Today, Backstage and New York Film Academy presented a panel called “The New Normal of Casting” as a spin-off of NYFA’s The 20/20 Series, curated and moderated by NYFA’s Creative Director of Filmmaking and Cinematography, Liz Hinlein, and Backatage’s ongoing series The Slate. The conversation was moderated by senior editor at Backstage, Elyse Roth, and was held virtually, allowing individuals to join NYFA and the special guests from all over the world.

Panelists included Victor Vazquez (founder of X Casting NYC), Amy Van Horne (NYFA instructor and professional on-camera audition coach), Diakeim Lyles (professional in film/TV and commercial casting), and Christine McKenna-Tirella (NY Casting Specialist at Backstage). The conversation included topics like meeting the moment for casting, color-conscious casting, the power of the self-tape, and more.

Roth began the conversation with the topic of color-conscious casting and asked the panel about what that term specifically means to them and how that can be implemented in the day-to-day of casting. Vazquez commented, “there is a continuous erasure of people of color, which is the reason I started X Casting due to the lack of representation ‘behind the table’. You can’t change in front of the table (the screen or stage) unless you also change the people behind the table. Instead of color-conscious casting, we need to think of identity-conscious casting. It’s about women, queer, trans actors, and more.”

McKenna-Tirella agreed and added that it was important to continue having those conversations as members of casting. “Everyone I know has good intentions to connect actors with opportunities, but we have missed the mark in terms of making it as inclusive as it needs to be.”

As far as auditioning, Roth asked the panelists about the role casting directors actually play throughout the audition process. “Casting is part of an eco-system,” shared Vazquez. “I’m a designer in this process and we get to design your [the client’s] cast.” McKenna-Tirella also offered that casting directors are “gatekeepers” and should take on the responsibility of asking clients to break the traditional norms of casting.

Lyles, who participates in more of the commercial casting world, shared that for him, it’s about fully being on board with what a client is asking for and then going out to find it, but there are limits in terms of what, as a casting director, Lyles is prepared to do. “For me, I only really turn down a commercial project if they [the client] are coming from an odd place or the client seems unsure or undisciplined in what they are trying to do, or if there are jobs where they are not paying the actor.”

Roth then turned to NYFA’s own Amy Van Horne to get more of an audition-focused perspective when it comes to casting and preparing actors for landing their next role. “When I have my acting students and clients, they are trying to stay up with the tidal wave of change,” she shared. “The truth is, it’s pretty simple. Good acting is good acting and the fundamentals of the audition process haven’t gone anywhere. Be specific in your choices. Be creative, not clever. Go back to the basics of the work and fine tune your crafting.”

New York Film Academy would like to thank Backstage for hosting the event on their platform, The Slate, and the panelists for sharing their time and expertise on casting best practices for the global audience.

On October 15, 2020, New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the honor of hosting a live video Q&A with acclaimed actress Nathalie Emmanuel to discuss the acting craft and her career with NYFA students. Tova Laiter, Director of the NYFA Q&A-List Series, curated and moderated the event.

Nathalie Emmanuel is well-known to many as ‘Missandei’ in the critically acclaimed HBO series Game of Thrones. Emmanuel can now also be seen in Quibi’s comedic series Die Hart, starring alongside Kevin Hart and John Travolta.

She was recently seen in Hulu’s romantic comedy series Four Weddings and a Funeral and made her US feature film debut in the wildly popular Fast & Furious franchise and is expected to appear in the ninth installment, F9. Emmanuel has also been heard as the voice of Deet in Netflix’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and starred in 20th Century Fox’s Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and Maze Runner: The Death Cure.

Laiter began the conversation with the Die Hart actress by asking about how she started in the business. Stating she was a shy kid growing up, Emmanuel remarked how she got into the arts as a fun hobby until she finally got her big break on British TV show Hollyoaks.

Laiter, who also has experience with Quibi for the reboot of Varsity Blues, asked Emmanuel about her experience shooting the show which uniquely breaks the series into 10 short episodes of almost 10 minutes each. “It was a four week shoot and we shot based on where we were and what we could get. I remember reading the script and laughing so much…and my character was such a fun challenge for me.”

The discussion then opened to questions with one student asking Emmanuel about what she looks for in a script when deciding on a role. “I look for the challenges and aspects of the character that I can relate to,” she began. “As a woman and as a woman of color, I want to ask myself ‘what else can I bring to this?’ It’s also interesting to play people who are complex and when there is variety in the character’s journey.”

Speaking of characters, Emmanuel shared with the audience some advice on how to further connect with their characters if they are feeling stuck. “Sometimes my character can be inspired by music or it’s as simple as putting on your character’s clothing, but it depends on the part and sometimes the day. Once I am sure I really understand the scene and what I am about to do, the character’s world and the people around them, then it helps me connect to my character quicker.”

When building out her characters, Emmanuel shared that the process is different each time depending on the story and motivation of her character. “It really depends on the story. “I would just try to prepare the character and identify all their qualities and flaws. I try to treat each character as an individual person and focus on their actions and what they do.”

Emmanuel also encouraged students, who are making the move in the industry, to have a solid support system nearby. “I’ve had to work hard at positive affirmation. I have control over the things that I can control in my career and there is a confidence that comes with that,” she shared. “You have to give yourself time though. Things won’t happen at the same speed like someone else.”

Students were also able to ask Emmanuel about getting the part of her most iconic role, Missandei on HBO’s Game of Thrones. Emmanuel joked that she kept harassing her agent about finding a role to audition for on the show.

After landing the role and winning over audiences everywhere, Emmanuel remarked that her favorite director on the series, Mark Mylod, was outstanding at making everything comfortable on set for an intimate scene with fellow actor Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm). “Mark took the best care of us and gave us his ideas and would allow us to provide feedback. He was so respectful and so wonderful and just helped us bring out the beauty of that scene to where we felt like we just earned this moment.”

When working with directors, Emmanuel shared that she likes it when she can get direct feedback, even if it’s criticism. “As long as people are respectful to me when giving a note, I am fine with it,” she elaborated. “When it is laid out in a clear way, even if it’s negative, they [the director] are allowed to do that. Sometimes, you just have to work stuff out, get frustrated, and work through it.”

At the end of the discussion, Laiter thanked Emmanuel for taking the time to speak with NYFA students and giving them insight into getting into character and working on set. “It was my pleasure honestly,” replied Emmanuel. “When I had seen the amazing talent of the people who have been on this series [Q&A-List], I was flattered to be here. I also get so excited about the talent that’s coming into the industry; you guys [NYFA students] are going to take hold of that whole shift that is happening.”

New York Film Academy would like to thank actress Nathalie Emmanuel for taking the time to speak with the NYFA community and invite the actress to come back in the future as many times as she wants!

Nathalie Emmanuel can be seen in Quibi’s Die Hart, now available to stream by downloading the Quibi app in the app store or through Quibi.com.

To hear the full conversation, click the video below our watch on our YouTube channel 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.

The Nordic International Film Festival (NIFF) is holding its 6th edition and, like many festivals this year, has had to re-invent the festival experience due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Founders and NYFA alumni Linnea Larsdotter and Johan Matton devised a hybrid in-person and online experience where festival goers could attend drive-in screenings being held at The Brooklyn Army Terminal in New York City, as well as view films online.

The festival aims to foster a mutual connection between the Nordic region and the international film community, while also keeping topics like gender-equality and environmental sustainability at the forefront of their mission. For the 2020 festival, NIFF will be donating 50% of all online ticket sales to organizations supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

Of this year’s edition and the challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic, Linnea Larsdotter and Johan Matton said, “We are extremely pleased to be able to pull off a safe event this year both online and with a drive-in cinema, thanks to the help from A24 and Rooftop Films. It’s been a challenging year for many and we are so impressed that so many incredible filmmakers have submitted and showcased that art and films are more important now than ever.”

New York Film Academy has partnered with NIFF for the second year in a row to award this year’s Aurora Borealis winner a scholarship to one of NYFA’s four week online programs. NYFA President Michael Young expressed his congratulations to NYFA alumni Johan Matton and Linnea Larsdotter for this year’s festival. “I’d like to congratulate our alumni Johan and Linnea on putting together another wonderful festival and working so hard to make it safe and accessible to everyone,”

The Aurora Borealis category is dedicated to up-and-coming filmmakers and this year’s winner is Nicolas Kolovos, who wrote and directed the short, Index. The film, which is filmed in a single shot, tells of a family preparing to flee to Europe by boat when their young son’s finger gets stuck in the trailer of the truck transporting them. As time for the boat’s departure nears, the family has a terrifying decision to make.

New York Film Academy congratulates NYFA alumni Johan Matton and Linnea Larsdotter on this year’s successful edition of NIFF as well as Aurora Borealis winner Nicolas Kolovos.

Filmmaking alum Pavitra Chalam co-directs the new, inspirational documentary Rooting For Roona about a child named Roona with an advanced form of hydrocephalus, a condition in which fluid builds up in the brain resulting in an enlarged head and can also cause brain damage.

Roona quickly becomes known all over the world after images of her go viral and, not long after, Roona is admitted to one of India’s premier private hospitals in the nation in New Delhi. Chalam and co-director Akshay Shankar seek to chart the incredible story of Roona and her family as the young child goes through a life-altering surgery to combat her birth defect.

Chalam is an award-winning documentary filmmaker based in Bangalore whose films with focuses on issues of social importance have received critical acclaim across the world. She has directed over 200 films in the last 15 years and is the Founder of Curley Street. Chalam earned her MFA in Filmmaking at the New York Film Academy in 2006 and created her thesis film Anamika – Her Glorious Past, which went on to receive critical acclaim in festivals across the world and was screened at the World Bank in Washington DC. Pavitra has been privileged to receive numerous awards over the last decade including the Ability Media International Award in London for Best Film for Khushboo, a film about children with complex needs.

Rooting for Rona had its World Premiere at International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) and was awarded the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the South Asian Film Festival of Orlando before being acquired by Netflix.

New York Film Academy would like to congratulate Filmmaking alum Pavitra Chalam on her latest directorial achievement and encourages everyone to check out the new documentary now streaming on Netflix.

Watch the full trailer for the new documentary below or click 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.