Page 247 – NYFA

“Trumbo” Screening with Emmy Award-Winning Actor Bryan Cranston

The New York Film Academy enjoyed a special evening with Bryan Cranston, the star of Breaking Bad, Malcolm in the Middle and, more recently, the movie Trumbo, a historical film about one of the most successful screenwriters of the 1950’s-70’s, Dalton Trumbo, who endured more than a decade of hardship (blacklisting and prison) for standing up to the American anti-communist movement that tried unsuccessfully to force him to name communist party members within the film industry.

The capacity crowd filled the 550-seat Ross Theater on the grounds of Warner Bros. Studios to watch the movie Trumbo, and afterward to listen to the life lessons of the veteran actor, hoping to gain some unique insight into the craft and its impact on their own lives and careers. Bryan did not disappoint.

Following the screening, Bryan Cranston entered the theater to a standing ovation, and was accompanied by producer Tova Laiter, who moderated the event. Cranston spoke of the journey to becoming an actor, specifically the commitment and perseverance that one must have in order to succeed. He also talked about the arbitrary deadline that many of us set, saying, ‘I’ll give it two years.” He disagreed with that sentiment, saying that “You’re either in or you’re out.” Using the poker reference, he said, “It means you’re all in.” He added later in the address that “not trying is failing.”

Regarding obtaining work, Cranston spoke at length about shifting the paradigm when walking into an audition (or any meeting for that matter). We should be thinking about how we can offer our talent to that project, and not be thinking about getting the job.

He counseled the audience, composed of students from all disciplines, “Don’t put yourself in a position of need. You’re there to give them something.” The same goes with not getting the role — believe that something better is going to come your way and you are lucky you didn’t get the other job (as happened to him throughout his career).

Cranston responded to questions from audience members, some of whom asked about the character Walter White from Breaking Bad. He said that his ability to visualize the character came from the quality of the writing, which he called brilliant. He answered another student question by saying that an actor’s home life should be clean and strong so they can then go out and put the variety and excitement into the roles they choose. He counseled the young actors to “put in the hours,” and show up to jobs on time and prepared.

New York Film Academy thanks Bryan Cranston for taking the time to share his wisdom and inspire our students. It was truly an unforgettable night.

Screenwriting Grad’s “Business” to Screen at Cannes Cinéfondation

For those of us in the film industry, the month of May has always been synonymous with the Cannes International Film Festival. This year’s festival, the 69th since its inception, will run from May 11-22nd, with Woody Allen’s Café Society being its opening film.

In more recent years, part of the prestigious festival is the Cinéfondation, which selects some of the best short films from young filmmakers around the country. This highly competitive competition is often the goal of many of our students and graduates. This year, the New York Film Academy proudly recognizes Malena Vain, who studied at our 8-Week Screenwriting Workshop in 2014. Vain’s short film, Business, is an official selection in the Cinéfondation.

The Short Films Jury—presided over by Japanese director and writer Naomi Kawase, as well as Marie-Josée Croze, Jean-Marie Larrieu, Radu Muntean and Santiago Loza—will be awarding prizes for three of the 18 student films shown as part of the Cinéfondation selection. The jury must also name the Short Film Palme d’or winner from among the 10 “In Competition” films selected. This will be awarded at the closing ceremony of the “69th Festival de Cannes” on Sunday, May 22nd.

We had the opportunity to ask Ms. Vain a few questions about her and Business before she heads off to Cannes.

Can you tell us a little bit about your film, Business — what is about?

A girl, alongside her guitar, reunites with her father in a hotel room. He’s a business man on a visit to Argentina, the country he once called home. She’s back from playing at a concert. Night falls between those four white walls, until the sun rises again.

Where did the idea for this film derive from?

It was slowly cooking for a couple of years. I first saw a site-specific type of a play called “Showcase,” by Richard Maxwell, which was staged in an actual hotel room. You were literally told to enter the room and sit there, while a man would perform the play. From then on, I was instantly attracted to the feeling of the hotel room, and its potential to create stories. These rooms are set in a way to make you feel comfortable, warm and safe, but in reality they’re also really impersonal and empty spaces. However, in a way, those places make you feel like nothing but who you are. The world is fast and chaotic outside, but inside the hotel room, time stops for you.

Once I got this straight, I also had two characters I wanted to explore. I thought it would be interesting to make them meet in this type of space, after a long time.

BUSINESS (2016) – TRAILER from Malena Vain on Vimeo.
Would you say your experience at NYFA was useful in terms of writing and directing this film?

Yes, for sure. My screenwriting skills definitely improved at NYFA. I had never had such intensive writing workshops or full knowledge of classical structures to generate conflicts and transform characters. It’s not easy. At first, you are really conscious of these tools and try hard to follow the rules, but then you let go and just write. Ben Maraniss, one of my teachers at NYFA, would ask us to write twenty pages in two or three days — it sounded impossible, but it really isn’t. As Kate Kirtz used to say, when you have a deadline there is no time for creative blocking. Eventually you incorporate what you learn in class and don’t feel so stressed out about finishing a script. If you keep your enthusiasm up, you will write something you can be proud of—even though you’ll always find mistakes—because you’re human and creativity is never perfect (and it shouldn’t). I’m also trying to refresh the pitching skills I learned with Nick Yellen, since I’m only two weeks away from Cannes Film Festival, those could be really useful now!

Is your feature screenplay related to this film or another idea?

Not really. However, I’d say they have similar topics in common. I’m really interested in distance between humans, and all problems regarding communication to bond with someone, especially in a time where our virtual selves are so present and our real selves are so concerned about our virtual selves. It’s hard to connect to what you really feel and what you really want. In my screenplays the question usually is: “Who would you like to share your time with?”

I’m also fascinated about cities, and that love-hate relationship you have with the place you live in. My NYFA script was set in New York, and the city played an important role to make the story move forward, even with the obstacles. Business, even though it’s mainly about a father-daughter relationship in contemporary life, also talks about life in my hometown, Buenos Aires.

Business will be screening on Friday, May 20 at 11:00a.m. (Cinéfondation programme 4) in Buñuel Theatre on the 5^th floor of the Palais des Festivals.

Screenwriting Instructor and NYFA Alumnus Team up for “Pali Road”

Written by New York Film Academy Screenwriting instructor Doc Pedrolie and directed by NYFA Beijing alumnus Jonathan Lim, the romantic thriller Pali Road opened April 29^th in selected AMC, Regal and Consolidated theaters nationwide. Pedrolie has pitched and developed projects at Sony, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Universal, Fox, Fox 21, Jerry Bruckheimer, Parkes/MacDonald, Brillstein, and Gaunt Television. Before that, he worked as a story analyst for Amazon Studios for seven years. Lim has over 10 years’ experience in Film and Television in the Chinese market. He has created and produced several ongoing TV series for such international companies as the NBA, World Poker Tour and Sony Pictures Dr.Oz.

Pali Road, a US-China co-production, stars Michelle Chen (You Are the Apple of My Eye), Jackson Rathbone (Twilight series), Sung Kang (Fast and Furious series) and Henry Ian Cusick (Lost, the 100). It was produced by Daxing Zhang, Cathy Lee, Kenneth Burke, and Jonathan Lim. Anthony Lim of Cuixing Media Group, Jon Chiew of Huace Media Group Grace Zhang and Geng Ling of Dadi Digital Cinema & China Film Assist, and Ricardo S. Galindez and Roy J. Tjioe of Island Film Group serve as executive producers.

The story is a mysterious and thrilling journey in search for true love between two different worlds. Lily (Chen), a young doctor, wakes up from a car accident and discovers she is living a completely different life. Now married to her boyfriend’s rival, Dr. Mitch Kayne (Kang), and a mother to a 5-year-old son, she has an established life she remembers nothing about. Everyone around her denies that her boyfriend Neil (Rathbone) ever existed. As Lily begins to doubt her own sanity, memories of Neil resurface, causing her to encounter unexplainable incidents. While desperately searching for the truth of her past life, she questions her entire existence; but in the end, she discovers the meaning of true love.

The film has already been nominated for the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Narrative Film at the upcoming 32nd Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Pali Road also received an Honorable mention for Best Feature Narrative at CAAMFest 2016 and was nominated for the Halekulani Award for Best Feature Narrative at last year’s Hawaii International Film Festival.

See Pali Road is select theaters now!

Burbank on Parade “A Salute to our Heroes”

Last month, the Burbank Parade Committee invited the New York Film Academy College of Visual & Performing Arts (NYFA) veteran students to march in their annual parade. A NYFA veteran student graciously displayed New York Film Academy flags and decals on his Classic Corvette.

NYFA Veteran students also chose to walk with their fellow veterans displaying their commitment to their brothers and sisters who have served in the military.

Paul McKenna, who served in the Army and US Marine Corps said, “I’m truly grateful as a student veteran to be in a school that understands and supports their veteran community. It’s hard to find people who truly care and are willing to go above and beyond.” Paul is currently a student pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts in Acting for Film degree.

The New York Film Academy is proud and honored to have participated in this event along with the veteran community.

Grad’s Thesis “The Nutcracker Princess” Rakes in Festival Awards

Students graduating from New York Film Academy’s Filmmaking Department typically leave the course with the experience and finished product, a thesis film, which is often used as their calling card into the world of entertainment. Former student, Lorenzo Lanzillotti, says his NYFA experience was immediately helpful from day one, as it gave him more of an understanding of the production process involved in the making of a film. Upon graduating, Lanzillotti took his film on the road and received numerous awards and festival screenings for his thesis film, The Nutcracker Princess (not to be mistaken for The Nutcracker Prince). To put things into perspective we’ve listed his festival accomplishments below:

Best short competition – Award of recognition for best short
MOFF Film festival – Best international short selection
Ferrara film festival – Best international short selection
United international film festival – Best director nominee
Miami independent film festival – Best short selection
Cordoba International film festival – Best short selection
Roma cinema doc – Best international short selection
International independent film awards – Silver award for best short – Silver award for best director
Hollywood international moving pictures film festival – Award of recognition for best short

The award-winning film, The Nutcracker Princess, tells the story of a popular actress in the process of developing a character for her upcoming film—based on the last days of the life of a Broadway star—who embraces an introspective experience that is able to affect the perception of her own life.

“I wrote the script with a clear idea of showing the two different faces of the same world,” said Lanzillotti. “In this case, the acting one. This short film is a psychological war between the youngest, most popular Hollywood actress, and Broadway’s most notable rising star. I wanted to see how the concept of the acting experience is interpreted in two completely different ways between these two worlds, so similar, but at the same time only divided by a thin line that defines the real expression of acting and the way that the audience experiences it.”

Lanzillotti recommends submitting thesis films to festivals, recognizing how rewarding the experience is both literally and from a general standpoint for him, his cast and the crew. Though, the festival run is still far from over for him, as he anticipates screening at several other festivals this year.

Acting Alumni Meet with Talent Agents & Managers at Inaugural Industry Showcase

On Thursday, April 28th, New York Film Academy Los Angeles campus proudly presented their inaugural Alumni Industry Showcase at NYFA Theater. This showcase represented the very best from the AFA, BFA and MFA programs who graduated from January 2015 through January 2016. The evening was filled with short live scenes, a short film, songs and improv.

“Our goal is to showcase our students to be competitive with all the top schools in the country. What sets NYFA apart is our focused Acting for Film training and international diversity,” said Anne Moore, director of the showcase and Associate Chair of Acting/Departmental Programming.

“This showcase is right on par with any other showcase we’ve seen this season. We found a lot of talent here,” said a rep from ABC casting.

Overall, the evening was a success with reps attending from ABC, NBC, and CBS casting as well as managers and agents from such agencies as UTA. Alumni have all ready been contacted from casting at CBS for meetings.

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY MAKES VARIETY’S LIST OF “BEST SHOWBIZ PROGRAMS”

As a school that continues to expand its visual and performing arts curriculum while sticking to the core of its original foundation of learning by doing, the New York Film Academy has recently landed itself on Variety’s “Entertainment Education 2016: The Best Showbiz Programs” list. The list included the top domestic and international schools to learn film, TV and media. It is this educational model that has allowed its students to achieve more in less time than at many other film or acting schools in the world.

Of particular note in the Academy’s mention is its diverse student body, which is comprised of more than 8,000 students from 108 countries in the past academic year. Students come from all over the world, representing (as Variety noted) countries like Brazil, France, Mexico, India, the U.K., Hong Kong, Australia and Japan. Reflecting the diversity of its students, NYFA offers hands-on courses at numerous locations like New York City, Los Angeles, South Beach, Sydney & Gold Coast in Australia, Florence, Paris, and more. This provides students with an unparalleled cultural immersion that can ultimately expand an artist’s perspective on worldly topics and issues.

Another feature that is noted in the article is the fact that most students are able to participate in each position that makes up the overall filmmaking experience. In the Academy’s filmmaking programs and workshops, each student writes, directs, and edits his or her own films. They are also required to work on their peers’ projects, giving each student the opportunity to experience first-hand the different roles of the director, cinematographer, writer and editor. It is this versatility that allows students to determine which field they’re best suited for.

Together with its consistently talented crop of incoming students, successful graduates, and a well-versed and experienced faculty, the New York Film Academy continues on a path to be one of the most sought-after visual and performing arts schools in the world.

To get a better understanding of what the Academy represents and what it has to offer, visit the main website at www.nyfa.edu.

Students at NYFA South Beach Support Local Veterans Charity

On Friday April 22, students and staff of the New York Film Academy College of Visual & Performing Arts (NYFA) South Beach Campus provided the filming and photography in support of the 3^rd Annual Golf Fundraising event, which raised nearly $60,000 in funding for local veteran service organizations.

The Charity Classic is an event organized by Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), in association with the mergers and acquisition and corporate community, to help raise awareness and funding to support veteran homelessness, veteran reintegration, and veterans and service members with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury.

golf charity — On the left corner of the check is Jim Duffy, ACG’s Founder. To the right is Colonel Jack Jacobs and Lt. Colonel Tony Colmenares. Surrounding are volunteers and staff of Project 22.

As a proud backer of the ACG Charity Classic this year, NYFA staff colleagues Richard Crites, Kyle Fritsche, and Gabriel Cacabelos, as well as NYFA students Samuel Romero, Florencia Portieri, Martina Marcet, and Eleni Nolas spent the day visually documenting the event, which will be used to further promote the Foundation’s future benevolent activities. The students who generously lent their time and talents for this important cause hailed from Argentina, Mexico, and Venezuela — representing the truly international nature of NYFA South Beach, and the College in general. NYFA’s Veteran Service Coordinator, Jhonson Simeon, led the team.

Additionally, Colonel Jack Jacobs, NYFA’s Chair of Veterans Advancement Program, and Medal of Honor recipient, was on hand to meet with the nearly 300 participants. The acclaimed film, stage, and television actor, Stephen Lang, who was in Miami for the NYFA premiere screening of his film Beyond Glory, also contributed to the day by welcoming the donors and being available for photographs. Mr. Lang is best known for his recent role in Avatar and Gods and Generals.

This year’s recipient organization of the monies raised by the ACG Annual Fundraising Golf Classic is the “22 Project,” which is a registered 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to providing advanced medical treatment to rehabilitate service men and women in order to allow these deserving veterans an opportunity to function to the best of their ability in a peacetime environment. The 22 Project is named because on average 22 veterans commit suicide each day.

The New York Film Academy was delighted to be a part in this worthwhile endeavor, and the College thanks ACG and Project 22 for inviting us to participate.

For more photos from this event, check out our Facebook Gallery Here.

New York Film Academy Participates in Sexual Assault Prevention Week

Winning poster from NYFA photography student, Hanna Cowart

In order to bring awareness to our campus, New York Film Academy dedicated this week, April 25 – April 29, to Sexual Assault Prevention. As part of the week, awareness flyers, stickers, and monitors were used to spread awareness on the subject. Photography student, Hanna Cowart, won our Sexual Assault Prevention Contest by creating the thought provoking poster seen above. An Honorable Mention to the contest was the 30-second “You Are Not Alone” video, created and acted in by NYFA students, which can be seen HERE.

Additionally, the Academy held two informative workshops on Self-Defense and Sexual Assault Awareness.

Self-Defense Workshop with Michael Acosta

First, NYFA welcomed Michael Acosta, a martial artist for over 20 years. Acosta provided students and faculty with a hands-on lecture and demonstration on how to properly and effectively defend yourself in a harmful situation. He began by introducing what is considered an uncomfortable or even dangerous situation. While it may vary from person to person, there is usually no mistaking the point in which someone is in serious danger. It’s in these moments that Acosta showed how to not only escape those situations, but to effectively defend one’s self through martial arts techniques.

“I believe that martial arts is useful as a tool to develop discipline, self-confidence, and commitment,” states Acosta. “I have seen it help kids and adults overcome their insecurities, improve focus, and achieve the goals they set for themselves.”

Students learn best through experience and muscle memory. The martial arts teaching focuses on mastering basic techniques by using people in group exercises and mentally preparing them for real world situations where they can be used for self-defense.

If you’re unsure of whether you’re in a potentially harmful situation, the chances are that your intuition is right. “If somebody is encroaching on your space, you need to say something,” says Acosta.

One piece of advice that stood out just from a general standpoint is the fact that we’re usually preoccupied with our own personal space—social media and smartphone interaction—that we sometimes forget about the world of interesting people around us. Acosta concluded, “the more you interact with people, the more comfortable you get.”

NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault Guest Speaker

From the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, NYFA welcomed Senior Campus Sexual Assualt Coordinator, Jeenie Yoon. The Alliance’s mission is to build the capacity of communities, organizations, and institutions to advance the right to live free from sexual violence and reduce the harm it causes individuals, families, and society. Ms. Yoon provided a power-point presentation and lecture highlighting what is considered sexual assault and how serious the issue can be. Using film and television series as examples—like Game of Thrones, Girls, Goldfinger, and others— Yoon was able to properly define when a man or woman crosses the line and becomes a sexual predator. The most alarming message is the fact that most victims are not speaking up.

Her talk, and the week in general, was specifically designed to make people aware of sexual assault and to realize that it is more common than we often think. So, if it is or has happened to you, we encourage you to speak up!

For more information on the NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault, please visit their website at: www.svfreenyc.org