Page 315 – NYFA

New York Film Academy Presents ‘The Wedding Singer’

After our first successful staged theatrical performance of Spring Awakening at the American Theatre of Actors, it was without a doubt we’d have to follow up with another. To that extent, it’s with great pleasure the New York Film Academy Musical Theatre Department would like to announce its second full length musical production, The Wedding Singer. The musical is based on the 1998 New Line Cinema film written by Tim Herlihy. It features music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, with its book written by Beguelin and Herlihy. The Wedding Singer is the story of a wedding singer and cocktail waitress, both already engaged to the wrong people. A series of comedic events and fortunes hopefully lead them to find true love elsewhere.

When: Performances are September 26th-28th, Friday & Saturday at 8PM, Saturday & Sunday at 2PM.

Where: The Connelly Theatre located at 220 East 4th Street, New York, NY 10009

For general admissions tickets, please CLICK HERE.

NYFA Student/Employee/Alumni tickets are available in person, cash only, max 2 per NYFA ID for $10 each. Employees and students can pick up and drop off order forms with Jordan Dragutsky in room 415 and Kaira Karnad in 433. Please present your NYFA ID when dropping off the order request. Alumni and incoming students can email [email protected] to request tickets.

Cast (in oder of appearance):
Robbie Hart – Connor Lyons
Sammy – Christopher Lee
George – Alec Lee
Julia Sullivan – Raquel Tillo
Holly – Stephania Sanquiz Donelli
Glen Guglia – Charles Engelsgjerd
Rosie – Fernanda Hidalgo
Linda – Carrie McMahon
Angie – Beatriz Cavalieri
Ensemble – Mauritz Badenhorst, Miguel A. Candelaria Palafox, Melissa Jennifer Gonzalez, Alexis Guarneros, Cody Arturo Hernandez (guest performer), Charlotte Hughes, Cristina Hussey, Ilda Mason, Silvia Nicoloso, Carol Nolasco, Giovana Pancera, Georgia Roe (NYFA Alum) Naomi Wong

Production Team:
Producers – Kristy Cates & Mark Olsen
Associate Producer/Prod Manager – Jordan Neil Dragutsky
Production Stage Manager – Nikki Castle
Production Assistant Stage Manager – Momo Sugawara

Creative Team:
Director – Isaac Byrne
Choreographer – Chad Austin
Music Director/Conductor – Anna Ebbessen
Speech & Dialect Coach – Lauren T. Mack
Fight Director – Mark Olsen
Fight Coordinator – Dan Renkin
Associate Choreographer – Georgia Roe (NYFA Alum)
Associate Music Director – Daniel Lincoln

Book by Chad Beguelin & Tim Herlihy
Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin

Design Team:
Scenic Design – Ryan Howell
Costume Design – David Withrow
Lighting Design – Mary Ellen Stebbins
Sound Design – Jacob Subotnick

Create a PSA for NASA

The New York Film Academy is proud to announce a contest for students to pitch ideas that tell the story of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). JWST is poised to become one of the most groundbreaking scientific and engineering achievements of our time, designed to operate at near absolute zero, and approximately 1.5 million km away from the Earth.

Now, the New York Film Academy‘s students will have the rare opportunity of being a part of the global dialogue and excitement that surrounds the development of the JWST. By creating powerful, engaging, and visually exciting stories featuring the Webb Telescope, students will explore humankind’s most significant scientific marvels first hand, and also have a chance to be featured in NASA’s websites.

The initial round of the contest calls for submissions that contain strong self-application essays, reflecting upon the students’ views of JWST and why they should be picked for this highly prestigious opportunity. The second round will begin with invitations for selected students to tour Northrop Grumman and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), two facilities that house some of JWST’s vital components, and where most of the principal photography will take place.

These tours will further motivate students for the final round of the contest, which culminates with no less than a live pitch to a committee featuring members from NASA, JPL, and Northrop Grumman!

The New York Film Academy continues to lead the educational frontier for innovative STEAM-based education initiatives. Pay close attention as the first products of our collaboration with NASA, Northrop Grumman Corporation, JPL, and others, roll out in the beginning of 2015.

For NYFA students: Your application must include:

Cover letter outlining your interest in the JWST story.
Reel or sample of your work.

Materials may be submitted by individuals or groups. Selected students will receive a tour of JWST’s facilities and an opportunity to pitch their ideas to a committee including representatives from NASA. Winners will be given equipment and support to shoot a PSA that will be featured on NASA’s website and various other platforms.

Contest open to all One Year, Two Year, MFA, BFA, MA and AFA Students in good standing. For more information about the James Webb Telescope, visit jwst.nasa.gov.

For submissions and/or questions about the contest, please email [email protected].

Marketing Exec Josh Jacobs Joins Business of Screenwriting Class

On August 19th, marketing executive Josh Jacobs joined New York Film Academy’s Business of Screenwriting class to talk about classical and emerging forms of movie and television marketing. Jacobs held posts at CBS Films and FX before landing his current gig as the Director of Digital Marketing and Media at Game Show Network.

One of Marvel’s first interns — back when they were just a small operation in 2001 — Jacobs shared his early career stories as a floater working at Artisan Entertainment, ultimately getting placed in their Film Acquisitions department (NOTE: Artisan was later bought by Lionsgate). “In Acquisitions, you occasionally watch some good movies but also endure a lot of bad ones,”Jacobs explained, before launching into a humorous story about one such bad film that was basically a naked man in a bathtub yelling at the camera. Jacobs had many unique experiences in his early years. He worked for actor/producer Billy Baldwin, who he said was a really nice guy, and where he learned a lot about indie filmmaking and independent producing. But it was on a stint working for writer/producer Dean Devlin that Jacobs first got to be a part of the marketing and distribution process. He also remembered the massive promotional campaign working on Flyboys, where they brought in small propeller planes to show entertainment journalists to get them buzzing about the film.

After a series of jobs in film development working at production companies, however, Jacobs tired of working on projects that rarely got off the ground. It was then that he decided to switch full-time into advertising and marketing. “I love to work on campaigns that I know that people are going to actually see. I love tackling a difficult marketing problem and solving it. Marketing is like a creative puzzle.”

Jacobs shared one of his proudest accomplishments on a unique marketing strategy for the horror film The Woman in Black for CBS Films, starring Daniel Radcliffe. “You know when you’re just sitting in a movie theater, before the movie or trailers start and generic pre-show ads are on the screen? We wanted to do something different there.”

Jacobs then explained how he came up with the concept of a video where it would appear that the audience was being filmed in the theater and their images were projected up on screen. As people saw what looked like themselves on screen and gazed around confused, so too would the people in the video. The camera would slowly zoom in on a baffled couple and from behind a scary looking woman – the Woman in Black – would suddenly jump out! AHH! “She screamed so loudly, there was no way people didn’t look up at the screen at that moment– and even if they missed the ad, it was still just in time to see our title treatment on the big screen and spark curiosity.”

Jacobs shared digital postcards he conceptualized for the FX show Wilfred, starring Elijah Wood, as well as explained the different forms of marketing, from A/V to print, as well as the digital and social spheres. And as we wrapped up, Jacobs closed by offering the students the most important advice he could give, amassed over his years working in the entertainment business.

“Look, it’s a tough business out there. People will tell you ‘no’. They’ll disagree with your ideas and you’ll have to make compromises. But, and this is something it took me a long time to realize – it’s okay to ask “why” when someone has notes or constructively criticizes your ideas as there’s usually a good reason. And once you understand why they don’t see something the way that you do, you’ll know how to expand on the idea and solve the puzzle.”

Producer Adi Ezroni Talks ‘Kelly & Cal’

New York based producer Adi Ezroni recently spent time with New York Film Academy Producing students discussing the upcoming release of her new film Kelly & Cal. The film stars Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers) and is the feature debut of director Jen McGowan and writer Amy Lowe Starbin. Participating in a “Producer’s Craft” conversation with NYFA Producing Department Co-Chair Neal Weisman, Adi generously shared details of the project’s development, financing, production, as well as the sales/marketing/distribution of the film. Adi also spoke of her career trajectory, starting as an actress (and star of the Israeli television series that gave rise to Homeland), and her entry into producing with such films as A Late Quartet (starred Philip Seymour Hoffman).

Adi’s film Kelly & Cal opens September 5 at the IFC Center in NYC, and on Video On Demand. The film has been receiving terrific reviews, including this recent New York Times review.

Acting Grad Releases Book on Creativity, Neuroscience and Virtuality

One year after his book presentation at Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, New York Film Academy Acting for Film graduate, Dr. Ariel Orama Lopez, published his new theoretical framework in an English Collection Edition: CRËATIVE SYNAPSE: CRËATE.YOUR.UNIVERSE© (English Ed., 2014). It is the first theoretical framework that explains the behavior of the human being by integrating the following variables: creativity, the recent findings in neuroscience, and the new influence of the virtual universe. The English version of the book includes new applications and exercises for the development of creativity from different perspectives, directed to actors, filmmakers, artists in general, parents, students, academics and scientists. The book made him an honoree of various recognitions, among them the dedicatory for his approach, engagement and investigation in creativity. This honor was received on behalf of the Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico and Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (5to Premio del Presidente) for his approaches in the arts, coaching and psychology.

During his time at NYFA Los Angeles‘ Acting for the Film school, Ariel performed in fourteen short-films. Now, he is a collegiate actor of the Colegio de Actores of Puerto Rico, a certified Executive Coach (specialized in Crëative Life Coaching) from TISOC, Barcelona, Spain and a licensed clinical psychologist. He was selected as a finalist of Taller TELEMUNDO: Actores, in Miami, directed by Oscar nominated Mexican actress, Adriana Barraza.

Ariel hopes that someday his book will be used as a reference by NYFA‘s acting and filmmaking students.

Director William Dickerson’s ‘Don’t Look Back’ to Air This September

As is the case with many of New York Film Academy‘s talented roster of instructors, Directing School Instructor William Dickerson has been directing a feature film in addition to his teaching. The film, Don’t Look Back, revolves around Nora Clark, a children’s book writer whose life is at a crossroads. After moving back into the house she inherited from her grandmother, Nora comes to grips with the traumatic memories from her childhood and takes in an inquisitive, seductive new roommate, Peyton, who is not entirely whom she appears to be.

Don’t Look Back is being released domestically on iTunes (and other VOD platforms) on September 1st, and then will premiere on television on Lifetime Movie Network on September 28th.

It stars Lucy Griffiths (True Blood), Cassidy Freeman (Longmire), Tyler Jacob Moore (Once Upon a Time), Roddy Piper (They Live) and Kate Burton (Emmy Nominated for her role on Scandal).

Be sure to check the film out on demand or when it airs on Lifetime Movie Network. In the meantime, check out the trailer below!

NYFA Alumni Spotlight: The Paradigm

One of the more proactive ways to raise funds and gain support for your feature film is to create a short or trailer to give producers and investors of an idea of what they’re getting into. Such is the case with one of our recent One Year MFA Filmmaking students from Syria, Urwa Al Hallak. His sci-fi short, The Paradigm, was his thesis graduation film that he hopes to soon turn into a feature.

“New York Film Academy gave me a lot of important tools that I needed to create this trailer,” says Al Hallak. “If you think about it, it has a three act structure, and many of the filmmaking techniques that I learned at NYFA, such as coverage and blocking.”

While Urwa has a treatment prepared for the feature, he’s leaving the actual screenplay slightly flexible, depending on the producing he team he builds around the project. He hopes to eventually produce the feature as a three part trilogy with a video game release as well. Truly ambitious goals!

Be sure to check out this very impressive trailer that Urwa created.

The Paradigm Official Teaser Trailer (2014) – Urwa Al Hallak_ Sci-Fi Movie HD from Urwa Al Hallak on Vimeo.

Underwater Cinematography Classes

The third semester MFA Cinematography students at New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus have been busy! Following their two weeks shooting on the Universal Soundstage, the cinematographers jumped right into the Underwater Workshop, learning tricks and techniques for capturing great underwater shots.

The two-day workshop was taught by instructor Tom Boyd, one of Hollywood’s top underwater camera operators with credits including Little Miss Sunshine, Heroes, and Crimson Tide. Students began with a visit to Hydroflex, the industry leaders in underwater camera support, where they learned the specifics of how to use different underwater housings to keep the camera protected. They talked about the challenges of working below the surface and the optical effect that water has on focus, movement and composition. The students finished the day by learning about the proper safety protocols and prepping the equipment.

After getting their hands on the gear during the first day, the students were ready for day two: the underwater shoot. The students worked in the pool at Aqua Adventures, shooting takes with a professional stunt diver. They photographed a scene that starts on the deck, but then takes the camera underwater to follow the actress as she falls off the edge and into the pool. With Tom’s guidance, the students learned how to approach this challenging scenario and nail the shot.

The Underwater Workshop is a truly unique course offered in the MFA Cinematography program at NYFA in Los Angeles. Students have the opportunity to learn about creating images in a different environment while grabbing some great footage for their reels.

NYFA Cinematography Students in Los Angeles Shoot on Universal Soundstage

At New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus, the MFA and One-Year Cinematography students have recently completed a two-week workshop on the soundstage at Universal Studios. Taught by instructors, Tommy Maddox-Upshaw (credits include the upcoming Straight Outta Compton, Iron Man 2, When the Levee Broke), Jacek Laskus, ASC (The Devil’s Arithmetic, The Guardian, Parting Glances) and Suki Medencevic, ASC (The Pixar Story, I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, Jonas), the cine students took this unique opportunity to apply all of the skills they’ve been building and put them to use in a professional stage environment.

The workshop began with students designing two sets in the Universal sound stage: putting up the flats, painting the set, and getting the props and set decoration in place. With their set built, the students began conducting their lighting exercises and learning the nuances of how to work in a setting where the cinematographer has complete control. They made use of increased available power, firing up bigger lighting units including 5K tungsten fresnels to illuminate the sets. This was also an opportunity for the NYFA cinematographers to focus on camera operating and shot design. Students used advanced dollies to move the camera smoothly and execute intricate moving shots. Scenes were shot using a variety of film and digital formats including Super 16mm, 35mm, and the Red Epic system.

Throughout the workshop, students learned many new techniques for lighting sets, creating different moods and effects with light, moving the camera, and staging shots. At the end of the two weeks, these cinematographers had completed difficult lighting setups and dynamic moving shots, and each had some great new shots for their reels. The knowledge built during this workshop provides a fundamental set of skills for our students, giving them an edge as they move towards their careers in the film industry.