Producer Adam Fields

New York Film Academy Los Angeles students were treated this month to a screening of the cult smash hit Donnie Darko at Warner Bros. studios. Following the screening was a Q&A with the producer Adam Fields, moderated by Tova Laiter.

Although there may be mass confusion as to the meaning behind Donnie Darko, most people can agree that, for one reason or another, they love it. This was the case for producer Adam Fields when he first read the script and decided to spearhead the project. Adam didn’t know exactly what the story was about, but he was deeply drawn to the project. Most notably, the dialogue of the struggling high school students felt more real and moving than anything else he had ever read in that genre. So Adam followed his gut and took on the project. Before he had secured any financing, he went out on a limb and announced a future shooting date in the trade papers. Agents began calling and asking to read the script, their clients loved the material, and soon everyone was interested. This momentum attracted money and eventually Drew Barrymore, who helped complete financing. By believing the project was definitely happening and acting as if it were, Adam Fields manifested the reality he desired.

The value of “trusting your gut” was an important theme of the night. Trusting his gut is also something Adam did when deciding to produce the film Ravenous. Similar to Donnie Darko, this film was obscure and didn’t fit perfectly into any one particular genre like Hollywood likes, but Adam loved it. Without Adam’s enthusiasm for this offbeat script with cannibalistic content and humorous undertones, Ravenous would never have seen the light of day. He was eventually able to convince a studio executive to read the script. Although the executive told Adam that he “hated it,” he didn’t give up. While courting the executive over breakfast, he learned that he was a vegetarian, which explained to Adam why he wouldn’t like a script about cannibals. However, Adam cleverly spun the project as a “pro-vegetarian” piece. Adam was able to help the executive see what he saw in Ravenous and the project was green-lit.

Adam Fields rise to the top was definitely an unorthodox approach. He didn’t care about what was popular or trending and simply pursued those projects that he connected with. His successes, (that he has either produced or supervised) – An American Werewolf in London, Six Weeks, Missing, Endless Love, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Great Balls of Fire, Ali, Brokedown Palace, Blue Crush, and Limitless with Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro — were all the more satisfying because of this. This was an important lesson that Adam taught NYFA students.

We wish Adam Fields the best of luck with his future projects such as Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, The Wedding Ringer, a TV series based on James Mangold’s Copland, and Gone Baby Gone from author Dennis Lehane.

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Joe Matukewicz at NYFA LA

This week New York Film Academy students in Los Angeles were treated to a special sneak preview screening of the hit Sundance award-winning comedy The Skeleton Twins followed by a Q&A, moderated by Tova Laiter, with the SVP of Acquisitions at Sony, Joe Matukewicz. The film, which won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award this past Sundance Film Festival and currently has a 100 rating on Rotten Tomatoes, delighted students with its offbeat comedy and surprisingly profound performances by Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig. The discussion that followed with Joe Matukewicz shed light on the less known world of film acquisitions.

Joe Matukewicz is the current Senior Vice President of Worldwide Acquisition for Sony Pictures. His past positions include SVP and Head of Worldwide Acquisitions at Relativity Media, VP Acquisitions and Co-Productions at Paramount Vantage, and Director of Acquisitions and Co-Productions at Paramount Classics. Among the many films with which he was involved with were Act of Valor, House at the End of the Street, Hustle and Flow (2005 Oscar Winner for Best Original Song), The Machinist, and An Inconvenient Truth (2006 double-Oscar winner for Best Documentary and Best Original Song).

Kristin Wiig and Bill Hader in ‘The Skeleton Twins’

At Sony, Joe acquires forty movies a year of all genres, some of which are distributed by Sony and others with indie labels. Some movies can be bought at script stage, if there is a package attached, while others can be very execution depended — distributors may wait to see the movie, even though it can be more competitive.

When Joe first began in the acquisitions world as an assistant, he didn’t even know what “acquisitions” was. He soon discovered that the purchasing of film properties was an art form and one for which he had a knack. Deciding what to buy and when to buy it is a game for which there is no definitive strategy. Joe Matukewicz considers many factors including cast, execution, genre, social/political climate at the time and, of course, story. The one thing he doesn’t care about is the film’s budget. The producers are never obligated to reveal the true budget of the film. However, Joe will ask as many people involved with the film as he can what the budget is, but mainly to see how many different answers he can get. This will reveal the filmmakers’ expectation of how much they can sell it for, which is a more important factor in how much the film will end up costing him than the budget itself.

Mr. Matukewicz acquired The Skeleton Twins at this past Sundance Film Festival. His yearly schedule is jam-packed with film festival appearances. Although his job is exhausting, traveling around the world, watching films and making big picture deals is an exciting gig that Joe is very grateful to have. We wish Joe Matukewicz continued success in the world of acquisitions and hope that his next purchase makes a huge splash in a theater near you.

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Noted director Doug Liman, whose film Edge of Tomorrow, starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, is currently playing on over 3,400 screens across the U.S., recently appeared at the New York Film Academy as part of the Producing Program’s Industry Speaker series.

Participating in a lengthy question and answer session with Producing Department Co-Chair Neal Weisman, Doug spoke about various aspects of his career. The discussion largely focused on his process making such seminal independent films as Swingers and Go. He also gave great insight into the development and production of The Bourne Identity, which spawned the ongoing film franchise. Doug’s perspective on his career, and the current state of the film/tv industry, was truly inspiring for the gathering of NYFA producers, filmmakers, and screenwriters.

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Writer/producer David Rosenberg hears pitch from MFA student Gabriel Amora de Farias at our year-one Pitch Fest.

As those of us in the industry are aware, talent and networking can take you far. However, your projects will have little chance if you don’t know how to “pitch” them. There is a certain charisma, confidence and mastery of storytelling that must be honed in order to sell your ideas. That’s precisely why the New York Film Academy has its students go through a constructive pitching process with actual industry professionals.

On May 21st, NYFA’s Los Angeles Producing Department hosted our September, 2013 Year-One Pitch Fest at our new Riverside building in Los Angeles. It was a lively and enjoyable night for all who attended. The students pitched in a round-robin format to industry professionals as well as several of our instructors. All of our students received valuable feedback on their projects. And our “Pitchees” were very impressed with what they heard from our “Producers.”

Writer/producer Paul Brown gives feedback to MFA student Yuki Naito at our year-one Pitch Fest.

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John Hadity, the renown film finance expert, recently spent time with New York Film Academy Producing students at the Battery Park New York City campus this month. An Industry Speaker in the Producing Program’s Film Finance series, John shared the latest developments in various areas, including: tax schemes, equity financing, and bank loans. Currently, John is the Executive Vice President for Entertainment Partners Financial Solutions. Over the course of his career, John has worked with a diverse group of film companies including twelve years as the Executive Vice President of Motion Picture & Television Production Finance for Miramax Films. He is also on the Executive Board of the Producers Guild of America. His expertise has established John as one of the first “go to guys” in the world of film finance, a fact not unrecognized by NYFA Producing students!

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New York based producer Adi Ezroni recently spent time with New York Film Academy Producing students discussing the upcoming release of her new film Kelly & Cal. The film stars Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers) and is the feature debut of director Jen McGowan and writer Amy Lowe Starbin. Participating in a “Producer’s Craft” conversation with NYFA Producing Department Co-Chair Neal Weisman, Adi generously shared details of the project’s development, financing, production, as well as the sales/marketing/distribution of the film. Adi also spoke of her career trajectory, starting as an actress (and star of the Israeli television series that gave rise to Homeland), and her entry into producing with such films as A Late Quartet (starred Philip Seymour Hoffman).

Adi’s film Kelly & Cal opens September 5 at the IFC Center in NYC, and on Video On Demand. The film has been receiving terrific reviews, including this recent New York Times review.

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On September 9th 2014, New York Film Academy alum-turned-Original Film exec Toby Ascher joined our Business of Screenwriting class. Ascher was a student in NYFA’s Summer Filmmaking Program in Los Angeles back in 2001. With early aspirations to direct, Ascher soon fell in love with producing after college. His story of becoming a rising star at powerhouse producer Neal Mortiz’ production company is a fascinating one, which we were fortunate enough to have him share with us.

“My very first gig was working as an intern on the Montel Williams Show,” Ascher explained. “My job was to keep the secret surprise guests separate from the regular guests, so that panelists on the show would have no idea their cheating wife or husband, or backstabbing best friend was waiting backstage… In retrospect, it was a lot of responsibility and pressure for an intern,” Ascher joked with the class.

Ascher’s next stint was working for literary agent Todd Hoffman at the then Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann (BWCS) agency. “I learnt a lot on that desk,” Ascher remarked, “Todd was representing some of the hottest TV and film writers and directors in town. Guys like [Breaking Bad creator] Vince Gilligan… I knew I didn’t want to be an agent, but it was an invaluable experience nonetheless.”

From there, Ascher went to work for the WeinsteinCo’s genre division, Dimension Films. Here, he really got to understand the different divisions and inner workings of a mini-major studio, he explained. But, it was his next job, landing at Original Film, where Ascher finally found his niche. “Neal makes the types of movies that I grew up loving, the types of movies I was beyond excited to start putting together myself.”

In his 7+ years working at Original (first as an assistant, then as a producer with a first look in-house deal, and now currently as an executive), that’s exactly what Ascher has done – develop projects with writers and put movies together.

Currently, he’s working on projects such as the romantic comedy Save the Date, a new spin on Robin Hood entitled Merry Men, a movie adaptation of the popular trading cards Garbage Pail Kids, the sci-fi project, Leviathan, a sports drama based on the rise of Dallas Cowboy Jesse Holley, and a potential family film franchise based off of Sega’s beloved, Sonic the Hedgehog, amongst others.

Ascher explained the complex process of turning pre-existing IP (intellectual property) into film projects, and the many steps the movie must go through first, from brokering deals with the rights holders to developing the screenplay in a way that’s faithful to the original IP, while still entertaining as a motion picture.

Ascher also was honest about what he’s learnt about the projects he takes on over the years. “Truthfully, with experience, I’ve become a lot more resistant now than I used to be. If I can’t see the poster, if the project doesn’t have a clear high-concept hook that I can understand in the one-sheet, I usually don’t get involved, as marketing is a very big part of the process. And should be in today’s climate.”

As for the types of writers he works with, however, Ascher closed out with some good news for the students, “So long as you’ve written a great piece of material, regardless of the genre, you’re someone I want to potentially be in business with. Look, it’s a collaborative process, particularly on studio films, and the writer’s job is to execute a great screenplay. My job is to help get the writer to the movie that we the producers envision so we can all tell an unforgettable story.”

Ascher currently works at Original Film and was recognized in 2012 as one of Hollywood’s New Leaders by Variety.

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As part of the Producing Department and Diversity Development in Los Angeles, the NYFA Industry Lab aims to provide students with a truly hands-on, professional experience. Students, along with their instructors, are brought on to produce, shoot, and edit full productions for industry clients. Thus far, NYFA Industry Lab has worked with a number of major companies, including Warner Records and actor Matthew Modine, infamous for his role as “Joker” in Stanley Kubrick’s classic Vietnam film, Full Metal Jacket.

Recently, the Lab embarked on its largest production to date. The team partnered with singer and songwriter, Michaela, to shoot her new music video, Strawberry Kisses. Michaela has appeared on the popular Nickelodeon show, iCARLY, and has appeared in commercials, theatre productions, as well as video games. Strawberry Kisses is Michaela’s brand new original song, which she even wrote the lyrics for.

Produced in collaboration with management company, WaterWalks Entertainment, Inc., the video was shot entirely at New York Film Academy’s Riverside building. The video was co-directed by Directing Instructor Jeff Byrd and student Laura Elisa Perez Rebullen. Aside from his teaching at NYFA Los Angeles, Jeff is the Co-Chair of the African-American Steering Committee of the DGA.

Pay close attention to the video, especially our NYFA Los Angeles students, as you may just catch your classroom in the shot!

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This week New York Film Academy Los Angeles gathered to watch the new indie comedy Teacher of the Year and participated in a Q&A with the movie’s writer/director Jason Strouse and lead actor Matt Letscher. The event was moderated by Tova Laiter, who has producing credits on such films as Varsity Blues, The Scarlett Letter, and Cop and 1/2.

In a mockumentary fashion, Teacher of the Year depicts the honest efforts of a well-meaning teacher, surrounded by an eccentric faculty at Truman High School, as he grapples with whether he should accept a lucrative California Teacher of the Year award, which would mean leaving his job and abandoning the students he cares so much about. The movie was funny and played very well to the students who concluded its the kind of Indie movie they would like to make.

Jason Strouse (left) and Matt Letscher (right)

Jason Strouse began his writing career on NBC’s Caroline in the City and appeared regularly as a stand up comic before ditching it to become a teacher in L.A. He directed The Audience that premiered at the Palm Springs Short Film Festival. Teacher of the Year is his first feature film. Matt Letscher was most recently seen as “Charles” in the Academy Award nominated Her. His extensive film/TV credits include Scandal, The New Adventures of Old Christine, The West Wing, NYPD Blue, Criminal Minds, and Entourage. He currently recurs on the final season of Boardwalk Empire as Joe Kennedy and on Castle.

Writer/director Jason spoke about his roots in TV comedy show writers rooms and doing stand up comedy. The dynamics of both are very similar. He said that TV comedy writers are the funniest and smartest people you will meet, and keeping up with their witty banter in the room is quite a challenge. The writers room is where the magic happens. If your goal is write for TV, you should try to get in the room at all costs. Jason started out as a writer’s assistant, his talents were soon apparent to the writing team and he replaced a staff writer who couldn’t cut it. Later after having worked in the industry, Jason transitioned into teaching high school and works as a principle as he continues to write, produce, and direct. His teaching experience is what inspired Teacher of the Year. He used the mockumentary style to utilize his resources and tight shooting schedule to the greatest effect. The result is an outrageously funny and touching film coming from a truthful place.

Actor Matt Letscher spoke in depth about the actors process. He discussed the differences between theater and film acting—which he describes as an “acting out” (theater) as opposed to “letting the camera in” on what’s going on inside the actor (in film). However, regardless of the acting style, the process of breaking down a script and understanding the reasoning and motivation behind every action is always the same. He believes acting is just like carpentry or any other craft, and your skills improve only by “doing the work.” Matt carried a massive notebook around with him on the set of Teacher of the Year, filled with his own notes about his character and the story, and would delve into it every moment he got in between shots and takes. When he worked early in his career with Anthony Hopkins, he saw a similar scenario with Hopkins making notes on every paragraph of his script.

Jason and Matt stayed after their Q&A to mingle and take pictures with students. We sincerely thank Jason Strouse and Matt Letscher for visiting NYFA, and wish them the very best in their future filmmaking ventures!

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(left to right) Ion Beroiz, Ivan Leon, Juan Carlos Arciniegas, Film Critic and CNN host

One of the many positive aspects of attending a film school like New York Film Academy is the opportunity to meet and collaborate with motivated and creative artists. What’s fascinating about the collaboration between former NYFA students, Ion Beroiz and Ivan Leon, is their partnership came after not having seen or worked with each other for nearly eight months. Ivan, originally from Bogota, Colombia, had the desire to start his own production company, but needed the right partner who shared a similar passion of producing quality content. After discussing his ideas with Ion at party in Los Angeles, the two of them soon found themselves on the same page. Two days later, they registered the corporation name Fact Productions, Inc. They haven’t looked back since.

Since it’s nearly impossible to start from scratch and acquire paid clients, the duo put together a few spec commercials, using footage from their NYFA productions, stock footage, and personal videos. Soon after, they submitted their best commercial for a contest and were awarded second place. Now that they were “on the map” and beaming with confidence, they were able to parlay the victory into a few video gigs for some local restaurants. Not exactly international acclaim, but certainly a step in the right direction for a blossoming young production company.

It wasn’t long until NYFA was on their mind again. The duo pitched two more commercial ideas to NYFA Los Angeles’ Jean Sherlock and Dan Mackler. Jean and Dan were quite taken with their ideas and decided to assist in the production of another spec commercial, providing more quality content for Fact’s reel.

After improving the portfolio, they landed their first major client: Samsung. The production called for a voice-over in Hungarian and re-editing two commercials—washing machines were the product. Following Samsung, Fact began working with Mattel, producing internal communications.

As the ball continued to roll, a friend of theirs was able to introduce them to a contact at the record label, Universal Music Spain. It just so happened that the label was looking for a production company to take the lead on an upcoming video. Perfect, right? Well, they only had six days to prep! Looking back at their NYFA days, they realized, six days was plenty of time. They locked treatment with Universal two days before the shoot, providing them with 48 hours to produce a music video with full crew, 22 extras, a big band from Spain, and a mega star of the Spanish rock world, Enrique Bumbury. A hell of a challenge, to say the least.

Fortunately, the team pulled it off. The band was thrilled with the final product and so was Universal. After that, the phones were ringing.

“No matter how big or small our projects are, we always prepare them in the way our mentor from NYFA, Jonathan Pope Evans, told us, ‘As detailed as possible’,” said Ivan. “As Ion and I say, going to set is like going to war. We got that sense of preparation from NYFA.”

Fact’s most recent project was a music video for the band Marlango, featuring their new single Dinero. Have a look at the video below!

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Helena Hilario and Mario Pece

After working post-production in New York City and Los Angeles for five years on projects like Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New York Film Academy graduates, Helena Hilario (Producing) and Mario Pece (Directing) have decided to explore other opportunities in the Brazilian market by starting their own business. Their company, StratoStorm, will focus on developing visual effect sequences for commercials, films, television, music videos and digital projects for creative advertising agencies, production companies, and talented directors.

“There is a demand in Brazil for VFX for advertising, television and films,” says Helena Hilario. “We wanted to bring our experience from Hollywood to Brazil.”

Helena and Mario have invested in a state-of-the-art studio in São Paulo, equipped with workstations and render farms. Their remote-based workflow system allows them to work with clients and artists from around the world while residing in the tropical Brazilian countryside.

Thus far, StratoStorm has hit the ground running, as they’re currently working on a TV commercial for Combatant Gentlemen, which will air in the United States. They are also creating visual effects for the Brazilian feature film Jonas e a Baleia, directed by Lô Politi, set to premiere in movies theaters in South America in the beginning of next year.

Helena and Mario met while attending NYFA. From there, they developed a life-long relationship both personally and professionally. Helena had been working as a line producer at Academia de Filmes, one of Brazil’s largest production companies, until she decided to move to New York to learn about the movie business. “It was my dream to attend NYFA, I always heard about the great programs, excellent teachers and impeccable reputation of NYFA. When I found out about the Producing program, I had no doubts that it would be one of the best experiences of my life.”

Following her studies at NYFA, Helena worked in NYC at Downtown Reel, a production company which specialized in TV commercials for foreign markets. After that, she moved to Los Angeles, where she was hired to work on the production team at KGB, a boutique, independent production company based on the legendary Paramount Studios lot in the heart of Hollywood. In mid 2013, she joined the team at Ingenuity Engine as a VFX Executive Producer and New Business Development. There she worked with various ad agencies and production companies.

Helena’s partner, Mario Pece left Italy in 2008 to attend the 8-Week Directing Program. While enrolled, he directed several shorts films and decided to continue his education in the One-Year Directing Program. His focus was primarily on creating innovative and unique ways to incorporate VFX into his storytelling. After graduating, Mario became the lead VFX artist at Ingenuity Engine, an award winning VFX studio creating VFX for numerous clients such as Doritos, Reebok, Callaway, Jello, UFC and Virgin Holidays. For television, they produced the visual effects for TV shows Parks & Recreation, Happy Endings and Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Winner of Best Comedy at the Golden Globes 2014) and award-winning music videos. One of the music videos, Katie Perry’s Wide Awake, was nominated at the 2012 VMA’s for Best Visual Effects.

“Our training at NYFA was definitely very important for our careers,” said Helena. “We created hundreds of projects from concept to delivery, including the award-winning trailer for the suspense thriller Out of Home, starring Patrick Boll.”

Helena and Mario encourage talented visual effects artists and freelancers to send his or her reel to StratoStorm at info@stratostorm.com.

Mario Pece Reel 2014 from StratoStorm on Vimeo.

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The New York Film Academy recently wrapped another successful Producing Workshop in Moscow! During the last two weeks of October, NYFA marked the 5th Anniversary of its Moscow Workshops and Guest Lectures with a Two Week Producing Workshop attended by more than 20 industry professionals from Russia and surrounding countries. The Workshop included hands on instruction in U.S. standards of producing, production management, screenwriting and directing. The students, all working professionals in the Russian and surrounding countries’ film and television industries, came together for a two week intensive course that ended with an exciting Producers Pitch Fest, where each student pitched an original project conceived and developed during the course.

Representing NYFA at the workshops were Head of MFA Feature Productions and former Producing Chair, Lydia Cedrone; veteran NYFA screenwriting and directing instructor, James Rowe; and NYFA Chair of Producing, Tony Schwartz.

Also while in Moscow, Lydia Cedrone and James Rowe met over 100 guests and attendees at the NYFA Open House held on October 25 –more than 100 guests attended! Guests interested in degree programs abroad at NYFA campuses, along with those interested in short term workshops both abroad and in Moscow, attended a guest lecture of James Rowe, a highlight of the Open House.

And we’re not done in Moscow. NYFA faculty will also be at the Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow on November 8th and 9th to hold auditions, portfolio reviews and information sessions. If you’re interested in signing up for any of these events at the Radisson Royal Hotel, please CLICK HERE.

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New York Film Academy was one of the sponsors of the Producers Guild of America “Produced by” conference at the Time Warner Center. NYFA had a strong presence at this historic event, staged for the first time in New York City. Participants included Producing Department Co-Chairs Neal Weisman and Nick Yellen, Admissions Reps Sal Irizarry (a Producing Program alumni) and Robert Gorrie, as well as a number of current Producing students.

NYFA reps attended a variety of session that addressed the entire spectrum of the producing process: from creative producing, to the latest in international and domestic financing, to the very dynamic and fluid distribution landscape that is challenging the entire industry. Prominent among the panels attended were such diverse sessions as “Inside Showrunning”, “Financial Models in the Era of Hybrid Distribution”, “Tax Credit Financing”, and “The Power of Female Driven Content”. A variety of participants included such speakers and NYFA colleagues such as producer and distributor Harvey Weinstein, actor/producer Jake Gyllenhall, director/producer Darren Aronofsky, television show runner Jenni Konner, producer Scott Franklin, writer/producer/distributor James Schamus, Academy Award winning producers Donna Gigliotti and Cathy Schulman, regular NYFA industry speaker and film finance expert John Hadity, and producer Steven Haft. Of special interest was the presentation by famed distributor Ruth Vitale on the subject of film piracy. Look for Ruth to be a guest at NYFA early in the 2015 where she will elaborate on industry efforts to confront this serious issue.

NYFA Producing students attending the PGA “Produced by” Conference not only participated in panel sessions and networked amongst industry professionals, they also spent a good part of the day posting social media messages across multiple platforms! All in all, the Conference was a valuable experience for all concerned.

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NYFA Alumnus (Actor/Producer) Jesse Kove, along with (Director/Writer/Producer) Richard Zelniker, and other cast members Luc Bane, & Myko Paul, all from the Upcoming Feature Film “AS NIGHT COMES”.

On Tuesday, November 4th, New York Film Academy Alumnus (Actor/Producer) Jesse Kove, along with (Director/Writer/Producer) Richard Zelniker, and other cast members Luc Bane, & Myko Paul, all from the Upcoming Feature Film As Night Comes, which is being released in limited theaters and on VOD November 14th, visited the New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles branch to screen their film and participate in a Q&A with BFA Acting, MFA Acting, BFA Filmmaking, and other degree and short term program students. The film follows a troubled 17-year-old Sean Holloway as he falls in with a group of teenage outcasts called ‘The Misfits,’ whose charismatic leader, Ricky, takes him under his wing. As Sean becomes more and more entangled in the gang’s anarchist ways, things begin to spiral out of control, and Sean realizes Ricky is a ticking time bomb on a rampage of revenge.

During the Q&A, NYFA alumnus and co-star/producer Jesse Kove talked about the types of obstacles the crew and cast encountered during production and how they overcame them to produce such a solid product. As anyone who has ever attempted to make a film knows, it’s not an easy task–add a large ensemble cast, plenty of action, multiple locations, and top notch costume and production design and the odds are stacked almost completely against you. However, it was clear that all parties involved in the making of AS NIGHT COMES embody the “no matter what” mentality required to do this type of impossible. Not only that, but what they did was darn good too.

We wish Jesse Kove, Richard Zelniker and the whole cast and crew of As Night Comes the very best in their future filmmaking endeavors.

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The New York Film Academy’s Producing Program Industry Speaker series hosted an exclusive screening of the new film Bad Turn Worse this week at the Union Square Screening Room. Opening this weekend in New York, and then fifteen cities across the United States (as well as Video On Demand), NYFA students participated in a post-screening Q&A session with filmmakers Zeke and Simon Hawkins, moderated by Producing Department Co-Chair Neal Weisman.

The story revolves around three Texas teens who hope to make a break for it and escape their dead-end existence in a cotton-mill town but get sucked into the seedy underbelly of organized crime when one of them steals from the wrong man.

Having premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, and picked up for distribution by Starz, the movie is a thriller set in rural contemporary Texas. The directors, who are brothers, cited various influences in making this first feature film including Terence Malick’s Badlands, Steven Spielberg’s The Sugarland Express, and James Foley’s At Close Range. Made on a low budget, the film shot over forty days, and stars a host of emerging young actors, as well as William Devane (currently appearing in Interstellar). The directors shared their experiences working with L.A. based producers Justin Duprie and Brian Udovich, as well as heads of departments Cinematographer Jeff Bierman and Production Designer Seong-Jin Moon. Director Simon Hawkins also served as Editor on the film. The filmmakers explained their work process, what it’s like to direct as a team – who also happen to be brothers.

NYFA students were pleasantly surprised to hear that director Simon Hawkins took his very first film course at the New York Film Academy twelve years ago. Screening his first feature film on campus was an exciting homecoming for this NYFA graduate!

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Psychological thrillers have been a part of American culture for some time now. With legendary films like Se7en, The Machinist, and The Shining, it’s no wonder why audiences love submerging themselves into an alternate reality where they must question what is real, what isn’t, and what will happen next.

Second-year New York Film Academy student, Kellen Gibbs, has done just that in his intermediate film, The Sky Won’t Fall and has earned himself the award of Best Student Film in the Los Angeles Thriller Festival by touching on the frightening side of encountering extra-terrestrial life.

“I grew up with a father who would tell me wild alien stories that really fed [extra-terrestrial] intrigue,” says Gibbs. “For a while now I’ve been playing with the idea of doing a story like this and this just seemed like the time to do it.”

The mind-boggling film follows Dale Richardson as his life suddenly begins to spiral downward after experiencing what he believes is an alien encounter. As the story progresses, not only do the loved ones around him begin to think he’s losing his sanity, but Dale himself begins to question his own thoughts and must choose between what he truly believes happened, or risk losing those closest to him.

Currently studying in the AFA Filmmaking Program in Los Angeles, Gibbs was asked about his experience with NYFA thus far. ”I’ve loved every minute of it and I wouldn’t change my decision to come here,” he said. “Prior to NYFA I was making films with no formal training. I would do things that I thought were right, not understanding why. Now I know the ‘why’ and my filmmaking toolkit is a lot bigger now.”

Gibbs also took full advantage of utilizing his fellow classmates by assembling a crew that was comprised mostly of NYFA students and took on a 4-day shoot in Los Angeles. “Knowing each other for the year and being able to communicate made the set really organized and easy to manage,” he said.

With his award for Best Student Film already secure, Gibbs expects to see The Sky Won’t Fall screen in numerous other festivals, but for now its festival premiere is slated to debut in the first block at the Los Angeles Thriller Festival on December 12. Watch the trailer below and find out more information here on tickets to its screening.

The Sky Won’t Fall Trailer from Kellen Gibbs on Vimeo.

The post Kellen Gibbs Wins “Best Student Film” at the Los Angeles Thriller Festival appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

Producer Julie Pacino with writer & director Jennifer DeLia

Following a summer run of the play Phoenix at the Cherry Lane Theatre in the West Village, Poverty Row Entertainment, founded by New York Film Academy Filmmaking graduate Julie Pacino, and Jennifer DeLia, went on a cross-country tour with their feature film Billy Bates. The tour held screenings at cities across the country and will conclude this upcoming week with screenings at the Quad Cinema in New York City. Prior to the Quad Cinema premiere tonight, we were privileged to have Julie return to her alma mater with writer / director Jennifer DeLia. Jen and Julie played gracious guest speakers as they presented their film along with moderator and NYFA Senior Director David Klein.

The film dives deep into the mind of an enigmatic artist and the arduous, psychological madness that goes into his creative approach. Bates, played by actor James Wirt, faces some rather disturbing inner-demons. While this is not your standard narrative, the film serves its purpose through its kaleidoscopic cinematography and provocative documentary style.

This was Julie Pacino’s debut as a producer, with her only previous experience from her short film, Abracadabra. She attached herself to the film about two-thirds of the way into the project after being taken by Jennifer’s footage. With Julie’s filmmaking background and training, she figured why not get the full experience of producing a film by tackling the project head on. From there on, Julie was one of the few leading forces in getting this film completed and distributed — a task that could be very daunting for an independent production.

“It’s essential to know all aspects of filmmaking,” said Julie Pacino. “I learned that in the short I directed. It’s just as important to know the business side as it is to knowing your actors and crew.”

Indeed it was clear that the success of a production, especially with this particular one, has to do with collaboration and respect for the entire cast and crew.

“As a director, it was important that I relate to all of the departments,” said writer and director Jennifer DeLia. “You realize that everyone, from actors to PA’s, should be treated the same — be humble — realize it’s a collaboration from everyone.”

As a result of the team’s humble and ambitious efforts, independent film lovers across the country and around the world are able to see this film in theaters, as well as online distributors iTunes and Google Play.

Poverty Row is now working on a feature based on the life of female silent film pioneer Mary Pickford, starring Lily Rabe, Julia Stiles, and Michael Pitt.

Jennifer DeLia, David Klein and Julie Pacino

The post Julie Pacino Brings ‘Billy Bates’ to Her Alma Mater appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

There is a place that exists where heavily armed gladiators sharpen their blades and prepare to battle before thousands. It’s a lesser-known city that remains tucked away where hooved mythological creatures roam the streets and come together to feast with legendary gods while the Praetorian Guard continues its watch over the Roman Empire. Except this isn’t Rome, and this isn’t 117 A.D. Instead, it’s present day June in the northwest of Spain where Lugo, Galicia residents annually celebrate Arde Lucus: The pivotal day that the 3^rd century Roman rampart connecting the cities of Lugo, Astorga, and Braga was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000. It’s also the only rampart entirely intact from the Roman Empire in the world.

New York Film Academy alumnus and Lugo native, Brais Revalderia has earned himself (so far) 17 international awards such as “Best Director,” “Best Documentary,” and “Best Concept” for his documentary Arde Lucus, and that doesn’t include his 26 international festival selections. The film takes an in-depth look at the 4-day celebration and its people that prepare all year to authentically transform Lugo back in time over 1700 years in celebration of the newly bestowed historical site. With the festival still just 14 years old, the city has overwhelmingly seen visitors recently reach half a million with 99% of its residents, including government officials, participating in the reenactment.

“I thought I knew everything about the city I was born in but I was completely wrong,” says Revalderia. “I decided to do this documentary to learn about Lugo’s past but also because I love Galicia. Spain focuses on getting tourists to visit the southern areas of the country and the same doesn’t happen for Galicia. To me it’s the most beautiful part, has the best food, and is home to very important history of the world.”

Revalderia graduated from the New York Film Academy’s Two-Year Filmmaking Program in 2013. With little budget, help from fellow NYFA alumnus, Ota Hsieh, and a crew of 15, Arde Lucus took an intense year of preparation, shooting, and postproduction to complete. When asked about his experience at NYFA, the award-winning director said, “I really liked the fact that it was a hands-on program. For someone like me who already had a Bachelor’s degree, it was exactly what I needed to learn how a movie really gets done.”

Revalderia’s goal of Arde Lucus is to help bring awareness to the rest of the world of his historical hometown and the Roman and Castrexo roots that surround it with his unique documentary. Already receiving more awards than he can count on both hands, it seems this is just the beginning for Revalderia as he is close to a distribution agreement in Spain for the film.So what’s next for the award-winning NYFA graduate? Piruleta & Media, a company Brais started even before attending NYFA, is riding its momentum and working on several films such as the completion of 237np, his 2^nd year Sci-Fi thesis project which he says will “Impress people for sure,” with visual effects he confidentially states will be up to Hollywood standards.

For those who loved Arde Lucus, Brais is also entering the postproduction stages to his latest documentary, Lordemani, which will transport viewers into the world of Vikings this time around. And if those films don’t sound intriguing enough, The Arkham Archives will showcase Revalderia’s take on Batman.

The post NYFA Grad Earns 17 Awards for “Arde Lucus” appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

Some of the most successful and critically acclaimed horror films like The Exorcist and The Omen have dealt with the timeless idea of demonic possession. Growing up, New York Film Academy MFA Producing Alumnus and current instructor Justin Lareau lived near a home that had the first documented cases of possession in American history. “Seeing this house everyday, I knew that when I had the opportunity to make my first feature, I would want it to be something similar,” said Lareau. “So it inspired my original story idea.”

Justin wrote the original story for his horror film before entering NYFA and then wrote the treatment during one of his classes. He wanted to graduate and be able to make a feature right away. It was at NYFA that Justin met with two other producing students Ayush Banker and Helene Gonze. After incorporating an LLC, Justin brought his classmates aboard to write and produce the script, which would be become Nefas: The Wicked. “All three of us were an integral part of the project, getting great deals to make this a large production,” said Lareau. “We are a team that worked very well together and are in preparation for the sequel as we speak.”

The story of Nefas revolves around a small town skeptical doctor, who is forced to face his inner demons in order to save the life of a possessed teenage girl living in his family’s old house. It’s a unique take on possession which separates itself from the other similar stories yet it takes us back to the classics mentioned before like The Omen and The Exorcist.

As is often said and most certainly holds true on this project, it’s all in the re-write. After their original draft, the team wanted an outside opinion on the script, and decided to hire writer Michelle Beyda Scott. From there, the team of three went back to work, writing the next 21 drafts.

Once the team was confident in the script, they successfully pitched the project to private investors, raising the necessary funds for the film. With investment dollars secured and the help of talent agents, the two lead actors: Charlene Amoia, formerly Wend the Waitress on nine years of How I Met Your Mother and on American Reunion amongst many other projects, and Patricia Ashley who formerly hosted her own Nickelodeon show called Got Ya Covered. Aside from producing the film, Justin and Ayush directed the film as well.

In terms of distribution, the team is in talks with distributors but are waiting for the final phase of sound design to be completed before the project is open for sale. Nefas will be completed by the end of January 2015. Following that, the team will make a festival run.

“In a perfect world, I would like for it to get it’s distribution and then make a festival run for our marketing,” noted Lareau. “I would love for a limited theatrical that would lead to a wider distribution, followed by all of the other platforms. Our sound has been designed for a theatrical release and the quality of the image is that of a major motion picture.”

We wish the best of luck to Justin, Ayush and Helene on Nefas: The Wicked and look forward to seeing it in the theaters!

The post MFA Producing Grads Team up for ‘Nefas: The Wicked’ appeared first on New York Film Academy Blog.

Meera as Kashika in Hotal

Growing up in Pakistan on Hollywood films, TV and even cartoons, New York Film Academy Producing graduate Khalid Hasan Khan found his venture to NYFA Los Angeles’ film school inevitable. It was at the Academy that Hasan learned the craft of filmmaking and began to develop the basis for his award-winning film, Hotal. The independent Pakistani feature film is a psycho-thriller about an Indian woman who ends up in a hotel where she meets her unborn sister. In addition to its original storytelling, Hotal is completely groundbreaking in that it is the first Hindi feature film shot outside the Indian Bollywood industry.

The film boasts Lollywood star Meera and singer Jasmine Sandlas, who sings her “Mombatti” song in the film. After winning Best Film and Best Actress (Meera) at the Delhi International Film Festival, Hotal is arguably the most talked about film in Pakistan.

The Hindu wrote, “The screenplay by Khalid Hasan is being viewed as a bold attempt which will go a long way in making Pakistan’s small yet rapidly growing industry more creative and original.”

Khalid Hasad Khan inking a deal with IMGC

Before Khalid attended NYFA, he claims he had no real desire to write and direct a feature length film. Once he had the opportunity to experience the filmmaking process from start to finish in a hands-on environment, his outlook changed. “It dawned upon me that I can do everything from start to scratch,” said Khalid. “I have learnt a lot by doing hands-on filmmaking during my graduation program.”

Indeed he did. Khalid not only developed an original screenplay, he was able to attach significant talent from Pakistan in what is now an award-winning film with a global distribution deal. “I owe it all to my faculty and management,” added Khalid.

Pakistan’s distributor, IMGC Global Entertainment has acquired the global distribution deal for Hotal, which is set to be released on March 13, 2015. Interestingly enough, Khalid admitted he was wearing his NYFA jacket when he officially inked the distribution deal with Chairman, Sheikh Amjad Rashid.

Have a look at the trailer for Hotal and let us know what you think!

Hotal (Theatrical Trailer) from Khalid on Vimeo.

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