John CarpenterPRODUCER | DIRECTOR | WRITER

John started as a writer/director in 1962. His work includes such memorable films as Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween 1&2, The Fog, Escape from New York, Escape from LA, The Thing, Christine, Starman, and They Live, just to name a few. He is also known as the “Master of Horror” and the “Prince of Darkness.” John came for a visit to the NYFA Los Angeles campus in January 2011 to share his experience working in the business. Many of Carpenter’s films include what he calls a “cheap scare,” where something comes into view very fast and leaves just as quickly, intensified by musical cues. Carpenter makes open compositions that allow the villain/monster (or sometimes just an object) to pop into frame from the background, the immediate foreground or from either side of the frame. It has since become a horror cliché after using “cheap scares” so effectively in Halloween. He is known for using minimalist cinematography and lighting. He shoots all of his movies in Panavision (2.35:1 ratio with anamorphic lenses).

Al RuddyWRITER | PRODUCER

Writer/producer Al Ruddy came to NYFA in November 2011 to spend some time with the students and talk about his career. Al has worked in the business since 1955, and has had quite an influence in Hollywood. As a writer, he worked on over 160 episodes of Hogan’s Heroes, as well as 180 episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger. At the 45th Academy Awards, Clint Eastwood presented the 1972 Best Picture Oscar to Ruddy, the producer of The Godfather. Thirty-two years later, they would jointly accept the 2004 Best Picture Oscar, along with fellow Million Dollar Baby coproducer, Tom Rosenberg.

He produced and wrote for the 2022 Paramount Plus series The Offer, based on his experience working with director Francis Ford Coppola and Marlon Brando on The Godfather. Actor Miles Teller played Ruddy in the series.

Al on producing: “Show me a relaxed producer and I’ll show you a failure.”