Page 30 – NYFA

NYFA Filmmaking Alum Jameelah Rose Lineses & Season 3 of The Khatak Film Society at the 11th IFFM Autumn 2021

New York Film Academy (NYFA) 1-Year Filmmaking alum Jameelah Rose Lineses recently produced Khatak Film Society season 3 at the 11th International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) Autumn 2021 in October at the Producers Club Theater in New York City. Lineses served as a member of the jury for this year’s IFFM which marks her second time serving as a jury member for the organization.

Khatak Film Society Season 3 Programming is a collaboration project, just like the previous seasons, between the International Film Festival Manhattan and Lineses’ film organization The Khatak Film Society, a New York-based organization founded in 2020 during the peak of the pandemic – an organization dedicated to showcasing the works of new wave Tibetan filmmakers as well as other regions of the Himalayas to a global audience.

Khatak Film Society Season 3 programming included a total of ten films this year, most of which were Bhutanese. Screenings showcased an international array of artists and directors including Bhuchung, Tenzin Phuljung, Yeshey Namgyal, Sonam Gyatso, Norbu Tsering, Yeshi Lhendup, Sherabba, and Ugyen Tashi.

Watch a short clip of the Khatak Film Society Season 3 film screening night at the 11th International Film Festival Manhattan Autumn 2021 with introductions by Jameelah Rose Lineses and the IFFM’s festival founder and organizer, Luis Pedron.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7CzuXlXFtU

The film screenings were followed by a Q&A with GDS Entertainment’s artist and founder, Karma Wangyel about his latest music video, Hollow directed by Sonam Gyatso, two of the festival participants.

The Q&A featured director Yeshey Namgyal, one of the film festival participants who was present via video call, spoke about his award-winning short film My Paralympic Dream, which tells the story of the everyday struggle of a young man with a physical disability to overcome his physical obstacles and demonstrate his own artistic ability and achieve success.

NYFA Filmmaking Alum Jameelah Rose Lineses & Season 3 of The Khatak Film Society at the 11th IFFM Autumn 2021 — NYFA alum Jameelah Rose Lineses (left) accepting an award on behalf of Yann Moszynski and John Parl Luces for the film Exploring the Blue Depth with IFFM founder Luis Pedron (right)

During the IFFM awards ceremony on October 14th, Lineses accepted an award on behalf of Yann Moszynski and John Parl Luces for their film Exploring the Blue Depth, a film that represented Saudi Arabia at the film festival. Included in the Autumn 2021 honorable mentions was GDS Entertainment’s founder and artist, Karma Wangyel for his music video Hollow.

Catch video coverage of the event on October 17th, 2021:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD2mJhMHHtw

New York Film Academy congratulates Jameelah for the Khatak Film Society’s third season programming at the 11th International Film Festival Manhattan Autumn 2021. See some of the conversations, films, and more on the Khatak Film Society’s YouTube channel. For a recap of the festival’s season 2 programming, read here.

New 1-Week Photography Workshop in Florence this Spring 2022

Start the New Year strong.

New York Film Academy (NYFA) is offering a new 1-Week Photography workshop in the beautiful city of Florence this spring. Where better to study photography than the Central-Northern capital of the Tuscany region, rich with historical landmarks, culture, and light?

From April 24, 2022 – April 30, 2022, students will explore techniques of light, shadow, digital technology, and composition with the Chair of the Photography Department at NYFA’s New York City campus, David Mager.

Mager has extensive experience working as a commercial photographer spanning 20+ years, shooting for the publishing market and working with clients including Disney, DK, Scholastic, Der Spiegel, McGraw-Hill, Penguin, Time Out NY, Parents Magazine, and Park Place Magazine. David is also an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop Lightroom.

In addition to the new 1-Week Photography workshop, NYFA is offering its 4-Week Photography workshop for students interested in continuing their time in Florence’s city and surrounding hill towns to learn extensive digital photography techniques. The 4-Week Photography workshop will run between April 24, 2022 – May 21, 2022.

Photo by Lisa Maria Valeskini, former NYFA student from Austria, taken during the 2019 1-Week photo course in Florence

The NYFA facility is located in the Santa Croce neighborhood, whose curved streets are the remnants of the 2,000-year-old amphitheater. The location is near the Piazza Santa Croce, one of Florence’s most prominent squares and historical landmarks. The square is home to the Basilica of Santa Croce, which houses the chapels and tombs of Italian figures including Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, and Ugo Foscolo. Throughout the course, students will explore Florence with trips to surrounding towns, museums, and galleries to explore photography in relation to classical and renaissance art.

No prior photography experience is required for either workshop. Students are required to bring a digital camera with manual exposure control. Former students and alumni will have their $50 application fee waived upon application to either course. While English is the language of instruction at all NYFA locations, the school welcomes students from all over the world. United States college credits are available for these courses.**

All students who will attend classes at the Florence, Italy location must meet ONE of the following TWO requirements:

Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 AND provide proof of vaccination prior to arrival
OR Provide an active European Green Pass

For questions or for additional information on the above, please contact [email protected].

Check out NYFA students’ trip to Florence back in 2018:

**Please Note: New York Film Academy (NYFA) makes no representation that credits awarded by NYFA will be accepted or applied toward the completion of any degree or certificate by any other postsecondary institution. The acceptance of transfer credits is always governed by the receiving school.

NYFA ALUMNI & GUEST SPEAKERS WIN BIG AT THE 79TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

On Sunday, January 9th, the kick-off for the 2022 award season, the Golden Globe Awards, was live-tweeted from the Beverly Hilton. A string of controversies surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) lack of diversity – there were no black members among its 87 voting members prior to 2021 – and alleged unethical practices led to an investigation by the Los Angeles Times and ended with NBC pulling the plug on the award show.

Nevertheless, even as an event mired with controversy, there were emblems of light and among them was NYFA Musical Theatre alum, Ilda Mason.

Ilda Mason (right) in Steven Speilberg’s West Side Story

West Side Story swept the Golden Globes with four wins including Best Musical or Comedy Motion Picture. For many, it came as a surprise considering that the original Broadway musical West Side Story and the 1961 film adaptation have been plagued with controversy for their misrepresentation of Puerto Ricans and Latinos, use of brown face and exploitative plot origins. However, NYFA Guest Speaker Steven Spielberg managed to breathe new life into the show with a lead cast of fresh, new faces; with this new adaptation of the Sondheim classic, Speilberg ushered in the next-generation of triple-threat Latinx actors, dancers and singers. One of them being NYFA alum Ilda Mason.

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Other notable wins of the evening were MJ Rodriguez’s (Pose) win for Best Television Actress in a Drama Series, making it Rodriguez’s first win and making her the first trans actress to win a Golden Globe. After the announcement on Twitter, MJ took to Instagram live to react to her win. She tearfully expressed her gratitude, stating “This is for the LGBTQAI, Black, Latina, Asian [communities], the many multi beautiful colors of the rainbow… This is not just for me, this is for y’all. This is the door that opens for y’all.”

Squid Game was created in 2008 by Hwang Dong-hyuk but was shelved by Netflix for 10 years before it was given the green light in 2018. The show went on to be Netflix’s most streamed series after only 17 days with over 100 million views world-wide. Demonstrating that Netflix, led by NYFA Guest Speaker Ted Sarandos, is trailblazing and pushing boundaries at home and abroad.

NYFA extends a warm congratulations to Ilda Mason, Steven Speilberg and Ted Sarandos for their wins!

Please note: NYFA does not represent that these are typical or guaranteed career outcomes. The success of our graduates in any chosen professional pathway depends on multiple factors, and the achievements of NYFA alumni are the result of their hard work, perseverance, talent and circumstances.

NYFA ALUMNI & GUEST SPEAKERS WIN BIG AT THE 79TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

Nevertheless, even as an event mired with controversy, there were emblems of light and among them was NYFA Musical Theatre alum, Ilda Mason.

Ilda Mason (right) in Steven Speilberg’s West Side Story

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Ilda graduated from NYFA’s Musical Theatre Program in 2015. After graduating, Ilda went on to perform in Peter Pan, The Beauty and the Beast, A Chorus Line, Hello Dolly, Legally Blonde, Gloria Estefan’s On Your Feet! Before landing a role in Ivo van Hove’s Broadway revival of West Side Story in 2020. Off the heels of her Broadway run, Ilda was cast as Luz, a member of the sharks in Spielberg’s on-screen revival. Ilda Mason and her cast won big on Sunday night taking home Best Comedy or Musical Motion Picture, Best Director of Motion Picture (Steven Speilberg), Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical (Rachel Zegler) and Best Supporting Actress (Arianna Debose).

Other notable wins of the evening were MJ Rodriguez’s (Pose) win for Best Television Actress in a Drama Series, making it Rodriguez’s first win and making her the first trans actress to win a Golden Globe. After the announcement on Twitter, MJ took to Instagram live to react to her win. She tearfully expressed her gratitude, stating “This is for the LGBTQAI, Black, Latina, Asian [communities], the many multi beautiful colors of the rainbow… This is not just for me, this is for y’all. This is the door that opens for y’all.”

In addition to MJ’s historic win, was Oh Yeong-su’s win for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. The seasoned theater actor from South Korea, who won and broke our hearts in Squid Game, took home South Korea’s very first Golden Globe.

Squid Game was created in 2008 by Hwang Dong-hyuk but was shelved by Netflix for 10 years before it was given the green light in 2018. The show went on to be Netflix’s most streamed series after only 17 days with over 100 million views world-wide. Demonstrating that Netflix, led by NYFA Guest Speaker Ted Sarandos, is trailblazing and pushing boundaries at home and abroad.

NYFA extends a warm congratulations to Ilda Mason, Steven Speilberg and Ted Sarandos for their wins!

Please note: NYFA does not represent that these are typical or guaranteed career outcomes. The success of our graduates in any chosen professional pathway depends on multiple factors, and the achievements of NYFA alumni are the result of their hard work, perseverance, talent and circumstances.

NYFA PRODUCING ALUM MARTINA ROJAS MAKING A NAME IN HOLLYWOOD FROM ITALY

New York Film Academy (NYFA) producing alum Martina Rojas Chaigneau is making a name for herself in Hollywood. The 1-Year Conservatory Producing Program alum has worked on some heavy-hitting films in her career since graduating from NYFA in 2011.

Rojas has industry credits working in a multitude of roles for A-list Hollywood films, including clearance & product placement coordinator, production coordinator, production assistant, press manager, transportation manager, and has produced and acted in several short films. Her credits include working on the crews of Mission Impossible 7 (2022), Inferno (2016), American Assassin (2017), All the Money in the World (2017), and the two TV series Medici and Hannibal.

The multi-talented and Italian-born industry expert Martin Rojas spoke with NYFA in a Q&A about one of her latest projects, House of Gucci, which was filmed in Italy during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and directed by Ridley Scott.

NYFA alum Martina Rojas worked as Clearance & Product Placement Coordinator for the film House of Gucci (2021)

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY (NYFA): What was your experience working on the set of House of Gucci?

MARTINA ROJAS (MR): It was the first time for me to work as a Clearance & Product Placement Coordinator. I loved it! I love learning new roles and the challenges that follow. It was a great experience, a great team, and a great cast, I would say.

NYFA: What was it like to work on the set of the upcoming Mission Impossible 7 film?

MR: It was among the most beautiful experiences I’ve ever had. We shot in Venice during the pandemic last year in 2020. On the one hand, it was very hard to face and manage that moment, but on the other shooting in one of the most extraordinary cities in the world–as if it was a studio–was incredible. Most of the scenes were filmed in the water at night, so imagine a deserted Venice, immersed in silence.

Set during filming in Italy during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

NYFA: How did you become involved with House of Gucci and Mission Impossible?

MR: I became involved through one of the major production companies based in Rome, Panorama Film. We have a very good relationship that was built over the years and we mainly collaborate with American productions that come to shoot in Italy.

NYFA: What has been your most difficult challenge working in the industry so far?

MR: Probably the fact that I’ve changed roles for each recent project each time. I threw myself toward working with different departments for which I had little experience or confidence in order to learn. The location department always remains in first place for me.

NYFA: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to these projects?

MR: NYFA was a great experience for me. The method was key since the organization and structure in Italy are missing a little, so I learned that through NYFA.

NYFA alum Martina Rojas working on set during filming in Italy during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

NYFA: Do you have any advice for incoming NYFA students?

MR: To be humble and to try to learn from others. Don’t be afraid to face challenges that may seem insurmountable. Learn as much as possible from a school like NYFA, which can give you so much if you want to learn. And nothing is impossible.

New York Film Academy congratulates Martina Rojas on all her success with her latest projects and the upcoming Mission Impossible 7 film, soon to be released in 2022. We wish her the best of luck and support in her future work, and we encourage everyone to keep posted on her latest projects and follow her Instagram account (@martirojas).

Q&A with NYFA Filmmaking Alum Filipe Coutinho on Script ‘Whittier’ and the 2021 Black List

New York Film Academy (NYFA) MFA Filmmaking alum Filipe Coutinho is a Portuguese-born filmmaker with both short film and television experience. His credits include work as a producer, director, and writer for TV shows and short films such as Women on Top, The J&T Sketch Show, A Walk with James, and Time Asks Time.

Coutinho recently made the 2021 Black List for his screenplay Whittier. Originated in 2005, the 2021 Black List features a year’s list of the most liked, but not-yet-produced screenplays. Many of the screenplays featured on the Black List have gone on to production and earned Oscars, including Slumdog Millionaire, Argo, The King’s Speech, and Spotlight.

The alum spoke with us about his latest work, his selection for the 2021 Black List, and his learnings from NYFA.

Filipe Coutinho NYFA Alum — NYFA Filmmaking alum Filipe Coutinho

New York Film Academy (NYFA): What brought you to New York Film Academy?

Filipe Coutinho (FC): Well, I was born in Portugal, where I spent the first 20 years of my life. My passion for film deepened after I watched a couple of films that completely transformed my perspective of what life is and what could be.

At the time, the only way for me to incorporate film into my life was to create a blog (very mid-2000s, I know!) and write about the films I watched. Turns out I was quite good at it, and shortly thereafter, I was invited to write for a few Portuguese publications.

When I finished college, I decided that it wasn’t enough for me to write about movies. I wanted to make them and I wanted to help other people in the same way movies helped me. With the full support of my family, I discovered New York Film Academy and made the transatlantic trip.

NYFA: What projects have you worked on since graduating?

FC: After graduation, my life took me in many unexpected directions. Being an immigrant in America while trying to find steady work in such a competitive industry was a daunting task. But eventually, I was able to find my footing. I worked as a researcher on a BET TV show called Being and developed three shows with FX. Afterward, I found a writing partner, Ben Mehlman, and we dedicated ourselves to the craft fully.

I made the quarter-finals of the Academy Nicholl’s Fellowship twice; hosted a table read of my script at the WGA with Reed Diamond, Merrin Dungey, and Hailey Erin; worked on a book adaptation; and then was selected to be a part of the Black List Fellowship Lab, during which I was mentored by Beau Willimon (creator of House of Cards) and Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, Enola Holmes), and took masterclass sessions with Rachel Rovner, Lindsay Doran, and Liz Hannah.

NYFA: What is your screenplay about?

FC: Whittier is about a Los Angeles social worker who stumbles upon a political conspiracy while looking into a client’s murder in the wake of the 1987 Whittier earthquake. The film is a reflection on what it takes to keep fighting the good fight despite external circumstances of escalating difficulty.

It’s a story meant to shed light on the greed, corruption, and self-serving attitudes that start locally, expand nationally, and ultimately, plague us globally. The intention is to offer a sobering look at the backdoor politics that impact social issues like homelessness and gentrification. I want audiences to take home the idea that just because endings are not always ‘happy’ in a more traditional sense, truth is a cause always worth pursuing. Even though this story is set in 1987, the parallels to today are inescapable.

Making this a period piece helped create a healthy distance from the issues of today, allowing the challenging aspects of the story to be easier to digest. We’re hoping to attach a director and/or actor soon.

NYFA: What was your reaction when you found out you were selected for the 2021 Black List?

FC: Elation, of course. It’s a huge honor and point of pride to have written the 12th most liked, unproduced screenplay of the year, especially when there are fifty-thousand new pieces of writing every year in the U.S. alone (a very conservative number). It’s also great to get external validation about your work, especially in a field that often requires creating your own momentum.

NYFA: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to this project and others?

FC: I didn’t know anything about filmmaking before I arrived at NYFA. The way the program is structured was perfect for someone like me. Each week I wrote, shot, directed, and edited a new project. That allowed me to understand exactly what my strengths were and lean into them.

My technical film education happened at NYFA, for which I’ll always be grateful. Furthermore, I need to shout out one of my screenwriting teachers, Jack Paglan, who was a huge influence in the way I approach writing.

New York Film Academy congratulates Filipe Coutinho for his well-deserved recognition and placement on the 2021 Black List for his script, Whittier.

Q&A with NYFA MFA Screenwriting Alum Cesia Cano

NYFA MFA Screenwriting alum Cesia Cano (above)

New York Film Academy (NYFA) MFA Screenwriting alum Cesia Cano is a writer and producer with film credits for her work on the television series Robot Trains and Exorcism 101, as well as the short film High Score. The children’s show Robot Trains is available for streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Cano spoke with NYFA about her latest projects for film and television and her work that’s appeared on the film festival circuit.

New York Film Academy (NYFA): What brought you to the New York Film Academy to pursue your interest in writing?

Cesia Cano (CC): I’m from Dallas, Texas originally, but after reading all the positive online reviews about NYFA, I decided to attend to pursue my passion for writing and storytelling.

NYFA: What projects have you worked on since graduating from NYFA? Have any projects won awards or have been showcased in festivals or competitions?

CC: Since graduating from NYFA, I’ve been one of the writers for The Flamenco Killer pilot, a six-season series being pitched to Sony. I was also the co-writer and interview assistant for Taboo, a documentary by Angela Koh. The film won at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2020.

I’ve also produced three short films and written over forty short scripts for the Neon Children’s Art Theater. I work as a volunteer to help alleviate the struggle theaters, and students face as a result of the global pandemic. These short scripts are read by students over zoom workshops to continue their practice and improve their acting skills.

I’m also the founder subscription business Story Layers, a biography service that helps people share and create tangible life stories with their loved ones. I was also the script supervisor for the multiple award-nominated short film High Score by Ethan Itzkow and Serena Ryen. The short film was the winner at the Chelsea Film Festival in 2020 for ‘Best Short Film.’

NYFA: Tell us more about your latest project & how you got involved?

CC: One of my most recent jobs was writer for Robot Trains (Season 3), an animated television show currently streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

As a result of my involvement with the series, I’m also working on my first children’s book set to be published in the Spring of 2022. I got involved in these projects by staying connected with other artists, reaching out to new people in the industry, and sharing my scripts with the right people.

Robot Trains poster image — NYFA alum Cesia Cano is a writer for several episodes of season 3 of the children’s show Robot Trains

NYFA: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to this project and others?

CC: One of the most essential things that I learned from NYFA was to have my sample scripts polished and ready because you never know when a potential employer might ask to see your work and you don’t want to keep them waiting.

New York Film Academy congratulates Cesia Cano for her work, success on the festival circuit, and her upcoming book publication.

NYFA Alum Pens First Tanzanian Film to Stream on Netflix, “Binti”

New York Film Academy (NYFA) MFA Screenwriting Alum Angela Ruhinda is a writer and producer from Tanzania. In 2018, Ruhinda started a production company, Black Unicorn Studios, with her sister Alinda. After holding a screenwriting competition for writers in Tanzania, they found the story that would be the studio’s first feature film, Binti.

Binti, which centers on the lives of four women as they navigate entrepreneurship, motherhood, infertility and love in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, will premiere on Netflix on January 7th. It is the first Tanzanian film to be acquired by Netflix for global distribution!

Angela spoke with NYFA about Binti, the start of Black Unicorn Studios and the challenges of doing post-production during a global pandemic.

How did you come across the project or idea for Binti?

In 2018, I started a production company with my sister, Alinda. We named it Black Unicorn Studios. Our first project was a stage play that I wrote. After we wrapped our theatre run, we decided we wanted to venture into film. We had a screenwriting competition only open to Tanzanian writers. We asked for original stories that spoke to the theme of female empowerment. In early 2019, we picked our winning story – Her Life by Maria Shoo. We acquired the script and re-wrote it. We loved that it told the story of four contemporary Tanzanian women and thought it would be the perfect first project for our company. The name ‘Binti’ didn’t occur to us until we finished post production. ‘Binti’ is Swahili for ‘young woman’ and no other name is more fitting for this story.

What was your process for writing and producing the film?

After acquiring the original screenplay, we approached a dear friend of mine named Seko Shamte to join our team as a director and producer. She ended up co-writing the shooting draft of Binti with me. We spent many Saturday afternoons writing powerful scenes together and the whole process took us about a month or so. And then the pre-production process began. The three of us assembled a dream team for the crew. Everyone in the crew was Tanzanian with only three exceptions. Our talented cinematographer, Justin Aguirre, flew in from L.A. I worked with him previously on a pilot called Occupied and really enjoyed working with him. Our sound guy was from Kenya and our assistant director flew in from Zimbabwe. Our director had a lot of experience with these two men and insisted they were the best of the best. We had open casting calls for the actors and saw a lot of great raw talent. There were chemistry tests to make sure we got the right leads in our four women. While we prepped the crew for the three-week shoot in July, we held rehearsals for our actors so that no steps were missed. The shoot was exactly 21 days in July 2019.

What was your biggest challenge while producing Binti?

The greatest challenge I had while producing Binti happened during post-production. The pandemic completely disrespected our deadline. The film was initially edited in Tanzania but it also travelled to LA for more editing, Egypt for sound and to India for VFX effects. As you can imagine, each location had its own lockdowns and restrictions so we were constantly on standby and it delayed our deadlines. We ended up completing everything in early 2021 after we secured a distributor.

Do you have a filmmaker statement you’d like to share about Binti?

Binti is a love letter to African women. I also want everyone who watches Binti to see our strength, our beauty, our resilience and our ability to choose our own destiny.

Has Binti been picked up for any festivals or competitions?

Binti has already screened at several international festivals. It premiered at the Pan African Film Festival earlier this year. Binti has

also screened at Nollywood Film Week (Paris), Durban International Film Festival (SA), Jozi Film Festival (SA), Zanzibar International Film Festival and AFRIFF (Nigeria). In Zanzibar, Binti was awarded Best Feature Film which is something that we are really proud of. It’s a very prestigious film festival. Now we’re really looking forward to sharing it with the world via Netflix! January 7, 2022. Save the date!

What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to this project and others?

During my time at NYFA, I studied screenwriting. Thus, NYFA taught me a lot about the art of storytelling. I learned how to carefully weave a story, how to create compelling characters and how to move an audience. I always thought my first feature would be a comedy because it is a genre I’ve always been more comfortable writing. However, when I was given the opportunity to show contemporary Tanzanian women enduring specific hardships, I tapped in to all that I learned in school. Drama and comedy are often seen as polar opposites but I’ve found that sometimes one genre can inform the other. In terms of producing a feature film, I literally learned everything on the job. And boy did I learn a lot!

Are there any other upcoming projects we should know about?

I’m currently developing a TV series that I’m super excited about but can’t give any details on just yet. I would also like to write and produce one or two romantic comedies for 2022 and 2023. There are a lot of opportunities for African creators on the continent right now and it’s all very exciting!

Do you have any advice for incoming NYFA students?

Soak in every single thing you learn at NYFA. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Start watching at least one film a day (something I was told during my first week). And if you can, start building your tribe by meeting creatives from other departments. If you’re a writer, collaborate with some of the producers, editors and actors. Make a few short films. Those relationships might become very valuable after you graduate and the practice will prepare you for the future.

Be sure to catch Binti, today, on Netflix!

Q&A with NYFA MFA Filmmaking Alum & Cinematographer Shivashish Ahuja

New York Film Academy (NYFA) MFA Filmmaking alum Shivashish Ahuja is a Los-Angeles based Cinematographer with industry experience shooting and directing short films and music videos. Ahuja has worked with several well-known artists since graduating from NYFA, including Billie Eilish, Alessia Cara, Naomi Osaka, Tate McRae, and more.

Ahuja spoke with NYFA about his latest videos, career challenges, and experience traveling from a small town in India to the city of Los Angeles.

New York Film Academy (NYFA): Tell us what originally brought you to the New York Film Academy and what prompted your interest in cinematography?

Shivashish Ahuja (SA): I come from a small town called Kota, India, which is known for “manufacturing” engineers and doctors. With the strong support from my family, especially my brother, I took the step to move to the United States to pursue my dream of becoming a professional cinematographer.

I had an early interest in still photography but decided to pursue moving images after I covered Vin Diesel’s visit to India in a Behind the Scenes video. They were in town to film their movie xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017).

For me, film is an engaging medium and forces you to not only think but to take a step toward change. My journey at the New York Film Academy was beautiful. The school not only gave me a platform but also made me aware of the culture and people in the United States. Without NYFA, I wouldn’t have been a member of the Academy Gold Rising Cinematography program in 2021.

NYFA: What projects have you worked on since graduating from NYFA?

SA: Ever since I graduated from NYFA, I’ve managed to grow within the industry, including work as a cinematographer for the reality show Staycation and work with Grammy award-winning artists like Billie Eilish, Alessia Cara, and Carlitos Del Puerto.

I’ve also worked with Mena Suvari, Naomi Osaka, Tate McRae, and Diljit Dosanjh to name a few. Short films I’ve worked on for Dhar Mann Studios on YouTube have performed well and made it to the IndieFEST Film Awards, and the film Big Rant screened at the Fimucite Festival Internacional de Musica de Cine de Tenerife and made it to the Hollywood Music In Media Awards (HMMA). The movie Paper Boats was screened at the Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival and my film FaceOff made it as a finalist in the Rethink Dance Film Festival.

NYFA: Tell us more about your latest work & how it felt to work with well-known artists?

Shooting the live performance with Billie Eilish was both challenging and fun. I got the chance to work with fellow NYFA MFA Cinematography alum, Mayur Patankar who was the gaffer, and I served as the rigging gaffer.

Billie Eilish was soft-spoken and very respectful to everyone on the set. Plus, to listen to her live was an incentive. I was given the opportunity to work with both Alessia Cara and Carlitos Del Puerto as the cinematographer through Richy Films LLC.

NYFA: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to this project and others?

SA: NYFA taught me the importance of pre-production, especially on bigger sets where celebrities are involved. They have extremely tight schedules and so it’s best to be prepared with everything so when they walk in, you’re ready to roll. Another crucial learning from NYFA was understanding the director’s language. Some shoots demand you work fast, which means maintaining good quality with as few setups as possible in a limited amount of time. By understanding the directors’ and producers’ goals and deliverables, it becomes easier to perform your best.

New York Film Academy congratulates Shivashish Ahuja for his success in Hollywood and we encourage you to check out the show Staycation and watch the music videos included here.