Page 265 – NYFA

NYFA Graduate Anthony O’Brien Talks Life After Film School

The New York Film Academy Los Angeles was recently reunited with alumnus Anthony O’Brien to review his career since graduating in 2006. Students delighted in Anthony’s candid discussion of making a career in filmmaking after film school.

Growing up on a small island in Washington, O’Brien did not dream of being a director. An actor at heart, he went to a performing arts school but eventually dropped out and moved to Los Angeles. There he enrolled in the One-Year Filmmaking program at NYFA to round out his knowledge of acting.

Anthony fell in love with working behind-the-scenes and focused his sights on making it a career. He met fellow NYFA student Jon Chappell, who become his producing partner. He encouraged the students in the audience to start making similar contacts and collaborations. “Be honest about what you contribute. Surround yourself with people who are good at what you are not. The person who’s going to get you money is sitting right next to you.”

Interviewed by Dean of Students (and Anthony’s first semester instructor) Eric Conner, Anthony discussed how he was passionate (and organized) enough to wear the hats as director and actor even during his earliest films at NYFA.

Rather than shooting a short film for his thesis, he created a slick teaser trailer to promote his feature length script. Six days after graduating, O’Brien raised half a million dollars with his trailer and set out to make his first feature film.

Anthony O'Brien and Dean of Students Eric Conner — Anthony O’Brien and Dean of Students Eric Conner

Anthony wrote, directed, and starred in the feature film Perfect Sport (co-starring NYFA Alum Jessica Rose). Making the movie was a difficult and humbling experience, he recalled. Despite the film’s success in the festival circuit, Anthony came home to no offers or next opportunities, and spent months unemployed.

During this time, O’Brien continued working on any film set he could and began to develop the script for his next project. With animatics to present, and an experienced crewman like Director of Photography Phil Parmet, he successfully pitched to a private financier and gained funding for the western The Timber, starring Josh Peck (Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh). The production shot in Romania for three months during one of the country’s worst winters in the past century. The Timber was recently released by Well Go USA Entertainment on all digital and home video platforms.

When it came to discussing how to make a successful film career, Anthony did not want to offer students “empty true advice” like passion and enthusiasm are enough to see you through. “A director is one-part car salesman and one-part motivational speaker,” he explained. “To make an independent film you need to be courageous enough to find investors, be humble enough to acknowledge your crew knows more than you, and flexible enough to revise the story when needed.”

We look forward to seeing Anthony O’Brien’s next film Doubting Thomas, and wish him continued success.

NYFA DOCUMENTARY GRADUATES TO PREMIERE AT PRESTIGIOUS DOC NYC FILM FESTIVAL

The New York Film Academy Documentary Department is proud to officially announce five of its recent graduates will premiere their new films at DOC NYC.

All five documentary shorts will screen at the IFC Center this upcoming November 13th, helping to kick off the 2015 edition of the largest and most prestigious documentary festival in the USA.

Seven days later, Hillary Clinton will help to close the fest, introducing the world Premiere of “Once and For All” on November 19th.

Brainchild of the Toronto International Film Festival’s celebrated programmer Thom Powers, DOC NYC has also been voted one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “five coolest documentary film festivals in the world.”

“Every NYFA film programmed absolutely deserves to premiere at such an important festival,” says NYFA’s Documentary Chair Andrea Swift. “At once entertaining and important, each of the five tells a surprising story in a voice all to its own.”

The five NYFA films include:

ALIVE & KICKING by Lara-Ann de Wet

In Limpopo, South Africa, the village grannies lace up their soccer boots and start kicking their way down the field – and through centuries of oppressive taboos. They play serious soccer and then break into the laughter and traditional song that help fuel their singular struggle for decent lives and a league of their own.

ALL IN MY HEAD: THE PATRICK STEIN STORY by Colleen Shaw

An 18-year-old star athlete wakes to discover he can’t move. Struck by an aneurism during homecoming, he’s now trapped inside the nightmare known as “Locked In Syndrome.” Three years later, he’s still there being fed through a tube. Medical wisdom says he will be “locked in” for life, but medical wisdom hasn’t met Patrick Stein.

Patrick can still blink his eyes, and that’s enough to wage a surprisingly cinematic fight for a “real life” — starting with the demand for his right to risk death for just one taste of real food.

LEGACY by Amy J. Wright

The tradition of cowboying is alive and well—in Brooklyn. And as Black as it ever was. Take a glimpse into the lives of the men and women who comprise The Federation of Black Cowboys. From trail riding in Virginia, to giving riding lessons to kids back in Brooklyn, The Federation ensures that the legacy of America’s forgotten black cowboys will live on for generations to come.

THE HAPPIEST FAMILY by Camille Bildsøe

When Camille was twelve years old, the world, as she knew it, fell apart. Most of the next 3 years are missing from her memory. Today, 9 years later, she pieces them together from her brother’s memories and from the tabloids that daily heralded her family’s very public collapse.

FREYA by Andrew Linga, Rachael Peltzer, William Nestlehutt, Sasha-Gay Lewis, Jimmie Julion, IvoreeMyles, Denis Peres; Produced by Gary Bencheghib, Edited by Andrea Fumagalli

Discovered floating off the coast of Belize, Freya was so badly injured she couldn’t even dive down to escape the birds pecking at the stump of what had been her front flipper. The endangered sea turtle had survived a serious shark attack and is struggling for her life. The odds are not in her favor, but with a handful of volunteer rescuers working around the clock to save her, Freya at least has a fighting chance.

Please join us on November 13th at 10:30am at the IFC. Enjoy 80 minutes of outstanding short docs and help celebrate the remarkable work emerging from New York Film Academy’s Documentary Department.

Seats are limited. Reserve yours now at: http://www.docnyc.net/film/doc-nyc-u-new-york-film-academy/

Line-Up Includes 27 World Premieres and 15 U.S. Premieres
Among Over 200 Films and Events

Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton
to Present Closing Night World Premiere
Once and For All on Nov. 19

Other Special Guests Include Martin Scorsese, Sharon Jones, Ethan Hawke, Sonia Sanchez, Bill Binney, Mary Louise Wilson, Gilbert Gottfried,
Yvonne Rainer, Omar Epps, Chefs Georges Perrier and Nicholas Elmi

Acclaimed Documentarians Michael Moore, Barbara Kopple,
Amy Berg, Kirby Dick, Alex Gibney, Kim Longinotto, Liz Garbus,
Davis Guggenheim, Asif Kapadia, Brett Morgen, Morgan Neville,
Stanley Nelson, and Joshua Oppenheimer

The eight-day festival runs November 12th – 19th at the West Village’s IFC Center, as well as Chelsea’s SVA Theater and Bow Tie Chelsea Cinema, and showcases new achievements in documentary film along with panels and conversations.

“Thor,” “Kong,” and “Alien: Paradise Lost” to Film at Village Roadshow Studios in Australia

One of the immediate and most obvious benefits of having a film school inside the confines of a movie studio is the unprecedented access to the movie industry and the behind-the-scenes exposure to major motion pictures. Similar to our Los Angeles campus, which offers workshops on the Universal Studios backlot, the New York Film Academy Gold Coast Australia location offers programs on the backlot of Village Roadshow Studios adjacent to Warner Bros Movie World in Queensland, Australia.

Given its resources and state-of-the art studio space, the Queensland studio will be the filming location of three upcoming major motion pictures, including the third installment of Thor, Kong: Skill Island, and Alien: Paradise Lost.

nyfa australia — Village Roadshow Studios

“Queensland offers an amazing and diverse backdrop for Thor: Ragnarok and we are very excited to bring this film to such an incredible locale,” said Louis D’Esposito, Co-President of Marvel Studios.

This has become a serious location option for many studio films, with Queensland’s Village Roadshow Studios already having been the location for the Scooby Doo films, House of Wax, Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Daybreakers, and Fools Gold amongst many others. Just this past year we saw NYFA Australia Gold Coast Chair of Acting, Brad McMurray and One-Year Acting Grad, Nick Allen-Ducat in San Andreas—starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Paul Giamatti—which also filmed in Queensland.

“As our economy diversifies, Queensland is demonstrating its strength as a lead destination for filmmakers both internationally and locally, and my government is doing what it can to ensure that Queensland remains a global hub for the screen sector,” said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

As is the goal with all of NYFA’s programs, the Gold Coast location offers a real world filmmaking experience in a truly hands-on curriculum. There are several course offerings available, including our hands-on intensive Two-Year Filmmaking, One-Year Filmmaking, Two-Year Acting for Film and One-Year Acting for Film programs as well as short-term and evening workshops.

For more information about NYFA’s Gold Coast campus, please visit: https://www.nyfa.edu.au/locations/gold-coast.php.

NYFA Abu Dhabi Student Awarded at SICFF for “Ice Flower”

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Kassimi, member of the Supreme Council and the governor of sharjah, awarded New York Film Academy student Shirin Abu Ouf for her documentary Ice Flower, during the Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival 2015. The festival, which began on October 21st in the United Arab Emirates, focuses on educating children and youth on the value of cinema, while nurturing their creative impulses and talents for filmmaking. SICFF showcased 78 films from 32 countries, including films from UAE, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Far East.

Ice Flower was Shirin’s final film of her One Year Filmmaking program at NYFA Abu Dhabi. After completing her first year in Abu Dhabi, Shirin moved to NYFA Los Angeles campus to continue her studies in the Bachelor of Fine Art in Filmmaking degree program.

NYFA LA Documentary Student’s Short to Air on LA TV

New York Film Academy Los Angeles documentary student Alejandro Talen’s Semester 2 social issue film Mark of the Four Waves has been picked up by local LA TV station LA18’s program “Kababayan Today” as a segment in the show!

“The film is about ‘Tatak ng Apat na Alon’ (Mark of the Four Waves),” says Talen. “They are a group of Filipino-Americans who are striving to revive the tribal tattoo art of the Philippines — an aspect of their culture that was almost eradicated after the colonization of the home country.”

Talen’s film will air today on LA18 between 3:30pm-4pm.

If you’re not in the Los Angeles area, you can watch his film in its entirety below.

4waves from Lej Talens on Vimeo.

News Producer Aliki Shinas Speaks at NYFA

One of the real advantages of studying Broadcast Journalism in New York is the chance to meet, and network with, outstanding television professionals.

Recently Aliki Shinas, a news producer for a leading network, spent the morning with NYFA Broadcast Journalism students. She described her own career path, including working as a staff news writer at WCBS-TV here in New York, and how production is organized at the top-rated network morning news program. She also shared insights into the changing nature of TV news audiences, along with the challenges of cross-platform content distribution.

In addition, at the end of the class she spent time in one-on-one conversations with the students.

New York City is a global media capital. That’s why the NYFA Broadcast Journalism program attracts students from throughout the United States, and around the world. Our current class includes students from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Germany, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Thailand and Turkey, as well as California, Florida, Virginia, upstate New York, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.

NYFA Sydney Grad Wins Best Film at Willoughby Shorts Film Festival

Angus Young is making a name for himself in Australia and no, it’s not as a lead guitarist for AC/DC. The New York Film Academy Sydney graduate recently won Best Overall Film at the Willoughby Shorts Film Festival for his film The Lemonade Theory. Young teamed up with fellow graduate Ethan Thomas, who was the film’s director of photography on the five day shoot.

The short begins with Young Mother Sophia (Kelly Robinson), who wakes up to what she expects to be a normal day, but quickly spirals out of control. Much to her alarm, there is a strange man (Peter McAllum) in the house with her and no matter where she looks, Sophia can’t find her daughter.

Told from the first point of view perspective, the film is essentially a ‘monster in the house’ thriller about a woman and an evil housekeeper who drugs her and steals her children. When you watch the film for a second time, having known the ending, Lemonade Theory is about the housekeeper sustaining love in the face of adversity.

“Lemonade Theory came about through a story my father told me about his grandfather,” said Young. “His father was a sufferer of dementia and believed that he was living in 1930. It’s a jilting paradox to think that someone can believe that, so I explored the idea a little deeper and wrote the story to work as a love story.”

At the moment, Young is producing and directing a few projects. One project is an animated series called Elliot, which is working on again with his very close collaborator, Ethan Thomas. He’s also working on another animated series for YouTube and a very adventurous feature film, which is set to shoot around December 2016.

“In comparison to other film schools, which rely heavily on government mandated literacy and theoretical work, the New York Film Academy approach of practical immersion proved to teach me more in that short amount of time than my friends at competing institutions,” said Young. “After a year, and producing eight films—three of which have won several awards—I think NYFA has a thing or two to say about the teaching methods that really work.”

Young says he’d like to see himself constantly evolve, finding new and innovative ways to push the threshold of entertainment.

NYFA LA Documentary Guest Speakers Recap: Rory Kennedy, Steven Poster and Roger Memos

A CONVERSATION WITH RORY KENNEDY

Documentary students from New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus recently attended an event featuring acclaimed documentarian Rory Kennedy. Sponsored by the International Documentary Association (IDA), the event took place at the Linwood Dunn Theater at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in Hollywood.

Rory Kennedy has directed and produced more than 30 documentaries dealing with some of the world’s most pressing issues—poverty, domestic abuse, drug addiction, human rights and mental illness—earning an Academy Award nomination and winning a Primetime Emmy Award. She founded Moxie Firecracker Films with partner Liz Garbus in 1998. Her most recent film, Last Days in Vietnam debuted at the Sundance Festival in 2014.

Kennedy spoke about her determination to continue the mission started by her father, the late Senator Robert F Kennedy, to serve the public good. “It has to be a good story or have real social impact. A film doesn’t necessarily have to have both but without at least one I won’t be interested.”

FAMED CINEMATOGRAPHER STEVEN POSTER SCREENS “TAP WORLD” DOCUMENTARY

Acclaimed cinematographer Steven Poster, former president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) and current president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), screened Tap World at New York Film’s Academy’s Los Angeles campus. Poster served as both Supervising Director of Photography and Producer of the award-winning documentary featuring cutting edge tap dancers across the globe. Directed by television writer, producer and director Dean Hargrove, the film celebrates tap dance masters from New York to Los Angeles, Japan, India, France, and Brazil. Strikingly beautiful sequences of dancers performing are intercut with crowd-sourced footage of tap fanatics performing all over the globe.

SCREENING OF DOCUMENTARY ABOUT BLACKLISTED ACTRESS MARSHA HUNT

When TV producer Roger Memos heard actress Marsha Hunt’s story he knew he had to make a documentary about her. It took him 10 years but he is currently screening his film Marsh Hunt’s Sweet Adversity at film festivals. Hunt, about to turn 98 years old, frequently accompanies him.

Hunt made 54 films before she joined a group of 30 actors, directors and writers who flew to Washington D.C in 1947 to protest the House Un-American Activities Commission investigative witch hunt seeking to root out the purported influence of Communism in Hollywood. When told to renounce her activities if she wanted to continue working in films — she refused and only made three films over the next 8 years. Memos’ film also documents Hunt’s transformation into an international activist working to end world hunger.

Filmmaking Grad Sean Robinson’s “Indigo Grey: The Passage” Features Hammerstep and Soundtrack by Amy Lee

In addition to the New York Film Academy’s intensive curriculum, which provides artists the opportunity to explore their craft in a hands-on environment, students are strongly encouraged to network both inside and outside of their programs. One of our filmmaking graduates, Sean Robinson, was introduced to the popular, modern Irish step-dance team Hammerstep through NYFA Musical Theatre alumnus Conor McIntyre. Following the introduction, the Brooklyn based award-winning director was hired to direct and edit a film—with cinematography from NYFA grad Esteban Robles—to promote their dance troupe. After Robinson had the trailer ready to go, it caught the eye of Amy Lee, the famous lead singer of Evanescence. She was so impressed with the film that she came on board to compose the original score, along with Dave Eggar and Chuck Palmer.

“Amy’s involvement is what really catapulted the project, lending its visibility in mainstream platforms,” said Robinson.

sean robinson — Sean Robinson at the LA Shorts Film Festival

The completed short, Indigo Grey: The Passage is a seven-minute audio-visual experience that premiered at the 2015 Los Angeles International Short Film Festival and has so far been officially selected to screen at 19 International film festivals and has won 4 awards, including best original score. The film has already garnered praise from publications like ABC and the Huffington Post.

“Whisking you away with its sweeping cinematography, the film was well edited, elegantly directed, and hypnotically choreographed to a riveting soundtrack. Indigo Grey: The Passage is a truly one-of-a-kind project that merges the worlds of film, dance, sci-fi, art and music. With its lack of dialogue, the young Lok’s budding acting performance is extremely impactful as he relies solely on his emotional expression and movement to carry the narrative. A lavish feast of sensory stimulation, this short film has successfully captured the attention of its viewers by transporting them to another dimension and most impressively, all within its humble seven minutes.” — Huffington Post

Robinson is now working on developing Indigo Grey: The Passage into a feature, in collaboration with Jason Oremus and Garrett Coleman.

“My filmmaking knowledge derives from training and working with instructors at NYFA—namely Paul Warner, who is my biggest mentor,” said Robinson. “It sounds cliche, but NYFA has definitely changed my life.”

Additionally, Robinson is in the middle of editing a third feature, The Independents, with cinematography by NYFA Cinematography Instructor Piero Basso and line-produced by NYFA Producing Instructor Dorottya Mathe.

As you may be able to tell, Robinson’s NYFA roots go deep and his networking has paid off ten fold.