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Miss Discipline, you seems to be one of the few objective person reviewing nyfa, maybe you can help me. I've working as a...
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I would say to be a little more cautious... this school might be nice, and have fancy equipment, but thats not all it takes to...
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I went here, and it really exceeded all my expectations. When i was admitted I prepared myself with some ideas on scipts and...
Miss Discipline, you seems to be one of the few objective person reviewing nyfa, maybe you can help me. I've working as a focus puller several years so far as well as cinematographer on ads and shortfilms, and recently did my first short film in 35mm.wich I directed and photographed. I just want to change my direction as I now pursuing directing, so I thought it would be a good idea take the one year adv. evening filmaking, as is cheaper, allows me to get a job while attending for living costs, but also helps me to expertise in directing and creating a reel to go back to my country. I also like the idea of indie filmaking focus. But I`m really concern about a bunch of negative reviews about this filmschool, I don´t know what kind of people do that, is people who seeks maistream filmstyle here and didn´t find it?, they are against the people who can afford that?, is a matter of taste?, or the school is really a farse?, as I think I agree with their hands-on philosophy as I did filmschool yet and dont need more theory. Average people attending nyfa are just lazy rich ones on which you can´t count to help you on your projects???this is very important for me because I can write, direct, shoot and even produce by myself but I can´t do the whole thing alone!, and I don´t know anyone else in nyc who can help me if my classmates fails me. I've been trying looking arround for a course like this in all the world, but this is practically the only one. Ok, and last but no least, when you shoot your practices or final projects, how can you really expect to expend?, they say 2.000 but is that certain???
Thank you very much in advanced
I would say to be a little more cautious... this school might be nice, and have fancy equipment, but thats not all it takes to get a good education and get ahead in the business. The admin are hard to deal with and one was recently arrested for forging some student things and stealing around $5 G from the school. The guy was a former wonder student, etc. Anyways, i'm just saying, it looks really bad on the school, and I'd think twice before going here.
I went here, and it really exceeded all my expectations. When i was admitted I prepared myself with some ideas on scipts and all that, and was pretty sure that i wanted to go in the direction of directing. After my program ended in one year, i had a great thesis with all the bits worked out, plenty of hands on experience with filmmaking, and a bunch of really great connections. i was able to study a bit of all the specialties, and realised i prefered producing over directing. This school has put me in the right direction and given me all the tools i need. This is pretty much what we are all looking for in a school, and LA film has it all..
Its tough to survive in this school, you ahve to be coming in with some experience and some of the undergrad theory, etc. in producing and the technical stuff too. They have great equipment and facilities also. The directing program is especially good, mixing filmmaking theory and the skills to get things done the way you want. I recommend this school.
Northwest is also known as a great school overall, so the film school doesn't stand out especially, but its a great program. Zack Braff is one of their graduates, so it shows there. Also, this school is super cheap, and has good calibr teachers from experienced backgrounds. there is a general atmosphere of do it yourself, and your peers are talented and willing to help. Also, the final projects are known for being high calibre.
Yale also has pretty generous financial aid, so thats another big plus. Besides Oliver Stone, Jodie Foster and John Badham, and Elia Kazan also went there. you can't discount Yale becuase people don't talk about it. Its a great school and you will get out of it what you put in. They have a great atmosphere there too, people like working together and appreciate eachother.
Don't let any school intimidate you. They just wnat the best people out there, so they keep the application specific so they can tell everyone apart. Columbia is a great school, and its not that expensive comparatively to other places. Just send in to them your best and most creative stuff. That is what they are looking for, talent. If you get to an interview they usually ask questions about your work, so dont try and fake anything, make it 100% you. just show what you can do. Simple as that.
It is tough to get into AFI. They accept 140 students each year, including 28 for the screenwiting program. I heard that they interview around 100 also each year.
Then, when you start, itsbasically a super super intense immersion into filming boot camp. You have to write around 2 scripts per week, and they have to be produced immediately by the rest of the class that comes in, according to whateer their program is- producing/ directing/ etc. And you basically keep writing scripts for them to use. The only problem is people don't realise the dedication and chance of burning right out. you have to come here wanting nothing more than to be a scriptwriter.
Ok, Yale has a great name, but to be honest, the film dept is not the greatest. They have an amazing liberal arts program there, obviously, since its Yale, and the Drama facilities are second to none, but the film program is never really mentioned when you are talking about the best film schools to go to. There have been a lot of successful actors who went there, and so did Oliver Stone, so that says something, but honestly, there is a reason why there are other far better schools to learn film at, even though Yale is so prestigious.
After my experience of NYFA, I saw movies like I've never had before. I had a better perspective of movies. Like the the first time I have seen a movie. It was fantastic. Since NYFA, I have continued my filming in my Mad Circle Productions that I have made a year before NYFA. I have a couple film ideas in mind. Advice I have to aspiring filmmakers is to write down any basic ideas that you have. It could be simple, too. Usually, people think their ideas have to be complex. It doesn't. If you write it down, read two or three days later you could build off of it. So, definitly write it down. My experience at NYFA was amazing. I went to the one week digital filmaking course at Orlando, Florida at Disney. I went June 28- July 4, 2009. It was wonderful. Everyone was so nice. I could talk about my favorite movies without feeling like a geek or whatever. So if there is anyone on the fence about going to NYFA, go! You will be glad you did. - Chad
P.S: all you people slamming New York Film Academy is either jealous of people who go there, or have no idea what they are talking about! Just sayin'
I took the 6 week holiday filmmaking program Dec 2008 in L A. I think the course was ok. It would have been better if we have had more script, directing for actors, production and sound classes. And maybe more help in getting actors and locations, for example, i was the only one in my class who could get a Film LA permission, after a couple of days and just for 4 hours. LA is not an easy place to shoot for free. I liked so much the experience at Universal Studios, that´s why i love my first shooting in LA, take a look, comments are very welcome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3DFaCOugBI
Hi! My name is Daniel Kahn, and I was a graduate of NYFA's 6-week Student film&digital and Advanced HD programs in 2008 and 9, at Universal Studios. I loved the program so much! I learned so much from making my films there, and I have great material for my portfolio. My final film from 2008, "Detect This!" was accepted into the Kid's First! Film Festival, and my film from the HD class, "Able" is being submitted to festivals now. I used Able as my portfolio for college, and I've gotten into the University of Tampa (with a $7,000 scholarship), and Drexel University, and I'm waiting for USC, NYU, Syracuse, Emerson, UMiami, and UNorth Carolina at Wilmington.
I'm currently writing an unnamed feature.
For more information about me or my films, including a documentary I'm working on, you can check out my website at www.dankahnfilms.com, or my blog at www.dankahnfilms.blogspot.com.
NYFA changed my life!
Florida state is a good school. I went here, and after almost 4 years, i shot 12 films in the cinematography program. it was great, and i learned a lot in the classroom and by the hands on they force you to practice with. I also helped in the making of somewhere around 50 other films. You get experience in all aspects of filmmaking becuase you work with crews and everything. it gives you sucha great understanding of how to work with people in this sort of atmosphere. Most people make arounhd 4 or 5 films. But you can do as much as you want on your own time, with their equipment. This is what is so great, you are given a lot of freedom, and just able to go with great, topnotch equipment and learn with minimal supervision. The equipment the MFA students use is even better, of course.
This is a great way of learning, and the tuition is cheap, so its not like you are wasting money, its a really good deal, and this is not stuff you can just do on your own; its not the same as buying an expensive camera and working on your own. you just wont get as much of a well rounded education and experience.
I think that if you just show what you can do then your good. these schools aren't looking for anything in particular, just things like originality, dedication, etc. you can show this in many ways in your application.
This is a nice school, especially if you dn't mind taking classes in the evenings or the ones they hold on saturdays.
While the administration is pretty frustrating and not helpful at all, the teachers were good, with some good experience they draw. The equipment also has some wierd hours, but it wasn't too hard to get it out when you needed it if you plan for it. Fun school overall.
This school can give people a good start if they have no idea about anything in filmmaking. It will give you a good basis, and the flexible classes are really great for people who work full time to support their interest in filmmaking. It is expensive, its a private institution, so that is expected, however, there have been some successful grads, so that says somehting.
Also, the courses can be taken like boot camp, 3 years of scholing into a bunch of weeks. the sweetest part is that they get you filming right away. how often does a school force the students to take out equipement on their first week.
I'm so sick of people complaining about NYU. This is where its at, we are in New York city, people, quit whining about loans and your inability to find a job when you finish. We have the ability to learn the ropes, connect with amazing professors, who will help those who go the extra mile and who actually appreciate what they are learning, and who have real talent. To get ahead in this business you HAVE to have initiative and serious drive to succeed. If you can't handle it here, then get out and make room for dedicated people. stop thinking about the loans, and payoing them back and get into as many projects as you can right now so you will be ahead when you get out! This school is a great start to get your foot in the door, and learn all you need for the industry.
While you get a good education, don't expect this place to look and feel like a real school. The facility is inside a leased floor in an office building. most obvious was how dirty everything is. the washrooms are never cleaned, neither is the carpet floors, or the microwave, etc, you get the picture. Also, the plumming is almost always leaking in the hallways, etc.
While 90% of the teachers weregreat, the other 10% were sooooo bad, it almost ruined the good ones, still the level of instruction was pretty great.
The labs and equipment were pretty resticted- we were only allowed use during the 'paint' and 'digital ink' part of the course. Outside of this time, forget hoping to practice anything, or even expanding your portfolio with the scanners and stuff.
For the films, you are given a lot of freedom, as long as its not offensive/hate/porn, so this is why the school does well. good instructors and the freedom to be creative with what we have.
Ya, there is financial aid, but you will be paying international fees, so its reduculously expensive. But, in exchange, you are going to a famous school. its like having Oxford or Stanford or Harvard written on your resume. its impressive on its own. doens't mean you are guaranteed a job though. It just gives a really great encouraging atmosphere for learning about all aspects of film and creative storytelling, etc. They have good equipments, and work with 16mm and 35mm, as well as B&W and colour.
A great school all around, produces really well-rounded individual filmmakers.
Agreed, I live in europe, and this is known as a great school to get into. The teachers know all about the industry and they work in it too. I suppose it is hard for Americans to get in though, becuase of the French instruction. If you have some background in French, i think this is a good school for anyone, even if you want to work in Hollywood. Paris is a wonderful city to study in as well. very beautiful, and the people embrace their culture.
This is a good school. you can get your basic crash course in 12 months, and be out of there in no time. You don't need a degree to get into the film industry becuase no one is interested in where you went to school, just what you can do, and who you know. if you know someone, you can get a job, that is the biggest battle for most students. They have great equipment, cameras, facilities, all the right stuff you need to learn with. Also, they have partnered with Full sail, so you can see what to expect.
One of my friends went there and did the program, and is already making movies. The key part of it is that the teachers are not full itme, and are actually professionals, so you can get contacts as soon as you start, and your right there in the middle of hollywood. I am hoping to go to LA film school too.
to the guy below, ya, Austin is a fun place to film, but, i honestly think that I would not have gone through this program if i knew what i know now.
The classes (and in my case, for narrative), teach about the basic mold of making films in terms of lighting and the rule of thirds, and all else that comes between that. We only had one producing class, and it didint really hlep us much in terms of what its like to actually work in the industry.
the program was ok, but it really doens't help a bit with telling the students how cut-throat hollywood is. I felt like we were made to worship robert rodriguez - who never even graduated, and had to watch his short 20 + times, and memorise it.
Instead of doing film, i should have taken Business Admin or something else that can prepare me to deal with people and have my way, becuase that is the real difficulty in trying to make films.
This is a great school. I have some friends who went here, and I kind of wish I also did. They have great facilities, great staff, teachers, etc. my friends were always going on about the projects, and how much fun their teachers were to work with. i had a good experience at my school too, but i think USC is a school that a lot of differnt kinds of filmmakers can get through, because they encourage so many styles- everything from hollywood to cartoons, to evokative shorts.
In the first year in this program all the students take all the same, (and pretty strict) classes, with the same schedule. Its to ensure we are all getting the same foundation. Expect to be around your classmates, always- we work on eachothers scripts, film crews, etc. You will all become really tight-knit. by the end of the year you will have finished 2 16mm shorts, almost finished.
Then, in the second year, you choose your specialty, most take narrative, the rest take documentry, and a couple take experimental. I went into narrative, and your whole year will evolve around working on your final advanced film, which is your thesis, essentially. its a great program, and is especially fun in the second year. if you can commit yourself through the first year, it really pays off.
The internships at any school are really competitive to get into, there are very few of them, you have to have the support of your teachers, and amazing grades. The school is a school. Its just there to teach you how to use cameras, editing, cinematography, etc. if you want more from it, then you have to seak it out.
Contrary to chrisg below, the school is really not that bad. You can't expect to have things handed to you. The school has decent equipment, and now they have some sweet non-linear studios. The teachers are really not that bad. They might be a little jaded, but their not pathetic or anything. In fact, the school has got some new faculty and new heads of departments, so things are always changing. All in All, its a good school, if you want more info just check out the website.
Yes, it is a French school, so all courses are offered in French only. They do accept foreign students though. It is only a one year program and from what I know is considered pretty good. The equipment is new and well maintained, and the students get access to MiniDV, 16 and 35mm. Not so bad, and the diploma program is just a year.