Last month New York Film Academy (NYFA) partnered for the second time with the nonprofit WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theater Center to instruct youth in acting and filmmaking.
The 1-Week Filmmaking camp was held in August at NYFA’s Los Angeles campus, the second part of a 2-Week summer intensive on-camera acting and filmmaking camp at Richard Lawson Studios. A graduation ceremony was held at NYFA at the end of the course.
Tina’s Angels and Richard’s Warriors are two of WACO’s esteemed programs. Located in the NOHO Arts District, WACO is dedicated to the empowerment of people within the diverse communities of the greater Los Angeles area.
Tina’s Angels is a mentorship program for young teenage girls, who are assigned a mentor hand-picked by Artistic Director, Tina Knowles-Lawson. Lawson is the mother of pop superstar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. Richard’s Warriors is a mentorship program for young teenage boys, who are assigned mentor hand-picked by Artistic Director, Richard Lawson. The mission of both programs is to help youth who have potential and desire to live a successful productive life but do not have the guidance, financial ability, or access to the road map to get there.
NYFA partners with WACO to help the programs give these young teens the training and tools to fully actualize aspirations, and transcend limitations and borders to distribute their work in a variety of mediums and deliver their message to anyone, anywhere.
After completing the intensive program, the students came away with more confidence and a passion for the arts. Here are what some of the graduates had to say:
Ariel (Tina’s Angels): “I might get into filmmaking more because I like it. At first, I was unsure because I never did it before. but it is actually fun.”
Carlos (Richard’s Warriors): “I’ve actually learned a lot. I didn’t think of this as a career but now I am, and I want to learn more about film directing and I hope maybe to become one.”
Destiny (Tina’s Angels): “I’ve realized that I’m usually my own obstacle. I stop myself from being a more positive individual and thanks to the mentors who are really helpful, I’ve learned a lot more about myself and I’m really grateful for all you guys.”
Steven Foley, WACO Director of Operations and Production, was also thrilled at the success of the camp. “I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and NYFA for being integral partners in ensuring that the students from our Angels and Warriors program who participated in our two-week film camp had an amazing experience,” Foley told Veronika Kurshinskaya, NYFA Community Outreach Manager. “The week that we spend at NYFA and the instruction and resources that you all provide are a great benefit to the students and to WACO. We look forward to continuing our partnership with you all.”
Last night, New York Film Academy (NYFA) alum Bill Hader won a second Emmy for his work on the critically-acclaimed HBO series, Barry. The show, nominated for Best Comedy, was co-created by Hader, and has so far amassed an incredible 30 Primetime Emmy Award nominations in its first two seasons.
Hader has won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series two years in a row; his Barry co-star, previous NYFA guest speaker Henry Winkler won an Emmy last year for his work on the show. Hader, who attended NYFA’s Filmmaking workshop in 1996, also spoke with NYFA students last April.
The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony was held at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Instead of a traditional single host, the show employed several celebrities in comedic bits and musical numbers. The first presenter of the evening was previous NYFA guest speaker Bryan Cranston.
Memorable moments of the night included Billy Porter’s Emmy win for Pose, making him the first openly gay black man to win Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Jharrel Jerome became the first Afro-Latino to win an acting Emmy after his star-making turn in the Netflix miniseries When They See Us. Michelle Williams gave a passionate acceptance speech addressing the gender pay gap in Hollywood, expressing that equal pay allows actresses “to succeed because of her workplace environment and not in spite of it.”
Writer, producer, and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge had a huge night; both of her shows, Fleabag, and Killing Eve, won Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series for the former. Waller-Bridge also presented Outstanding Limited Series with Bill Hader in a comedic highlight of the night.
Other notable moments include the casts of Veep and Game of Thrones gathering on stage to thunderous applause, and NYFA guest speaker Tony Hale earned huge laughs by playing off his role as Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s tortured assistant.
The Game of Thrones cast followed their appearance with multiple award wins, including Outstanding Drama Series. The show, which finished its final season last spring, tied its own record for most Emmys won by a series in a single season. Other wins included Supporting Actor for Peter Dinklage, as well as a litany of Creative Arts Emmys at last week’s adjacent ceremony, including Outstanding Special Visual Effects for its penultimate episode, “The Bells.” NYFA 3D Animation & VFX alum Alexandra LoRusso worked on the special visual effects team for that episode, as well as the Game of Thrones finale, “The Iron Throne.”
New York Film Academy congratulates Filmmaking alum Bill Hader and all the winners of the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards!
Here is a full list of last night’s nominees and winners:
Outstanding Comedy Series Barry Fleabag –WINNER The Good Place The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Russian Doll Schitt’s Creek Veep
Outstanding Drama Series Better Call Saul Bodyguard Game of Thrones – WINNER Killing Eve Ozark Pose Succession This Is Us
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Mahershala Ali, True Detective Benicio Del Toro, Escape at Dannemora Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal Jared Harris, Chernobyl Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us – WINNER Sam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Amy Adams, Sharp Objects Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora Aunjanue Ellis, When They See Us Joey King, The Act Niecy Nash, When They See Us Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon – WINNER
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal – WINNER Stellan Skarsgard, Chernobyl Paul Dano, Escape at Dannemora John Leguizamo, When They See Us Michael K. Williams, When They See Us Asante Blackk, When They See Us
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Emily Watson, Chernobyl Margaret Qualley, Fosse/Verdon Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects Patricia Arquette, The Act – WINNER Marsha Stephanie Blake, When They See Us Vera Farmiga, When They See Us
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Anthony Anderson, Black-ish Don Cheadle, Black Monday Ted Danson, The Good Place Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method Bill Hader, Barry – WINNER Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Christina Applegate, Dead To Me Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag – WINNER
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Stephen Root, Barry Henry Winkler, Barry Anthony Carrigan, Barry Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – WINNER Tony Hale, Veep
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Sarah Goldberg, Barry Sian Clifford, Fleabag Olivia Colman, Fleabag Betty Gilpin, GLOW Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – WINNER Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Lead Actor in a Drama Series Jason Bateman, Ozark Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us Kit Harington, Game of Thrones Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul Billy Porter, Pose – WINNER Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones Jodie Comer, Killing Eve – WINNER Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder Laura Linney, Ozark Mandy Moore, This Is Us Sandra Oh, Killing Eve Robin Wright, House of Cards
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul Alfie Allen, Game of Thrones Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones – WINNER Michael Kelly, House of Cards Chris Sullivan, This Is Us
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones Lena Headey, Game of Thrones Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve Julia Garner, Ozark – WINNER
Outstanding Reality Competition Series Amazing Race American Ninja Warrior Nailed It RuPaul’s Drag Race – WINNER Top Chef The Voice
Outstanding Variety Talk Series The Daily Show Full Frontal Jimmy Kimmel Live! Last Week Tonight With John Oliver –WINNER The Late Late Show With James Corden The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series At Home With Amy Sedaris Documentary Now! Drunk History I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman Saturday Night Live –WINNER Who Is America?
Outstanding Television Movie Bandersnatch – WINNER Brexit Deadwood King Lear My Dinner with Hervé
Outstanding Limited Series Chernobyl – WINNER Escape at Dannemora Fosse/Verdon Sharp Objects When They See Us
Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series Barry, “ronny/lily,” Alec Berg and Bill Hader The Good Place, “Janet(s),” Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan PEN15, “Anna Ishii-Peters,” Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle Russian Doll, “Nothing In This World Is Easy,” Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler v Russian Doll, “A Warm Body,” Allison Silvermanv Veep, “Veep,” David Mandel Fleabag, “Episode 1,” Phoebe Waller-Bridge – WINNER
Directing For A Comedy Series Barry, “The Audition,” Alec Berg Barry, “ronny/lily,” Bill Hader The Big Bang Theory, “The Stockholm Syndrome,” Mark Cendrowski The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “All Alone,” Amy Sherman-Palladino The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “We’re Going To The Catskills!” Daniel Palladino Fleabag, “Episode 1,” Harry Bradbeer – WINNER
Directing for a Limited Series or TV Movie A Very English Scandal, Stephen Frears Chernobyl, Johan Renck – WINNER Escape at Dannemora, Ben Stiller Fosse/Verdon, Jessica Yu Fosse/Version, Thomas Kail When They See Us, Ava DuVernay
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.
This week, 20 alumni from New York Film Academy (NYFA) met up for dinner in Manila, capital of the Philippines.
Also present at the event were Jim Miller, NYFA Vice President, Strategic Initiatives; Jonathan Whittaker, Chair of Short-term Intensive Programs; and Tami Alexander, NYFA Vice President, Middle East & North Africa.
The alumni were a fun, diverse group, and came from a variety of NYFA programs, including short-term workshops, long-term conservatories, camps, and the MFA program. Both the New York and Los Angeles campuses were represented, as well as several graduation years.
Over the meal, the alumni got to know one another better, and shared what they have been up to since graduating NYFA. Some of the alumni achievements included acting in professional shows, releasing music on Spotify, filming multiple feature films, and winning Best Actress at the CINESB Film Festival. One alum shared that they will be heading the cultural events of the upcoming biennial South East Asian Games, hosted this year by the Philippines.
New York Film Academy (NYFA) alum Bill Hader won a second Emmy for his work on the critically-acclaimed HBO series, Barry, last night at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. The ceremony was held at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
Barry, nominated for Best Comedy, was co-created by Hader, and has so far amassed an incredible 30 Primetime Emmy Award nominations in its first two seasons.Hader has won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series two years in a row; hisco-star Henry Winkler–a previous NYFA guest speaker–won an Emmy last year for his work on the show. Hader, who attended NYFA’s Filmmaking workshop in 1996, also spoke with NYFA students last April.
Instead of a traditional single host, this year’s ceremony employed several celebrities in comedic bits and musical numbers. The first presenter of the evening was previous NYFA guest speaker Bryan Cranston.
Memorable moments of the night included Billy Porter’s Emmy win for Pose, making him the first openly gay black man to Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Jharrel Jerome became the first Afro-Latino to win an acting Emmy after his star-making turn in Netflix miniseries When They See Us. Michelle Williams gave a passionate acceptance speech addressing the gender pay gap in Hollywood, expressing that equal pay allows actresses “to succeed because of her workplace environment and not in spite of it.”
Writer, producer, and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge had a huge night; both of her shows, Fleabag, and Killing Eve, won Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series for the former. Waller-Bridge also presented Outstanding Limited Series with Bill Hader in a comedic highlight of the evening.
Other notable moments including the casts of Veep and Game of Thrones gathering on stage to thunderous applause. NYFA guest speaker Tony Hale earned huge laughs by playing off his role as Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s tortured assistant.
The Game of Thrones cast followed their appearance with multiple award wins, including Outstanding Drama Series. The show, which finished its final season last spring, tied its own record for most Emmys won by a series in a single season. Other wins included Supporting Actor for Peter Dinklage, as well as a litany of Creative Arts Emmys at last week’s adjacent ceremony, including Outstanding Special Visual Effects for its penultimate episode, “The Bells.” NYFA 3D Animation & VFX alum Alexandra LoRusso worked on the special visual effects team for that episode, as well as the Game of Thrones finale, “The Iron Throne.”
New York Film Academy congratulates Filmmaking alum Bill Hader and all the winners of the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards!
Here is a full list of last night’s nominees and winners:
Outstanding Comedy Series Barry Fleabag – WINNER The Good Place The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Russian Doll Schitt’s Creek Veep
Outstanding Drama Series Better Call Saul Bodyguard Game of Thrones – WINNER Killing Eve Ozark Pose Succession This Is Us
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Mahershala Ali, True Detective Benicio Del Toro, Escape at Dannemora Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal Jared Harris, Chernobyl Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us – WINNER Sam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Amy Adams, Sharp Objects Patricia Arquette, Escape atDannemora Aunjanue Ellis, When They See Us Joey King, The Act Niecy Nash, When They See Us Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon – WINNER
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal – WINNER Stellan Skarsgard, Chernobyl Paul Dano, Escape at Dannemora John Leguizamo, When They See Us Michael K. Williams, When They See Us Asante Blackk, When They See Us
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Emily Watson, Chernobyl Margaret Qualley, Fosse/Verdon Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects Patricia Arquette, The Act – WINNER
Marsha Stephanie Blake, When They See Us Vera Farmiga, When They See Us
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Anthony Anderson, Black-ish Don Cheadle, Black Monday Ted Danson, The Good Place Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method Bill Hader, Barry – WINNER Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Christina Applegate, Dead To Me Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag – WINNER
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Stephen Root, Barry Henry Winkler, Barry Anthony Carrigan, Barry Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – WINNER Tony Hale, Veep
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Sarah Goldberg, Barry Sian Clifford, Fleabag Olivia Colman, Fleabag Betty Gilpin, GLOW Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – WINNER Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Lead Actor in a Drama Series Jason Bateman, Ozark Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us Kit Harington, Game of Thrones Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul Billy Porter, Pose – WINNER Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones Jodie Comer, Killing Eve – WINNER Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder Laura Linney, Ozark Mandy Moore, This Is Us Sandra Oh, Killing Eve Robin Wright, House of Cards
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul Alfie Allen, Game of Thrones Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones – WINNER Michael Kelly, House of Cards Chris Sullivan, This Is Us
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones Lena Headey, Game of Thrones Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve Julia Garner, Ozark – WINNER
Outstanding Reality Competition Series Amazing Race American Ninja Warrior Nailed It RuPaul’s Drag Race – WINNER Top Chef The Voice
Outstanding Variety Talk Series The Daily Show Full Frontal Jimmy Kimmel Live! Last Week Tonight With John Oliver – WINNER The Late Late Show With James Corden The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series At Home With Amy Sedaris Documentary Now! Drunk History I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman Saturday Night Live – WINNER Who Is America?
Outstanding Television Movie Bandersnatch – WINNER Brexit Deadwood King Lear My Dinner with Hervé
Outstanding Limited Series Chernobyl – WINNER Escape at Dannemora Fosse/Verdon Sharp Objects When They See Us
Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series Barry, “ronny/lily,” Alec Berg and Bill Hader The Good Place, “Janet(s),” Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan PEN15, “Anna Ishii-Peters,” Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle Russian Doll, “Nothing In This World Is Easy,” Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler Russian Doll, “A Warm Body,” Allison Silverman Veep, “Veep,” David Mandel Fleabag, “Episode 1,” Phoebe Waller-Bridge – WINNER
Directing For A Comedy Series Barry, “The Audition,” Alec Berg Barry, “ronny/lily,” Bill Hader The Big Bang Theory, “The Stockholm Syndrome,” Mark Cendrowski The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “All Alone,” Amy Sherman-Palladino The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “We’re Going To The Catskills!” Daniel Palladino Fleabag, “Episode 1,” Harry Bradbeer – WINNER
Directing for a Limited Series or TV Movie A Very English Scandal, Stephen Frears Chernobyl, Johan Renck – WINNER Escape at Dannemora, Ben Stiller Fosse/Verdon, Jessica Yu Fosse/Version, Thomas Kail When They See Us, Ava DuVernay
Necromurder, the film by New York Film Academy (NYFA) alum Pablo C. Vergara, won the Award for Best International Fictional Film at 2019’s International Film and Metal Festival (FICIME.)
The festival, which began this year in Colombia, aims to visualize and support the metal music and film industry not just in Colombia but around the world, generating a forum for artistic expression from a genre that has influenced a search for identity for many generations, and which has been influenced by many artistic sources.
FICIME received over 500+ submissions from across the globe. Sixty-eight audiovisual projects were selected for the fest, in eight categories, including films from Syria, Croatia, Burkina Faso, Africa, Russia, and Scandinavia.
Necromurder is a music-oriented movie with strong visuals and design—written, directed, and starring Vergara, who was inspired by films like The Crow and The Doors. The film, based on real events, revolves around two musicians fighting for the title of King of Evil, where their own demons and lifestyles will lead them down a spiral of destruction that culminates in murder. For more details on the film its sources, check out our interview with Vergara here.
Vergara hails from Mexico City and works as a cinematographer, actor, and filmmaker, among other roles, and enrolled in New York Film Academy’s Filmmaking program in New York in Fall 2016, before moving to Hollywood to work on completing his MFA at NYFA’s Los Angeles campus.
Vergara will be returning to NYFA on October 15, screening his film along with other NYFA filmmakers by invitation of Chair of Filmmaking Claude Kerven. The event will be held at NYFA’s New York campus at 7 p.m.
New York Film Academy congratulates Filmmaking alum Pablo C. Vergara on his festival win and encourages everyone to check out the film when it screens at NYFA’s New York campus on October 15, 2019.
UPDATE – OCTOBER 22, 2020:
Vergara’s film Necromurder got a special poster to reveal in Times Square as part of NYC’s Shockfest. Vergara’s director showreel will be shown ahead of screenings throughout the festival, where Rob Zombie, himself, will be in attendance as the festival’s guest of honor.
This week, four alumni from New York Film Academy (NYFA) met up for lunch in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Three alumni studied at NYFA’s Los Angeles campus: Khairan Aldhy Mardhi, Melarissa Sjarief, and Brigitte Lee. Devina Sofiyanti, who rounded out the group, studies in New York.
Khairan Aldhy Mardhi attended a short-term workshop this year, while Devina Sofiyanti and Brigitte Lee enrolled in conservatories in 2016 and 2012, respectively. Melarissa Sjarief earned their MFA in 2018.
Over lunch, the alumni got to know each other and talk about what they’ve been up to since graduating. Sofiyanti shared the good news that their project was selected at Fly Film Lab Busan.
First Wives Club, the new adaptation of the hit 1996 film developed for television by New York Film Academy (NYFA) Filmmaking alum Tracy Oliver, premieres this week.
The series is loosely adapted from the feature film of the same name, which starred Diane Keaton, Better Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Maggie Smith, and took audiences by storm in 1996. The original film revolved around a group of women who cope with the divorce and seek retribution against their ex-husbands. Oliver’s adaptation focuses more on a story of sisterhood, and chronicles three best friends after one of them, Hazel, is caught up in an infamous cheating scandal. The three friends, who all recently came out of relationships, support each other while seeking revenge as they learn to put themselves first.
First Wives Club stars Jill Scott, Michelle Buteau, and Ryan Michelle Bathe as the three friends—Hazek, Bree, and Ari. The cast also includes Mark Tallman, RonReaco Lee, and Malik Yoba.
The show will premiere on September 19 as a launch title for the brand new Viacom streaming service, BET+, which also goes live on September 19. Its first season, which filmed in New York City late last year, will air for ten episodes. The show has been in pre-production for several years, having gone through multiple producers, casts, and studios, before screenwriter Tracy Oliver was handed the reins.
Oliver attended the New York Film Academy 4-Week Filmmaking workshop at our Los Angeles campus in 2005. In that workshop she met fellow classmate and NYFA alum Issa Rae, forming a friendship and working relationship that continues to this day.
Oliver wrote an episode of Rae’s career-launching webseries, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, as well as starring in the show as Rae’s antagonist, Nina. She has since become a wildly successful Hollywood screenwriter, with script credits including Barbershop: The Next Cut, Little, and The Sun is Also a Star.
Additionally, Oliver co-wrote the hit comedy Girls Trip with Kenya Barris, which made over $140 million at the box office. Oliver and Barris were nominated for a 2018 Image Award for their work on the movie. Oliver also directed the seventh episode of First Wives Club, as well as the 2017 short film, Trip.
New York Film Academy congratulates Filmmaking alum Tracy Oliver on the launch of her new series, First Wives Club, and encourages everyone to check out the show when it premieres on BET+!
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.
The New York Film Academy (NYFA) community came away with multiple award statues this weekend at the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, including NYFA Documentary instructor Bob Eisenhardt’s Outstanding Achievement in Editing win for his work on critically-acclaimed Free Solo.
The Creative Arts Emmys are awarded by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), typically a week before the more well-known televised Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony, and recognize technical and other similar achievements in television programming as well as more obscure categories. This year’s Creative Arts Emmys were held at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
Two big winners of the evening were the rock climbing documentary Free Solo and HBO’s juggernaut fantasy series Game of Thrones.
NYFA Documentary Filmmaking instructor Bob Eisenhardt, ACE, won Outstanding Achievement in Editing (Nonfiction) for cutting Free Solo, which has won countless awards over the last year, including the Academy Award for Best Documentary. Eisenhardt has also won several awards for his work on the film, including the editing industry’s highest honor, the Eddie Award.
In addition to the Editing Emmy, Free Solo won an impressive six additional awards: Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program, Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Underscore), Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media Within An Unscripted Program, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction Program (Single or Multi-Camera), and Outstanding Cinematography For A Nonfiction Program.
Game of Thrones also picked up a slew of trophies, which wasn’t surprising considering it’s now the most Emmy-nominated television show of all time. Creative Arts Emmy Award wins included Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour), among many others.
The series also won Outstanding Special Visual Effects for its penultimate episode, “The Bells.” NYFA 3D Animation & VFX alum Alexandra LoRusso worked on the special visual effects team for that episode, as well as the Game of Thrones finale, “The Iron Throne.”
Netflix original series Russian Doll also came away with three Creative Arts Emmys: Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour), Outstanding Contemporary Costumes, and Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour). NYFA Cinematography alum Rebecca Rajadnya worked on Russian Doll’s cinematography team as first assistant camera.
Emmy wins for the NYFA community continued throughout the two-day ceremony. RBG, the wildly popular documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, won for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. The film was shot by Documentary Filmmaking cinematography instructor Claudia Raschke.
HBO’s hit comedy Barry won Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation. The show was created by and stars NYFA alum Bill Hader, who has already won Primetime Emmys for his work on the show.
Hader recently spoke with NYFA students at a Q&A earlier this year. Rachel Bloom, creator and star of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, was also a recent NYFA guest speaker. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend won Outstanding Choreography For Scripted Programming this weekend.
Netflix’s nature documentary Our Planet notably picked up Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. The docuseries became event television last spring, with an early Hollywood screening in February moderated by NYFA Acting for Film alum Lana Condor giving Our Planet some early buzz.
New York Film Academy congratulates NYFA instructor Bob Eisenhardt and all of the winners at this year’s Creative Arts Emmys, and looks forward to the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony this Sunday, September 22!
First Wives Club, the new adaptation of the hit 1996 film developed for television by New York Film Academy (NYFA) Filmmaking alum Tracy Oliver, premieres this week.
Oliver attended the New York Film Academy 4-Week Filmmaking workshop at our Los Angeles campus in 2005. In that workshop she met fellow classmate and NYFA alum Issa Rae, forming a friendship and working relationship that continues to this day. Oliver wrote an episode of Rae’s career-launching webseries, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, as well as starring in the show as Rae’s antagonist, Nina. She has since become a wildly successful Hollywood screenwriter, with script credits including Barbershop: The Next Cut, Little, and The Sun is Also a Star.
Additionally, Oliver co-wrote the hit comedy Girls Trip with Kenya Barris, which made over $140 million at the box office. Oliver and Barris were nominated for a 2018 Image Award for their work on the movie.
First Wives Club, Oliver’s latest project, is loosely adapted from the feature film of the same name, which starred Diane Keaton, Better Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Maggie Smith, and took audiences by storm in 1996. The original film revolved around a group of women who cope with the divorce and seek retribution against their ex-husbands. The show has been in pre-production for several years, having gone through multiple producers, casts, and studios, before Oliver was handed the reins.
Oliver’s adaptation focuses more a story of sisterhood, and chronicles three best friends after one of them, Hazel, is caught up in an infamous cheating scandal. The three friends, who all recently came out of relationships, support each other while seeking revenge as they learn to put themselves first. The show stars Jill Scott, Michelle Buteau, and Ryan Michelle Bathe as the three friends—Hazek, Bree, and Ari. The cast also includes Mark Tallman, RonReaco Lee, and Malik Yoba. In addition to developing the show, Oliver also directed its seventh episode.
First Wives Club will premiere on September 19 as a launch title for the brand new Viacom streaming service, BET+, which also goes live on September 19. Its first season, which filmed in New York City late last year, will air for ten episodes.
New York Film Academy congratulates Filmmaking alum Tracy Oliver on the launch of her new series, First Wives Club, and encourages everyone to check out the show when it premieres on BET+!
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