Originally reported in Deadline, NYFA’s own Patrice DeGraff Arenas has landed a recurring role on David Makes Man. The Peabody Award-winning drama series is distributed by the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and is currently ramping up for its second season.
Arenas teaches Voice and Speech Acting, Scene Study, Characterization, and Advanced Acting Technique at NYFA’s South Beach campus. In the upcoming season of David Makes Man, Arenas will play Denise, an office assistant at the Edwards Firm (where the main character David works). As originally reported by Deadline, Arenas’ character Denise is someone who “keeps things moving at the office while also learning the moods and tempo of her boss.”
Photo courtesy of Patrice DeGraff Arenas
David Makes Man is from Oscar-winning screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight) and Warner Bros. and is loosely based on McCraney’s experiences, with the titular David (Akili McDowell), a 14-year-old prodigy from the South Florida projects. Arenas revealed that she began production on the project in October 2020.
Arenas, who grew up the daughter of an arts educator, had an upbringing full of theatre, with her mom being a director in school productions. “From those early experiences, I went to college and relished watching my peers present. I gained insight about intention and action, my peers as well professors commented on my clear, direct, practical critiques,” shared Arenas.
While Arenas has recently been involved in NYFA alum Bruklyn Miller’s award-winning film Celestial and is focused on her upcoming role in David Makes Man, Arenas revealed she is also in the development of a series with four of her former high school arts friends. In the future, Arenas hopes to be cast in a comedy and to play the role of Rose in Fences or Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.
Photo Credit: OWN
As for advice for students and alumni, Arenas says “life isn’t a rehearsal, so show up ready! It’s okay to be afraid but do it anyway!” The NYFA instructor also urges actors and creatives alike to “be patient with yourself” as some goals rarely look like what you want them to “but that doesn’t mean the journey isn’t worthwhile!”
New York Film Academy congratulates the NYFA South Beach instructor Patrice DeGraff Arenas on her upcoming role, and encourages everyone to check out the second season of David Makes Man when it is available on OWN, and to catch up on season one, with all episodes now available on HBO Max.
New York Film Academy 1-Year Photography Conservatory alum, Ritika Shah, isn’t letting 2020 stop her from making bold moves in the fashion world, landing a full fashion editorial for highbrow style magazine, Harper’s Bazaar India.
The fashion spread, which can be found in Bazaar’s November 2020 issue, features images that capture the “Magic of the Weave,” a concept by the magazine’s editor paying homage to clothes that have been made of traditional, handwoven Indian weave, “Brocade,” with a modern twist.
Shot by Ritika Shah for “Harper’s Bazaar India”
As an independent photographer, Shah revealed that her style has evolved over time to be “very minimal” which is emulated in her photos. “I had full creative freedom in terms of the location and frames used for each shot and the model’s poses,” revealed Shah. “I decided to follow my vision, but I had to make sure that the imagery aligned with the magazine’s aesthetic as well.”
One of the biggest aspects of shooting the project was the location of the shoot, something that Shah was very confident about when taking on the project. “Luckily, I had done a recce [pre-shoot] with this location on another project before, so I had kept it in mind. When I got a call from the fashion stylist for this shoot, I immediately suggested this location, shared the images, and it got approved.”
Photos shot by Ritika Shah for “Harper’s Bazaar India”
The location ended up being a huge focal point for the spread and Shah’s vision overall. “It had elements of traditional Indian architecture, but in a modern setting; Just like the clothes were made of traditional handwoven Indian weave, with modern silhouettes. The location played a big role in supporting the concept of the shoot.”
Shah has been in the business for four years as an independent fashion photographer. Previously, she shot the cover for Verve Magazine and had her work featured in Contributor Magazine, Homegrown Magazine, and more. “It’s been a great journey working as an independent photographer and I am always grateful for all my learnings at NYFA,” explained Shah. “NYFA taught me to question everything that I liked and I still question myself as to why I like or dislike something; it helps in getting the creative juices flowing.”
New York Film Academy would like to congratulate NYFA Photography alum, Ritika Shah, for her stunning fashion photography portraitures featured in the November issue of Harper’s Bazaar India. For more photos from the NYFA alum, check out her Instagram here.
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.
2020 isn’t going to stop Ritika Shah from making bold moves in the fashion world. Recently, the 1-Year Photography Conservatory alum shot a full fashion editorial for the highbrow style magazine, Harper’s Bazaar India.
The photos, which can be found in Bazaar’s November 2020 issue, featuring images that capture the “Magic of the Weave,” a concept by the magazine’s editor paying homage to clothes that have been made of traditional, handwoven Indian weave, “Brocade,” with a modern twist.
Shot by Ritika Shah for “Harper’s Bazaar India”
As an independent photographer, Shah revealed that her style has evolved over time to be “very minimal” which is emulated in her photos. “I had full creative freedom in terms of the location and frames used for each shot and the model’s poses,” revealed Shah. “I decided to follow my vision, but I had to make sure that the imagery aligned with the magazine’s aesthetic as well.”
One of the biggest aspects of shooting the project was the location of the shoot, something that Shah was very confident about when taking on the project. “Luckily, I had done a recce [pre-shoot] with this location on another project before, so I had kept it in mind. When I got a call from the fashion stylist for this shoot, I immediately suggested this location, shared the images, and it got approved.”
The location ended up being a huge focal point for the spread and Shah’s vision overall. “It had elements of traditional Indian architecture, but in a modern setting; Just like the clothes were made of traditional handwoven Indian weave, with modern silhouettes. The location played a big role in supporting the concept of the shoot.”
Shah has been in the business for four years as an independent fashion photographer. Previously, she shot the cover for Verve Magazine and had her work featured in Contributor Magazine, Homegrown Magazine, and more. “It’s been a great journey working as an independent photographer and I am always grateful for all my learnings at NYFA,” explained Shah. “NYFA taught me to question everything that I liked and I still question myself as to why I like or dislike something; it helps in getting the creative juices flowing.”
New York Film Academy would like to congratulate NYFA Photography alum, Ritika Shah, for her stunning fashion photography portraitures featured in the November issue of Harper’s Bazaar India. For more photos from the NYFA alum, check out her Instagram here.
Documentary Filmmaking alum Eleonora Privitera graduated from her 1-Year program in 2019 and has been continuing to prove she is a filmmaker that seeks to make the unknown stories of real people heard.
Before attending NYFA, the Italian native had an extensive background in social anthropology and was involved in ethnographic research fieldwork focused on urban violence and humanitarian projects in South America and East Africa. In 2019, she released a subversive short about an LGBTQIA+ movement using art and political performances to fight homophobia in Queenz of The Night. Now the alum is back with her new documentary short, Rebirth, and this time it’s closer to home.
Still from “Rebirth,” directed by Eleonora Privitera
The emotionally-driven film, which follows Privitera’s own parent’s as her mother (Grazia) and father (Vincenzo) grapple with Vincenzo’s cancer. On one hand, the film portrays Vincenzo grappling with mortality, while Grazia strives to cope with the burden of caring for her husband while accepting the reality of the disease that is taking over someone she has loved for over 40 years.
“My response was to start to intimately film how his and my mother’s lives have changed while dealing with the disease,” shared Privitera. “Being far away from home, I knew that he and my mother didn’t really want me to know the burden that was currently happening in their lives, but I wanted to be part of the struggle and I couldn’t pretend there wasn’t one.”
“Therefore, in this difficult time, on the hard road they were both on, all I could do was film them with empathy and love in order to artistically explore their interior worlds, fears, and hopes.”
The film screened at the San Diego Italian Film Festival and was the recipient of the Silver Award, acknowledging Privitera’s breathtaking film, which captures the tough reality of two people very close to the filmmaker.
New York Film Academy congratulates Documentary Filmmaking alum, Eleonora Privitera, on her well-deserved Silver Award win at the San Diego Italian Film Festival and looks forward to future documentary projects from the alum.
On Wednesday, December 9, New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the honor of welcoming Executive Producer ELICIA LAPORT as part of The 20/20 Series, created by NYFA’s Creative Director of Filmmaking andCinematography, Liz Hinlein. The conversation was moderated by Hinlein and was held virtually, allowing individuals to join NYFA and the special guests from all over the world.
The 20/20 Series, created by Hinlein, is a virtual pop-up event that takes us into the homes, hubs, and workspaces of an array of dynamic creative visionaries to allow for relaxed, engaging conversations on craft, creation, and artistic vision.
Ridley Scott Creative Group logo
Elicia Laport got her start as a PA on the last season of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse in the animation department. Twenty-nine years later, she’s filled every role on set, in the office, and on shoots large and small, including seven years as a Bidding Producer at Crossroads Films. Today, she is an integral part of the RSA Films/Ridley Scott Creative Group family, where she served as Head of Production for over a decade before being promoted this January to Executive Producer.
Laport had been honored with a Cable Ace Award nomination for one of the seventy-five infotainment segments she created for the original Encore Network and the LA Weekly Award for Production of the Year for a play on homelessness called Michi’s Blood.
Image from sizzle reel of RSA’s iconic ‘1984’ ad for Apple
Hinlein began the conversation by sharing a sizzle reel from RSA’s (Ridley Scott Association) projects with the audience. After showing the clips, Hinlein remarked that the reel evokes so many emotions and asked Laport to share more about her involvement with the famed RSA company. Laport remembered working at another production house and applying for a position at RSA, and not long after rising through the ranks where she eventually became promoted to her more recent title during the COVID pandemic of Executive Producer. “I haven’t actually been in the office in my new role,” she joked.
“As a head of production (HOP), I also was part of the bidding and pitching process over the year. As a HOP, you are responsible for making sure that all the jobs that are coming in are compliant with RSA’s policies and you look at processes and union compliance changes, Department of Transportation regulations, and, more recently, COVID-19 regulations. It’s also about keeping track of insurance claims and the like. You sort of act as the point person for production and you make sure to keep the production as a whole on track.”
Executive Producer Elicia Laport
As an employee of such a high-profile production company, Laport shared that RSA holds itself to such a high standard and makes sure it is ultra compliant so as to set a golden standard for production across its global portfolio of projects. Ultimately, compliance and quality go hand-in-hand.
The executive producer also revealed that it’s the short-form content that gets her excited more than any longer-form content. “I love getting to create something quickly. There’s a lot of urgency and you are part of a team for each project. I felt then when I started and feel now that I am contributing to something bigger and that has always suited me.”
But what can someone expect in the role of an executive producer for a high-level production company? Laport shared that it’s about wearing a lot of hats. “If something goes wrong, you have to figure out how to solve it and don’t count out working some late nights on proposals or packages for clients or directors.”
New York Film Academy would like to thank Elicia Laport for joining the NYFA global community to discuss her career and give a peek behind the curtain of what it’s like to work at RSA/Ridley Scott Creative Group or The 20/20 Series, created by and moderated by Liz Hinlein.
To watch the full conversation, view the video below or click here.
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.
Recently, New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the opportunity to host a live video Q&A with the Head of the Motion Picture Literary Department of ICM Agency, DOUG MACLAREN. The discussion with NYFA students and alumni was centered on the agency world and how agents work with their clients in the entertainment industry, especially now in the middle of a pandemic. TOVA LAITER, Director of the NYFA Q&A-List Series, curated and moderated the event.
Doug MacLaren is Partner and Co-Head of ICM’s Director’s Group. He is a talent and literary agent at ICM Partners, where he represents directors, writers, and actors across both movies and television. He started as an assistant at Intertalent which merged with ICM in 1993.
His current clients include Tom Hooper (Best Picture and Best Director Oscar winner for The King’s Speech; Les Miserables; The Danish Girl), Vince Gilligan (Emmy award-winner for Breaking Bad and Better Caul Saul; El Camino), Gurinder Chadha (Blinded By The Light; Bend It Like Beckham), Neill Blomkamp (District 9; Elysium), Peter Weir (multiple Oscar nominee for Dead Poets Society; Witness; The Truman Show) Joseph Cedar (Foreign Oscar nominee for Footnote and Beaufort; Our Boys), and Michelle MacLaren (Emmy award-winner for Breaking Bad; Game of Thrones; Westworld; The Walking Dead).
Tova Laiter (Left) and Doug MacLaren for NYFA’s Q&A-List
Laiter began the discussion by asking MacLaren how he ended up in the entertainment agency business, to which he replied that right out of college he was involved in the banking industry. After working in Hong Kong at a French bank, MacLaren realized he needed to reevaluate what it was he actually wanted to do with his life. After coming back stateside, MacLaren decided to finally let his love of cinema lead a path to Los Angeles where he started meeting with companies who made movies he liked and eventually landed a job in the industry.
Laiter questioned how is the agency able to keep up with the multiple companies around, from studios, streamers and so many independents (when she started in the business there were five studios and two independents). MacLaren explained how the agency world is keeping up with the changes. “We have staff covering it all and we meet several times a week where we cover all kinds of possibilities for our clients” he explained. “We need to be specialists in all areas from animation to the independent filmmaking market, and I have a division of people who I can work with for all kinds of projects [studio and streaming alike].”
Before the pandemic, being an agent meant combing through the city with meetings and networking, with lunches and dinners held in order for people to meet and make big moves happen for projects and clients. With the COVID-19 pandemic, Laiter pointed out, that way of life for agents has also changed.
Doug MacLaren (Right) with “Breaking Bad” creator and client Vince Gilligan (Zimbio)
“There’s a lot of ways we can keep things COVID-safe with what we do,” shared MacLaren. “We are finding that scheduling Zooms with studios and big production companies is actually easier to get everyone together. In fact, it’s a plus not having to drive to studios or companies across heavily trafficked Los Angeles. It’s now easier to work with people’s schedules including managing clients in multiple time zones and helping in work/life balance to take moments to relax.
While the pandemic has changed the way agents are working, studios and streaming services have already been changing the way they pick and choose their projects, MacLaren noted. “Studios like Sony and Warner Bros. are mostly looking for the pre-branded IP (Intellectual property). That shift has been going on for a long time as there is international value in it.”
“For those of us who grew up loving dramas, comedies, and thrillers, that can be frustrating because of the narrowing of movies that are being made,” he said. “The hope is that the streamers don’t have to worry about the Box Office and streamers like Netflix are making everything from documentaries to sit-coms to replace your cable box.”
On the other hand, MacLaren warned that the data streaming platforms collect can also be threatening. “My fear is, because I represent a diverse group of artists, is that they [streaming platforms] start to develop an echo chamber and say ‘oh well if people are watching action comedies, let’s make more action comedies and IP-driven blockbuster movies’.”
Still from Doug MacLaren’s Tedx Talk “Primal Processing Power of Our Brains”
Laiter also asked MacLaren whether creatives and agents need to have more of a package, even if its middle names of talent, put together before showing it to studio or streamers for a project, to cut through the noise or send a screenplay unattached. “In general, yeah, we are taking things a bit further down the road before exposing them to studios,” he revealed, noting that that the production can be easily imagined by studios if the project has the thoughtfulness and care already put into it. However, if the script is exactly what the studio or streamers are looking for- then yes, just send the screenplay.”
Laiter then closed the conversation by thanking MacLaren for pulling back the curtain as to what is happening in the film industry right now and what his job entails. MacLaren replied that he was grateful to join the conversation and wished NYFA students and alumni the best of luck. “Keep making stuff. Keep writing stuff. This is an exciting time for the industry!”
New York Film Academy would like to thank ICM Partners’ Doug MacLaren for sharing his time and film industry experience with NYFA students and alumni. To hear the full conversation with MacLaren’s insight into the industry and what he thinks will become of movie theaters as a result of the pandemic.
To view the full conversation, view the video below or click here.
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.
New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the opportunity to host a live video Q&A with the Head of the Motion Picture Literary Department of ICM Agency, DOUG MACLAREN. The discussion with NYFA students and alumni was centered on the agency world and how agents work with their clients in the entertainment industry, especially now in the middle of a pandemic. TOVA LAITER, Director of the NYFA Q&A-List Series, curated and moderated the event.
Doug MacLaren is Partner and Co-Head of ICM’s Director’s Group. He is a talent and literary agent at ICM Partners, where he represents directors, writers, and actors across both movies and television. His current clients include Tom Hooper (Best Picture and Best Director Oscar winner for The King’s Speech; Les Miserables; The Danish Girl), Vince Gilligan (Emmy award-winner for Breaking Bad and Better Caul Saul; El Camino), Gurinder Chadha (Blinded By The Light; Bend It Like Beckham), Neill Blomkamp (District 9; Elysium), Peter Weir (multiple Oscar nominee for Dead Poets Society; Witness; The Truman Show) Joseph Cedar (Foreign Oscar nominee for Footnote and Beaufort; Our Boys), and Michelle MacLaren (Emmy award-winner for Breaking Bad; Game of Thrones; Westworld; The Walking Dead).
Tova Laiter (Left) and Doug MacLaren for NYFA’s Q&A-List
Laiter began the discussion by asking MacLaren how he ended up in the entertainment agency business, to which he replied that right out of college he was involved in the banking industry. After working in Hong Kong at a French bank, MacLaren realized he needed to reevaluate what it was he actually wanted to do with his life. After coming back stateside, MacLaren decided to finally let his love of cinema lead a path to Los Angeles where he started meeting with companies who made movies he liked and eventually landed a job in the industry.
Laiter questioned how is the agency able to keep up with the multiple companies around, from studios, streamers and so many independents (when she started in the business there were 5 studios and two independents). MacLaren explained how the agency world is keeping up with the changes. “We have staff covering it all and we meet several times a week where we cover all kinds of possibilities for our clients” he explained. “We need to be specialists in all areas from animation to the independent filmmaking market, and I have a division of people who I can work with for all kinds of projects [studio and streaming alike].”
Doug MacLaren (Right) with “Breaking Bad” creator and client Vince Gilligan (Zimbio)
“There’s a lot of ways we can keep things COVID-safe with what we do,” shared MacLaren. “We are finding that scheduling Zooms with studios and big production companies is actually easier to get everyone together. In fact, it’s a plus not having to drive to studios or companies across heavily trafficked Los Angeles. It’s now easier to work with people’s schedules including managing clients in multiple time zones and helping in work/life balance to take moments to relax.
While the pandemic has changed the way agents are working, studios and streaming services have already been changing the way they pick and choose their projects, MacLaren noted. “Studios like Sony and Warner Bros. are mostly looking for the pre-branded IP (Intellectual property). That shift has been going on for a long time as there is international value in it.”
“For those of us who grew up loving dramas, comedies, and thrillers, that can be frustrating because of the narrowing of movies that are being made,” he said. “The hope is that the streamers don’t have to worry about the Box Office and streamers like Netflix are making everything from documentaries to sit-coms to replace your cable box.”
On the other hand, MacLaren warned that the data streaming platforms collect can also be threatening. “My fear is, because I represent a diverse group of artists, is that they [streaming platforms] start to develop an echo chamber and say ‘oh well if people are watching action comedies, let’s make more action comedies and IP-driven blockbuster movies’.”
Still from Doug MacLaren’s Tedx Talk “Primal Processing Power of Our Brains”
Laiter also asked MacLaren whether creatives and agents need to have more of a package, even if its middle names of talent, put together before showing it to studio or streamers for a project, to cut through the noise or send a screenplay unattached. “In general, yeah, we are taking things a bit further down the road before exposing them to studios,” he revealed, noting that that the production can be easily imagined by studios if the project has the thoughtfulness and care already put into it. However, if the script is exactly what the studio or streamers are looking for- then yes, just send the screenplay.”
Laiter then closed the conversation by thanking MacLaren for pulling back the curtain as to what is happening in the film industry right now and what his job entails. MacLaren replied that he was grateful to join the conversation and wished NYFA students and alumni the best of luck. “Keep making stuff. Keep writing stuff. This is an exciting time for the industry!”
New York Film Academy would like to thank ICM Partners’ Doug MacLaren for sharing his time and film industry experience with NYFA students and alumni. To hear the full conversation with MacLaren’s insight into the industry and what he thinks will become of movie theaters as a result of the pandemic.
On December 9, 2020, New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the honor of hosting a live video Q&A with actress & NYFA alum Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West, Parks & Recreation), actor Christopher Abbott (Catch 22, First Ma), actress Sarah Gadon (True Detective, Alias Grace), and former NYFA instructor and director of the film, Lawrence Michael Levine (Wild Canaries, Gabi on the Roof in July), They discussed their highly-anticipated new film Black Bear with Tova Laiter, Director of the NYFA Q&A-List Series who curated and moderated the event.
The movie Black Bear is a meta thriller about movie-making, creativity, jealousy, and ego. The film premiered earlier this year at Sundance and is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Laiter opened up the conversation by calling the films “Beguiling, intriguing and thought-provoking” as it has two parts of two different genres and asked Levine how the unusual film came about. The director cited his wife and frequent collaborator, Sophia Takal (Black Christmas; Hulu’s New Year, New You) as his inspiration. “I can remember the origins of part two was somewhat based on the working relationship with Sofia [Takal], which was tumulous at the start, but I wouldn’t say it was autobiographical, or resembles the one in the film.”
The film, Levine explained, is also a result of what many artists tend to do when they are stuck; try something new. “I was writing all this stuff that was very boring and conventional. I was going through a rough time and was bored professionally. I think I just wanted to do something different and [Black Bear] was, in some ways, kind of about what I was going through.”
(Clockwise) Tova Laiter, Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, Sarah Gadon, and Lawrence Michael Levine
Then Plaza got involved in the project and, in addition to landing the starring role, became a producer on the film to help it launch as an independent production. In one of her best performances to date, the NYFA alum revealed that the toughest scene for her was the infamous “breakdown” scene in the second part of the film. “The movie within the movie… just because that scene was very complex (a lot of people and a lot of chaos). I was always scared and terrified to shoot it and it was a lot to keep all of those things in play and, in a technical sense, it was very trippy.”
The meta concept of a movie within a movie, for some, seemed to reveal a more mysterious plot than Levine originally intended. “It’s interesting because the response has been ‘the film is mysterious.’ I guess I will say the simplest thing about it is it’s one artist [played by Plaza] doing two interpretations of a scene. The audience is left wondering: Which is real? Are they both real? When does she start writing this? Is it prior to or after meeting the couple? It’s two different ways of exploring the theme of heartbreak and betrayal.”
Allison (Aubrey Plaza) and Gabe (Christopher Abbott) in “Black Bear” (Momentum Pictures)
In each part of the film, Plaza, Abbott, and Gadon give knockout and emotionally-driven performances, playing dual versions of their role. “I was very intrigued to get two parts in one movie. It’s like you’re getting paid for one but doing two parts,” joked Abbott. “Larry [Levine] wrote something so genius, especially with something with Aubrey [Plaza] and Sarah [Gadon] attached to it.”
When asked by a student whether it seemed “daunting” to play different characters, Gadon, who plays Blair, shared that it actually wasn’t daunting at all for her. “When I read the script, I was really excited. It was such an original script and I had never read anything like it, and I knew it would make for a really intense movie.”
Gabe (Christopher Abbott) and Blair (Sarah Gadon) in “Black Bear” (Momentum Pictures)
After discussing Black Bear, the guests turned the conversation towards more technical questions from NYFA students and alumni, who asked the artists about both the directorial and acting process. For directing, Levine provided that sometimes directing means “stepping away, trusting, and letting them [the actors] take the reins and be comfortable. The intention is to make the actors feel safe and supported by having their back if they are lost. I had faith in these three [Plaza, Abbott, and Gadon] and I was dying to work with them for Black Bear.”
Abbott reminded actors that in most characters, there’s “always a little bit of you in there,” but it’s about determining “how different the character is from you” versus how you are alike that will help you be able to fully dive in. Gadon added that it’s about making a character feel as fleshed out as possible, a nod to screenwriters everywhere to remember to help the actors let that character leap off the page.
Plaza shared that it’s important for those about to enter the film industry to continue to explore their craft, make mistakes, and network. For her, it was just as puzzling until she joined the Upright Citizens Brigade, where she found herself in a supportive community of like-minded people that led to a path for her to break-in. “It’s important to focus on those kinds of communities and collaborations rather than figuring out how to ‘get in’ to the industry, get an agent, etc. If there is anything concrete, it’s about getting in front of casting directors more than anyone.”
Aubrey Plaza, Lawrence Michael Levine, Christopher Abbott, and Sarah Gadon at Sundance Film Festival (Zimbio)
Plaza also remarked during the discussion about her NYFA days and shared with students that “New York Film Academy was so important” to her. She reminisced that prior to getting into the Teen Filmmaking program that she would stay up late at night and look at the pictures and the programs available and was “dreaming about being in that [Teen Filmmaking] program.”
Laiter thanked Plaza, Levine, Abbott, and Gadon for taking the time to join the conversation and for discussing their process of filming their critically acclaimed film Black Bear, as well as sharing their expertise with students.
New York Film Academy would like to thank Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, Sarah Gadon, and Lawrence Michael Levine, as well as Momentum Pictures and Shelter PR for giving the opportunity for students and alumni to watch the film, which can be seen on all On-Demand platforms.
To view the full conversation, click here or watch the video 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.
On December 9, 2020, New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the honor of hosting a live video Q&A with actress & NYFA alum Aubrey Plaza, actor Christopher Abbott, actress Sarah Gadon, and former NYFA instructor and director of the film, Lawrence Michael Levine, to discuss their highly-anticipated new film Black Bear. Tova Laiter, Director of the NYFA Q&A-List Series, curated and moderated the event.
The movie Black Bear is a meta thriller about movie-making, creativity, and ego from writer-director Lawrence Michael Levine. The film debuted earlier this year at Sundance and is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Black Bear boasts an incredible cast, featuring NYFA alum Aubrey Plaza(Ingrid Goes West, Parks & Recreation), Christopher Abbott (Catch-22, First Man), and Sarah Gadon (True Detective, Alias Grace).
Laiter opened up the conversation by asking Levine how the film itself came to be made. The director cited his wife and frequent collaborator, Sophia Takal (Black Christmas; Hulu’s New Year, New You) as his inspiration. “I can remember the origins of part two was the working relationship with Sofia [Takal], but I wouldn’t say it would resemble the one in the film.”
The film, Levine explained, is also a result of what many artists tend to do when they are stuck; try something new. “I think I just wanted to do something different and I was writing all this stuff that was very boring and conventional. I was going through a rough time and was bored professionally. It [Black Bear] was, in some ways, kind of about what I was going through.”
(Clockwise) Tova Laiter, Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, Sarah Gadon, and Lawrence Michael Levine
Then Plaza got involved in the project and, in addition to landing the starring role, became a producer on the film. In one of her best performances to date, the NYFA alum revealed that the toughest scene for her was the infamous “breakdown” scene in the second part of the film. “The movie within the movie just because that scene was very complex (a lot of people and a lot of chaos). That was the day, I was always scared and terrified to shoot it and it was a lot to keep all of those things in play and, in a technical sense, it was very trippy.”
The meta concept of a movie within a movie, for some, seemed to reveal a more mysterious plot than Levine originally intended. “It’s interesting because the response has been ‘the film is mysterious.’ I guess I will say the simplest thing about it is it’s one artist [played by Plaza] doing two interpretations of a scene. The audience is left wondering: Which is real? Are they both real? When does she start writing this? Is it prior to or after meeting the couple? It’s two different ways of exploring the theme of heartbreak and betrayal.”
Allison (Aubrey Plaza) and Gabe (Christopher Abbott) in “Black Bear” (Momentum Pictures)
In each part of the film, Plaza, Abbott, and Gadon give knockout and emotionally-driven performances, playing dual versions of their role. “I was very intrigued to get two parts in one movie. It’s like you’re getting paid for one but doing two parts,” joked Abbott. “Larry [Levine] wrote something so genius, especially with something with Aubrey [Plaza] and Sarah [Gadon] attached to it.”
When asked by a student whether it seemed “daunting” to play different characters, Gadon, who plays Blair, shared that it actually wasn’t daunting at all for her. “When I read the script, I was really excited. It was such an original script and I had never read anything like it, and I knew it would make for a really intense movie.”
Caption: Gabe (Christopher Abbott) and Blair (Sarah Gadon) in “Black Bear” (Momentum Pictures)
After discussing Black Bear, the guests turned the conversation towards more technical questions from NYFA students and alumni, who asked the artists about both the directorial and acting process. For directing, Levine provided that sometimes directing means “stepping away, trusting, and letting them [the actors] take the reins and be comfortable. The intention is to make the actors feel safe and supported by having their back if they are lost. I had faith in these three [Plaza, Abbott, and Gadon] and I was dying to work with them for Black Bear.” Abbott reminded actors that in most characters, there’s “always a little bit of you in there,” but it’s about determining “how different the character is from you” versus how you are alike that will help you be able to fully dive in. Gadon added that it’s about making a character feel as fleshed out as possible, a nod to screenwriters everywhere to remember to help the actors let that character leap off the page.
Plaza shared that it’s important for those about to enter the film industry to continue to explore their craft, make mistakes, and network. “It’s important to focus on those kinds of communities and collaborations rather than figuring out how to ‘get in’ to the industry. If there is anything concrete, you want to get in front of casting directors more than anyone. So focusing your strategy and surrounding yourself around a community of like-minded people is important, because you don’t know what could lead to the next opportunity.”
Aubrey Plaza, Lawrence Michael Levine, Christopher Abbott, and Sarah Gadon at Sundance Film Festival (Zimbio)
Plaza also remarked during the discussion about her NYFA days and shared with students that “New York Film Academy was so important.” She reminisced that prior to getting into the Teen Filmmaking program that she would stay up late at night and look at the pictures, “dreaming about being in that program.”
Laiter thanked Plaza, Levine, Abbott, and Gadon for taking the time to join the conversation and for discussing their process and experience filming their critically acclaimed film Black Bear, as well as sharing their expertise with students.
New York Film Academy would like to thank Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, Sarah Gadon, and Lawrence Michael Levine for sharing their time and acting experience with NYFA students and alumni.
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