New York Film Academy Tumblr

Filmmaking students learning to shoot with Arriflex-SR 16mm cameras at New York Film Academy’s Union Square location.

Sign up now to learn more about our hands on, intensive film making programs!

http://www.nyfa.edu/

50 notes - Permalink - Reblog Post

New York Film Academy’s Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Choi

Sarah Choi attended New York Film Academy’s 1-Year Documentary Program. Her documentary Newtown, which reveals the history and reality of an oil spill in Newtown Creek, premiered at the Brooklyn Independent Films & Media Arts Festival. “Underneath the glamour and glory of Manhattan lie the remains of century-long environmental injustice, yet no one really knows about the largest oil spill that took place in Newtown Creek.” After growing up in Korea, Sarah moved to Canada to study Biology. Environmental justice was something very near to her heart and she knew her documentary would cover such injustices. Her professor, Andrea Swift, suggested a topic close to New York. “I initially wanted to work on a project about Tar Sands in Fort McMurray and pitched it to my professor. Then, Andrea said ‘Maybe you can make an environmental piece here in New York.’ I had no idea that there was an oil spill - or oil release, as some prefer - in New York, so close to where I was living. The hands-on experience and accessibility of mentors in the film industry made Sarah’s experience at New York Film Academy simply amazing. ” The fact that I could easily bounce ideas back and forth with my professors, and get honest feedback from them, was a huge advantage. It was at NYFA that I also learned the collaborative nature of filmmaking through working in crews of three or four. I met many talented individuals with whom I still work with.” Currently, Sarah is workingon several documentary projects including a short piece on solar energy education in New York. She intends to continue to create films that inspire hope and change, while opening up conversations between segregated groups.

Permalink - Reblog Post

New York Film Academy Graduate To Screen Film At Tribeca Film Festival

The Tribeca Film Festival was created in 2002 by Robert De Niro, in response to the declining vitality of Manhattan’s Tribeca community following the attacks of 9/11. Since its launch ten years ago, Tribeca Film Festival has established itself as one of the premier film festivals in the world for independent features, documentaries, and shorts. Their mission: “to enable the international film community and the general public to experience the power of film by redefining the film festival experience.”

This year, Tribeca recognized one of New York Film Academy’s international graduates, Martin Rosete. Martin came to New York Film Academy in 2007 thanks to a scholarship from the La Caixa Fellowship Program in Spain. “At that time I could not even dream everything that I was about to learn at NYFA and all the opportunities that this would give me in the professional world.” Now, Martin has a film, Voice Over, being screened at Tribeca and an agent at William Morris Endeavor. His future is ripe for success.

What drives you as an artist?

Outstanding stories. That is what moves me. When I fall in love with a script or story, I am able to commit myself to all the time and pressure that goes into making a movie. If the story is not amazing, it is not worth putting all your energy into. That’s what happened to me with Voice Over. When the writer, Luiso Berdejo, let me read it, I fell completely in love with it and I told him that I would die to direct it. Fifteen months later, we finished Voice Over and now we’re in Tribeca amongst many other film festivals. I also have an agent from William Morris Endeavor and I’m reading many feature scripts. It is a really exciting moment.

Can you tell us about your experience at NYFA?

NYFA is a great place to study filmmaking. It completely focuses on the hands-on experience. I was shooting almost every week on my projects - or classmates’ projects.

In addition to directing, you also gain a sense of each department (sound, photography, editing, etc.) When you leave NYFA, you have a strong understanding about what it takes to make a movie, and that puts you in a great position to enter the professional world.

Also, what I loved the most about NYFA was their advanced equipment (cameras, lighting, etc.) I was able to use the equipment all the time. So, if you go there with the idea of shooting constantly, they will provide you with the resources to shoot 24/7. That is something that no other film school is able to offer.

What is your perspective on screening at film festivals? Advice on the process?

Film Festivals are the main doors to the professional world. Being in the big ones and winning awards, gives you the visibility needed to find the right producer, agent, or investor, interested in your work. My work has been selected in more than 500 film festivals, winning over 100 awards. The only secret is to have something good to show and finding the resources to distribute your work.

With Voice Over we have been super lucky to find the support of the distribution company Marvin & Wayne, The Line Between, Mas Medios, and Genepsis Media who are taking care of the online marketing and social media.

What kind of advice would you give to the aspiring filmmaker and NYFA student dreaming to succeed?

Whatever you do, do it right. Even if you are doing a small project with no budget. Try your best. Put all of your energy and passion into it. Sometimes the result won’t be great, but you may get a good lesson that you can apply in the next shooting. I always joke with my crew, even on low budget sets, telling them that we have to face the shoot as if we were doing Ben-Hur. That kind of commitment from everyone makes the difference. And besides all of that, for me it’s very important to show respect for the profession and for the professionals involved. 

4 notes - Permalink - Reblog Post