Page 31 – NYFA

Happy Holidays from NYFA’s Division of Veterans Services

Dear NYFA Veteran Community,

During this special time of the year, NYFA’s Division of Veterans Services (DVS) wants to make sure you know how much we appreciate you. As we wrap up 2021 and embark upon 2022, we hope that your holiday season is full of health, happiness and creativity.

There is always so much interesting output from the talented NYFA veteran-students and veteran-alumni that DVS’s Director, Command Sergeant Major (ret.) Christopher Moore, has planned for a quarterly DVS newsletter in 2022. However, for now, please check out the provided links to see just a few examples of news from our community. Col Jack Jacobs produced a docu-series Ten Weeks on Roku, Director of DVS Chris Moore attending the Veterans Day Reception in NYC, and NYFA Alum, Zane Jones, received a 2021 Daytime Emmy for The Girl in Apartment 15.

Best wishes for a safe and Happy Holidays and New Years from the Division of Veterans Services. We look forward to you all returning safely in 2022.

~ Christopher Moore, Mike Kunselman, Jonathan Cortez & Creshaun Sanders

NYFA Acting Alum Cleavandor Wright in ‘Meeting Juan Jones’ and ‘Diablo’

New York Film Academy (NYFA) BFA Acting for Film alum Cleavandor Vandorn Wright is a retired Military Army veteran turned actor now working in the film industry. The Florida-based actor spoke with NYFA about his latest work, life after graduation, and advice for NYFA students.

Wright first started acting in 2016, at PlayBuilders of Hawai’i Theater Company in a production called ‘Dragonfly.’ The play tells the story about a girl’s journey through foster care and was directed by Terri Madden. The actor performed eleven times, playing six characters, each with dialogue, and toured with the troupe as performances were carried out throughout the island of Hawai’i. Wright was awarded the Ensemble Award at the theater company’s banquet, PO’ OKELA AWARD Ensembles Performance: Non-Traditional.

In 2017 Wright was also featured in the television series revamp of Hawaii Five-O in episode five of season eight alongside Chi-McBride. The NYFA alum played the role of a Security Guard.

Wright starred in the 2019 film Diablo directed by Cedric Livingston, a suspense thriller following protagonist Reggie who lurks from town to town, picking victims for murder. The film is available for streaming in certain locations on Amazon Prime Video.

NYFA Acting alum Cleavandor Wright plays Edgar in the film Meeting Juan Jones (2021)

The alum also plays Edgar in the 2021 feature film Meeting Juan Jones, in which cryptocurrency trader Tim loses his life’s savings after an insider tip goes wrong. Tim meets Juan Jones, a local Miami shylock who takes Tim for a ride through the streets of Miami for a night of corruption and self-discovery. The film was both directed and written by Larry Camacho and Alejo Vega. The film was produced by Mcpree Production Films based in Miami, Florida.

A behind-the-scenes photos of the short film From Miami with love with NYFA alum Cleavandor Wright (left)

Wright teamed up a second time with Cedric Livingston (Diablo) to be featured in the short film From Miami with love, which was directed, written, and produced by Cedric Livingston.

In support of the NYFA community, the actor appeared in two NYFA student films which were directed, written, and produced by a NYFA student and alum from the South Beach (Miami) campus. The two short films Silver Mettel directed by 1-Year Filmmaking student Clay Ransom Greenwald, and 222 directed by NYFA BFA Filmmaking alum Zoe Bell, were also thesis films for the two filmmakers.

NYFA acting alum Cleavandor Wright on the set of the student short film Silver Mettel

When asked what he learned from NYFA that he applied to his work as an actor, Wright replied, “Everything, everything, and everything. I learned consistency, focus, a work ethic, discipline, and resiliency. How to dissect a script and get a visual understanding of what the character’s psychological mentality is so that you exact out the script what the director or writer wrote is what I took away from New York Film Academy.”

The actor has advice for incoming NYFA students, which is to “be on time to class and turn in your assignments before the deadline because this all ties into being on time to auditions and film sets. There’s a motto the Army lives by, which is also my motto since I’m a retired Military Army veteran, ‘If you’re early, you’re on time, if you’re on time, you’re late.’ Early arrival is always authorized.” Wright goes on to remind students to “ask questions, actively listen, be actively engaged during the exercises to construct techniques for your craft. And don’t forget to have fun!”

New York Film Academy congratulates alum Cleavandor Wright for his work in the acting profession, thank him for his service in the United States Army, and wishes him the best of success in his upcoming feature films. You can stay updated on Wright’s latest work by following him on Instagram (@mr_cleavandor).

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY (NYFA) WELCOMES ‘BRITNEY VS SPEARS’ DIRECTOR ERIN LEE CARR TO THE Q&A-LIST SERIES

Tova Laiter (left) with Erin Lee Carr (right)

New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the honor of hosting a live video Q&A with two-time Emmy nominated filmmaker Erin Lee Carr in a conversation with Tova Laiter, curator and moderator of the NYFA Q&A-List Series. The guest spoke about her latest documentary, Britney Vs Spears now available to stream on Netflix and was ranked #1 most-watched film on the platform in 25-100 countries.

Erin Lee Carr is known for exploring criminal justice, femininity, and virality. In 2020, her four-part docuseries How to Fix a Drug Scandal was also released on Netflix, ranking within the top ten most-watched shows during its first week on air. Earlier in 2020, Erin’s documentary At The Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics, was the proud recipient of the Emmys Television Academy Honors.

Currently, she is working with HBO on two forthcoming docu-series and an undisclosed film. She’s also a consulting producer on Hulu’s Michelle Carter scripted adaptation, The Girl from Plainville, in which Elle Fanning stars as the derisive defendant.

Erin Lee Carr is consulting producer on Hulu’s The Girl from Plainville to star Elle Fanning

Laiter asked Carr how Britney Vs Spears came about. According to Carr, “I worked with Netflix on a series called How to Fix a Drug Scandal, and we were sitting with my executives, and I don’t often get alone time with Netflix executives on park benches. I had six to eight pitches in my head. I had done six hours of research on the executives and so when they asked me ‘What do you want to do next?’ I said, ‘I want to do Britney Spears.’”

At the time of May 2019 when this event unfolded, Carr noted that it wasn’t yet clear how Britney Spears felt about being in a conservatorship, but “because of my background in mental health and the films I made, Netflix selected me as the person they would go forward with and do it.”

Carr discussed how the project evolved with the evolving subject matter as she gained additional details surrounding the pop star. The biggest problem was not having access to Britney but they did journalistic work and one of the biggest surprises to both Carr and journalist Jenny Eliscu depicted within the documentary and knew Britney, was their (her and Britney)’s failed attempt at obtaining a self-chosen lawyer for Britney Spears. According to Carr, “when I was making the film, I was like, ‘Am I crazy?’ Why is this something she’s not able to do? And the sheer number of times Britney requested her own lawyer–it just was sort of mind-boggling. So that was going to be a really strong center of the piece from the start.”

Erin Lee Carr was producer and director of the Netflix 2020 docu-series How to Fix a Drug Scandal

Laiter then asked Carr how and where she selects her subjects. Carr notes, “I have a development deal with HBO, where I developed all my films and content for them, and so I’ve been able to assemble a small team and we have a binder of ELC–that’s my three initials and my ideas. I have a bullet point of–I need it to be focused on women or non-binary people.”

The conversation was then opened to student questions: “How do I start, what’s the most important thing to have?” “Access to your subject Matter- said Erin “and connect to the community”.

Laiter asked about budgets: “You made your first documentary for $5000-10,000… In that price range- what are the most important things to spend the money on?” Carr was very clear: “Cinematographer and Editor.”

When asked if a director has to have an emotional connection to their subject matter and if yes, how do you stay neutral. Carr admitted it was tricky: “when Britney spoke during the June 23rd hearing saying that they’ve done a good job taking over her life, so she wanted this to finally end, I remember crying ..it was one of the best days of my life too.”

The New York Film Academy would like to thank Erin Lee Carr for sharing her time and perspective with NYFA students and alumni.

Watch the full conversation below:

These guests are not faculty and do not teach at NYFA, but they have appeared to share their stories and experience with our students. As guest speakers are scheduled based on their availability, NYFA cannot guarantee whether a guest speaker will visit during a student’s attendance or who that guest speaker may be. This guest speaker forum is not part of any NYFA curriculum and attendance at guest speaker events is purely voluntary. Students should be aware that guest speaker events do not represent a job opportunity nor are they intended to provide industry connections.

NYFA ALUMNI & GUEST SPEAKERS NOMINATED FOR 79TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced the nominees for the 79th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

While the HPFA would typically stream the statements and reactions from filmmakers and stars who have been nominated, the organization’s scandals surrounding lack of diversity and unethical practices drove NBC to cancel the telecast for 2022.

Due to the controversy surrounding the HFPA for not having any Black members within its organization, the group’s president Helen Hoehne revealed that the 2022 ceremony will be focused on their philanthropic efforts, with Snoop Dogg having read the group’s selections for the best in television and film during a live stream.

New York Film Academy (NYFA) celebrates the NYFA alumni Issa Rae, Raquel Bordin, Francesco Panzieri, and Ilda Mason, who were featured in films and television series nominated this year. Similarly, NYFA Guest Speakers Elizabeth Olsen, Steven Spielberg, and Beanie Feldstein were also nominated for their feature films and shows.

The awards ceremony will take place on January 9th, 2022.

Still from the HBO series Insecure with NYFA alum Issa Rae (left)

NYFA Filmmaking alum Issa Rae was nominated for ‘Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy’ for the HBO series Insecure which she also produced, created, and wrote. Her other notable credits include A Black Lady Sketch Show and The Photograph.

Still from Dune (2021)

Francesco Panzieri, NYFA 3D Animation & VFX alum, worked on the highly-anticipated science-fiction feature Dune. Nominated for ‘Best Motion Picture, Drama,’ ‘Best Director,’ and ‘Best Original Score, Motion Picture,’ the film wowed audiences this year. Panzieri was the in-house compositor for Dune, and has a long list of credits including Spider-Man: Far From Home and Terminator: Dark Fate.

Still from West Side Story (2021) with NYFA alum Ilda Mason (left)

The remake of the classic West Side Story, directed by NYFA Guest Speaker Steven Spielberg and featuring NYFA Musical Theatre alum Ilda Mason, was nominated for ‘Best Director, Motion Picture,’ ‘Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy,’ and ‘Best Picture, Musical or Comedy.’ The NYFA Guest Speaker Steven Spielberg is known for his 40+ year career in film, including classics such as Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, Munich, Indiana Jones, and more.

NYFA alum Ilda Mason is a multi-talented singer and dancer and has been an ensemble member and danced in multiple stage productions and television shows. She has performed in productions like Peter Pan, The Beauty and the Beast, A Chorus Line, Hello Dolly, Legally Blonde, Gloria Estefan’s On Your Feet! and appeared on Panama’s Dancing with the Stars for two seasons.

Still from Luca (2021)

NYFA BFA Filmmaking alum Raquel Bordin worked on the Walt Disney Studios animated feature Luca, nominated for ‘Best Motion Picture, Animated.’ The Brazilian-born filmmaker received recognition for her thesis film created during her studies at NYFA, Tip Toe for its focus on the LBGTQ+ community.

Still from the Disney+ series WandaVision starring Elizabeth Olsen

The surprise hit series from Walt Disney Studios, WandaVision, starring NYFA Guest Speaker Elizabeth Olsen was nominated for ‘Best Performance by an Actress, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television’ and ‘Best Performance by an Actor, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture made for Television.’

Still from the FX Limited Series Impeachment: American Crime Story starring Beanie Feldstein (right)

Actress and NYFA Guest Speaker Beanie Feldstein played the role of White House intern Monica Lewinsky in the third season installment of the FX Limited Series Impeachment: American Crime Story. The show was nominated for ‘Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television.’

See the full list of nominations below:

BEST TELEVISION SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

“The Great” (Hulu)
“Hacks” (HBO/HBO Max)
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
“Reservation Dogs” (FX on Hulu)
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

Brian Cox (“Succession”)
Lee Jung-jae (“Squid Game”)
Billy Porter (“Pose”)
Jeremy Strong (“Succession”)
Omar Sy (“Lupin)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Jessica Chastain (“Scenes From a Marriage”)
Cynthia Erivo (“Genius: Aretha”)
Elizabeth Olsen (“WandaVision“)
Margaret Qualley (“Maid”)
Kate Winslet (“Mare of Easttown”)

BEST DIRECTOR, MOTION PICTURE

Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”)
Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”)
Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”)
Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”)
Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Marion Cotillard (“Annette”)
Alana Haim (“Licorice Pizza”)
Jennifer Lawrence (“Don’t Look Up”)
Emma Stone (“Cruella”)
Rachel Zegler (“West Side Story”)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

Mahershala Ali (“Swan Song”)
Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”)
Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”)
Will Smith (“King Richard”)
Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy

BEST TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

“Lupin” (Netflix)
“The Morning Show” (Apple TV Plus)
“Pose” (FX)
“Squid Game” (Netflix)
“Succession” (HBO/HBO Max)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

Uzo Aduba (“In Treatment”)
Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”)
Christine Baranski (“The Good Fight)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (“Pose”)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Paul Bettany (“WandaVision”)
Oscar Isaac (“Scenes From a Marriage”)
Michael Keaton (“Dopesick”)
Ewan McGregor (“Halston”)
Tahar Rahim (“The Serpent”)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Leonardo DiCaprio (“Don’t Look Up”)
Peter Dinklage (“Cyrano”)
Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick … Boom!”)
Cooper Hoffman (“Licorice Pizza”)
Anthony Ramos (“In the Heights”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – MOTION PICTURE

Ben Affleck (“The Tender Bar”)
Jamie Dornan (“Belfast”)
Ciarán Hinds (“Belfast”)
Troy Kotsur (“CODA”)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE, MOTION PICTURE

“The French Dispatch” (Searchlight Pictures) — Alexandre Desplat
“Encanto” (Walt Disney Pictures) — Germaine Franco
“The Power of the Dog” (Netflix) — Jonny Greenwood
“Parallel Mothers” (Sony Pictures Classic) — Alberto Iglesias
“Dune” (Warner Bros.) — Hans Zimmer

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”)
Elle Fanning (“The Great”)
Issa Rae (“Insecure”)
Tracee Ellis Ross (“Black-ish”)
Jean Smart (“Hacks”)

BEST LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

“Dopesick” (Hulu)
“Impeachment: American Crime Story” (FX)
“Maid” (Netflix)
“The Underground Railroad” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO/HBO Max)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, TELEVISION

Billy Crudup (“The Morning Show”)
Kieran Culkin (“Succession”)
Mark Duplass (“The Morning Show”)
Brett Goldstein (“Ted Lasso”)
O Yeong-su (“Squid Game”)

BEST PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

“Cyrano” (MGM)
“Don’t Look Up” (Netflix)
“Licorice Pizza” (MGM)
“Tick, Tick … Boom!” (Netflix)
“West Side Story” (20th Century Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, MOTION PICTURE

Caitríona Balfe (“Belfast”)
Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”)
Kirsten Dunst (“The Power of the Dog”)
Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”)
Ruth Negga (“Passing”)

BEST PICTURE, FOREIGN LANGUAGE

“Compartment No. 6” (Sony Pictures Classics) — Finland, Russia, Germany
“Drive My Car” (Janus Films) — Japan
“The Hand of God” (Netflix) — Italy
“A Hero” (Amazon Studios) — France, Iran
“Parallel Mothers” (Sony Pictures Classics) — Spain

BEST SCREENPLAY, MOTION PICTURE

Paul Thomas Anderson — “Licorice Pizza” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
Kenneth Branagh — “Belfast” (Focus Features)
Jane Campion — “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix)
Adam McKay — “Don’t Look Up” (Netflix)
Aaron Sorkin — “Being the Ricardos” (Amazon Studios)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”)
Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”)
Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”)
Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”)
Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”)

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

“Belfast” (Focus Features)
“CODA” (Apple)
“Dune” (Warner Bros.)
“King Richard” (Warner Bros.)
“The Power of the Dog” (Netflix)

BEST TELEVISION ACTOR, MUSICAL / COMEDY SERIES

Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”)
Nicholas Hoult (“The Great”)
Steve Martin (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Martin Short (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Jason Sudeikis (“Ted Lasso”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TELEVISION

Jennifer Coolidge (“White Lotus”)
Kaitlyn Dever (“Dopesick”)
Andie MacDowell (“Maid”)
Sarah Snook (“Succession”)
Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG, MOTION PICTURE

“Be Alive” from “King Richard” (Warner Bros.) — Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Dixson
“Dos Orugitas” from “Encanto” (Walt Disney Pictures) — Lin-Manuel Miranda
“Down to Joy” from “Belfast” (Focus Features) — Van Morrison
“Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” from “Respect” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) — Jamie Hartman, Jennifer Hudson, Carole King
“No Time to Die” from “No Time to Die” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) — Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell

BEST MOTION PICTURE, ANIMATED

“Encanto” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
“Flee” (Neon)
“Luca” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
“My Sunny Maad” (Totem Films)
“Raya and the Last Dragon” (Walt Disney Studios)

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 NOMINATED FOR 79TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced the nominees for the 79th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

The awards ceremony will take place on January 9th, 2022.

Still from the HBO series Insecure with NYFA alum Issa Rae (left)

Still from West Side Story (2021) with NYFA alum Ilda Mason (left)

Still from the Disney+ series WandaVision starring Elizabeth Olsen

Still from the FX Limited Series Impeachment: American Crime Story starring Beanie Feldstein (right)

See the full list of nominations below:

BEST TELEVISION SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

“The Great” (Hulu)
“Hacks” (HBO/HBO Max)
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
“Reservation Dogs” (FX on Hulu)
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

Brian Cox (“Succession”)
Lee Jung-jae (“Squid Game”)
Billy Porter (“Pose”)
Jeremy Strong (“Succession”)
Omar Sy (“Lupin)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Jessica Chastain (“Scenes From a Marriage”)
Cynthia Erivo (“Genius: Aretha”)
Elizabeth Olsen (“WandaVision“)
Margaret Qualley (“Maid”)
Kate Winslet (“Mare of Easttown”)

BEST DIRECTOR, MOTION PICTURE

Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”)
Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”)
Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”)
Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”)
Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Marion Cotillard (“Annette”)
Alana Haim (“Licorice Pizza”)
Jennifer Lawrence (“Don’t Look Up”)
Emma Stone (“Cruella”)
Rachel Zegler (“West Side Story”)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

Mahershala Ali (“Swan Song”)
Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”)
Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”)
Will Smith (“King Richard”)
Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy

BEST TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

“Lupin” (Netflix)
“The Morning Show” (Apple TV Plus)
“Pose” (FX)
“Squid Game” (Netflix)
“Succession” (HBO/HBO Max)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA

Uzo Aduba (“In Treatment”)
Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”)
Christine Baranski (“The Good Fight)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (“Pose”)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Paul Bettany (“WandaVision”)
Oscar Isaac (“Scenes From a Marriage”)
Michael Keaton (“Dopesick”)
Ewan McGregor (“Halston”)
Tahar Rahim (“The Serpent”)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Leonardo DiCaprio (“Don’t Look Up”)
Peter Dinklage (“Cyrano”)
Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick … Boom!”)
Cooper Hoffman (“Licorice Pizza”)
Anthony Ramos (“In the Heights”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – MOTION PICTURE

Ben Affleck (“The Tender Bar”)
Jamie Dornan (“Belfast”)
Ciarán Hinds (“Belfast”)
Troy Kotsur (“CODA”)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE, MOTION PICTURE

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”)
Elle Fanning (“The Great”)
Issa Rae (“Insecure”)
Tracee Ellis Ross (“Black-ish”)
Jean Smart (“Hacks”)

BEST LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

“Dopesick” (Hulu)
“Impeachment: American Crime Story” (FX)
“Maid” (Netflix)
“The Underground Railroad” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO/HBO Max)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, TELEVISION

Billy Crudup (“The Morning Show”)
Kieran Culkin (“Succession”)
Mark Duplass (“The Morning Show”)
Brett Goldstein (“Ted Lasso”)
O Yeong-su (“Squid Game”)

BEST PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

“Cyrano” (MGM)
“Don’t Look Up” (Netflix)
“Licorice Pizza” (MGM)
“Tick, Tick … Boom!” (Netflix)
“West Side Story” (20th Century Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, MOTION PICTURE

Caitríona Balfe (“Belfast”)
Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”)
Kirsten Dunst (“The Power of the Dog”)
Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”)
Ruth Negga (“Passing”)

BEST PICTURE, FOREIGN LANGUAGE

BEST SCREENPLAY, MOTION PICTURE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”)
Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”)
Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”)
Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”)
Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”)

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

“Belfast” (Focus Features)
“CODA” (Apple)
“Dune” (Warner Bros.)
“King Richard” (Warner Bros.)
“The Power of the Dog” (Netflix)

BEST TELEVISION ACTOR, MUSICAL / COMEDY SERIES

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TELEVISION

Jennifer Coolidge (“White Lotus”)
Kaitlyn Dever (“Dopesick”)
Andie MacDowell (“Maid”)
Sarah Snook (“Succession”)
Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG, MOTION PICTURE

BEST MOTION PICTURE, ANIMATED

NYFA MFA Filmmaking Alum Hongyu “Neo” Li on Life After Graduation as a Development Executive

New York Film Academy (NYFA) MFA Filmmaking alum Hongyu “Neo” Li has been hired as the Development Executive and In-House Writer for Starlight Media. The production and finance company has produced several popular films including Crazy Rich Asians, Malignant, and Wuhan Wuhan. Li’s creative role includes overseeing treatments, ideas, pitches, and more. He reports directly to Starlight Media’s CEO, Peter Luo.

NYFA MFA Filmmaking Alum, Neo Li (above)

The China-born writer and filmmaker began his career with short films, including Hank and Waiting For Frank, both of which received international recognition. Li screened his short films at over 30 film festivals, including the Palm Springs International ShortFest, Cleveland International Film Festival, and Chicago International LGBTQ+ Film Festival. His most recent screenplay My Chinese Neighbor was semi-finalist at the Austin Film Festival Script Competition, selected as a 2020 New Reality Screenwriting Program finalist, and named a semi-finalist at the 2021 Nashville Film Festival.

Li spoke with NYFA about his latest role and life after graduating in 2018.

New York Film Academy (NYFA): What can you tell us about what you do as a Development Executive for Starlight Media?

Neo Li (NL): As a development executive, I am responsible for generating ideas, treatments, pitches, and scripts, and guiding producers and writers in the development of content, curating a growing slate of film and TV projects.

NYFA: What type of projects do you oversee as a Development Executive?

NL: I have been overseeing a couple of crime thriller projects, one with an Oscar-winning producer attached.

NYFA: What is the biggest challenge you’ve experienced in your work in the industry?

NL: There have been some challenges along the way. The biggest one was shifting my mindset from writing/directing to the perspective of an executive. As a writer/director, I mostly ask myself if the story is appealing to me or not, but as an executive, I have to consider more elements, such as talent, budget, IP, merchandising, distribution—it’s a package of deals. Of course, the story is essential, but it’s not the only factor that needs to be considered.

NYFA: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied to your work and experience since graduating?

NL: Directing, writing, and producing my year one film and thesis film at NYFA helped me understand how to complete a film from the logline stage all the way to distribution. The difference is, budgets in the industry are higher, and filmmakers need their work to appeal to a wider audience and are also responsible to their investors and backers.

As a film student, I was only commercially responsible to my selfless parents! But I do think that your short films from your degree will be your calling cards as you set out on a film career – so it’s important to think about what your films say about what strengths you can bring to a project.

In terms of specific classes, I think James Rowe’s directing class deeply enriched my knowledge in directing and story development. While developing my thesis film Hank, I wasn’t really confident about directing it myself, and my instructor David Newman strengthened my faith and confidence.

Mark Horowitz’s class in feature film sales, marketing, and distribution gave me a general idea of an executive’s world, which helped me stand out in my three-month internship. And I want to give a big shout-out to Crickett Rumley, who has been a steadfast supporter since I graduated and who has been a great resource for connecting alumni together.

NYFA: Are there any other upcoming projects or trends we should know about?

NL: The biggest trend that I have been paying attention to is that of crime thrillers combined with high concepts. As evidenced by Squid Game, foreign language is not a barrier anymore. The determining element is the core and the theme – is it universal? People living in Seoul struggle with the issue of class, but so do the people in San Francisco.

NYFA: Do you have any advice for incoming NYFA students? Especially those seeking an MFA?

NL: Never underestimate the importance of your year one film, which is a great opportunity to make mistakes and conquer your fears. Stop submitting your films to those film festivals that will hand you 10 awards. Go to the real ones. Go to their screenings and panels and connect with people. You will get inspired, make friends and probably find your next director of photography, producer, or lead actor. When you have ten film ideas, choose the one that you personally respond to at an emotional level. For your thesis film, tell your OWN story and be sincere.

New York Film Academy would like to congratulate Li on his role at Starlight Media and his pipeline of projects. If you’d like to learn more about Neo Li’s work, you can visit his LinkedIn profile or read about him on his professional website.

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY NAMED A TOP 50 FILM SCHOOL OF 2021 BY THEWRAP

New York Film Academy (NYFA) is excited to announce it was recently named a Top 50 Film School of 2021 by TheWrap. The Wrap, an award-winning online content publisher, known for its investigative reporting in entertainment and media industries, produces an annual list of top film schools following an anonymous poll surveyed across more than 1,200 entertainment-industry insiders, educators, dens, filmmakers, and film pundits.

New York Film Academy named a Top 50 Film School of 2021 by TheWrap.

This year’s list is TheWrap’s sixth annual ranking and highlights NYFA’s hands-on approach toward learning and the delivery of a film and acting education with cost-effective programs.

TheWrap highlighted prominent NYFA alumni like actors Issa Rae, Paul Dano, and Alanna Masterson, who graduated from the school’s many programs. Within the article, Issa Rae is quoted from Filmmaker Magazine after recalling her experience at NYFA’s Los Angeles campus as her first time, “around people who lived and breathed moviemaking. It really motivated me to be DIY about my material — it showed me that all I really needed was a camera.”

NYFA teaches students across its domestic and international campuses, including New York City, Los Angeles, South Beach, the Gold Coast in Australia, Florence (Italy), as well as satellite locations including Paris (France), Beijing and Shanghai (China), and Moscow (Russia).

With a multitude of programs including long-term, short-term, in-person, online, and evening programs, students have the option to take courses that accommodate their lifestyle, schedule, and learning goals. With the new year approaching, NYFA is now accepting applications for its Summer 2022 programs starting May 2, 2022. This is your chance to renew your 2022 annual goals entering the new year!

Be sure to check out all our programs or apply on our application page.

New York Film Academy & Sichuan University of Media and Communications Launch New Degree in Filmmaking

In a virtual ceremony on December 14th, 2021, the New York Film Academy (NYFA) and the Sichuan University of Media and Communications (SUMC) celebrated the launch of a collaborative bachelor’s degree in filmmaking.

Jean Sherlock (NYFA’s Principal), Michael Young (NYFA’s President), Dan Mackler (Dean of NYFA’s Los Angeles campus), Joy Zhu (NYFA Executive Vice President of the China Region), and other NYFA faculty and staff attended the ceremony.

Zhang Shuyu (SUMC’s Chairwoman), Zhang Yingjiang (SUMC’s President), Zuo Xuzhou (SUMC’s Vice President), and other SUMC professors also attended the event, as well as an outstanding alum from both institutions.

Zhang Yingjiang opened the event crediting the success of the program launch to the hard work and long-term partnership between NYFA and SUMC. “This collaborative program is a milestone, marking a new period of collaboration between the two institutions,” said Zhang Yingjiang, SUMC’s President.

“Sichuan University of Media and Communications is one of our most trusted partners. Over the years, we have successfully developed collaborative projects and enhanced our relationship,” said Michael Young, NYFA’s President.

Zhang Shuyu (SUMC’s Chairwoman) said in her speech that the New York Film Academy is an old friend of SUMC and as the collaboration grows, there will be more and more outstanding students, rising into the forefront of the international film industry.

Jean Sherlock (NYFA’s Principal) congratulated the official launch of the program. He appreciated the high quality of students from SUMC and hoped that the program would bring the partnership between the two institutions to the next level.

NYFA and SUMC believe that the new collaborative bachelor’s degree in filmmaking will further enrich academic and educational exchanges between the United States and China, and cultivate more young storytellers with a global vision.

NYFA Faculty Justin LaReau & Lydia Cedrone Release ‘Lantern’s Lane’ in Select Theaters and Amazon Prime

New York Film Academy (NYFA)’s Justin LaReau & Lydia Cedrone released a new feature film, Lantern’s Lane (2021), to select theaters in November 2021. The film is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

The film follows a recent college graduate and her estranged high school friends as they return to Lantern’s Lane, the location of an evil urban legend, and must fight to survive the night. Directed by NYFA Film Festival Coordinator Justin LaReau and co-produced by NYFA staff member Lydia Cedrone, the film stars Brooke Butler, Andy Cohen, and Ashley Doris.

The horror-thriller comedy Lantern’s Lane was filmed during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The distributing company, Vertical Entertainment, released the film in the United States to select cities on November 5th, 2021.

Director Justin LaReau is a NYFA alum as well, having earned his MFA in Producing back in 2014. LaReau founded Zoe and Pebbles Productions, which produced the feature film A Demon Within (2017) and has several projects currently in production. LaReau was a producer for No Alternative (2018) and worked on the crew for We Are Your Friends (2015). His film No Alternative opened the Dances with Films Festival in 2018.

Lydia Cedrone, co-producer of Lantern’s Lane, previously worked for Disney and Forward Pass. In partnership with LaReau, the two professionals launched Tidal Wave Entertainment in 2017. Having expansive professional experience across production and costume and/or wardrobe work, Cedrone worked on costume and wardrobe for the film Pearl Harbor (2001), starring Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale. Cedrone has credits for her production assistant work as a crew member for films like Ali (2001) and A Bronx Tale (1993).

New York Film Academy congratulates both Justin LaReau & Lydia for the release of Lantern’s Lane and its continued success across streamlining platforms.