Page 302 – NYFA

NYFA Veteran Student Hired as Military Consultant for Shia LaBeouf

nick jones shia labeouf — Nick Jones, Jr., Gary Oldman and Shia LaBeouf

You never know when or from whom your next opportunity will manifest. In such an arduous and competitive industry like filmmaking, it’s best to take advantage of every relationship and be aware of the potential of each encounter. One of our BFA Filmmaking students Nick Jones, Jr., a veteran who was able to fund his education through the G.I. Bill, has provided us with a prime example of this.

While at the premiere of Mandela, Jones sparked a conversation with a woman sitting next to him in the theater, who happened to the wife of director Dito Montiel. While Dito and his wife were very friendly to Nick, he debated whether or not to bring the conversation to the next step — reaching out for professional guidance. “They disappeared in the crowd. I waited,” remembered Jones. “Then, something forced me to get up and chase him down in the lobby. He was super nice and we stayed in contact since. He helped me with my year one project. Giving me feedback on my writing and helping me find an editor through his post-production team.

Nick Jones, Jr. — Jones on the set of “Man Down”

Fast forward a bit, Montiel gets tapped to direct Man Down, starring Shia LaBeouf, Gary Oldman and Kate Mara. Since LaBeouf was playing a former U.S. Marine, he immediately wanted to know who he could turn to for accurate technical and character advice to provide for an authentic film. Montiel remembered Jones and his work, and the fact that Jones had served in the Marines — a perfect match for the job.

Now Jones is working as a military consultant on Man Down. While on the job, Jones noticed, “Whenever you have a script that is written by someone without military experience, there are a lot of assumptions and liberties taken on that front. But it’s normal because usually you have a consultant onboard to correct and fill in the blanks — kind of like the glue that brings it all together.”

Being a rookie in such a valuable and respected position, Jones was understandably nervous. “Shia studied me like a book. It wasn’t just a question and answer relationship. We spent everyday with each other. He picked up on my verbiage, posture, life experiences, etc. Every night I would send him an email about the Marine Corps. Just random knowledge or current events. The most important thing was getting him in the mindset of a real Marine. How we think, how we feel about things, our reaction to current events, and the importance of brotherhood. You’re a product of your environment, and what I tried to do was create an environment that immersed him in the Corps. He trained with real Marines. He learned from real Marines. He became friends with real Marines. And I think that experience helped create a real persona for his character. The more real life experiences he could pull from, the better.”

Jones suggested that veteran students looking to consult on films should maintain their relationships within the military. He also recalled some valuable advice from his Warrant Officer, “You don’t have to know the answer to everything, you just have to know where to find it.”

While Nick had a bit of luck on his side in landing this coveted job, he is the one who made it happen with hard work and initiative.

Jones with director Dito Montiel and Shia LaBeouf

New Studies Shine Spotlight on Gender Inequality in Hollywood

Gine Prince-Bythewood on the set of Beyond the Lights — Director Gina Prince-Bythewood and actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw on the set of last year’s Beyond the Lights. (Photo: 2013 Blackbird Productions, Suzanne Tenner)

In the wake of last Thursday’s Oscar nominations—and the public protest they incited over the predominantly white and male nominees—a number of studies were released both right before and after the nominations that offer a significant insight into how the lack of gender and racial diversity is perpetuated both on and behind the screen in Hollywood.

While the fact that the Academy’s voting members are 93% white and 77% male has been repeated incessantly since the Oscar announcements, a trio of recent studies highlight the fact that an equally pressing issue lies in who is working behind the camera. With this year’s Oscars representing the whitest group of candidates since 1998, little advancement has also been made in the number of minorities and women employed in key behind-the-scenes roles, with women making up 17% of the directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and cinematographers on the top 250 films of 2014. As the Center for the Study in Television and Film at San Diego State University highlights, this is exactly the same percentage as those employed in 1998.

This goes a ways to explaining why only 37, or 15% of the top-earning films of 2014 featured a lead female protagonist, which is the same percentage as 2013 and a statistic that has remained steady since 2002. And while many of the top-grossing films—including The Hunger Games Mockingjay – Part I, Maleficent, and Gone Girl—of 2014 all featured female protagonists in the lead role, showing that there is a significant appetite amongst filmgoers for female-led movies, there exists a clear resistance amongst those making the choices of which films get made and who is working behind the camera.

The lack of diversity behind the camera also stretches to the small screen, as a five-year study ranging from 2009 to 2014 by the Directors Guild of America found that only 18% of first-time directors of episodic TV shows were women, with minorities only making up %13 of first-time television directors.

These statistics showcasing the lack of women behind the camera are especially pertinent when considering that research shows that there is a 10.6% increase in female characters on screen when a woman is directing and an 8.7% increase when a woman is the screenwriter. With women making up only 7% of directors—down from 9% in 1998—and 13% of screenwriters on the top 250 films of 2014, it is clear that an increase in the presence of women behind the scenes would likely lead to a growth on screen.

And while these recent findings paint a bleak picture for women looking to entering the film and television industries, there are many advocates and organizations out there aiming to reverse this trend and provide avenues to help jumpstart careers. One particularly promising addition to the film festival landscape of 2015 is the inauguration of the Bentonville Film Festival, led by actress and renowned gender activist Geena Davis, which not only showcases only female and minority films, but also awards the inners with theatrical, TV digital, and retail home distribution, making it the only film festival to do so.

Coen Bros. First to Share the Chair in Cannes History

Its organizers announced this week that the 68^th Cannes Film Festival will, for the first time in its history, have two Presidents of the Jury, and they’re the Coen Brothers. The Oscar-winning directors have a long history with Cannes, having nine of their films presented at the prestigious festival and having won the Palme d’Or in 1991 for Barton Fink, the Grand Prix in 2013 for Inside Llewyn Davis and two best director awards—in 1996 for Fargo and in 2001 for The Man Who Wasn’t There.

The Cannes Festival will run from May 13 – 24 this year, with its official selection of films as well as other members of the jury being announced sometime in April. The Festival is renowned for its selective pedigree of movies, ranging from independent to foreign films to Hollywood blockbusters. The Palme d’Or is one of the highest honors a film can receive; the winner of the prize is selected by a jury of luminaries that changes every year. As co-Presidents, the Coen Brothers will have a large say in both the selection of films and the winner of the award.

It’s no accident the Coens were selected for this year’s festival. 2015 is the 120^th birthday of the cinematograph, a landmark invention in the art of film, designed and built by Louis and Auguste Lumiere. In honor of the revolutionary camera and the brothers who made it, the Cannes organizers have selected a theme of “cinema brothers.” It was a no-brainer then to invite Ethan and Joel Coen to chair this year’s festival. Unlike Donny, they will not be out of their element.

MPAA Revives Its Fight against Chinese Piracy

Xunlei, the Chinese video site that is backed by Google, is facing new civil actions from the Hollywood Studios.

The lawsuit regarding piracy and copyright infringement is not the first time Xunlei has faced a legal battle with the MPAA. In 2008 the Studios filed a suit relating to the same charges: piracy. In 2011, copyright infringement issues kept Xunlei from filing its IPO.

It looked as if progress was being made last year when the MPAA and the video site reached a Content Protection Agreement (CPA) in an attempt to protect online content. The company promised to tighten up its regulations and launched an education campaign to show users how to gain access to legal content.

But it became apparent over the course of the year that progress was not really being made. The MPAA issued a statement in October stating that they did not think that Xunlei was living up to its obligations. And on Monday, the civil suit was brought forth in China’s Nanshan District Court.

Although issues still exist with Xunlei, the environment in China as a whole is certainly improving when it comes to piracy. Over the last few years the country has put in place new copyright protection legislation and created specialty copyright courts.

It seems like the battle for copyright protection is going to be a long one, but things are moving in the right direction as more and more legitimate video sites in China are reaching legal licensing agreements with Hollywood.

NYFA ESTABLISHES RELATIONSHIP WITH MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

As the New York Film Academy continues its commitment to enrolling a diverse student body and expanding its international reach, earlier this month, Jim Miller, New York Film Academy’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, traveled to Baku for a week of high-level meetings to establish relationships with Azerbaijan.

The country was of particular interest partially due to the fact that the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has made a pledge to make film and television arts a priority over the next years. As a U.S. Accredited College built on a curriculum that trains students in the Media Arts Industries, Mr. Miller was very enthusiastic about his trip to the country.

While overseas, Mr. Miller met with top officials from the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan to discuss the Film Academy’s success rate amongst its international graduates who are ultimately prepared for the workforce once they return to their home countries.

“The New York Film Academy is looking forward to the establishment of a formal agreement with the Ministry of Education in the near future,” said Miller. “Azerbaijan is a country not only at a geographic crossroads — between Eastern Europe and West Asia — but also at an incredible juncture of economic, cultural, and artistic development and the Film Academy is poised to be a part of this global growth.”

Meetings at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan yielded substantial ideas to promote NYFA to Azerbaijani students and the public in general. Recently, International Cooperation initiatives were agreed upon, and the Ministry welcomed the Academy’s involvement in helping to develop the visual and performing arts fields in Azerbaijan.

Universities were also keen on collaborating with NYFA and meetings with Rectors and administrators at Azerbaijani State University of Culture and Arts, ADA University, and Qafqaz University focused on bringing short-term Film Academy workshops to their campuses.

Furthermore, Mr. Ayaz Salayev, Azerbaijan’s most preeminent filmmaker pledged his support of bringing Film Academy programs to Azerbaijan and encourages talented young Azerbaijani students to study at the Film Academy in New York, Los Angeles and Miami.

Finally, NYFA offered support in launching the first Azerbaijani International Film Festival, a project that Mr. Salayev is spearheading.

Obama to Screen Selma at the White House

While Thursday did not go as largely expected for the cast and crew of Selma, who despite winning nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Song, did not receive nominations for its director Ava DuVernay and lead actor David Oyelowo, one additional accolade the film received yesterday was being picked by President Obama for a special screening at the Executive Mansion tonight, January 16. DuVernay and her cast were all invited, with Oyelowo, Common, and John Legend all slated to attend.

The screening was announced late Thursday afternoon, hours after the nominations came through from LA and following growing rage on both social media and amongst activists who decried the total lack of performers of color from the Oscar nominations, with the Reverend Al Sharpton calling the nominations “appallingly insulting.”

However, DuVernay sought to keep the mood positive, tweeting earlier in the day, “Happy Birthday, Dr. King. An Oscar gift for you. To SELMA cast + crew led by our miracle David Oyelowo. To Common + Legend! Kudos! March on!” Rapper Common and singer John Legend were nominated for their song “Glory” which picked up a Best Original Song award at Sunday’s Golden Globes and Common also shared his joy over his joint nomination on Twitter.

This continues a tradition of Obama holding Hollywood screenings at the White House, with past screenings including Lincoln and Mandela: Long Walk Of Freedom. Furthermore, black business leaders across the country have joined together to sponsor free screenings of the civil rights film that chronicles Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama to over 90,000 middle school and high school students across the country.

No More Sundance in London (At Least for Now)

Sundance London, the offshoot of Robert Redford’s Utah-based independent film festival, has been cancelled. At least for this year.

The festival was launched as an experimental expansion lasting four days back in 2012. And it did well enough to have 2 subsequent events. All three were held in London’s O2 arena.

The festivals showcased a variety of independent movies. In 2014, Sundance London showcased 21 films that were represented at Sundance. The festival combined film screenings with a strong musical presence.

While a spokesman for the festival said they hope to be back soon, it is unclear why Sundance London is going on hiatus in the first place. Or whether it will ever come back at all.

Without much reason, there is plenty of speculation ranging from financial issues to lack of demand. Some speculate that the venue – the O2 arena – isn’t the ideal location. The venue is typically used for more corporate events rather than independent film screenings. And it is far from the center of London – the epicenter of the arts scene.

While the original Sundance festival has been going strong since 1978, it would be great to see its expansion in order for American independent films to gain exposure abroad. Hopefully the 2015 cancellation of Sundance London is not a permanent one.

Director Rupert Wyatt Screens ‘The Gambler’ at NYFA LA

On Wednesday January 14th, New York Film Academy Los Angeles students came to Warner Bros. studios for a screening of The Gambler, in theaters now, and participated in a Q&A with director Rupert Wyatt. The discussion was moderated by producer Tova Laiter.

Rupert Wyatt began his career developing features for Miramax and working in British television. After creating several short films, Rupert Wyatt made his feature writing and directing debut with The Escapist, a prison escape drama starring the remarkable Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes and Homeland’s Damian Lewis. The Village Voice – always one of the toughest critics to please – called it “a taut thriller that ends on a note of unexpected grace.” If that wasn’t enough for a debut, Mr. Wyatt even managed to get Coldplay to pen the movie’s title track. His next feature film – Rise of the Planet Apes – showed that a franchise can reach its creative peak in its seventh installment. Featuring the best motion capture performance to date by Andy Serkis, Rise showed that a blockbuster effects-driven movie can challenge and move its audience while creating empathy for the most unlikely of characters. Caesar might be a CG Chimpanzee, but he’s completely three dimensional and human. In Rise, Mr. Wyatt re-launched a 45-year-old franchise and brought CG character animation to a new creative high. Mr. Wyatt next directed the stirring pilot of the Civil War Drama TURN before turning his eye towards the battlegrounds of LA’s underground gambling scene in The Gambler. Working with a script from Academy Award winning writer William Monahan, Mr. Wyatt brings the same nuance and visual control to this character driven drama that he’s demonstrated in all his work.

Rupert is the perfect example of how perseverance and hard work can pay off in Hollywood. He had the dream of being a director all of his life but it wasn’t until he reached the age of thirty-five that he got received his first opportunity to direct a feature film he had been toiling to make for many years. That film – The Escapist – was accepted into the Sundance Film Festival and his life was changed forever. This is why Mr. Wyatt encouraged students to stick with the project you are passionate about even when it seems impossible. The biggest mistake can be continuously changing course with projects that are shiny and new but getting nowhere in the process. Whatever film you end up making will most likely take years to get made anyway, so you might as well stick with it.

Mr. Wyatt’s greatest advice to actors was to be flexible. Sometimes actors will expect the director to say exactly the right thing and shut down if he or she falls short of this. However, this type of attitude is the enemy of creativity. It could be that the crazy bit of direction you give an actor to mix things up in take four falls flat, however, it could also be what unexpectedly brings the scene to life. So take chances, play, and let go of your ego.

When asked if there is particular genre Mr. Wyatt prefers he said that it was really story that is important to him. In this way he manages create something fresh by subverting genre altogether. While producers may feel they need to sell a movie as one that falls neatly in a specific category, once the audience is in the theater Rupert gives them something they’ve never experienced before. He’s not afraid to try new things which is what makes him such an exciting force in Hollywood.

We sincerely thank Rupert Wyatt for his enthusiasm in answering students’ questions and wish him the best of luck with his next directorial endeavor.

Written by Eric Conner and Robert Cosnahan

’50 Shades of Grey’ Breaks Record for Advanced Ticket Sales

Proving that the nation’s aunts have finally learned how to fully utilize the Internet, advanced ticket sales for Fifty Shades of Grey hit an all-time high this week. This was reported by box office website Fandango, which stated that since tickets for 50 Shades became available for pre-order last Sunday, the enormous sales have made the movie the fastest selling R-rated film in history.

50 Shades of Grey releases February 13, obviously hoping to attract a Valentine’s Day crowd. The steamy, sex-filled film is an adaptation of the best-selling novel, itself a surprise hit considering it was originally conceived as erotic fanfiction for Twilight. It’s enormous success spawned two sequels and an entire genre of modern romance novels, many self-published as ebooks like 50 Shades originally was. It has since made author E L James over $100 million.

R-rated films typically make less money because of their restricted demographics. Previous R-rated movies that have had explosive pre-order sales on Fandango include Sex and the City 2, Gone Girl, and The Hangover Part II and Part III.

50 Shades of Grey already made news earlier this week when a new trailer was released during the Golden Globes. It stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson and was directed by Nowhere Boy’s Sam Taylor-Johnson.