Page 361 – NYFA

NY Film Academy Faculty Produce and Star in Sundance Award Winning Hit Movie!

New York Film Academy Acting Instructor Cassandra Freeman stars as Rose in Kinyarwanda

When Roger Ebert gave feature film Kinyarwanda four stars, he commented, “I thought I knew something about Rwanda, but I didn’t really know very much. I was moved by Hotel Rwanda but not really shaken this deeply. Not like this…Here is a powerful film.” Behind the project are New York Film Academy Acting Professor Cassandra Freeman, star of Kinyarwanda, and Producing Professor Darren Dean, who is responsible for producing the film along with Ishmael Ntihabose, Tommy Oliver, and Deatra Harris. The film interweaves six different tales that together to form one grand narrative, providing a complex and real depiction of human resilience and life during the genocide.

Poster for hit film Kinyarwanda, produced by New York Film Academy instructor Darren Dean

Kinyarwanda’s many recognitions have included winning the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival, the World Cinema Audience Award at AFI Fest, the Crystal Heart Award at the Heartland Film Festival, and the Audience Award at the Starz Denver Film Fest. The film is now playing at select theaters throughout the country including at AMC Theaters in Times Square, New York.

Cassandra says, “I’m also a teacher at New York Film Academy. If you’re an actor and you have a lot of things going on, it helps inform your work and it gives you a toolbox of emotions and different perspectives. You can’t just act all the time.”

Cassandra, whose other credits include playing Denzel Washington’s wife in Spike Lee’s Inside Man and the funny best friend in Chris Rock’s I Think I Love My Wife, comments in a recent interview that the experience of playing Lt. Rose Kabuye was more than just learning lines: ”I shaved off my hair. I shaved it off until there was about a half inch of afro and I let that grow in. I actually lived with a real Rwandan family, so I underwent a cultural transformation as well. I had a mom, dad, sister, and brother. So I really had the chance to absorb the culture of Rwanda.”

To learn more about the film including where the film will next be screening, check out http://www.kinyarwandamovie.com/

Oscar-Nominee Brenda Vaccaro Directs NYFA Ensemble West Showcase at New York Film Academy

Golden Globe winner Brenda Vaccaro (right) directs students at New York Film Academy

New York Film Academy is proud to announce the NYFA Ensemble West Showcase, directed by legendary actress Brenda Vaccaro. Vaccaro is the winner of a Golden Globe, People’s Choice Award, Theater World Award, and an Emmy, and has been honored with 3 Tony Award nominations, 2 Academy Award nominations, and 4 Emmy Award nominations. She leads master classes in acting at New York Film Academy.

Brenda coaches NYFA student actors before a scene

NYFA Ensemble West is a select group of New York Film Academy acting students in their second year of studies at the Universal Studios campus in Los Angeles. Over 80 actors auditioned for the opportunity to work with Brenda Vaccaro on the production. This group was narrowed down to about 20 students, who spent long hours rehearsing with Vaccaro. “I wanted to do unusual material,” she says. “We have a great concept for a great show. The students are so wonderful, so flexible, and so talented. I love every one of them!” says Vaccaro.

Students rehearse a physical sequence

According to acting student Cameron Crowe, “Brenda’s passion, experience and overall dedication to our growth as both students and as artists has helped make this project something really special for everyone involved. She really believes in us, and her enthusiasm and generosity has helped make this an unforgettable part of my experience at NYFA.”

The team share a laugh between scenes

The showcase is a mix of comedic and dramatic scenes. It also features a modern dance take on a letter from Martha Graham to Agnes de Mille, choreographed by New York Film Academy movement instructor Giovanni Ortega. Says Ortega, “It was a big task, because it’s a movement piece, a poem, a letter… We really got the students to tap into their creativity.”

Brenda whips the group into shape

Iceland Filmmaker Getting Buzz for New York Film Academy Skit on Funny-Or-Die

Funny Or Die skit Carlos and Brandi was directed by NYFA Grad Ragnhildur Magnúsdóttir Thordarso

New York Film Academy graduate Ragnhildur Magnúsdóttir Thordarson (Ragga) is picking up buzz for Funny-Or-Die skit Carlos and Brandi, which follows a dysfunctional American-Icelandic couple in mock reality-TV style. Ragga stars as Brandi but also wrote, edited, and produced the skit for her Masters in Producing at the New York Film Academy according to Iceland site, the Iceland Review Online.

Character Brandi (played by NYFA grad Ragga) does yoga while drinking a beer

“Reality content is pretty much all over the cultural landscape of TV nowadays, both because we have learned to become perversely interested in people’s private biz and also because it’s relatively cheap to produce,” says Ragnhildur. “There are lots of shows on couples and families and usually they are glamorous and selling us their fabulous lifestyles and I just thought Carlos and Brandi were the antithesis of that, but with some soul. They really think they understand real love.” Check out the skit here.

Veterans Make Films at New York Film Academy

NYFA BFA student Paul Meixner was formerly stationed in Iraq

New York Film Academy BFA Filmmaking student Paul Meixner is one of many students who served their country before joining NYFA. Meixner, who is orginally from Madison, Wisconsin, joined the army in 2002 and completed infantry and airborne training before volunteering for his first combat tour of Iraq in 2004, later becoming an infantry squad leader and combatives instructor. He then returned for a second tour of Iraq in 2009 as a Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) at an Iraqi training facility.

Meixner during his time serving in Iraq

Meixner credits his family and military experience with giving him the discipline, drive, and determination he will need to succeed in school. Says Paul, “I know that sounds cheesy, but the military, especially ranger school, definitely helped to prepare me for the film industry. The parallels between the two are uncanny, especially when it comes to leadership.” Meixner says the Veterans Affairs Department at New York Film Academy has been more helpful than at other schools he has attended in the past. “They have more answers and information and they really hard work for you.”

Meixner on NYFA’s Universal Studios backlot

In addition to his hectic school schedule, Paul is working on a web series with ThunderPunk Films, which launches at the end November. Created by Meixner, the project is a collaboration with other young filmmakers, in which they share their work, as well as reviews of books on filmmaking, writing, and acting. Meixner ultimately hopes to write, direct, produce, and act in dramas and character-driven action pieces. You can find Paul’s film projects on Facebook here and the ThunderPunk Films web series here. NYFA thanks Paul, and the hundreds of other veterans at our campuses, for their service and dedication.

New York Film Academy’s Veterans Affairs Department can help veterans make the transition to civilian and campus life. Let them help simplify educational benefits and assist with post-deployment transition issues. New York Film Academy is proud to support the GI Bill, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and the Yellow Ribbon Program. For questions about programs and workshops at the New York campus, contact Michael Caputo by email or call (212) 674-4300. For questions about the Universal Studios campus, contact Joey Zangardi or John Powers by email or call (818) 733-2600.

Make sure to join the NYFA veterans community on our new Veteran Affairs Facebook page! Get veteran news, information on special events, and connect with other veterans!

New York Film Academy Graduate Appears on Ellen DeGeneres Show!

NYFA Graduate Mazey Aud appears in pop star Greyson Chance’s video “Waiting Outside the Lines”

New York Film Academy graduate Mazey Aud says a recent appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show has been a great highlight of her young and budding career in the entertainment industry. The teen was featured in pop star Greyson Chance’s debut video “Waiting Outside of the Lines” last year and appeared onstage with Greyson when he performed live on the Ellen show. “[Ellen] gave me a hug and said she liked my perfume,” gushes Aud, 15. “Justin Bieber was there that day too and he came backstage.”

Mazey did a one-week high school program at NYFA Disney during which time she produced and directed her own short film. Her other body of work includes an adopted children PSA entitled, “Angel Arms,” an appearance on the Nickelodeon show “Brainsurge,” and starring in a video series entitled “Children First.” In addition, the ambitious teen will release a book next fall of original monologues. “I love to write,” she said. “I noticed when I was trying to pick out a monologue for my auditions, I had a hard time finding one that sounded like something a teenager would really say. I started writing my own, and then I really started getting into it and I have ended up with a collection of them.” We look forward to seeing more of Mazey’s televised appearances!

New York Film Academy Graduate Cast on Celebrity Apprentice

NYFA Graduate Dayana Mendoza

New York Film Academy graduate Dayana Mendoza has been cast on the upcoming season of Celebrity Apprentice. Dayana, who was formerly Miss Venezuela 2007 and Miss Universe 2008, was an October 2009 student in the two-year Acting Conservatory at New York Film Academy. Dayana will join a cast that includes singers Clay Aiken and Debbie Gibson and comedian Lisa Lampanelli. Other competitors also include Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice and famous mobster daughter Victoria Gotti.

NYFA Graduate Mahsa Saeidi-Azcuy previously made it to Week 7 on season 10 of The Apprentice. We look forward to watching Dayana compete and wish her luck!

Josh Radnor Speaking at New York Film Academy on Thursday!

Upcoming NYFA Guest Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother)

New York Film Academy welcomes guest speaker Josh Radnor to speak at New York Film Academy LA – Universal Studios this Thursday, October 20th at 7pm. Josh is best known for his starring role as Ted Mosby on the Emmy Award-winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. His television credits include appearances on Six Feet Under, Law & Order, Judging Amy, and ER.

Josh co-stars in new film Liberal Arts with recent breakout Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister of the Olsen twins)

Josh made his writing and directorial debut with the 2010 comedy-drama film Happythankyoumoreplease, for which he won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Josh will screen new film Liberal Arts, which stars Zac Efron, Elizabeth Olsen, Allison Janney and Richard Jenkins. Liberal Arts follows thirty- something Jesse (played by Josh Radnor) who, when invited back to his alma mater, falls for a 19-year-old college student.

To RSVP, email your full name to [email protected] no later than Wednesday, October 19th, 2011 at 12noon. The screening will be Thur 10/20 from 7-9pm with a Q&A to follow immediately after at Warner Brothers Theater 4.

New York Film Academy Graduates on Season 3 of Glee

NYFA Graduate Chord Overstreet busts a move as Sam “Trouty Mouth” Evans on Glee

The Hollywood Reporter (THR) has reported that New York Film Academy graduate Chord Overstreet may return to Glee in a reoccurring capacity in Episode 8 of the series’ third season. Chord plays character Sam, who was last romancing Mercedes (Amber Riley) in the second season finale. Chord previously had an on screen relationship with character Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron). “Unlike other Glee relationships, they may stay together all the way to the end of the year,” Riley told THR recently. “I think what you’re going to see is what a positive relationship looks like with those two.”

NYFA Graduate Naya Rivera (right) as Santana Lopez on Glee along with blonde love-interest Brittany (Heather Morris)

Fellow New York Film Academy graduate Naya Rivera plays manipulative “Cheerio” Santana on Glee and has appeared in all 66 episodes. Naya, who previously took a March 2008 eight week screenwriting workshop at NYFA New York, has been praised for her role as a cheerleader coming to terms with her sexual orientation after developing feelings for fellow cheerleader Brittany (Heather Morris). For her work, Naya was nominated in the Best Supporting Actress/Television category at the Imagen Awards, and she and her co-stars won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Naya was also nominated in the Favorite TV Actress – Leading Role in a Comedy category at the 2011 ALMA Awards. She came in at number 43 on the Maxim Hot 100 list this year and was ranked #1 on the AfterEllen Hot 100 list. Naya signed a recent deal with Columbia Records to produce a solo album.

New York Film Academy congratulations our alumni on their continued Glee success and can’t wait to tune in for tonight’s new episode!

NYFA Graduate Directs Nigeria’s Big Christmas Release

Changing Faces is the first major Nigerian movie to be dubbed in French for commercial distribution in France and francophone countries according to the Ghana Media Group. Oh yeah, did we mention it is directed by New York Film Academy graduate Faruk Lasaki? Changes Faces began as Faruk’s NYFA thesis film, a fifteen-minute short called Six Feet Under, which he later developed into the full feature. The film is slated to be the big Christmas release in Nigeria and Ghana, opening at the Silverbird Cinemas on December 23. The 92 minute metaphysical romantic thriller explores the transference of evil spirits through sex. Faruk comments that the unusual premise of his film is driven by his desire to bring important issues to the forefront of cinema: “My basic objective is creating awareness of issues affecting Africans and ways of resolving it. I’ve realized there are lots of dark issues around us and we hold no decisions, we refuse to accept it. We know it is this but we hide under an umbrella, ‘No, no, no, don’t talk about it, don’t talk about sex.’ We hide.”

NYFA Graduate Faruk Lasaki

Changing Faces premiered at the Pavillion les Cinema Du Sud of the 61st Cannes Film Festival. It has since screened at the 2008 Black Diaspora International Film Festival of New York, was featured in competition at the 2009 Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), was selected for the 2009 Cairo International Film Festival, and was the opening film of the 2011 Eko International Film Festival in Lagos, Nigeria. Faruk adds that his film has an international audience because the issues it presents are universally relatable: “I wanted an issue that could be seen in any part of the world. Now the issue I’ve picked, somehow, in the French culture, you find it inside. Somehow, in the American, the British, the Chinese culture, you find it inside. You see, me picking just any writer in Nigeria to give me any Nigerian story, it wouldn’t cut across. I wanted a story that somehow, whether you are African, French, British or American, there’s a trace of you inside and there’s part that you go home with. That’s what I have done.” Learn more about the film here.