SCHOOL OF FILM & ACTING

Acting School Student’s Balancing Act Pays Off

Borgota Poker - Phil Neiman’s performances during the last week has gotten rave reviews both at the poker table and on stage.

Neiman won the Event 16 Deep Stack 4 am Wednesday morning and then drove to a 9:30 am rehearsal at the New York Film Academy.

“I was about a half hour late, but they forgave me when I showed them the winnings,” says Neiman who earned nearly $95,000.

Neiman is wrapping his first semester of a two year program that will earn him an associates degree in acting. Wednesday’s class was practice for his role as a doorman from the play “Lobby Hero.”

As for poker, Neiman’s back at Borgata playing in the Main Event and as Day 1 wraps his monologue skills come in handy.

“I told the guy that I didn’t think I could value bet on the river because he might shove and I can’t call with my pocket kings.”

After mulling it over, Neiman bets 5k and his opponent says, “you’re right, I’m all-in.”

“Oh my god, what did I do?” says Neiman recalling the hand. “I really wasn’t acting. I didn’t think I could call, but then I figured there’s no way he has a set and I made the call.”

Neiman’s relieved to see his opponent had a piece of the flop, but a busted straight draw. “I can breathe again,” he says after doubling his stack and ending the day with 153k.

As for the on-stage performance, Neiman says it was a thrill to preform on stage for the first time, in front of a packed house in Union Square, none the less.

“I just did the show Friday and came right here,” he says, “I’ve got about three hours sleep in four days.”

Neiman’s grade is pending, but says his peers gave him favorable reviews. He also didn’t think he could afford the second year of school, but his Borgata Summer Open payday changes that.

Film School Student Amleset Muchie Films President Girma Wolde-Giorgis Documentary

The 2006 Miss Ethiopia Amleset Muchie currently studying filmmaking at New York Film Academy is making a documentary on the life of President Girma Wolde-Giorgis.

The one-hour long documentary which is a school project for the actress, model and director would chronicle a day in the life of the president as told by himself, close associates and her own commentary. The documentary would bring an intimate look behind the Jubilee Palace showing as the president attending staff conference, meeting with dignitaries and ceremonial events.

The 84-year-old president who holds a symbolic office with little power has authorized Amleset to come and document him. Amleset is hoping to start shooting soon and have it ready in months’ time. The doc would be premiered at the Film Academy and other festivals.

Amleset has already written and produced a romantic comedy, Si Le Fikir (About love) and has also starred in another Amharic film “Ye Felegal.”

Attention Film School Students: You Can Win A MTV Moonman!

Rock Band and Pepsi are giving aspiring film makers the chance to shoot an original Rock Band music video and be honored with their very own MTV Video Music Awards Moonman. The creators of the winning Rock Band music video will travel to the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, walk the red carpet where they may bump into other film makers, have their winning video featured in a spot produced by MTV to air the night of the awards show, and walk away with their very-own Moonman statue.
Here is the link to the contest www.PepsiRockBand.com with specific video submission details at http://pepsi.yahoo.com/rockband/video/.

Win a Moonman Contest details: Entrants can choose a song from the official competition list – available at www.PepsiRockBand.com and start making their Rock Band music video right now. Music video submissions can be uploaded to www.PepsiRockBand.com where bands and fans will be able to enter, view, rate and vote on their favorite Rock Band music videos. Please note that the deadline for the contest is July 28.

Dear Moviemakers, Make Movies!

Jason Brubaker (Filmmaking Stuff) - A few years back, with limited experience, and by scraping together a little money, my buddy wrote, produced and directed a short film. Forgoing the festival route, he decided to reach a global audience by uploading his movie to the internet. And within days, to his utter astonishment, thousands of people flooded his website to check out the movie. In the mix was a very wealthy gentleman who enjoyed the movie so much, he offered my friend a million dollars to make a feature.

While this sort of thing doesn’t happen every day, I share this story as a tale of inspiration. If you want to make movies, make movies. Put blinders on. And don’t let anyone discourage you from telling the story you want to tell. You just never know what sorts of opportunities might materialize.

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Jason Brubaker is a Hollywood-based independent producer. You can find more of his filmmaking tips at www.FilmmakingStuff.com

Interview With Film School Alumni Princeton Holt

TCW’s Editor in Chief Clifford Kiyabu sits down with Cookies & Cream director Princeton HoltWay of One Way or Another Productions LLC. He wrote and directed a 20 minute short called Phish in 2006 which gained him an “Official Selection” at film festivals including the National Black Media Conference Film Festival in Philadelphia, he is the writer, producer, and director of the upcoming flick Cookies & Cream, a film that I personally had the pleasure of reviewing not so long ago, but with all that I have already said about him, there is still much more to be said from the man himself. for an exclusive interview. Princeton E. Holt has worked on several projects since graduating from the New York Film Academy in 2000 and launching his own film company…full article.