Page 79 – NYFA

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY (NYFA) STUDENTS DOCUMENT INDIGENOUS CULTURE DURING TRIP TO PERU

Ten students from the Documentary Filmmaking, Cinematography, and Photography departments at New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Peru to celebrate indigenous cultures of the region and document them through photography and both long and short-form documentaries. NYFA was invited to Peru by Mater Iniciativa, the biological and cultural research center behind Central Restaurante, the flagship restaurant of Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez Véliz, which integrates indigenous Peruvian ingredients into the menu based on actual altitudes in the landscape of Peru.

The trip allowed NYFA students the opportunity to learn all the ways the restaurant is collaborating with the community and implementing sustainable farming practices while bringing wares to a much larger, global market. Mater Iniciativa is committed to paying homage to Peruvian and Andean culture while merging the old with the new; revitalizing the Peruvian landscape and incorporating ingredients such as cacao and undiscovered flora and botanicals. NYFA students covered all aspects of the initiative, from clay workshops to salt mines, and visiting cacao farmers and potato farmers.

Diogo Miranda, the trip leader in Peru, was thrilled to have NYFA students see these cultures up close. “We had a complex story to tell, which is why we needed NYFA to come in and tell our story for us in the best way possible as we break boundaries,” stated Miranda. “Our partnership with NYFA was great and we hope this was just the beginning and that we can collaborate further in the many years to come.”

The trip lasted 12 days and gave the NYFA students the value of expedition while also placing them in a professional setting to practice and demonstrate their skills in visual storytelling. By working side by side with the indigenous cultures of the region, these students proved themselves as burgeoning thought leaders who could tell the stories of others in compelling, ruminative ways.

The students were joined by NYFA-NY Chair of Photography David Mager, NYFA-NY Chair of Short-term Intensive Programs Jonathan Whittaker, and NYFA-NY Chair of Documentary Filmmaking Andrea Swift. “We were very lucky to find people like David, Jonathan, and Andrea to guide us and share in our excitement for the project and rejoice in an immersive experience,” added Miranda.

The students that attended were Jessica Antania Trisno, Sheetal Prashant Upare, Francisca Andrea Ilabaca Paredes, Estelle Piezzoli, Nivetha Selvakkumar, Maria Elena Trajtenberg, Marco Ricci, Guntae Song, Beth Ribeiro, and Karoline Iversen.

The students were thrilled to participate in such a monumental life opportunity. “The trip was an amazing experience,” said Francisca Andrea Ilabaca, a student in the Spring 2019 1-Year Photography program. “Not only did we get to work with a great team of really passionate people but we also got to visit Peru in a completely different way while making an interesting documentary.”

Beth Ribeiro, a 1-Year Cinematography student, agreed. “Exploring Peru with the Mil and Mater team was unbelievable. There was a great amount of learning in terms of teamwork, delivering to a client, and the style of documentary film in general. Andrea was a brilliant director–I learned so much from her, and David was an incredible producer. I was thrilled to have gone.”

Mater Iniciativa was equally enthusiastic about the student artists. “The NYFA students were fantastic, super energetic,” stated Miranda. “It’s an adventure and they were adventurous despite the disadvantages. They were respectful and it was wonderful to have them here.”

New York Film Academy looks forward to continuing to build a relationship with Mater Iniciativa to help foster and nurture the voices of the next generation of visual storytellers.

Colonel Jack Jacobs Announces BFA Programs for Veterans at New York Film Academy (NYFA)

In a broadcast studio at the New York campus of New York Film Academy (NYFA) last week, Colonel Jack Jacobs joined NYFA’s President, Michael J. Young, and Myrta Vida, a recent graduate of NYFA’s Screenwriting program, to film a very special announcement to the veteran and military communities. Together, Colonel Jacobs, Mr. Young, and Ms. Vida announced that the NYFA’s New York City campus recently joined the NYFA’s Los Angeles and South Beach, Miami campuses in offering Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Filmmaking and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Acting for Film.

Veterans may now use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to study in these BFA degree programs at the NYFA-NY campus located off Battery Park in the historic and vibrant downtown Financial District of New York City.

In many cases, veterans and their eligible dependents looking to use the Post-911 GI Bill may have their tuition and fees covered in full by the Yellow Ribbon Program.

In addition to NYFA’s bachelor’s degree programs, veterans may also apply their GI Bill Benefits to the college’s 1-Year and 2-Year Conservatory Programs and graduate degree programs in 10 distinct areas of visual and performing arts study.

In the public announcement video, which will be released in coming weeks, Mr. Young states, “Veterans who have the passion and commitment to become creative professionals excel in our many degree and certificate programs, which all share a philosophy of hands-on intensive learning.”

The video features Colonel Jacobs, Chair of NYFA’s Veteran Advancement Program. Col. Jacobs is a is an Army veteran who received the nation’s highest military honor—the Congressional Medal of Honor—for his exceptional acts of bravery during the Vietnam War; he is one of only 71 living Medal of Honor recipients. Col. Jacobs is also a media personality who can be seen regularly on NBC and MSNBC, and is often on shows including Morning Joe, Stephen Colbert, Rachel Maddow, and Bill Maher.

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US Military Servicemembers and their dependents can visit www.nyfa.edu/veterans to learn more about our programs. For questions and to apply, please contact [email protected] or call Christopher Paparis at (212) 966-3488.

New York Film Academy Producing Alum Federico Guarascio Coproduces Festival Hit ‘The Fourth Kingdom’

The Fourth Kingdom, a documentary directed by Adán Aliaga and Alex Lora and coproduced by New York Film Academy (NYFA) Producing alum Federico Guarascio has been storming the festival circuit since its premiere earlier this year.

The film documents a redemption center in Brooklyn founded by a Spanish ex-missionary where cans and plastic bottles are exchanged for cash—a “Fourth Kingdom” of plastics, and a hub for immigrants and underdogs who desperately believe in the American Dream.

Since its premiere last February at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Short Film, The Fourth Kingdom has been selected in 20 film festivals—eight of them Oscars-qualifying—and has won two of them, including the Brooklyn Film Festival, which allows the short film to be considered for the Academy Awards.

It has additionally screened at the Rooftop Summer Series, the Americas Film Festivals, the Palm Springs International Film Festival, DOC NYC, and opened at the United Kingdom’s prestigious Sheffield Doc Fest.

Federico Guarascio originally hails from Italy and first came to New York Film Academy through the Torno Subito program, a joint public/private sector work study initiative that supports new talent development in the Italian film and television industry and is based in Italy’s Lazio region. New York Film Academy provides the “study” element of the program, with students enrolling in short-term workshops across various NYFA disciplines. Once their program is completed, graduates return to pre-arranged film and television internships in Italy.

Guarascio first attended the 4-Week Producing workshop at NYFA’s New York campus, and was so impressed that he subsequently returned to enroll in the 1-Year Conservatory in Producing. Upon graduation, Federico has remained in New York City to work on a variety of film projects, including The Fourth Kingdom.

“[NYFA] proved to be essential during my journey with this doc,” says Guarascio, “and it would not have been possible for me to get this far without the skills I learned in your classes and, for that, I am immensely grateful.”

Guarascio’s talent as a producer was evident early on. “As a student, Federico showed all the hallmarks of a fiercely independent producer,” recalls NYFA-NY Chair of Producing Neal Weisman. “He consistently demonstrated a great passion for the process and a curiosity which inevitably led to to interesting projects. It is no surprise that Federico has moved on to find success with films moving onto the festival circuit. We are very proud.”

New York Film Academy congratulates Producing alum Federico Guarascio on the success of The Fourth Kingdom and encourages everyone to check out the film’s trailer, available on Vimeo.

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New York Film Academy (NYFA) Welcomes Veteran Game Developer Tony Barnes

On Thursday, October 24, New York Film Academy played host to veteran game developer Antonio “Tony” Barnes.

Barnes came to speak at NYFA as part of the school’s Masters of Game Design program. The Masters of Game Design is a speaker series in which distinguished members of the gaming industry visit for an informal chat with NYFA Game Design instructor Scott Rogers about their careers in gaming.

The event was attended by over 45 students and industry professionals who have been invited by the school. Barnes and Rogers talked about Barnes’ 30-year career, starting with his early days of making his own games, followed by his work at Crystal Dynamics, EA, The Collective, THQ, Double Helix, and other AAA companies. He has worked on hit games, including Medal of Honor (2010) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Barnes gave students advice on how to pitch games and how to be an effective creative director. Additionally, he discussed his recent IGDA BIG Lifetime Achievement award. Audience attendees were then invited to ask Barnes questions.

New York Film Academy thanks veteran game developer Tony Barnes for taking the time to share his experience and expertise with our students!

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY (NYFA) WELCOMES TOP CAA AGENT CHRIS ANDREWS

On Tuesday, December 3, the New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the pleasure to host Chris Andrews, top talent agent at the industry-leading Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Tova Laiter, Director of the NYFA Q&A Series, moderated the event.

Andrews is based in Los Angeles and represents many of Hollywood’s leading actors, including Daniel Craig, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Saoirse Ronan, Nicole Kidman, Jon Hamm, Ben Kingsley, Ian McKellen, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emily Blunt, and Edgar Ramirez, among others. He has been instrumental in the development and advancement of his clients’ careers around the globe.

Laiter opened the Q&A by asking Andrews how he became an agent and started with CAA. Andrews discussed his history in the industry, from working in the mailroom (“you meet everybody—agents and clients”) to his current work as one of the company’s top agents. Through his story and the entire session, Andrews emphasized the importance of hard work and ambition.

One student asked Andrews for advice on how to get an agent when first starting out in their craft. Andrews replied, “Work brings work … if you can get one job it’ll lead to something else. Anybody you meet – write their name down, get their phone number, get their email address, remember that … keep it handy so that you have it. Don’t be like ‘Oh, I think I met her’… You should know who you’ve met along the way … you never know who you’re going to meet.”

Andrews left the students with some inspirational words. “Time is precious. It goes by really, really fast … Take it in … If you love film, if you love acting, if you love producing, if you love writing—read great writers, watch great directors, watch great actors. You will learn something, because it’ll teach you where the bar is higher … You have to live in that hope, still, of dreaming of ‘I can be better’ … that’s what propels me.”

New York Film Academy thanks CAA agent Chris Andrews for taking the time to share his experience and expertise with our students.

New York Film Academy (NYFA) Students Document Indigenous Culture During Trip to Peru Inspired by Chef Virgilio Martínez Véliz

Ten students from the Photography, Documentary Filmmaking, and Cinematography departments at New York Film Academy (NYFA) had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Peru by Mater Iniciativa, the biological and cultural research center behind Central Restaurante, the flagship restaurant of Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez Véliz, which integrates indigenous Peruvian ingredients into the menu based on actual altitudes in the landscape of the South American nation.

The journey allowed these students the opportunity to learn all the ways the restaurant is collaborating with the community and implementing sustainable farming practices while bringing wares to a much larger, global market. Mater Iniciativa is committed to paying homage to Peruvian and Andean culture while merging the old with the new; revitalizing the Peruvian landscape and incorporating ingredients such as cacao and undiscovered flora and botanicals. NYFA students covered all aspects of the initiative, from clay workshops to salt mines, and visiting cacao farmers and potato farmers.

Mater Iniciativa and their representative, Diogo Miranda, was thrilled to have NYFA students see these cultures up close. “We had a complex story to tell, which is why we needed NYFA to come in and tell our story for us in the best way possible as we break boundaries,” he stated. “Our partnership with NYFA was great and we hope this was just the beginning and that we can collaborate further in the many years to come.”

The students were thrilled to participate in such a monumental life opportunity. “Exploring Peru with the Mil and Mater team was unbelievable,” declared Beth Ribeiro, a 1-Year Cinematography student. “There was a great amount of learning in terms of teamwork, delivering to a client, and the style of documentary film in general. Andrea was a brilliant director–I learned so much from her, and David was an incredible producer. I was thrilled to have gone.”

Francisca Andrea Ilabaca, a student in the Spring 2019 1-Year Photography program agreed. “The trip was an amazing experience. Not only did we get to work with a great team of really passionate people but we also got to visit Peru in a completely different way while making an interesting documentary.”

Mater Iniciativa was equally enthusiastic about the student artists. “The NYFA students were fantastic, super energetic,” added Miranda. “It’s an adventure and they were adventurous despite the disadvantages. They were respectful and it was wonderful to have them here.”

New York Film Academy looks forward to continuing to build a relationship with Mater Iniciativa to help foster and nurture the voices of the next generation of visual storytellers.

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New York Film Academy (NYFA) Holds Another Successful Meet and Greet for Alumni

On Thursday, December 5, New York Film Academy (NYFA) hosted a Talent Meet & Greet for the Acting for Film alumni at our Los Angeles campus. Esteemed agents and managers from the industry were invited to meet with alumni in an informal setting, giving the NYFA graduates a unique opportunity to meet with industry professionals one on one.

The actors went from table to table taking time to speak with each company, handing out their headshots, pitching themselves, and receiving valuable insights into the industry. Many were given personal advice on how to brand themselves and put their best foot forward. One student was told how much they loved his accent and how to use it to his advantage for his career.

The event was a big hit with the agents and managers, who were able to meet a diverse group of Acting for Film alumni. Most of them go to industry showcases and this “meet and greet” was a different type of event. Debralynn Findon, owner of Discover Management, tells NYFA, “We had a blast and will schedule interviews this week.”

Justine Hunt, partner at Hines and Hunt Entertainment, shared the enthusiasm, saying, “Thank you for having me! I’m scheduling talent to come to our office to meet.”

Over 100 Acting for Film alumni attended the event and several had follow-up meetings scheduled with the agencies. Priyank Takkar, one of the grads, says, “I wanted to thank you for organizing this meet and greet. I had a meeting with A&R management today. I’m having a meeting with Hines and Hunt tomorrow and another one with Media Artist Group.”

NYFA alum Marisa Collier was also grateful, saying “Thank you so much for hosting this event. It benefited me very well because I just signed to A&R Management.”

The event was organized by the Chair of Industry Outreach and Professional Development Barbara Weintraub. Companies in attendance were: Central Artists, BBA Talent, Coast to Coast, Daniel Hoff Agency, Allegory Creative Management, A&R Management, Discover Management, Ellis Talent groups, HRI Talent, Hines and Hunt Entertainment, Tangerine Talent, Ideal Talent, Media Artists Group, Talent Inc., Rothman / Andrés Entertainment, Inclusion Management and Pierce Entertainment.

New York Film Academy thanks the agencies and organizations that helped make this event so special and wish the best of luck to each of our Acting for Film alumni in their search for representation!

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Noted Film Critic Peter Rainer Discusses ‘Straight Time’ with New York Film Academy (NYFA)

On Thursday, December 5, New York Film Academy hosted a screening and discussion with noted film critic Peter Rainer on Straight Time, directed by Ulu Grosbard. Made in 1978, the American crime drama centers around a career criminal, Max Dembo (Dustin Hoffman), who is determined to go straight after his latest stint in prison. He takes a mindless job in a cannery, patiently endures the abuse of Earl, his pompous parole officer, and begins a romance with a sympathetic girl from the employment office. But when Earl erroneously busts Jack for drug abuse, the ex-con cracks, setting off a reckless crime spree.

Peter Rainer has 30 years of professional experience as a film critic and is currently the film critic for the Christian Science Monitor and can be heard regularly on NPR’s Film Week on KPCC-FM. He was one of three finalists in 1998 for the Pulitzer Prize in Criticism and is a three-time winner of the Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award for best online film critic. He has also written and co-produced two A&E biographies—on Sidney Poitier and John Huston—as well as co-authoring the film Joyride (1977). He has served on the main juries for the Venice and Montreal film festivals.

Rainer opened up the discussion by asking students in attendance what they thought about Straight Time in relation to Hoffman’s more popular work in more well-known hits such as The Graduate and Tootsie. One student expressed, “From what I know of Dustin Hoffman, I expected the film to be a redemption story for the protagonist trying to assimilate back into society after prison, but the film quickly took a left turn that I was not anticipating and it was a role I’ve never seen him play before.”

Rainer touched upon the fact that Straight Time was not a film that gained a lot of traction, and felt that was partly due to the fact that the role of Max Dembo was such a deviation from Hoffman’s usual beloved underdog characters. Instead, Rainer shared, the film got more attention for the events that occurred behind the scenes; citing the litigation battle between Hoffman and First Artists Production Company over the creative rights to the film after the shooting had gone 23 days over schedule and $1 million over budget.

Sharing his film critic expertise, Rainer advised, “A good way to look at a scene is to think about all the different ways it could have been shot, and then decipher why it is the director chose to portray it in that specific way,” specifically referring to scenes in Straight Time that contributed to the depiction of Hoffman’s character as a hardened criminal versus an individual in unfortunate circumstances.

Additionally, Rainer commended the film’s use of film noir techniques while also effectively humanizing the characters and removing the glitz of Los Angeles to portray a more realistic story. In turn, students in attendance were able to compare and contrast the film’s strategic use and deviation from classic film noir.

New York Film Academy thanks Peter Rainer for taking the time to share his knowledge and critical expertise with students.

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY (NYFA) ACTING FOR FILM ALUM MANUEL GARCIA-RULFO STARS IN MICHAEL BAY’S ‘6 UNDERGROUND’ ON NETFLIX

New York Film Academy (NYFA) Acting for Film alum Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is co-starring as one of the titular 6 Underground in a highly-anticipated new Netflix original film by Michael Bay.

The R-rated comedic action-thriller is the first film by action auteur Michael Bay since the third sequel to his Transformers franchise, The Last Knight. Ryan Reynolds leads the cast of the new film about six vigilantes who’ve faked their deaths and go by numbers instead of names (One through Six, naturally.)

Garcia-Rulfo co-stars as Three, while Reynolds plays One. They are joined by Mélanie Laurent, Adria Arjona, Corey Hawkins, and Ben Hardy as Two, Four, Five, and Six, respectively. The film also co-stars Dave Franco and Peter Stormare.

The film is the latest blockbuster movie to feature NYFA Acting for Film alum Garcia-Rulfo, who attended NYFA’s 4-Week Filmmaking workshop as well as the 1-Year Acting for Film conservatory at our Burbank-based campus. Since graduating in 2004, Garcia-Rulfo has starred in hit films including, Cake, Murder on the Orient Express, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and Widows, as well as the television series From Dusk til Dawn and Goliath.

Garcia-Rulfo also appeared alongside an A-list cast in The Magnificent Seven remake directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Peter Sarsgaard. In 2017, Garcia-Rulfo spoke with students in a Q&A at our Los Angeles campus following a screening of the film. Next year, he will be co-starring with Tom Hanks in Greyhound, an upcoming World War II submarine thriller written by Hanks.

His latest project is the second-most expensive film produced by Netflix to date, and is set to premiere Friday, December 13. In a video promoting the film, star Ryan Reynolds promises nonstop action and special effects, telling viewers, “Don’t miss the most Michael Bay movie that Michael Bay has ever Michael Bayed.”

New York Film Academy congratulates Acting for Film alum Manuel Garcia-Rulfo on his latest high-profile role, and is excited to see his star continue to rise in Hollywood!