Page 348 – NYFA

On Becoming a Man Wins Best Comedic Short

MFA Filmmaking student Kevin Resnick’s first year film, On Becoming a Man, is currently making the rounds on the festival circuit. It already won Best Comedic Short at the IFS Film Festival, and is a finalist for Best Short Film at the Athens Jewish Film Festival. The coming-of-age comedy follows young Jacob Schneidelman in the days leading up to his Bar Mitzvah. Jacob’s overbearing mother is on a Bar Mitzvah planning warpath, involving a personalized oil-on-canvas portrait and a handcrafted chocolate Moses fountain. To top it all off, she won’t let Jacob’s gentile neighbor (and secret crush), Sally, take part in the festivities! Jacob must choose: bow down to his mother like his father does, or stand up to her and finally become a man?

Growing up in Toronto and Los Angeles, Kevin says he always wanted to see the world. He got to do so during his 13 years on active duty with the U.S. Air Force, where he logged over 2,000 flight hours. After leaving the military, Kevin started getting acting work in New York. Though he had acted in numerous short films, he always dreamed of writing and directing his own films. He decided to earn his MFA in Filmmaking at New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus. He says, “It’s been fantastic. The thing that really attracted me was that it’s so hands-on. In this business, it’s all about experience.”

People in the Los Angeles area will have a chance to see On Becoming a Man when it plays the IFS Film Festival. The film plays in the Comedic Shorts Block B4 at 4:30 p.m. at the Laemmle’s Music Hall in Beverly Hills on Thursday, March 28, with an encore screening on Saturday, April 6 at 7 p.m. Check out the website for full details.

NYFA Welcomes New Musical Theatre Chair

The New York Film Academy is proud to announce the new Chair of Musical Theatre and Film Conservatory Program, Mark Olsen! Mark currently teaches at the Juilliard School and Columbia University; and is the former Head of Graduate Acting at Penn State University. He is a professional actor, author, and director – currently working as a movement consultant on two Broadway shows. His students are working on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in major films, television shows, and in regional theatres, both here and abroad.

Mark brings his own brand of dedication and expertise to the Musical Theatre program and is focused on building upon the energy and programming, established by VP Boyle, to help evolve the conservatory to the next “octave” of training. To those students who are currently enrolled, he looks forward to meeting you and hearing from you in the coming weeks. To those hopefuls who have fallen in love with the musical theatre but have yet to apply to the program, he would like to extend a welcome hand.

NYFA’s Musical Theatre Program is poised to become a major force in the field. If you’re interested in embarking on this new and exciting journey, click here to learn more!

The New Normal? Lessons Learned from Toronto, Sundance & More

The New York Film Academy recently invited Esq. Productions to a discussion called “The New Normal? Lessons Learned from Toronto, Sundance & More.” The panel examined the current state of independent film production and distribution, the continuing evolution of multi-platforming, and provided students with practical tools they can use to capitalize on a resurgent indie film marketplace. The symposium, co-sponsored by RAW: Natural Born Artists and Backstage, featured guest speakers Steven Beer (Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo, PC), Jerry Dasti (Sloss Eckhouse Law Co), and Emma Marie Riley (Creative Director, RAW: Natural Born Artists Brooklyn).

Empowering creative artists. That is the mission at the heart of the 501(c)(3) non-profit Esq. Productions. Co-founded in 2010 by then-first year law student Latha Duncan, the company’s goal is simple: to provide creative artists across the various entertainment industries with the tools they need in order to successfully manage their careers from a commercial perspective while simultaneously protecting their artistic integrity.

Esq. Productions puts together educational programming that focuses specifically on the business and legal aspects of entertainment. Motivated by the realization that many indie filmmakers don’t have the benefit of exposure to business and legal counsel, Latha sought to fill the void. “Many filmmakers get caught in a Catch-22 situation,” Latha said. “Before you’ve made a name for yourself, it’s often difficult to secure representation, whether that means an agent or an attorney. But when faced with the spectre of truly independent film production, it can be just as difficult to make a name for yourself without the help of those business and legal counterparts. I wanted to break that cycle.”

The company, now run by Latha and his law school roommate, Brett Deacon, encourages artists to get involved in their own business affairs. “The reality is that there is a lot the artist can do him- or herself to secure their position,” said Latha. “A foundational understanding of relevant legal principles, knowing when and where to look out for red flags, and recognizing where you have leverage in different transactional settings can all go a long way. We’re not trying to turn artists into attorneys or to stifle creativity. But the nature of the marketplace is such that the days of a one-size-fits-all approach are long gone. Our goal is to get artists – whether filmmakers, fashion designers, musicians – to incorporate what they learn from our programming into a holistic approach to their careers.”

Before approaching the New York Film Academy, Esq. Productions has worked with the Art Center College of Design, the DePaul University School of Cinema & Interactive Media, and the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Always looking to provide attendees with the broadest perspective possible on the issues addressed, they brought together entertainment attorneys from Lionsgate, UTA, and Weintraub Tobin. “Entertainment attorneys play very different roles depending on where they work,” Latha said. “Bringing together people with different backgrounds and who represent different interests helps to hammer home that very point – that within the structure of any given deal, there are multiple competing interests at play. Politics can be just as important – and often is more important – than the black letter law.”

Having focused exclusively on the film industry to date, Latha and Brett are excited to be moving into both fashion and art in 2013. “We have a number of partnerships that we’re excited about,” said Brett. “Not only RAW Artists and Backstage, but also top law firms in LA and NYC. As the scope of the services we provide continues to expand, we’ll continue to focus on quality. These new partnerships will help us take our programming to the next level.”

Porcella to Screen at Cannes Short Film Corner

New York Film Academy 1-Year Filmmaking graduate Natalia Chinchilla will be screening her thesis film Porcella at Cannes Short Film Corner. The film surrounds a woman, Lucia, who has kept a secret from her husband for ten years. After the husband invites their close friend Porcella to celebrate their anniversary, Lucia builds up the courage to confess her secret and finally free herself once and for all. The title, Porcella, comes from the Italian word for “porcelain.” As Natalia says, “Porcelain can be broken at anytime and that is very symbolic to the character.”

Natalia is now working on a web series with Paola Mathé, who plays the role of Porcella in her thesis film. The series, Finding Paola, revolves around the underground movement of Latin Americans in New York City. “New York makes you grow confident as a human being,” says Natalia.

While Natalia eventually intends to move back to her hometown of Colombia, she feels her training at NYFA was necessary. “I definitely recommend the hands-on training. It’s also great to shoot films with filmmakers from many different cultures.”

Taiwanese Celeb Attends NYFA Acting Workshop

Hannah Quinlivan recently finished a 8-Week Acting for Film Workshop at New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus. The Taiwanese-Australian actress first gained attention in Taiwan when she joined a successful girl group in 2008. Since then she has worked as a model, acted on a television drama, and has been a host on MTV and game shows. She recently landed her first major role in a feature film, and came to New York Film Academy to brush up on her acting skills.

“I’ve had a really good time here. I really jumped out of my safe zone,” she says. “That was a really big step for me. And I really enjoyed my time shooting on the Universal Studios backlot. I used to really enjoy the Universal tour, and now I got the chance to shoot there!” Hannah says she loved the short-term program and looks forward to returning to New York Film Academy soon.

Linshan Zhao Screens ‘The Assassins’

assassinspic — Director Linshan Zhao at New York Film Academy in Union Square

This Thursday, the New York Film Academy welcomed Chinese director, Linshan Zhao, to screen his film The Assassins. The Chinese historical drama stars Chow Yun-fat as Cao Cao, a prominent warlord who became the de facto head of government in China towards the end of the Han Dynasty. Being that the film has yet to be released in the United States, our students were in for a rare cinematic treat.

Having ten years of commercial directing under his belt, Zhao had been writing a screenplay for four years. Once producers got their hands on his script, they knew it needed to be made. With that, Zhao raised nearly eighteen million dollars to shoot what would become his first feature film, The Assassins. “It has always been my dream,” said Zhao “Since I was little, I wanted to be a director, and that was my biggest inspiration.”

Zhao’s next steps are to release the film all over the world, starting with Asian countries and working his way toward North America. He’s also working on his next project, My Super Ex, based on a popular Chinese Twitter feed. Zhao jokingly commented on how we all have those stories from past relationships, and he’s willing to hear them all to help shape his next film.

Louis Mole Talks About NYFA’s Documentary Program

Documentary graduate, Louis Mole, sits down with us to discuss his experience at the New York Film Academy.

“It is such a hands-on intensive course, and it really drills into every single aspect of the filmmaking program from directing to producing, photography, and editing.” said Louis Mole. “You come out of the program with the fundamental expertise of every single aspect of making a film – which is so unique.”

Immediately after graduating the New York Film Academy, Louis went to Singapore and worked on 2 series. One of which was Asian Swindlers, a six part series about Asian conmen, in which Louis wrote 3 episodes and oversaw the edit.

After Singapore, Louis came back to New York where he currently works for the production company behind the Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winning Documentary, The House I Live In.

The Girl Next Door

With 5 years of college education and some work in television and media, Andrea Picco was looking for a school that focused on the hands-on experience and not just theory. “I first enrolled in the 4 week digital filmmaking class just to see how I would like the school and if it really was what I was looking for,” said Andrea. “The very first day we were already out shooting! Those 4 weeks were the longest of my life. I wrote, directed, casted and shot 2 short films and a short documentary. In the process, I learned everything about digital cameras, film vocabulary, menu setting, lenses, proper lighting, F-stops, etc.”

After finishing the documentary, Andrea decided to enroll in the one year documentary class. “Looking back, I know it was the right decision. New York Film Academy is a place where you can become a filmmaker within a year – if you take it seriously and work hard. It is no nonsense. The equipment they provide is great and updated. The staff is very helpful and friendly. The Head of the Documentary Department, Andrea Swift, is absolutely amazing, passionate and inspiring. We had producers, filmmakers, production companies and even Discovery Channel executives come to our classes. Our thesis editing supervisor was Bob Eisenhardt.”

While enrolled in the One Year Documentary Class, Andrea Picco knew she wanted to produce her thesis film on a story related to human trafficking. After filming a promo video for a non-profit in 2008, she met a woman who was a survivor of human trafficking. Andrea shortly became friends with the woman and was soon on her way to Ohio to film what would become her thesis film.

The Girl Next Door is a story of redemption and empowerment.”When you first hear about ‘Human Trafficking’ you usually think it only happens overseas in 3rd world countries, but we don’t usually think about American kids and teens.” The film tells the story of how Theresa survived two years of sex trafficking in the suburbs of Detroit and how she overcame her past to became an abolitionist.

Andrea’s film has been to four film festivals and has won two awards. She plans to turn her short film into a full feature. Andrea is also planning to start filming a documentary about the human trafficking business in Corona, Queens. As Andrea says, “Great stories are easy to find when you keep your heart and eyes open.”

Oscar-Winning Cinematographer and Veteran Actor Visit NYFA Students

Oscar-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler speaks to students

Haskell Wexler recently visited students at New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus. The 91-year-old cinematographer was named as one of the ten most influential cinematographers by the International Cinematographers Guild. In the course of his career, he lensed such seminal films as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, In the Heat of the Night, American Graffiti, and The Thomas Crown Affair. He has been nominated for a total of 5 Oscars, and has won two.

Wexler watched clips of cinematography students’ films, and gave them valuable feedback. “It was an amazing experience to have him share his thoughts and experience with us,” said Diego Gilly, an MFA Cinematography student. “I feel deeply honored to have had the opportunity to share some of our work with him, and hear what he had to say.”

Robert Forster sized select — Actor Robert Forster leads a master class for actors

Oscar-nominated actor Robert Forster, who starred in 1969’s Medium Cool, written and directed by Haskell Wexler, also recently paid a visit to New York Film Academy. In addition to his numerous television roles, Forster is known for his roles in Mulholland Drive, Me, Myself, & Irene, The Descendants, and his Oscar-nominated role in Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown.

Forster led a master class for acting students, telling stories from his life and career, answering questions, and giving advice. “The camera looks real deep into you,” he said. “It knows whether you’re lying or not. If you want your audience to admire you, you have to be someone they can admire. You have to have the qualities that make a person worth admiring. Then it’s easy to deliver that on screen.”