One Year Film School Program - New York Film Academy

ONE-YEAR FILMMAKING

Start Dates: January, March, July, September, October

Each student writes, shoots, directs, and edits 8 films and works on 28 more.

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FILMMAKING PROGRAM

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SEMESTER 1: OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES • CLASSES SEMESTER 2: OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES • CLASSES

The Academy’s One-Year Filmmaking Program gives students the all-around filmmaking experience necessary to make their own films. The year is divided into two semesters with one to two weeks of vacation, depending on the start date. Students in the program receive over 1,000 hours of hands-on instruction and actual production experience. The curriculum integrates intensive study in all the major filmmaking disciplines including cinematography, directing, screenwriting, producing, and editing. They all write, shoot, direct, and edit eight of their own short films (including a thesis syncsound film). They shoot projects on 16mm film, 35mm film, and HD and 24p digital video. All projects are edited digitally.

Our program is for people who have the passion to plunge into full-time filmmaking, and to commit themselves to a focused and demanding curriculum.

No previous filmmaking experience is required, however, participants must work with self-discipline, energy and mutual respect.

As in all New York Film Academy programs, the one-year course emphasizes hands-on learning. Film directing classes are not theoretical explorations; they are practical workshops designed to put students in the director’s chair as quickly as possible. The New York Film Academy encourages students to take creative risks and find their own voices as visual artists.

Students complete the year in filmmaking with skills in all the filmmaking crafts, an enormous amount of production experience, eight films of their own, a one-year diploma, and an expanded awareness of themselves and others. Students’ final films are celebrated in a school screening open to cast, crew, friends, family, and invited guests.

SEMESTER ONE OVERVIEW

Beginning on day one, students participate in an intensive sequence of classes in Film Directing, Screenwriting, 16mm Camera Technique, Lighting, Digital Editing, Directing Actors and Production Workshop. They extend and deepen their in-class learning by producing their own short 16mm films.

Working in crews of three or four, each student writes, produces, directs and edits four films of increasing complexity. In addition, each student fulfills the essential roles of Director of Photography, Assistant Camera Operator, and Gaffer (Lighting Technician) on the films of her/his crew members. Thus, everyone has the extensive hands-on experience of working on sixteen short films in the first two months. During the third month, students are introduced to new digital video technology. With its ease of use, the digital video cameras will allow the students to delve deeper into the director’s craft. Each individual will direct three digital projects. These projects and in-class production workshops challenge students to explore the dramatic mechanics of motion picture story-telling and the critical collaboration between actors and directors. Supporting classes include Screenwriting, Directing Actors, Directing, Production Workshop, and Documentary Filmmaking. The combination of these classes and the digital productions will prepare students for the second semester and production of their thesis films.

SEMESTER ONE OBJECTIVES

PRODUCTION GOALS
• Write, direct, digitally edit four short non-synchronous 16mm films. The fourth film can be up to 10 minutes in length with multiple tracks of sound.
• Be a cinematographer, gaffer, and assistant camera on your crew’s films.
• Write a short film script with dialogue (for 2nd semester production).
• Write, direct, and edit three digital films. The third film may be up to ten minutes with multiple tracks of sound including dialogue.
LEARNING GOALS
• Learn the art and technique of visual storytelling including directing, cinematography, editing, and post-production sound design.
• Learn the fundamentals of digital video production and digital editing.
• Survey of the documentary format with focus on styles, techniques and elements of storytelling.
• Fundamental training in acting craft and directing actors.
• Immersion in screenwriting craft.
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QUICK FACTS:

Start Dates: January, March, July, September, October
Locations: NYC, Universal Studios, Abu Dhabi Film School
Program Requirements: High School Diploma, GED
Cost: $15,000* (USD)/Semester
€10,115 (EURO)/Semester
You Graduate With: Diploma/Certificate, DVD Film Reel

*Please note, Equipment Fee is $2,000 (€1,349) per semester, students will also incur additional expenses on their own productions. This varies depending on how much film they shoot and scale of the projects.

SEMESTER ONE CLASSES

DIRECTOR’S CRAFT
This course is the backbone of the curriculum. It introduces students to the language and craft of film directing. Director’s Craft prepares students for the film exercises and is the venue for screening and critiquing their work throughout the course. Director’s Craft instructors challenge students to find the most effective and expressive visual means to tell their stories. They guide the student film crews in special production meetings each week.

SCREENWRITING I
This class is designed to help students develop their scripts for their films. It focuses on the fundamentals of visual storytelling and provides students with constructive analysis and support as they take a story from initial idea, treatment and step outline to a rough draft, and finally, a shooting script. The intersection of story structure, theme, character, tension, and conflict is examined through detailed scene analysis.

HANDS ON CAMERA and LIGHTING 16MM FILM
In the first week of the course, students are trained to use the 16mm Arriflex-S motion picture camera and its accessories. Our students learn to load the cameras and take light readings on the very first day. On the second day, they perform test shoots to learn about the latitude of the film stock, how to get a correct exposure, the effect of different lenses, focus pulling, and in-camera effects. In lighting class, students learn fundamental lighting techniques through shooting tests on film. As they progress through the workshop, they learn how to support the mood of the story with lighting choices and they experiment with expressive lighting styles.

PRODUCTION WORKSHOP
Production workshop is designed to de-mystify the craft of filmmaking. It is a hands-on class in which students stage and shoot exercises under the supervision of the instructor. The technical aspects of filmmaking are seen as tools to realize the story. The guiding idea is that once students can articulate the objective of a given scene, the necessary craft and techniques will follow. Through the in-class exercises, the rules and tools of mise-en-scene and continuity are defined and practiced. This applies to the use of lenses, lighting, performance, and editing.
EDITING
Editing is an art unto itself. Regardless of the editing system a filmmaker uses, it is the editor’s ability to work with the shots and tell a story that makes all the difference. At the New York Film Academy, students learn how to use the digital editing system, Final Cut Pro. Each student edits his or her own films, and can supplement classes with individual consultations at the editing station. Students are taught the fundamental concepts of film editing, both practical and aesthetic. Classes consist of lectures and tutorials that combine technical information and demonstration.

SOUND EDITING AND DESIGN
This is a comprehensive class that details the process of sound editing and design. It provides concepts, technical information, and hands-on demonstration. Our approach is to encourage students to create sound tracks that combine both realistic and expressive sound elements. Examples are given to illustrate both seamless sound design and bold, expressive use of sound that call attention to the director’s vision. The class challenges students to use sound as an additional tool for storytelling, and takes them through the complete postproduction process. Continue >>

BUDGETING AND SCHEDULING
This course teaches students how to break down a film script for budgeting and scheduling purposes. Students learn how to use all the necessary forms for use in their own short films. The importance of having a finished script before going into a shoot is stressed as it applies to creating realistic budgets and schedules.

HANDS ON CAMERA AND LIGHTING - DIGITAL VIDEO
This course is designed to help students master digital video photography including white balance, shutter speed, focus, video latitude, gels, and filters. Through hands-on exercises, students will explore digital video and learn how it differs from film. Working with boom-poles and external shotgun microphones, students learn how to get the best quality sound recording.

DIRECTING ACTORS: INTRODUCTION
This course helps students learn how to communicate and collaborate with their actors. Students learn how to identify a screenplay’s emotional “beats” and “character objectives” to help improve their actors’ performances. Through exercises, both in class and on location, students learn how an actor trains his/herself physically and emotionally to “crawl inside a character.” Sensory work, emotional recall, and improvisation are the tools to which the students will be exposed to understand how an actor is able to live out a character’s reality.

SCREENWRITING II
As students take part in the Digital Camera classes and Directing Actors classes, they also begin an intensive writing period. In Screenwriting class, they develop a premise for their second semester project and then take the necessary steps to complete a final shooting script of up to fifteen pages. This will be achieved through a combination of one-onone consultations with their faculty mentors, in-class readings and supportive discussions.

DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
This course is an elective, however, it is mandatory for all students who would like to make a documentary as their final project for the year. Subjects include: documentary styles, shooting approach, methods of interviewing, documentary structure, theme, documentary editing, importance of research, “truth and objectivity,” point of view, ethical questions and reenactment.

SPECIAL LECTURES
• Classic Myth Structure
This lecture examines Joseph Campbell’s analysis of myth structure, and demonstrates point by point how the 12 steps of the hero’s journey can be applied to the dramatic structure of a film and beyond. Scene-by-scene analysis of classic films demonstrates a convincing argument for this relationship. The lecture concludes with a discussion about how students can use Campbell’s concepts to structure their own short films.

• Director’s Vision
The Director’s Vision lecture exposes students to the unique ways great directors have approached visual storytelling and how they have used mise-en-scene (the task of staging scenes and moving actors within the frame). The class will look at the idea of the director as author of the sequence. Students are shown, by example, how silent film construction relies on scenes in conflict or collision. This concept is expanded by showing the relevance of these ideas to modern films, particularly for sequences involving tension or suspense where extra emphasis or shock is required. There will be a broad presentation of film technique as individualized by a number of directors. Numerous examples of directing styles are shown along with a discussion of their relevance to beginning filmmakers. Continue >>

SEMESTER TWO OVERVIEW

The second semester challenges students to develop their film craft artistically and technically, and to progress beyond their earlier experiments with the medium. It is designed to enable students to create a fully conceived and executed short film thesis, shot in 16mm using the Arriflex SR, in 35mm using a Panavision camera, or on Hi-Def, depending on the student. Each student comes to the second semester with a script for his/her final project of the year. These projects are the primary focus of the second semester. They are used in all the classes as a basis for learning.

The semester is divided into three distinct phases. The first is devoted to intensive hands-on instruction, demonstration, group sync-sound directing exercises (using students’ scripts), individual consultations, and pre-production (including casting, rehearsal, and location scouting). The second phase of the semester is the production period during which each student directs his/her own film, and crews on his/her classmates’ films. The third phase of the semester is devoted to post-production. During this phase, students edit digitally, receive instruction and critique, screen rough-cuts of the films, receive feedback and then finish their films for a final group screening.

SEMESTER TWO OBJECTIVES

PRODUCTION GOALS
• Direct and edit a sync-sound narrative film of up to 15 minutes. (16mm, HD, or 35mm)
• Participate as a crew member on fellow students’ films and group projects
• Shoot and edit scenes on 35mm film using Panavision cameras

LEARNING GOALS
• Advanced filmmaking craft including directing, casting, producing, sync-sound production, color cinematography, editing and sound design.
• Learn fundamentals of 35mm and HD

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SEMESTER TWO CLASSES

ADVANCED DIRECTING
This class further explores the aesthetic elements of mise-enscene: shot choice, composition, setting, point-of-view, action of the picture plane, and movement of the camera. Starting where the first semester directing class left off, students learn how to cover a dialogue scene with a series of shots as well as more sophisticated approaches to coverage including the use of dollies. Students practice different approaches to coverage by breaking down scenes from their own scripts. They create floor plans and shot lists, and then discuss their choices with the instructor.

CASTING
This class builds on the tools students gained in the Directing Actors program of the first semester. Students break down their own scripts, identify the dramatic beats of each scene, and translate this into effective feedback for actors. Students learn to adjust character objectives through rehearsal. This results in specific and believable performances. By “workshopping” scenes from their own scripts, the class demonstrates the effectiveness of the method and maximizes individual attention. Actors are brought into class to perform from the students’ scripts and give them feedback and in-class directing experience.

PRODUCING
To ensure an organized shoot, students must take their films through a comprehensive pre-production period. The producing class leads them through the entire process of pre-production, including scouting and securing of locations, permits, and casting. The producing instructor and the students design a production schedule for the entire class. The instructor encourages students to form realistic plans for successfully making their films.

ADVANCED HANDS ON CAMERA
Students are trained to operate the Arriflex 16SR camera, HD camera, and accessories. Through hands-on practice they learn:

• Loading the film magazine
• Use of battery and charger
• Use of tripod
• Testing & preventing problems
• How 16mm camera maintains sync
• Creating scene files on HD
• Shooting HD at 720 and 1080
• HD workflow
• Slating
• Camera reports
• Functions of all moving parts
• Eye-piece and zoom lens
• Marking focus pulls and zooms
• Labeling the magazine, film can, and HD storage device
• Focal lengths, filters, and apertures
• Use of dolly and track

LOCATION SOUND RECORDING
This hands-on class teaches students how to record syncsound for their projects. Location recording, sound mixing and boom operation are practiced using scenes from the students’ scripts. Sound will be recorded using digital hard drive recorders, portable mixers, shotgun microphones, and wireless lavalier microphones.

ADVANCED PRODUCTION WORKSHOP
In a series of sync-sound production exercises, students shoot scenes on 16mm film and HD from their own scripts with the guidance and critique of the instructor. One of the many benefits is that they are able to determine what adjustments to make to their scripts and shooting plans before their films go into production. These practice scenes are fully pre-produced (storyboarded, cast, scouted, rehearsed and pre-lighted) and treated as actual productions. Students gain experience working together and fill all the key crew positions (Director, Director of Photography, Sound Recordist, Gaffer, Grip, and Boom Operator). They spend a full production day shooting each scene with the same lighting, sound, and camera support they will use on their own films. They work with a grip equipment package (flags, nets, gels, stands, and clamps) and practice how to control light. Students come out of a series of production workshops with practical producing, directing, lighting, shooting, and location sound recording experience.

SOUND DESIGN
This class details both the practical sound editing choices and the aesthetic decisions students will need to make on their own films. It is given during the post-production period after students return from their year-end film shoots. It covers the following subjects:
• Working with dialogue
• Equalization
• Sampling and looping
• Rubberbanding (digital audio manipulation)
• Building FX ambience and music tracks
• Preparing for a mix
• Overlapping sound
• Subliminal sound
• Location sound, foleys, and ADR
• Introduction to ProTools and other software
• Visual sound cues
• Working with a composer
Continue >>

35mm film aking
This class will use Panavision 35mm cameras and accessoriesthe gold standard in motion picture photography.

All the fundamental creative skills and concepts students have learned working with 16mm film and digital video apply fully to 35mm filmmaking. The 35mm class is an opportunity for students to see how the wider frame and higher resolution of 35mm affects their shot design, framing, composition, staging, camera movement, lens choice, and lighting. The class will explore the process of designing, shooting, and editing scenes on 35mm. Students will digitally edit the scenes shot in class. The following subjects will be covered in the 35mm classes:
• Loading and operation of 35mm cameras
• Lighting for the 35mm frame
• 35mm aspect ratios
• 35mm tripod head
• Working with Elemack Spyder dolly and track
• Lenses for 35mm
• Anamorphic photography (super wide screen)
After completing their instruction in 35mm, students may
shoot their final projects on 16mm, 35mm film, or HD

CINEMATOGRAPHY
This class immerses students in the technical and creative demands of cinematography. Color film stocks are tested to help students make the best choice for their films. The use of color correcting filters and gels is practiced through shooting tests. Lighting and contrast ratios are reviewed. In addition, students learn the most economical ways to light a scene by shooting set-ups from their own storyboards. A special focus on lighting for and shooting with HD teaches students how to achieve a film look and maximize possibilities of working with this format.

SYNC-SOUND EDITING
Film dailies and HD media are imported to Final Cut Pro where students learn to sync and edit with dialogue. This experience provides students with the hands-on technical training they need to edit their own projects. An even greater benefit is the creative discoveries students make when they compare the very different versions that are edited from the same material. With this hands-on practice in sync-sound editing, students will go into production on their own films with a full understanding of the challenge that awaits them after the shoot.

PRE-PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION
Students start the second semester with a finished script of up to 15 pages. They continue to improve these scripts in one-on-one consultations with their mentors and as they work with scenes from their scripts in their other classes. During the instruction period they find locations, cast, and design their shoots. They continue to meet with instructors in one-on-one advisement sessions to get feedback on their shooting script, casting, storyboards, floor plans, schedules and budgets.

Each student receives five shooting days, according to a production schedule designed in class. Students work on their classmates’ films in the principal crew roles. Schedules are designed to allow for days off between productions and for last-minute preparations for the subsequent shoot. The production period is as intense and demanding as a professional feature film shoot.

After the production period, students begin editing their films. They screen rough-cuts of their films for the directing instructor and their mentors and receive feedback before presenting their finished films to an invited audience at the end of the semester. Throughout the post-production period, the editing instructor is available for consultation. Students may use up to 300 hours of individual editing time. They finish their films with a digital sound mix on the computer. Some students may choose to do more elaborate sound work and take their films to a professional sound mix.

LIFE AFTER THE NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY
There is no single path or formula for creating a career in filmmaking. Our filmmaking graduates have gone on to win awards at film festivals, start production companies, become cinematographers, film editors, screenwriters, directors, producers, and even actors.

We have an open door policy for alumni. With campuses all over the world, former students visit us and seek advice from our staff and faculty. Graduates also find that their most valuable professional network is one another.

During the last weeks of the program, students explore the many different possible roads to a life in film. Guest filmmakers share their experiences with students.

Subjects may include:
• Building your reel
• Film festivals and grants
• The studio system and alternatives
• Contracts, negotiations, and deals
• Networking and jobs in the industry
• The internet and new media
• Multi-camera studio shooting

Final screenings
At the end of the One-Year Filmmaking Program, a final screening will include a diploma-granting ceremony and will be open to friends, family and invited guests. Students will take their finished films with them and are free to submit their work to the many film festivals in the U.S. and abroad.

NEW YORK CITY
ACTING & FILM SCHOOL

The New York Film Academy located in New York City is licensed by the New York State Education Department as a non-degree granting proprietary school. Qualified students may request that their course work be accepted for an award of credit or advanced standing in a degree program at the New York Film Academy Los Angeles campus.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, CALIFORNIA
ACTING & FILM SCHOOL

The New York Film Academy located at Universal Studios offers MFA and AFA degree programs as well as certificate programs for college credit.

Any college credit or degree earned is awarded solely by the New York Film Academy's academic headquarters in California. All camps are solely owned and operated by the New York Film Academy and are not affiliated with Universal Studios, Harvard University, or Disney Studios.

100 East 17th Street New York, New York 10003 United States
Tel. +1 (212) 674-4300 Fax. +1 (212) 477-1414

ACTING & FILM SCHOOL