New York Film Academy

[Alan Brown]

I've just started my second year of film school in the UK (Bournemouth Arts Institute) and I'm toying with the idea of doing one of the short 4 week filmmaking courses at the NYFA in New York sometime in the summer of 08. It would be a chance to experience filmmaking in another country and get out and explore the Big Apple.

 

Does anybody have any experience of the short courses offered by the New York Film Academy!

[Bill DiPietra]

I've just started my second year of film school in the UK (Bournemouth Arts Institute) and I'm toying with the idea of doing one of the short 4 week filmmaking courses at the NYFA in New York sometime in the summer of 08. It would be a chance to experience filmmaking in another country and get out and explore the Big Apple.

 

Does anybody have any experience of the short courses offered by the New York Film Academy!

 

If you are already in film school, why come overseas to basically rehash what you are already learning? The last time I looked, NYFA was rather high-priced considering the basic classes that they offer. I always looked at NYFA as an alternative for people who either didn't get into film school or just couldn't afford it. Does your school offer any study abroad trips? I agree that coming over for the summer and shooting some stuff in NYC is a cool idea. I just wouldn't bother enrolling in another program.

 

My advice to you is to stay in the film school you are already attending and learn as much as you can. There will always be plenty of opportunities for you here in NYC once you finish your education. Then people can start paying YOU.

 

Good luck and have fun.

[Alan Brown]

"There will always be plenty of opportunities for you here in NYC once you finish your education. Then people can start paying YOU."

 

I hope so. I don't want to stuck in the British film industry when I graduate. The U.S. is the place to be for people interested in making high quality, entertaining, films.

[Felipe Perez-Burchard]

I went to NYFA in the summer of 98 for a 6 week course... I was 16 and had never shot with a motion picture camera; it was fantastic!!!

However, if you are already in film school I would almost say skip NYFA, it is immersive but it is introductory (how can it not be if it is 4 or 6 weeks)... When I later went to film school, my "Intro to Film" course was quite similar only in a college setting -- I was ahead of the game in that sense because of my NYFA experience, but ultimately it might be too basic for you (and it was expensive) -- then again we are talking 10 years ago... they weren't all over the place like they are now.

I did meet great creative collaborators, though, which is always enriching.

 

Hope my 2 cents help.

 

best,

[Tim O'Connor]

I went to NYFA in the summer of 98 for a 6 week course... I was 16 and had never shot with a motion picture camera; it was fantastic!!!

However, if you are already in film school I would almost say skip NYFA, it is immersive but it is introductory (how can it not be if it is 4 or 6 weeks)... When I later went to film school, my "Intro to Film" course was quite similar only in a college setting -- I was ahead of the game in that sense because of my NYFA experience, but ultimately it might be too basic for you (and it was expensive) -- then again we are talking 10 years ago... they weren't all over the place like they are now.

I did meet great creative collaborators, though, which is always enriching.

 

Hope my 2 cents help.

 

best,

 

 

I've been seeing ads everywhere on the sides of busses and billboards for the NYFA showing

apparent students behind a Panavision camera. Does NYFA really offer the opportunity to shoot

with these cameras?

[Alan Brown]

Thanks for all the advice guys but something interesting has come up. When I finish my second year of film school I may take a gap year. I've just discovered that there are internship opportunities in the U.S. for British university students taking a gap year. What you have to do is find a U.S. company willing to take on a foreign trainee for a maximum of 16 months. The internship/workplacement has to be connected to what the trainee is studying in his native country and must pay a minimum of $750 a month.

 

It sounds almost perfect. If I can find a film production company in either Los Angeles or New York willing to to take me on as a trainee for 10-12 months then I can take a break from my current course, go to the U.S. for a year and be paid to live and study in the city of angels or the big apple, and then return home to complete my degree.

 

Now, where's that phone. There must be production companies in LA or NY who will sponsor me!!

[Bill DiPietra]

Thanks for all the advice guys but something interesting has come up. When I finish my second year of film school I may take a gap year. I've just discovered that there are internship opportunities in the U.S. for British university students taking a gap year. What you have to do is find a U.S. company willing to take on a foreign trainee for a maximum of 16 months. The internship/workplacement has to be connected to what the trainee is studying in his native country and must pay a minimum of $750 a month.

 

It sounds almost perfect. If I can find a film production company in either Los Angeles or New York willing to to take me on as a trainee for 10-12 months then I can take a break from my current course, go to the U.S. for a year and be paid to live and study in the city of angels or the big apple, and then return home to complete my degree.

 

Now, where's that phone. There must be production companies in LA or NY who will sponsor me!!

 

Cool! Good luck!

[Nathan Connolly]

Thanks for all the advice guys but something interesting has come up. When I finish my second year of film school I may take a gap year. I've just discovered that there are internship opportunities in the U.S. for British university students taking a gap year. What you have to do is find a U.S. company willing to take on a foreign trainee for a maximum of 16 months. The internship/workplacement has to be connected to what the trainee is studying in his native country and must pay a minimum of $750 a month.

 

It sounds almost perfect. If I can find a film production company in either Los Angeles or New York willing to to take me on as a trainee for 10-12 months then I can take a break from my current course, go to the U.S. for a year and be paid to live and study in the city of angels or the big apple, and then return home to complete my degree.

 

Now, where's that phone. There must be production companies in LA or NY who will sponsor me!!

 

 

Hey I was wondering if you would mind posting any more details on the internships for university students or any website addresses that would be really useful. Thanks.

[Carlos Garcia D]

I've been seeing ads everywhere on the sides of busses and billboards for the NYFA showing

apparent students behind a Panavision camera. Does NYFA really offer the opportunity to shoot

with these cameras?

 

Yea, in the one year program there is a 1 week 35 mm workshop. You can also use it for your thesis if you want. The camera is kind of old, probably not in the best condition

[Walter Graff]

Yea, in the one year program there is a 1 week 35 mm workshop. You can also use it for your thesis if you want. The camera is kind of old, probably not in the best condition

 

NYFA does not own a Panavsion camera. One of the teachers there does own his own (an older regular, MOS camera, but in great shape with great lenses and lets the students shoot with it. There is a course there that uses one of the Panavision Gold cameras loaned free from Panavision but unlike hte shot on the bus, you can not go outside with it.

[Carlos Garcia D]

I just graduated from NYFA one year program and i am pretty sure you can use that camera they get from Panavision in your thesis if you want. At lest that is what they told us...

[Tim O'Connor]

I just graduated from NYFA one year program and i am pretty sure you can use that camera they get from Panavision in your thesis if you want. At lest that is what they told us...

 

 

I hope so because I think seeing that camera, which looks pretty clean and shiny

in the pictures, is really going to grab the attention of people wondering where to spend their

money on a film school.

[Walter Graff]

I hope so because I think seeing that camera, which looks pretty clean and shiny

in the pictures, is really going to grab the attention of people wondering where to spend their

money on a film school.

 

That camera you see is not owned by the school only rented from Panavision.