily on his original horror screenplay “Beyond Repair,” currently being produced by Closed on Mondays Ent. (“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”) and is directing a Sci-Fi/horror drama (which he co-wrote with Actor/Producer/Director Noel Clarke) for the UK’s Unstoppable Ent.

Student Directed Play Series at NYFA Los Angeles

New York Film Academy Acting Department Los Angeles campus is very proud of the Student Directed Play Series, which was completed at the end of the semester in July. Five plays, one original poetry/movement piece, and a musical were staged this summer.

The season started off with Marcus by Tarell Alvin McCraney directed by Page de la Harpe, Summer ’15 MFA Acting for Film. Marcus completed the Brother’s Size Trilogy by Mr. McCraney, which includes In the Red and Brown Water and A Brother’s Size, also directed by Page in the previous two semesters.

The second production was Hortensia & The Museum of Dreams by Nilo Cruz, directed by Morgan Aiken, Fall ’15 BFA 3A Acting of Film. Hortensia marks the second play done at NYFA by Latino writer Nilo Cruz, as a production of Ana & The Tropics was done last semester. Morgan has been heavily involved with Student Directed Plays since their inception two years ago, directing and acting in several productions.

The third piece was a poetry/movement piece conceived and written by Ria Patel, Fall ’14 BFA 2B, and co-directed by Federico Mallet Flores, Fall ’14 MFA alumnus, entitled If Light Never Comes. This production explored the complex dynamics of a relationship when one ends and another begins through dance. This was Ria’s first piece she’s written. “I grew from this experience by immersing myself with a small and wonderful cast,” said Patel. “I learnt there are many aspects to putting up a production. Also, as an actor, I feel that I have grown. By helping my actors I was able to understand my own characters better and how to work on building a character too.”

The fourth play was O.C.D., O.C.D by Laurant Baffie, adapted and directed by Gonzalo Maiztegui, Summer ’15 AFA Acting for Film. An unconventional comedy that explored the challenges of O.C.D. through humor. “This play helped me deal with my own mental disorder,” said Maiztegui.

The fifth play was Everything You Touch by Sheila Callaghan, directed by Camilia Mejia Duque, Fall ’15 MFA Acting for Film. Set in the 1970’s and present day, this play explored the themes of women’s bodies, image, and society.

The sixth play was the British comedy Nan by Catherine Tate, directed by Romeo Visca, Summer ’15 MFA Acting for Film. Of the experience Visca said, “I learned so much not only from the production process — which taught me how important key elements are when staging a play — but also the casting, the rehearsals, the preparation. But, most of all, it showed me how honest and open you have to be when working with a group of artists, and how many challenges we face in order to make the actors work as a group.”

The final production was a musical, Circle of Life, an adaption of The Lion King, adapted and directed by Simmie Sangian, Spring ’15 BFA Acting for Film. This production incorporated African body art and Brazilian Capoeria dance. This was such an amazing production that played to packed houses and an additional performance was added.

All of these productions were quite the ambitious undertakings and NYFA applauds all of the student directors’ hard work on these very successful productions. We are continuously impressed by the passion and talent they bring to their work.

NYFA Grad Luba Salp Introduces Photography Series “Ambivalence”

Originally from Moscow, Russia, Luba Salp (Liubov Salpagarova) received her education in the UK, France, and Australia before being awarded a scholarship to attend New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. After graduating she interned for numerous production companies including photography icon David LaChapelle.

Recently Luba shot a feature documentary “Hollywood Dreams of Rodion Nahapetov” for a major Russian TV Channel One. She’s also worked with major commercial clients that include Nike, Malibu Rum, UPS, Taco Bell, Zippo and more.

Now, Luba is introducing a new art series, Ambivalence, inspired by her passion for surfing. Ambivalence is a series of photographs taken by the NYFA alumna while surfing in Manhattan Beach, California.

Cinematography Reel from Luba Salp on Vimeo.

Each photograph captures the moment when a wave is about to break. This moment — one of simultaneous dread and supreme joy — represents opposing yet inseparable sides of the surfing experience. When this moment is captured as a still image and the dimension of time is removed, it opens up to an entirely abstract perception. The subjective drama of a wave breaking with its unpredictable outcomes is transformed into an objective drama of beholding a monumental landscape. In this way the series can be viewed as a meditation on time.

For more information on Luba and her art work, please visit her website at www.lubasalp.com.