{“Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.” - Jerry Seinfeld
{New York Film Academy Students and Alum receive a discount to spend the night with Jay & Silent Bob tonight at 7:30pm!
{“People like the comedy more when they care about the characters.” - Judd Apatow
{‘When you are in a room and your job is to write jokes 10 hours a day, your mind starts going to strange places.” - Seth MacFarlane
Click here if you think Larry David is a pretty, pretty funny guy.
Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood spent an afternoon with students at New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. In addition to their numerous television and film appearances, the improv actors are well known for the years they spent on the British and American versions of Whose Line is it Anyway?
The crowd cracked up as Colin and Brad screened clips from their show Two Man Group. After the screening, the duo discussed their jobs and answered questions from students. Colin joked, “It’s amazing to me that we can make a career doing this.” Brad described improv as being “like jumping out of an airplane and knitting a parachute on the way down.” The pair then invited up a dozen excited students to participate in a hands-on improv lesson.
Check out the fun in the photos!
Many of us want to share our comedic voice with the world, but cannot break down that seemingly impenetrable wall known as Hollywood. The Harvard Lampoon has traditionally been a breeding ground for many comedy writers. With the advent of the digital age, however, people have found new alternatives. This was the case for actor Clark Duke who spoke with us in regards to his breakthrough internet series, Clark And Michael. He stars alongside best friend Michael Cera who’s also had a breakthrough career with Arrested Development, Superbad, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,and Juno. Clark Duke originally wrote and directed the pilot as his college thesis film. The series gained notoriety, and it was picked up by CBS Internet Television.
“The internet is the greatest thing that ever happened.” Who can argue with Clark after his success? Clark recommends film students try a similar path. “If something is good, people will find it. This is an arena that didn’t exist before. I mean, where else can you do ten minute comedy sketches?” You could audition for Saturday Night Live but you’d be competing with the thousands of others also vying for a spot on that coveted roster. There is a paradigm shift happening in the entertainment industry. With the success of shows such as Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog in an era ushered forth by the Youtube phenomenon, Clark Duke represents Hollywood’s growing need to adapt. The only problem that Clark mentioned in regards to online content is the inability to really monetize the platform. It can help you, however, get noticed—as long as you use the platform to make a case for your talent and vision. We’re also pretty sure Clark doesn’t have to worry about money these days. He’s already appeared in Sex Drive, Kickass, and Hot Tub Time Machine. Now Clark is starring alongside Eddie Murphy in the new comedy A Thousand Words while developing a feature script. He is using his success in order to realize the dreams he had fresh out of film school. Clark Duke just had a different approach on getting there.
New York Film Academy Alum Aubrey Plaza in ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World’
Below is one of Aubrey’s interview’s at Comic Con. Aubrey talks about being part of the cast and what it’s like to go from having coffee with Michael Cera off-screen to screaming at him on-screen.
Aubrey got her professional start in acting as a member of Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles in 2004. She performed in a number of comedy shorts for Funny or Die, Improv Everywhere, College Humor. A graduate of our Universal Studios Teen Filmmaking Program, Aubrey grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, and is of Puerto Rican descent, (her father is Puerto Rican and her mother is Irish and English). Aubrey explains to Jimmy Fallon how she used to have fun growing up in Delaware.
Aubrey currently plays April Ludgate, a department intern, on Amy Poehler’s NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. Her impressive resume also includes a leading role in Judd Apatow’s Funny People as Seth Rogan’s love interest.
