Page 55 – NYFA

How to Produce a Super Soundtrack for Your Low-Budget Film

Posted on June 2, 2017March 22, 2024 by nyfa

The soundtrack sets the tone of your film, and connects with your viewers on an emotional, if often unconscious, level. But if getting the rights to use a hit song by a major recording artist is beyond your budget — and let’s face it, most independent films don’t have the kind of money necessary to do that — then these tips for creating a super soundtrack for a low-budget film are for you.

Using Covers to Your Advantage

Gaining rights to music has two associated licenses: The Synchronization (sync) License (held by the songwriter or publisher, who may be contacted through the performing rights societies ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC) and the Master License (the entity that owns the recording, typically the record company or the (unsigned) artist or production company).

In order to mitigate the high cost associated with master licenses by major recording artists, consider finding a cover of the song recorded by a lessor (or unknown) band. You might also call upon your buddy with a uke to record it.

Find a Rising Star With a Hit in the Making

SoundCloud is an invaluable resource for up-and-coming bands and musicians, and a goldmine for filmmakers with limited budgets. If you are willing to take the time to search and trust your musical judgement, you can use SoundCloud to put you in touch with some talented unsigned musicians with whom you might be able to negotiate directly.

Finding and Licensing the Sound You Want

Sites such as The Orchard, Jingle Punks, and Pump Audio (Getty Image’s music division) exist to connect musicians with filmmakers. As this helpful IFP article suggests, the loose rule of thumb is to allot 10-15 percent of your overall budget for music, and suggests making sure you have a professional on your side. Music licensing is complicated and you don’t want to be hit with a lawsuit just when your film is taking off.

Do It Yourself

If you have some musical talent and/or ideas for a minimal sound, you should consider creating your own soundtrack. As this article points out, it’s easier than ever for those willing to spend a little time learning the software to create professional-sounding musical scores:

“Apple’s $199 Logic Pro X is a great value considering what you get: over 10G of MIDI sounds, samples and loops (all free and clear), as well as the ability to record your own music using an audio interface, or sample and manipulate any sound you want. Plus, you can score your film from within the program, watching the picture as you work.”

Get Scrappy

As with all aspects of low-budget filmmaking, creative thinking and adaptability are necessary to do things without breaking your film’s piggy bank on the one hand or feeling disappointed and giving up on the other. Look at the artists around you and reach out. You might find you have a lifelong artistic relationship waiting to happen!

Ready to learn more about film production? Check out the New York Film Academy’s producing programs to get started.

The Next Virtual Reality Frontier Might Be Ads

Posted on June 2, 2017March 22, 2024 by nyfa

With many companies moving from brick and mortar stores to online showrooms, advertisers are turning to virtual reality to help sell products — especially those that most people want to see or test before buying. As the technology improves and more people adopt VR viewing devices, advertisers will have more options for getting their messages out.

Marketers are using VR storytelling to create short, immersive experiences that are quite different from traditional television and online commercials. These VR experiences tend to unfold and slowly introduce the product, allowing the viewer to “discover” the product within the experience.

Being able to tell an immersive story through VR makes it more likely that viewers will share the clip online rather than clicking to skip the ad — at least until the novelty of VR wears off. VR can also be part of an event. Because the VR viewing experience allows the viewer to look at different things in their environment, they may choose to watch the same piece of advertising more than once so they can focus on different things each time.

Through VR, marketers can showcase products in an “ideal” environment and customers can choose what items to inspect more closely. In 2015, Target ran a series of Halloween ads using VR to show off its line of decorations and costumes. There are six ads, that taken together, tell a story. The Ghoulish Graveyard makes good use of VR technology to help create atmosphere and let viewers see how they might set up a similar lawn display.

Travel and tourism are natural subjects for VR filmmakers. Dubai Here You Are presents a day in the life of Dubai while Best Western has a series of ads showing off the lobbies and rooms of its hotels across the U.S. Hiking boot maker Merrell produced what they claim is the first commercial “walk around” VR experience in 2015 with its Merrell TrailScape.

Using the immersive narrative techniques also gives more power to public service announcements and showcasing a company’s charitable efforts. AT&T has several ads pointing out the dangers of distracted driving. In a spot titled It Can Wait, viewers are placed in the driver’s seat as a series of texts becomes more of distraction. Experience the TOMS Virtual Giving Trip takes viewers to a school in Peru where the company donates shoes to the students. Companies with a social conscience use VR to take customers behind the scenes to show how their purchases can help people around the world.

VR advertising can help show that even long-established brands are modern. McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are also dipping their toes in the VR world with packaging that can be converted into VR viewers and with links to games and shorts that advertise their products.

Luxury car makers have used VR for virtual test drives. Volvo offers viewers a look around the cabin of the XC90 and then an experience driving a scenic mountain route. Audi uses VR and sandbox gaming to let people build tracks and experience the ride in their Sandbox. Interactive advertising that appeals to young and old helps establish brand recognition that lasts a lifetime. Lexus and ABC teamed up to make QuanticoVR, which gives viewers the point of view of a rookie on the force—there is a chance to look at the interior and exterior of the Lexus and then immersion into the show.

Interested in becoming a virtual reality developer? Study virtual reality at NYFA.

10 Tips for Making More Polished Student Films

Posted on June 2, 2017March 22, 2024 by nyfa

Let’s be honest: Many student filmmakers don’t have the time, money, or knowledge to produce a film of professional quality. Students at the New York Film Academy have access to high quality camera, lighting and sound gear, but it never hurts to know a few extra tips and tricks to create a more polished looking film on a shoestring budget.

Check out these student film hacks, below:

1. For Static Shots: Get yourself a tripod. Seriously. When you need a shot to be static, having a rock steady tripod really makes a difference.

2. For Moving Shots: Build a homemade dolly. Get your hands on a couple of PVC pipes, fasten some tiny wheels (like from your old skateboard) to a wooden plank and you have yourself a homemade dolly on the cheap.

3. For Smooth Handheld Shots: Can’t afford a steadicam? Build your own. Homemade steadicams can be surprisingly affordable.

4. Work with Natural Light: It’s been said by many professional cinematographers that the best lighting is provided by nature. Just check out the stunning work of cinematographer Nestor Almendros on “Days of Heaven,” for which he won an Academy Award. All it requires is the discipline and patience to be at the right place at the right time of day.

5. Work with Practical Lights: Practicals are the actual lamps and lighting fixtures found on location. As much as we would all like to use professional lighting units, that’s not something a shoestring budget usually allows for. But a well-placed practical not only creates a natural lighting effect, but gives you the added flexibility of turning the light on and off during the shot. In addition, cheap dimmers can be purchased at almost any hardware store and will allow you to creatively set the light intensity you want. If you’re shooting indoors, check out how available lamps look on screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_50Yy1vDT8

6. Diffused Lighting: Naked bulbs are perfect when you want hard-edged shadows, like a basement scene in a horror film. But if you’re looking for softer lighting, there are a number of inexpensive products that can replace the need for expensive gels. Wax paper and frosted shower curtains are just two examples. These items are not only cheap, they’re lightweight, can be cut into any size you need, and are easily disposable when you’re done.

pexels-photo-45072 — Image via Burak The Weekender on Pexels

7. Sculpting and Shaping Light: One of the keys to lighting well is sculpting and shaping the light. On professional movie sets, this is done with a grip kit. Grip kits contain flags, nets, silks and scrims — expensive tools used for this purpose. But with a little ingenuity, cheap substitutes can be found. Here are just two examples: When you need to block light from part of the set, black poster board can be cut and bent into any shape you need. It has the added advantage of being lightweight, enabling you to hang it in place with painters or gaffers tape. And aluminum foil can be wrapped around a light to focus it into a spotlight or even a pinhole of light.

8. Balancing Colored Light Sources: When mixing daylight with artificial light, the results can sometimes look unprofessional because daylight is bluish (colder), while lamp light is more red (warmer), and fluorescent lights tend to be green. You may like this fruit salad of color, but if you want a more professional look you’ll want the color of your light sources to match. One way to achieve this is to replace all the light bulbs with daylight-balanced bulbs. You can purchase these at a lighting supply store but less expensive versions can often be found at supermarkets and drug stores.

9. Everything Looks Good in Black and White: This may be more of a opinion-based tip, but even with the noisiest, grainiest, lowest quality of video cameras, black and white can act as a last-minute savior! Black and white will also cure problems of mismatched color from your lighting sources.

10. Cheap Lighting Effects: Need your actors to look like they are being lit by a TV screen or a fireplace? These effects can be easily produced with some inexpensive supplies. Randomly moving a piece of black poster board in front of a soft source of light can reproduce the intermittent flickering of a TV screen. The traditional method is to put a piece of blue gel over the light.

Similarly, by taping strips of orange gel to a broomstick and then gently waving it in front of a soft source of light, you can reproduce the flickering of a fireplace. In both cases, sound effects can go a long way to enhance the effect. Until you have the resources and funds available to get your hands on the gear the pros use, these hacks will do the trick.

By the way, it isn’t just student filmmakers who can benefit from these tips — low budget and indie filmmaker have used these low-budget techniques for decades. And don’t let these tips be the end of your experimentation: With a little imagination and ingenuity, you can come up with all kinds of startling effects.

Ready to learn more about filmmaking? Check out the New York Film Academy’s programs in filmmaking.

4 Books to Inspire You About the Future of Virtual Reality

Posted on June 2, 2017March 22, 2024 by nyfa

To be very honest, it’s impossible to NOT be excited about the sheer potential of virtual reality. From the perspective of the user- it’s exactly like tumbling into wonderland and discovering a whole new surreal and interactive world. From the point-of-view of the VR developer, it’s like playing God- creating and designing a world as per your imagination. Whether you’re looking to work in the lucrative VR industry or just a scifi nerd, these books will inspire you about VR’s future by sharpening your imagination with futuristic fantasies or giving you theoretical knowledge you can put to test.

1. “Learning Virtual Reality: Developing Immersive Experiences and Applications for Desktop, Web, and Mobile” by Toni Parisi

If you’re looking for an easy to read but extensive introduction packed with practical tips, this is your go-to handbook. Written by an industry expert and entrepreneur, this book gives you a lowdown on the 3 most important VR platforms- Cardboard, Gear and Oculus- and explains how to actually go about doing the stuff. After all to make your imagination into reality you need to learn UI design, work with 3D graphics as well know a fair bit of programming.

2. “Neuromancer” by William Gibson

This seminal cyberpunk work of fiction, first published in 1984 that ushered in the world of cyberspace and VR, long before the Wachowski duo made the “The Matrix” (1999). Set in a futuristic America, the novel follows Case and Molly as they try to save the world from a rogue AI. So if you’re having trouble wrapping your head round the whole idea of VR and its consequences, this book should give you ideas.

3. “Masters Of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture” by David Kushner

Of course, if Pokemon Go is anything to go by, the primary field to be affected by VR is the gaming industry. Which means if you’re really interested in VR, you might as well be a geek when it comes to video games especially of the experimental variety. This book talks about how two random guys came together to form their company “id software” that went on to launch the famous “Commander Keen” and “Wolfenstein 3D” games. It not only gives a sneak peek into how the video games are designed and how the industry works in general, but it also highlights the importance of collaboration and the need to work in a team of complementing skill sets to make successful products.

4. “Snow Crash” by Neal Stephenson

Hailed by VR experts and scientists like Michael Abrash, this hard sci fi novel that came out in 1992 literally set the ball rolling for the virtual to be made real. In fact, most of the VR terminology we use everyday such as “metaverse” and “avatar” can all be traced back to this book that is a blend of history, myth, linguistics, computer science and politics and makes for heavy reading.

5. “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline

As Variety puts it, Ernest Cline’s visionary dystopian novel “has been hailed by many in the VR industry as a seminal piece of writing about virtual worlds.” It’s inspired so many current industry leaders, VR developers, and artists, that Warner Bros. is currently producing a major motion picture version of the book directed by Stephen Spielberg, to be released in 2018.

So if you’re up for studying VR at NYFA, these books are a must-read to brush up your knowledge as well as to broaden your horizons. After all VR is one field that requires both technical skill and expertise as well as creativity and imagination. So while you’re reading a programming handbook on Unity, make sure you’re up to date with important sci fi literatures as well.

NYFA’s workshops offer a hands-on approach for students to learn everything there is to know about VR world-building and story-writing. If you’re curious, visit our VR page to see what you’ll learn in our VR workshops.

How to Get Into Film Festivals

Posted on June 2, 2017March 22, 2024 by nyfa

At the New York Film Academy, students in our filmmaking program learn from the best. Starting on day one through hands-on experience, students learn how to write, shoot, direct, and edit their films. At the end of each filmmaking course, NYFA students have the opportunity to screen their films, open to the cast, crew, friends, and family.

Students don’t have to stop there though. There are many opportunities for students to submit their films to festivals. We have some tips for you to help you get into film festivals.

Pay Attention

When you are submitting to a film festival — it doesn’t matter if it’s big or small — pay close attention to all of the submission rules and regulations of the festival committee. Each festival has its own specific set of rules, and it’s important to show the festival committee that you can follow direction.

In an interview with “The Huffington Post,” Elliot Grove, independent film producer and founder of the London Raindance Film Festival, said that a lot of filmmakers end up annoying film festival programmers.

Make sure you read all the rules and regulations for submission before you pick up that phone or send an email to the festival committee. You’ll also want to make sure that you understand the overall tone of the festival, and that the work that you are submitting is reflective of that.

When it comes down to it, there are many factors that determine whether a film will be accepted into a film festival or rejected. Think about quality of the screenplay, subject matter, color correction, and sound mixing when you are submitting a film.

You should also try and submit to film festivals early to avoid paying any late fees. Each film festival has three waves of submissions: early, regular, and late. Prices during early deadlines are at their lowest, whereas submitting late could cost you a ton of money.

Pick the Right Festival

Again, it comes back to paying attention to details. Each film festival has its own focus and it’s important that you understand that focus before you start submitting your material. When you are looking at the different types of film festivals, you need to think about the genres that will be there and your audience. Also, does the festival have a theme for that year? These are all important factors that you should think about when you are picking the festival.

Test the Film Out Before Submitting

Strive to make your film as perfect as possible before you submit it to a film festival. If you feel like something is off, or something in the film could be improved, fix it before you send it off. We know you want to get your film finalized so you can see the audience’s reaction and receive some gratification, but impatience leads to mistakes.

Don’t be afraid to do a live screening with a test audience. You may need a venue, projection and sound equipment, but you’ll be able to watch the audience react to your film and receive their feedback instantly.

You may be able to tweak your film based on the audience’s positive feedback and criticism. It’s extra work for you to do before submitting it to a film festival, but in the end, it would be worth it to do a test screening.

Do you have any tips for submitting films to festivals? If so, let us know below! Learn more about filmmaking at the New York Film Academy.

Acting for Film: How to Put Together a Fantastic Demo Reel

Posted on May 26, 2017November 16, 2022 by nyfa

Like most aspiring actors, you’re probably torn on whether you need a demo reel or not. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “No reel is better than a bad reel.” However, demo reels are an industry standard, considered more effective than head shots and resumes alone. Here are a few tips on putting together a great demo reel.

Get By With a Little Help From Your Friends

If you’re just starting out and you have no footage to draw from for a demo reel, you can create your own footage! Try filming three short 1-minute scenes featuring yourself and a few actor friends, and be sure not to skimp on a professional microphone, camera, and lights if possible. This will give you some footage you can edit into a demo reel, ideally between 90 seconds and 3 minutes. Make sure to include your contact information at the end of your reel. It can be expensive to rent professional equipment, but if you can use the footage from the demo reel for multiple actor friends, the cost will be split.

Keep It Short and Sweet

A demo reel should be two to three minutes, maximum. Casting directors don’t typically watch demo reels longer than that, and if you go any shorter you risk losing the chance to capture your talents accurately.

Film a few different scenes and edit them together; one scene alone may not entice a casting director, especially if you want to show your range and diversity as an actor. You may want to use one dramatic scene and one comedic scene to show off your skills and prove your versatility. Whichever you choose, make sure not to overdo it with your editing; splicing too many short scenes together creates a choppy reel that will turn directors away. Instead, focus on choosing scenes that convey a strong sense of your presence and skills.

Gather Footage from Current Projects

You don’t always need to film your own reel. You can use material from current and recent acting gigs. Understand that if you are currently performing in a film project that you would like to include in your reel, the material will take a few months at least to receive: You have to wait until the film goes through post-production. Stay in good standing with the director, editor, and producer of the project; write down their contact information and save it somewhere important. When the film is finished, write or email the director to very politely ask for a copy of your footage. The footage can be delivered over Dropbox or even through a jump drive.

Update and Don’t Reuse

Ensure that you consistently update your demo reel with your latest projects. This demonstrates to casting directors that you are constantly challenging yourself as an actor. It also shows willingness to persevere in a tough industry. Furthermore, don’t reuse the same project for multiple clips in your reel. Each project should yield one scene: otherwise it looks like you haven’t done anything else in your career.

Market Yourself

Once you have your demo reel, it’s time to promote yourself as an actor. Create your own website, which is relatively easy and inexpensive; you can register your domain name for under $30 per year. Link your website to your Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram accounts and post updates on projects regularly. Embed your demo reel on your new website so casting directors can get a quick glimpse of your skills in addition to your headshot and resume.

Interested in a career in acting for film? Our 1-Year Acting for Film Program is an intensive one year study that provides students with hands-on, practical experience in acting in front of a camera. Visit our 1-Year Acting for Film Program page to apply today.

The Best International Film Festivals for Study Abroad Students to Watch

Posted on May 26, 2017November 16, 2022 by nyfa

Ah, the joys of studying abroad: new food, new friends, new experiences, and of course- who could forget?- new films! If you’re a study abroad student, definitely take advantage of these international film festivals that are sure to knock your socks off.

Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale)

This prestigious film festival was founded in 1951 in West Berlin, Germany. With over 300,000 tickets sold and a whopping half a million admissions, it is considered the largest publicly attended film festival in the world. Over 400 films are screened during the festival. It typically coincides with the European Film Market, which is the largest European film industry meeting. Together, the Berlinale and European Film Market attract roughly 20,000 industry professionals, as well as almost 5,000 journalists. For the newest, latest, and greatest, don’t miss out on the Berlinale.

International Film Festival of India (IFFI)

Held in Goa — one of India’s most popular and colorful tourist destinations — this is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The film festival takes its inspiration from the phrase “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” which means coexistence and peaceful tolerance. Founded in 1952 as a non-competitive exhibition, the IFFI now awards prizes to the best films screened. The eleven-day festival also coincides with the feast of Basque saint Francis Xavier, so it’s sure to be a carnival of movies and parades.

Montreal World Film Festival (MWFF)

The Montreal World is the only competitive film festival in North America recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations. Started in 1977, it’s the oldest film festival in Canada and the most diverse; while the Toronto International Film Festival mostly shows films from North America and Canada, the Montreal World focuses on including films from all over the world. It’s held in late August, which conveniently avoids the biting cold of Montreal in winter. If you’re looking for a buffet of international cinema, this is your best bet if you’re studying abroad in Canada.

Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)

Held over a three-week period in July and August, this film festival is one of the oldest in the world- and certainly the most notable one Down Under. You might not think of Melbourne as a significant film history site, but it was the location for the shooting of “The Story of the Kelly Gang” (1906), the first full-length feature film. The most prestigious award given is the Grand Prix for Best Short Film, a $10,000 prize that is recognized worldwide in the short film category. There are also a host of other awards for feature films and documentaries.

Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF)

This film festival is one of Hong Kong’s largest cultural events. 250 titles are screened every year from over 55 countries, making it one of the world’s biggest film festivals. Since 1972, HKIFF has helped open Asian cinema to the world and introduced the culture of Hong Kong to foreign tourists flocking to the festival.

Interested in learning about filmmaking at one of the New York Film Academy’s international locations? Check out our worldwide locations.

Middle Eastern Filmmakers You Should Know

Posted on May 26, 2017 by nyfa

Film industries across the globe are growing, and many Middle Eastern countries have a rich cinematic history. For example, Egypt has a film industry that dates to the silent era and Qatar is the home of the Doha Film Institute. Filmmakers in this region often have character-driven narratives that create intimate glimpses into the lives of people who live in the shadow of constant conflict. Because budgets can be very tight in these areas, there are rarely big car chases and special effects; instead, there is creative plot development and solid character development. Here are just a few of the filmmakers you should know:

Youssef Chahine was an Egyptian writer and director who is credited with launching the career of Omar Sharif. Chahine did not shy away from controversy in his films and often explored social themes such as same-sex relationships, the role of women in society, and the relationship between Egypt and Western culture. Like all great directors, Chahine is a stylist with the camera. Cinematology provides an excellent introduction to the framing technique he used throughout his career.

Elia Suleiman is a self-trained writer, actor, and director whose first feature film, “Chronicle of a Disappearance” won Best First Film at the 1996 Venice Film Festival. Suleiman’s films about the Palestinian diaspora are full of comedy and tragedy. He often appears in his feature films as a silent stone-faced character who is reminiscent of Buster Keaton, taking in the absurdity of life in exile. Visually, his films are stunning, full of juxtapositions of sweeping landscapes and closeups on characters’ faces. His dialogue is natural, yet funny and insightful. His 2009 film “The Time That Remains” is a semi-autobiographical look at his family’s life from 1948 to today.

Eran Ricklis is an Israeli writer and director whose films explore the complex relationships between Arabs and Jews in Israel. While his films often have political actions as a backdrop, the focus is on the people who must deal with consequences daily. Films like “Cup Final” (1991), “The Syrian Bride” (2004), and “A Borrowed Identity” (2015) all feature characters who must find a way to understand each other’s humanity.

Annemarie Jacir is a Palestinian-American filmmaker who explores life in exile in films like “Salt of this Sea” and “When I Saw You.” Her films feature strong female leads and challenge expected gender roles. She is also a poet and the cofounder of the Dreams of a Nation cinema project, which promotes Palestinian cinema.

Nadine Labaki is a Lebanese actress and director. She began her directing career doing commercials and music videos before making her first feature film, “Caramel” (2006). “Caramel” and Labaki’s 2010 film, “Where do We Go Now,” both explore love, social roles and traditions, sexuality, and gender roles with humor.

Babak Anvari is an Iranian writer and director, whose 2016 feature debut, “Under the Shadow,” is a psychological thriller. The film is set during the 1980s in post-revolutionary Tehran and Anvari and uses lighting, camera angles, and sound to create genuinely frightening scenes that are reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s work.

Want to learn more about global cinema? Thinking about studying abroad? The New York Film Academy has several international locations.

9 Big Names in Virtual Reality to Follow Right Now

Posted on May 26, 2017 by nyfa

Virtual reality is one of the hottest trends in entertainment right now. You’ve probably heard about tech companies investing in goofy-looking glasses, but virtual reality is more than just a headset. It’s about expanding the experience and stimulating the mind.

Here are a few pioneers in the industry that you may want to watch — they could produce the next big thing in virtual reality-based entertainment.

1. Julina Tatlock, Founder and CEO of 30 Ninjas

Founded in 2008, 30 Ninjas is a digital entertainment company that specializes in VR productions. Tatlock and partner Doug Liman are both award-winning pioneers in the VR industry; their projects have been nominated for multiple Emmys and have won both the Shorty and Social TV Grand Prize. Prior to her VR career, Tatlock worked in television at Oxygen Media and Martha Stewart Living.

2. Samantha Quick, The New York Times

Samantha, a video journalist with the New York Times, has been focused on the VR industry for over two years. Samantha provides updates on some of the Times’ recent VR projects and initiatives. A former developer for 30 Ninjas, Samantha now assists the New York Times in creating and producing 360 degree news and virtual reality projects.

3. Chris Milk, Filmmaker and Founder of Within

This legendary filmmaker worked on videos for clients such as U2 and Nintendo before becoming interested in virtual reality at a 2011 Coachella art installation show. He founded Within to portray the human experience by using virtual reality.

Users can now download the Within app to create innovative stories using only the app and a simple VR headset. Unlike gaming or fantasy that aims to create different worlds for escapist pleasure, Milk’s app focuses on capturing human emotions and experiences.

4. Ken Birdwell, Valve VR Engineer

While he started off skeptical about the future of VR, Ken — one of the creators of the immensely popular Portal and Half-Life series — eventually got pulled into the VR world. He was a major influence on the HTC Vive headset, which uses what Ken refers to as “room scale.”

Room scale is a design paradigm which allows users to freely walk around a play area, with their real-life motion reflected in the VR environment. Using infrared sensors for 360 degree tracking purposes, room scale takes the user’s movements into account and translates this into real-time within the VR world.

5. Debra Anderson, CSO of Datavized

Debra Anderson is a VR entrepreneur who debuted her cinematic VR piece “In/Formation” in 2015, which covered virtual reality pioneers. She’s the co-founder and chief strategy officer at Datavized, a company that is building a 3D publishing platform for the collaboration of creative ideas and stories across the Internet. As a major leader in the world of VR, she founded the Women in VR Meetup and teaches VR courses at Parsons School of Design. She is currently directing and producing a Web VR story about violence against women in Nepal.

6. Alex Kipman, Microsoft HoloLens

This Brazilian-born inventor worked on Microsoft’s software development for years before joining the Xbox division in 2008, where he created the Kinect. The fastest-selling consumer device ever made, the Kinect cemented Kipman’s reputation as a pioneer in the VR field, but he wasn’t done yet. In 2015, he debuted the HoloLens- a headset that displays 3D holograms that the user can interact with by reaching out and touching them.

7. John Carmack, CTO of Oculus

Tech wizard John Carmack isn’t just another software developer. He’s also a rocket scientist who was aggressively headhunted by Elon Musk. Carmack, co-founder of id Software, was the lead programmer for a number of popular games including “Doom,” “Quake,” and “Rage.” He took over the coveted CTO position at Oculus VR in 2013, and the virtual reality world can’t wait to see what he’ll come up with next.

8. Palmer Luckey, Founder of Oculus VR

Considered to be one of the most innovative thinkers in the industry, Luckey famously funded Oculus VR through a Kickstarter campaign where donors received a prototype Oculus Rift head-mounted display for $300. His campaign raised $250,000 in under two hours and had topped $2 million by the end of the month.

In 2014, Mark Zuckerberg bought Oculus VR for a cool $2 billion, proving that virtual reality was a hot investment. Luckey currently ranks #22 on Forbes’ 2016 list of America’s richest entrepreneurs under 40; while he may have sold his company to Facebook, he’s still a pioneer in the virtual reality industry that you may want to follow.

9. Bjork, Singer and Artist

Bjork has long been a pioneer in the visual arts as well as music. She famously dressed up as a giant swan at the 2001 Academy Awards. Now she’s getting into the world of virtual reality; her latest video, “Stonemilker,” features multiple Bjork’s singing in 360 degrees of visual space. Her latest art exhibition, Bjork Digital, showcases her four new VR videos for her new album “Vulnicura,” which will be released on VR platforms worldwide.

If you believe you can be the next big name in VR, NYFA can help. Visit our page on Virtual Reality to learn more about our workshops and apply now.