Page 58 – NYFA

NYFA MFA Filmmaking Alum Aastha Verma Screens ‘The Last Rights’ at Topaz Film Festival

“I think that film has the responsibility of promoting change and helping the advancement of society,” says Fall 2017 MFA Filmmaking alum Aastha Verma, and she is certainly doing that with her short thesis film The Last Rights. The story follows a young Indian woman who returns to her hometown of Varanasi, India, and challenges her society’s patriarchal traditions in order to give her deceased grandmother her last rites. Verma explained,“My goal in making this film was to shed light on how women are treated in tradition-driven India as well as how Indians who left to work abroad are perceived by their friends and families back home.”

Beautifully photographed and filled with stunning imagery, The Last Rights premieres at the Topaz Film Festival in Dallas, Texas, where it will be available on demand September 8-13, 2020. Crickett Rumley, NYFA’s Director of Film Festivals, spoke with Aastha about her path to making this film.

Crickett Rumley (CR): Congratulations on such a compelling story, Aastha. Tell us about yourself. What were you doing before you came to NYFA?

Aastha Verma (AV): Before coming to NYFA, I got my bachelor degree in International Business Management. What got me into filmmaking was a number of factors, one of which was that I felt that there was a perspective that was missing of sorts. I did not see any of the films in theatre tackle subjects that I was passionate about. Plus, I used to do photography as a hobby, so at some point I started to wonder what kind of stories would I be able to tell with more than one frame? A combination of both of these factors led me to Los Angeles.

CR: What was your favorite thing about directing this film?

AV: Quite frankly, all of it, the experience as a whole. More specifically, this was my first time directing actors in a professional function. Instead of the regular set you’d have for a thesis film, it was a city in India, with a completely different filmmaking culture which made the whole thing quite thrilling. I had never tackled a project of this scale beforehand, so it was quite a challenge. But this very same challenge motivated me to live up to it.

The production phase was very much a collaborative process with my cast and crew as everybody believed in the project which made it, all in all, a very wholesome experience. I was very grateful for my cast and crew.

CR: What was the most challenging thing about making the film? What did you learn in the process?

AV: The most challenging part of it all was when, during pre-production we took the team to the Shamshan Ghat, the funerary riverbed where the rites are performed. It’s the location where the final scene of the film takes place.

The local priest’s brother essentially snuck us in, acting as a chaperone, as my team and I looked around and took notes about how the location looked. We had originally brought cameras to film the location so we could then study it at home, but they had been confiscated. The reason for such secrecy is that women aren’t allowed to be at the Shamshan Ghat. The production designer and I were the only women there, and all the men there that day (who were not part of the crew) looked at us as if our presence was heresy.

So the challenge was figuring out how to portray an act that I had never been able to even witness firsthand. The very reason we were there was to see how exactly the rites are done, beyond what is simply written in books. There was an irony to it all: I was making a film about this very inequality, yet I wasn’t even allowed to be at the Ghat physically without a chaperone.

Eventually we recreated the scene on a private property bordering another part of the river.

CR: What are you looking forward to with your screening with the Topaz Film Festival?

AV: I’m really excited to meet new people all in the same industry as me. Those conversations will definitely be fun. In fact, there’s an entire panel dedicated to helping the filmmakers meet and interact with each other, and I’m glad to be a part of it.

CR: How do you think your education at NYFA and the work you did here prepared you for a career in filmmaking? Do you have any special shout-outs to faculty or staff who really helped or inspired you?

AV: Well, the way NYFA works is that they expose you to extreme shooting conditions so when we’re actually on set, professionally, we’re mentally prepared for the ropes. I think that’s an efficient way of allowing us to learn the ropes. Plus, the fact that it’s such an international school allowed me to be paired with many filmmakers from different countries and walks of life which helped me find my individuality as an artist.

Special shout-out to Nick Sivakumaran, as well as Scott Hartmann, Kim Ogletree, David Newman, Igor Torgeson and Crickett Rumley for their help with this film, as well as everybody else who taught my course in NYFA!

Aastha Verma behind the scenes on ‘The Last Rights’

CR: Since you graduated, you’ve been really busy with music videos. Can you tell us about that?

AV: It was definitely a breakthrough in my career, a level-up of sorts. It was a wonderful experience to be a part of the team and working with a crew composed of both NYFA alumni and other professionals. Diljit Dosanjh is one of India’s most popular up-and-coming singers, so receiving an invitation to work as a producer on all the music videos from his latest album was amazing. The pandemic didn’t stop us head-banging to the tunes on the set!

CR: These are trying times in the world today. Art matters more than ever. Do you want to share any words, your personal views about the importance of film in the lives of humans living right now?

AV: The biggest lesson I am taking away from these times, specifically, is about compassion and patience. Staying at home due to COVID-19 is almost a sort of purgatory, like when your parents put you in a corner. It allows you to reflect on who you are, what your art is.

It also enables compassion, allows you to appreciate those who are there for you, and be there for others, when the chips are down. These are all lessons that movies have taught us throughout history, but that I only found myself truly appreciating in these trying times.

CR: What time is your film screening and where can we get tickets? Is there anything else we should know about the screening?

AV: I’m glad you asked! Up until the 13th, The Last Rights is screening all day, at any time. You can get the tickets here. Please go check it out!

If you want to know more about the process of making this film, I will also be speaking at the ‘Meet the Filmmakers’ panel on Sunday the 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PT. Click here to get your ticket.

Finally, the film is in the running for Topaz’s Audience Award! If you like the film, please don’t forget to vote for it. To vote, it’s easy: once you’re logged in on the virtual catalog (or at the content library, watch.eventive.org/me), all you need to do is go the screening page, select The Last Rights from the sidebar, and a ballot will appear below the “cover image” in the center of the screen.

Broadcast Journalism Update – Back to School Edition (September 2020)

Things usually slow down over the course of the Summer. But that wasn’t the case for the NYFA Broadcast Journalism department, or many of our graduates.

Starting in late July, Evgenia Vlasova and myself co-taught NYFA’s first Moscow Journalism Summer School (JSS). Thanks to support from the U.S. State Department, we were able to offer an intensive three-week course-of-study to early career Russian journalists along with a number of current university students.

It was a real challenge, seeing as we had to conduct the entire workshop online with participants spread out over seven time zones. While classes started for Genia and me at 7:00 AM in New York, it was 2:00 PM for students in Moscow and 6:00 PM in Siberia. (The Siberian students regularly finished classwork after midnight!)

The stories the workshop participants created were nothing short of spectacular, covering a wide range contemporary topics. And no two were the same. Everyone approached their topic with their own personal style.

Each of these links will take you to a different story. Each is a little gem. Each explores a world that those of us living in North America know little if anything about.

NYFA alum George Colli, who many of you know from the NYFA website, lent his experience and perspective as well. He spoke from the point of view of someone who knows what it takes to create compelling TV news stories under tight deadlines. (And now he has a beard! A look many of you reading this know I always find fashionable…)

Other grads graciously agreed to “drop in” on our Zoom sessions as guest speakers. Among them was Karen Hua, who “called in” while covering an out-of-control wildfire in Southern California for KGET in Bakersfield.

Starla Sampaco is a news anchor at KCTS, the PBS station in Seattle as well as an entrepreneur building her own digital platform.

And Gillian Kemmerer, who has firsthand experience working in Russia covering sports, business, and the business of sports.

Other NYFA Broadcast Journalism grads have been busy too. Isabella Faria is now a reporter at CNN Brasil. She came to New York to learn to shoot and edit, used those skills to get a job in the video department of Brazil’s largest newspaper, was hired by CNN as a producer, then promoted to an on-air position. She wrote to me: “You know I can’t thank NYFA enough for all the incredible classes. They sure helped me to get where I am now “

Congratulations, Isabella!

And speaking of Brazil (OK… Brasil) Livia Fernanda got a challenging assignment back in August. She had to explain the U.S. Presidential Election — in particular, “political conventions” — to her viewers.

On a far more serious note, Celina Liv Danielsen covered the violent reaction to the recent shooting of an African-American man multiple times by a white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin for TV2 in Denmark.

Georgia Hammond is working on a series of video essays about the people of Strathbogie Shire, in the Australian state of Victoria, and their efforts to combat the loneliness and isolation that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, Turkish alum Esra Ozturk is an example of how, after you study how to make TV news, you might find yourself in a job in which you are interviewed on TV news. In this case, on TRT World, the global English-language service of Turkish Radio and Television.

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY (NYFA) WELCOMES AWARD-WINNING DIRECTORS NICOLE KASSELL AND SARAH PIROZEK FOR ‘THE 20/20 SERIES’

On Wednesday, August 26, 2020, New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the honor of welcoming award-winning directors NICOLE KASSELL and SARAH PIROZEK as part of The 20/20 Series, created by NYFA’s Creative Director of Filmmaking and Cinematography, 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.

(Clockwise) Liz Hinlein, Sarah Pirozek, and Nicole Kassell for ‘The 20/20 Series’

Nicole Kassell is a DGA Award-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker. Kassell, who won a DGA Award this year for her work on the Watchmen pilot, also directed episodes two and eight of the series and is nominated in this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards for directing the show. In addition to Watchmen, Kassell has directed episodes of many critically praised series, including Westworld, The Leftovers, The Killing, The Americans, The Following, and Rectify. She is set to direct the upcoming feature film Silver Seas as well as The Last of the Mohicans series for HBO Max for which she is also an executive producer.

Returning guest Sarah Pirozek has helmed over 100 award-winning commercials, multiple music videos, and produced three features including: indie feature Flora and her award-winning documentary feature film Free Tibet, which she also directed. She has written two features, a series and a collection of short stories, and has directed, produced and written TV programming & web content for the Sundance Channel, NAT GEO, PBS, HBO and The UK’s Channel Four TV. She is a DGA member in good standing, and has recently made her dramatic feature debut with her script #LIKE.

Nicole Kassell behind the scenes of shooting ‘Watchmen’

Hinlein began the discussion by asking both directors how they became the directors they are today. “The only thing I wanted to do in my career was be a director,” shared Kassell. “For her first feature film, The Woodsman, she recalled telling Lee Daniels that it needed to be her to direct her own script. “I knew if I didn’t direct that script, I would never get a shot [at directing].”

Pirozek, who is currently on her festival run for her film #LIKE, shared that she was inspired by Kassell and her drive to direct her own projects and completely own them. “You hear ‘why don’t we get this person to direct’ and you have to say ‘no, this is my film’.”

Director Sarah Pirozek shooting on location

Hinlein also inquired about what it’s like working with actors throughout the production process and asked Kassell and Pirozek to elaborate on their own personal preference. “I try to put myself in the actor’s shoes,” shared Kassell. “As an episodic director, I make sure that I have seen or read every episode up to mine so my actors know I have seen and felt everything they have been through.” Pirozek agreed and added: “The best thing you can do is stay out of your actor’s way. They know what they’re doing, you just need to tweak it [as the director].”

Both directors also shared how important the research process is for not only their actors to understand, but for directors to grasp the characters as well, not just tweak actors’ performances. As an example, Kassell explained that she worked closely with Regina Hall in discussing her character’s history to elevate both the director and actor’s understanding of the character.

Nicole Kassell at HBO’s ‘Watchmen’ premiere

As for how to motivate your actors as a director, Kassell revealed that her directorial style is not about motivating her actors. “If someone has the job they should be ready to work on set. Even if they nail it on the first take, I still want to see their range and if they can take direction and play.”

Pirozek agreed with Kassell, also adding the importance of trusting your actors to do their job just as they trust the director to do theirs: “It’s about creating an atmosphere of love and trust (like a family) and I [as the director] want everyone to win.”

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Nicole Kassell shared her full lookbook she created for ‘Watchmen’ on social media

In addition to character prep, both directors noted the importance of the entire production process and always coming to set as prepared as you possibly can. “You have to be incredibly prepared,” said Pirozek. “You have to make sure people feel comfortable and everything is appropriate for the situation.”

Kassell, who shared her application process for becoming a director on Watchmen, recalled having to think through “acting, casting, lighting, props, production design…everything.” Before pitching herself as a director for the show, she was able to read the pilot script so she could map out her vision in a lookbook that eventually got her the job, and now she is an Emmy-nominated director.

“I went on an insane ride from reading that pilot script. It felt like a visual version of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ to me,” shared Kassell. “Did I have to sell my vision? Yes. Writers can be very subjective at that point [when pitching]. That’s why I created a lookbook, so it shows them ‘if you hire me, here’s what you’re going to get’. One of my most proud moments was seeing the pilot [for Watchmen] air and looking back at my lookbook and seeing everything there.”

Kassell (Right) directing Bobby Cannavale on set for ‘Vinyl’

In closing remarks, both Kassell and Pirozek urged the global audience to never be afraid to bend the rules as filmmakers and create what they love and want to watch.

New York Film Academy would like to thank Nicole Kassell and Sarah Pirozek for joining the NYFA global community to discuss preparation as a director and how to approach working with your actors for The 20/20 Series, created by and moderated by Liz Hinlein.

To watch the full conversation, view the video below or watch on our Youtube channel.

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.

NYFA Filmmaking Alum Ismael Gomez III Starts Production House And Releases Film ‘Death of a Fool’ on Amazon

New York Film Academy (NYFA) Filmmaking alum Ismael Gomez III’s latest film, Death of a Fool, is now available on Amazon Prime Video. The film is the latest project from the Cuban-American filmmaker who, after graduating from NYFA, worked as a lead editor on several motion pictures and commercials that have been screened at Cannes, Tribeca, Miami, and Starz Denver international film festivals.

Gomez was born and raised in Havana, Cuba and it was there that he fell in love with cinema. With directors like Coppola, Kurosawa, and Kubrick, Gomez was inspired to pursue filmmaking, leading him to study in the 2-Year Filmmaking Conservatory with NYFA.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9ZbIU4hKh4/?utm_source=ig_embed

The coming-of-age fantasy film was co-written, produced, and directed by Gomez. Death of a Fool follows teenager Pablo and his dying grandfather, who begin conducting afterlife investigations in Miami after a mysterious man hires them to find the secret to immortality.

“I remember being five years old, looking out my backyard one morning and seeing my dog, Charlie, lying motionless. He was sick for weeks and had now passed away. It was my first encounter with death and I did not know what to make of it,” shared Gomez, when asked about inspirations behind Death of a Fool. “It [the film] is built on the simple idea that if we could live forever, would we necessarily want to?”

Before heading to Amazon, Gomez and his team were able to screen their film at Coral Gables Art Cinema, but it was around that time the pandemic hit. “We had to make the quick decision of moving online,” revealed Gomez. “Although I really wanted to expand theatrically, if there’s something filmmaking has taught me, it is to adapt quickly to rising obstacles, make a new plan and keep moving forward.”

Gomez’s Death of a Fool was recently covered in The Miami Herald, which also mentioned Gomez’s Miami-based production house Rabbit Hole Pictures, that Gomez co-founded and continues to serve as the CEO.

“Our mission at Rabbit Hole Pictures is to tell mystical stories that spark curiosity and wonder. For us the word mystical embodies a sense of mystery, awe, and fascination for the unknown,” Gomez shared with NYFA. “Fantasy always creates a striking contrast that helps us reframe and examine reality. It’s about telling stories that carry people far-far-away to look at themselves up close.”

Though the NYFA alum studied in New York when he was at The Academy, he recalled an experience that changed him forever when visiting his family in Miami in 2016. “I went to the theaters and watched Moonlight by Barry Jenkins and thought, ‘here’s a guy who has made this astonishing film completely in Miami and just won Best Picture at the Academy Awards.’ So, a fuse had been lit up inside me and begged the question: How many movies have we seen entirely produced in Miami?”

In addition to wanting an authentic Miami represented in the film industry, Gomez also wanted Rabbit Hole Pictures to be a production house that showcases the fantasy genre. “I wanted to show a part of Miami that is rarely depicted on the big screen. Many clever producers have built sets that look like Miami, but the magic of the real thing cannot be duplicated,” shared Gomez.

Rabbit Hole Pictures has already had a hand in several projects with a fantasy thriller currently in development. Gomez also shared that Rabbit Hole Pictures has recently announced a Movie Pitch Contest to help other creators during this time, and plans on granting a financial reward to help the winner fund their own project.

New York Film Academy would like to congratulate Ismael Gomez III on the recent success of Death of a Fool and encourages everyone to check it out now on Amazon Prime Video.

NYFA FILMMAKING ALUM ISMAEL GOMEZ III STARTS PRODUCTION HOUSE AND RELEASES HIS LATEST FILM ON AMAZON

New York Film Academy (NYFA) Filmmaking alum Ismael Gomez III released his latest film Death of a Fool on Amazon Prime Video. The film is the latest project from the Cuban-American filmmaker who, after graduating from NYFA, worked as a lead editor on several motion pictures and commercials that have been screened at Cannes, Tribeca, Miami, and Starz Denver international film festivals.

Gomez was born and raised in Havana, Cuba and it was there that he fell in love with cinema. Directors like Coppola, Kurosawa, and Kubrick inspired Gomez to understand the passion and ingenuity of filmmaking, all leading him to study in the 2-Year Filmmaking Conservatory with NYFA.

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A post shared by Miami Film Studio (@rabbitholepictures)

Death of a Fool is a coming-of-age fantasy that follows teenager Pablo and his dying grandfather who begin conducting afterlife investigations in Miami after a mysterious man hires them to find the secret to immortality. The film was co-written, produced, and directed by Gomez.

New York Film Academy would like to congratulate Ismael Gomez III on the recent success of Death of a Fool and encourages everyone to check it out now on Amazon Prime Video.

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.

NYFA AFA Filmmaking Alum Nick Venuti Screens Film ‘Buffalo Scientists’ at Dances With Films Festival

In a classic case of “write what you know,” recent alum Nick Venuti, from the Fall 2018 AFA Filmmaking class, drew from his past when developing ideas for his thesis film, Buffalo Scientists. “Thinking about what it would be like if two of my childhood friends attempted some big crazy thing and picturing how it would play out” was his inspiration. “They always had big imaginations and typically don’t think things through,” Venuti said, ”so I thought it would make an entertaining movie. From there, I just started thinking, how could I turn it up a notch? What if the clerk (main character) was our favorite high school math teacher, Mr. Hughes?”

NYFA Filmmaking Alum Nick Venuti Screens Film ‘Buffalo Scientists’ at Dances With Films Festival

The result is Buffalo Scientists, a quirky dark comedy, that had its world premiere at the Dances with Films festival in Los Angeles on August 28, 2020. Director of NYFA’s Film Festival Department, Crickett Rumley, caught up with Nick to talk about the film right after his first screening and before his second with the well-known indie festival.

Crickett Rumley (CR): Congratulations on getting into Dances With Films! Tell us a little bit more about your film.

Nick Venuti (NV): Buffalo Scientists is a comedy about an ex-history teacher named Bill Peterson. Bill works at a convenience store in Sacramento run by his egotistical manager, Carl. After Carl leaves for the night, 2 masked men, Jeremy and Alan, enter to rob the store. During the robbery they recognize Bill as their former high school history teacher. After reminiscing about the past, Bill decides to join the boys on an adventure into the night.

CR: And what a bizarre adventure it is. It must have been so much fun to direct. What was your favorite thing about directing it?

NV: It was the first film that I felt like I was really the director. I had such an amazing team with me on set that for the first time ever I didn’t feel like I had to micromanage every aspect of production. I could focus solely on directing. I got to spend so much more time with the actors than I ever have. I love doing almost everything on set, but it was so cool to experience being just the director for once.

CR: Did you experience any challenges in making the film?

NV: I think the most challenging part for me, and for a lot of people is the final 5% of post-production; when the energy and excitement of being on set and seeing the first cut is over. It is hard to work in that final stretch where you have already seen the film 50+ times and you still need to watch it two or three times a day just to clean up all the small glitches and hiccups. You start to fall out of love with the film a little bit after seeing it so many times. After crossing the finish line, all the fun comes back with festivals and showing people for the first time, but the hardest part is definitely locking the film.

CR: I agree. I think all artists get tired of their work at some point, and that’s when you have to dig in even deeper. What was your biggest takeaway from making the film?

NV: I learned how awesome it is to have a producer helping. I could not have done it to this scale if I didn’t have my producer (and NYFA Alumni) Andrew Reyna. I handled all the paperwork and logistics for my previous films, so I didn’t realize how much a great producer frees you up to focus on the creative aspects until this project.

CR: Let’s back up a little. How and when did you decide to go into film?

NV: I am from Binghamton, a city in upstate New York. I started looking into film when I had a stop motion project in high school. I loved directing and writing the project so much that I took some film courses at my local community college. My teacher saw I was really passionate about the subject, so he recruited me to drive down to the Everglades to work on a project for the school. I had to live in a tent for two weeks as we had to shoot a documentary for a local news station. At this point I still barely knew how to turn on a camera, but I loved every second of it. When I got back, I started looking for film schools. I knew I wanted to try and make a career in film, so I began looking for a school that could help me do just that. I discovered the New York Film Academy, went to New York to check it out and knew it was the place for me. I went to the New York City campus for the first year and liked it so much I decided to do my second year at the LA campus.

CR: Do you think your education at NYFA and the work you did here prepared you for a career in filmmaking?

NV: I think NYFA does an amazing job at throwing you straight into the deep end and just having you try to see what you can do. I believe just two months in we already had four films under our belts. This made it so easy to experiment and try things that I would never have done otherwise. We just constantly had to make new films and got to see what worked and what didn’t. It was tough making a new film every week but it was essential in helping me to build my own style and voice.

CR: Do you have any special shout-outs to faculty or staff who helped or inspired you?

NV: There were so many teachers that helped and inspired me: Lea Brandenburg, Ben Cohen, Brad Sample, Joe Burke, Crickett Rumley, and Richard D’Angelo all impacted me more than they could ever know. There are many more but those in particular stood out.

CR: Thanks for the shout-out! Much appreciated. So, this is your first film festival with Buffalo Scientists, and Dances with Films is such a great place to get started. What has it been like to work with them?

NV: Dances with Films has been absolutely amazing. The festival has to be online this year due to COVID-19, but they are working as hard as they can to get it as close to the real thing as possible. They have virtual lounges and panels, and everything is live. It all helps it to still feel special even though we can’t experience being in Los Angeles and in the theater. Dances with Films has gone above and beyond with this as an online festival.

CR: What were you looking forward to about your screening?

NV: Before the virus, I was really looking forward to finally sharing the film with everyone in The Chinese Theater on the big screen and getting to meet the other amazing filmmakers in our block. Unfortunately, the whole festival went online, so that dampened the excitement a little, but it still was a pretty cool feeling knowing that lots of people from all over the world were watching.

CR: You moved back to New York after finishing your degree at the LA campus. What are you up to these days?

NV: I’ve been keeping busy since getting out of school. I have directed a few local commercials, was DP for a feature film in January, shot a couple music videos for local artists, and I have been getting consistent editing work on the side. Currently, SUNY Broome hired me to direct and shoot virtual field trips for the college and I have been working on scripts for future projects. I am also waiting to see how Buffalo Scientists does in festivals and if there is any interest in a feature version of the film.

CR: Back to Dances With Films, when is your next screening and where can we get tickets?

NV: We have another screening on Saturday September 5 at 11:15 pm PDT. You can get tickets for the Midnight Shorts block here.

CR: Is there anything else we should know about the screening?

NV: Although our film is a comedy, I want to mention that we are placed in the comedy/horror section of the festival, so some of the films in our shorts block can be very dark and violent.

CR: Definitely one for the late night crowd! Congratulations again, Nick. Enjoy that next screening.

Create Your Own Short Films at NYFA

Being featured in film festivals is no small feat. Learn more about how aspiring filmmakers can grow their filmmaking knowledge and skills with the AFA Filmmaking programs at NYFA.

NYFA FILMMAKING ALUM ISSA RAE STARS IN HBO’S ‘COASTAL ELITES’

New York Film Academy (NYFA) Filmmaking alum Issa Rae is set to star in the COVID-19 era comedy film Coastal Elites, slated to air on September 12, 2020 on HBO and HBO Max.

In 2020, Rae has already starred in The Lovebirds, The Photograph, and her own HBO show, Insecure, which was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards. It was also recently announced that Rae teamed up with Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions for Sinkhole, an upcoming film inspired by female identity and themes of perfection.

Her latest project, Coastal Elites, is a satire film that follows the lives of five individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as they navigated their new reality. In addition to Rae, the star-studded cast includes Bette Midler, Dan Levy, Sarah Paulson, and Kaitlyn Dever.

NYFA alum Issa Rae as Callie Josephson in HBO’s ‘Coastal Elites’

Rae plays well-connected philanthropist Callie Josephson, who runs in the same circles as Ivanka Trump. When asked about her upcoming role, Rae explained that it took a lot of research to get into her role but the script was “just incredible to read and immediately resonated” with the NYFA alum.

The series is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on September 12, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

New York Film Academy looks forward to seeing talented alum Issa Rae in her upcoming role in Coastal Elites as well as hearing more about filmmaking alum’s upcoming project, Sinkhole.

NYFA Filmmaking Alum Issa Rae Stars in HBO Comedy Film ‘Coastal Elites’

New York Film Academy (NYFA) Filmmaking alum Issa Rae is set to star in the upcoming COVID-19 era comedy film Coastal Elites, slated to air on September 12, 2020 on HBO and HBO Max.

In 2020, Rae has already starred in The Lovebirds, The Photograph, and her own HBO show, Insecure, which was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards. It was also recently announced that Rae will work with Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions on new film Sinkhole; a film about female identity and themes of perfection, which just Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions for

The Filmmaking alum’s latest project, Coastal Elites, is a satire film that follows the lives of five individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as they navigated their new reality. In addition to Rae, the star-studded cast includes Bette Midler, Dan Levy, Sarah Paulson, and Kaitlyn Dever.

In Coastal Elites, plays well-connected philanthropist Callie Josephson, who runs in the same circles as Ivanka Trump. When asked about her upcoming role, Rae explained that it took a lot of research to get into her role but the script was “just incredible to read and immediately resonated” with the NYFA alum.

The series is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on September 12, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

New York Film Academy looks forward to seeing talented alum Issa Rae in her upcoming role in Coastal Elites as well as hearing more about filmmaking alum’s upcoming project, Sinkhole.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE2lCR9bRiw

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY (NYFA) WELCOMES AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER GRETCHEN MCGOWAN FOR ‘THE 20/20 SERIES’

On Wednesday, August 19, 2020, New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the privilege of hosting award-winning producer GRETCHEN MCGOWAN as part of The 20/20 Series, created by NYFA’s Creative Director of Filmmaking and Cinematography, 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.

Gretchen McGowan (Left) and Liz Hinlein (Right) for ‘The 20/20 Series’

Gretchen McGowan is an award-winning producer and the Head of Production for Goldcrest Features in New York City where she has overseen the titles Carol, Mojave, Slumber, Restrepo, Carrie Pilby and Danger, Close. McGowan has collaborated with Sebastian Junger on five films and she is now completing Blood on the Wall with Junger and Fisher Stevens, a documentary feature to premiere September 30th on National Geographic.

McGowan independently produced Jim Jarmusch’s The Limits of Control, a Focus Features release and Magnolia Pictures’ American Swing. While Head of Production with Mark Cuban’s HDNet Films, Blow Up Pictures and Open City Films she supervised over 25 features including Redacted, Enron, Broken English, Bubble, Lovely and Amazing, and Coffee and Cigarettes. Her work as a freelance producer includes the Oscar-nominated Dancemaker, Buffalo ’66, Two Girls and a Guy, American Psycho and Heavy.

Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett in ‘Carol’ (Production Manager: Gretchen McGowan)

Hinlein began the conversation by asking McGowan about her role as Head of Production at GoldCrest Features. “If somebody brings a project to us [at Goldcrest], I am the one to sort of hold their hand through the process of seeing that project come to life and decide if it’s a good fit for our production company,” shared McGowan.

She also explained that, generally, when she receives a project she thinks about the relevance of the story in time, noting that, “you may have a great script for the moment, but it begs the question of, once production is finished, will the story still be well received by an audience?”

As for what McGowan finds incredibly satisfying about her job, she shared that it’s all about the talent you pull together for the project. “I think putting together the crew is the most rewarding part of putting together a film. I can’t always be on set all the time as Head of Production, but I need to build the team for the producer and director that can and will deliver.”

Garrett Hedlund (Left) and Oscar Isaac (Right) in ‘Mojave’ (Gretchen McGowan, Head of Production)

McGowan explained that in the long run, producing is a profession where knowing the fundamentals helps to understand the process and the scale of each film or production. “One of my first jobs was as an assistant editor working with celluloid, so you had to understand that aspect of post-production,” shared McGowan, noting that it’s in the fundamentals of the process like post-production in which the film or project is actually made.

She also answered an audience question that asked how much or how little producers and directors should know or understand about each other’s roles. “Well, on a low-budget film the director is a producer,” she joked, “but you would like to be able to turn that side of yourself off and focus on your cast and more. I don’t think it is such a bad thing that a director understands what a producer has to go through or for a producer to understand what a director has to go through.”

Christian Bale (Left) and Willem Dafoe (Right) in ‘American Psycho’ (Gretchen McGowan, Line Producer)

McGowan also addressed questions regarding what Goldcrest and other production houses have been focused on since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “Documentaries have been at the forefront of projects we are working on at the moment as we try to make everything work safely,” she explained. “I think we are still a ways away before being able to do a full narrative production. I feel like many of the projects I am seeing now that are a bit complicated (casting, financing, etc) are going to be made in late 2021.”

Hinlein closed the conversation by asking McGowan if there was a project that she had worked on that continued to stand out to her as life changing to which McGowan responded: “I loved going on location and scouting and things like that. I scouted for a film called Three Seasons and put together a location book for how to make a movie there, and I loved that challenge. It terrifies me, but that’s what makes your heart beat.”

As for what can make a great producer, McGowan revealed: “Good producers attract great material. A good producer will also have a film or two in their arsenal that they have completed soup to nuts.”

New York Film Academy would like to thank Gretchen McGowan for joining the NYFA global community to discuss the Head of Production role and the processes production companies go through to select a script for The 20/20 Series, created by and moderated by Liz Hinlein.

To watch the full conversation, view the video below or watch on our Youtube channel.