Bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking

at New York Film Academy - Los Angeles Campus USA

The New York Film Academy recognizes the critical role writers play in the creation of every film and television show. Yet writing talent alone is not enough to create successful work in these mediums. Screenwriting is a learned craft, and a writer must write every day to train for the demands of this field, and to truly understand the elements that make a screenplay or teleplay functional as well as engaging.

In addition to learning the conventions of the writing craft, students are given the support and structure to write and meet deadlines. Students write intensively throughout the program and complete several projects with the assistance of constructive critique from instructors, as well as peers.

Students in the New York Film Academy’s Screenwriting programs generate a lot of written material, building a portfolio of writings that span several mediums. There is a focus on film and television, but MFA students will also study comics, web series and games. Upon completion of the program, students not only understand story structure, character, conflict and dialogue, but also leave the Academy with finished products that they can pitch, produce, and try to sell.

In the MFA Screenwriting program, students are taught the art of screenwriting through workshop courses that have them learn by writing, but also in skill-building courses that focus on film history, film genres, and specific skills, like scene construction, adaptation, and character building.

Students also study filmmaking, acting and editing, to get a complete sense of how cinematic stories are told. In addition to stories, treatments and scripts, students will also create, direct and edit their own short film and their own web series pilot.

NYFA’s degree programs in Screenwriting have business classes that teach students the reality of the industry; how to find work as a writer, how to work in the industry to support yourself, how to find an agent or manager, and how to pitch your stories and story ideas. These classes require students to get an internship in the industry.

The MFA Program culminates in a Pitch Fest, where students get to pitch their thesis script to agents, managers, executives, and/or producers.

The Academy makes the MFA Acting program's accelerated 20-month schedule possible by creating an extended academic year, allowing students to complete all five semesters of the program in under two years.

The first semester of NYFA's MFA Acting program concentrates on building a foundation in the craft of acting, using training techniques rooted in the theater but applicable to the screen. Students participate in an intensive array of core classes that guide them to find the actor within, simultaneously training their instrument to do the kind of technical, emotional, and physical work necessary for film acting. Acting for Film students will shoot a short film project on location with a professional staff.

The New York Film Academy is proud to offer a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree program in Documentary at our Los Angeles Campus. This two-year conservatory-based graduate program is designed to educate talented and committed prospective documentarians in a hands-on, total immersion, professional and supportive environment. The intensive curriculum challenges, inspires, and prepares candidates for professional work both as an independent documentary filmmaker and for the non-fiction film business.

In Year One, students undergo a thorough regimen of class-work and film production that builds the groundwork for a professional life in the art and craft of documentary filmmaking. Starting the first day of class, students are immersed in a hands-on education and an environment that empowers them to artfully tell their stories. Through a sequence of workshops, students begin to work through a number of visual, dramatic, and technical challenges. They rapidly learn the fundamentals of creative and technical skills they need to make a documentary. All students participate in an intensive series of courses such as Producing, Directing, Writing & Research, Cinematography, Lighting, Production, and Post Production Sound, and Digital Editing to prepare them for more advanced topics and projects in Year Two.

MFA Film Program at New York Film Academy (NYFA) is an accelerated two-year program made possible by an extended academic year. Candidates will complete three full-length semesters in each calendar year

Qualified candidates have the option of completing course work at the New York Film Academy in New York City in a one-year non-degree program and then applying their course work to be accepted for advanced standing in the MFA Film degree program. No previous experience is required for NYFA’s Filmmaking School; however, MFA Film candidates must work with self-discipline, energy, and mutual respect.

Mfa Filmmaking Program Experience
Beginning on day one, our MFA Film candidates participate in an intensive sequence of classes in Film Directing, Screenwriting, Cinematography, Digital Editing, Directing Actors and Production. While the theory they learn in the classroom is important, the heart of program is the production of original, short 16mm films. Candidates will team up to make these films, working in crews of three of four where each candidate will gain experience in writing, producing, directing and editing.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Program in Filmmaking employs a total immersion approach to the subject, where students develop a powerful arsenal of skills in directing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, and producing. Students work in all formats from 16mm and HD to 35mm and RED Dragon as they write, direct, shoot, and edit their own films. A strong grounding in the liberal arts and sciences serves to inform students' work and give them a well-rounded undergraduate education.

The New York Film Academy's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking is unlike any other film school; it is an accelerated intensive degree program that can be completed in three years. One benefit of this is that students may begin internships or professional work a year earlier than they would in a standard bachelor's program, and of course save a year of tuition and expenses. It requires a rigorous schedule; students are in class or production for eleven months of the year. There are short breaks between each each of the three years, and a two week winter break during the holiday season.

A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (BFA) is distinguished from a standard Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree by its in-depth study of and professional training in the arts. In the BFA, two thirds of the degree is devoted to study and practice in fine arts and one third to general liberal arts and sciences (that ratio would be reversed for an art major in a traditional BA program). The BFA student has opportunity for deep exploration and mastery of their art.

Our BFA in Filmmaking offers a well-rounded collegiate education in the Arts and Humanities and Social and Natural Sciences, with a comprehensive study of — and practice in — the art and craft of filmmaking. During the three years of study, each student will write, shoot, direct, and edit 12 film projects of increasing complexity. In addition, students will work in key crew positions on their classmates' films.

BFA Filmmaking graduates will complete the program with a solid academic foundation in the arts and sciences, and an in-depth understanding of film production. They will enter the field with critical thinking and research skills developed in their academic classes as well as essential knowledge from the study of literature, art history, psychology, and philosophy. This specialized degree will prepare them to pursue their own paths in film and related fields as

The NYFA Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies is an eight-semester program designed to focus on the study of current and emerging media arts and the theoretical underpinnings necessary for understanding media's impact in today's society. The goal of the program is not only to prepare students for the rapidly changing landscape of the entertainment industry, but also to turn out thoughtful consumers, critics, and producers of media.

Students in the media studies BA program will build the critical, creative, and analytical skills needed to examine and understand current and future trends in media, as well as reach a deep understanding of the history and development of various forms of media in society. An exploration of media theory, history, criticism, media arts, pop culture, communication, and business are enhanced by NYFA’s hands-on approach to practical filmmaking and multi-platform content development.

The educational objectives in the Master of Fine Arts in Game Design are to teach students the art and craft of game design and storytelling at the professional level, through a strict regimen consisting of lectures, seminars, and total-immersion workshops. MFA students in the game design school’s program will:

• Acquire the skills of game prototyping, playtesting, iteration, presentation, and collaboration.
• Know how to prototype multiple games regardless of technical skills.
• Know how to develop software using industry standards — including workflow, multiple platforms, and coding.
• Be able to deconstruct any game experience into formal, dramatic, and dynamic systems.

During the first semester students are introduced to the concept of game design by understanding the evolution of games. Students start with board and card games, then through to paper and dice games before studying recent developments from early digital games to highly-advanced 3D graphics and deep, immersive story-driven games. Students begin designing games from the very beginning, as they are asked to modify a game from its original intent. They are introduced to the world of interactive writing, beginning with concepts such as Aristotle’s Poetics and traveling through postmodern narrative.

Once a foundation in narrative theory is established, the game design school’s MFA students are then introduced to the tools, theory, and craft of storytelling in an interactive medium. They are given a foundational understanding of video games, which will create a baseline language for discussion and interaction throughout the program. Finally, students are introduced to essential game technology, which helps inform what is possible today in video games. Students also have an introduction to animation class, which is intended to give our future designers and writers a taste of what goes into the 3D animation process found in video games.

In the second semester, MFA students continue game deconstructions as a tool for deepening their understanding of game design. They also create their first original video game concept. These ideas are shared and workshopped in class, as students increase their skills and confidence in programming, narrative, and design. Students also study the history of film, giving depth to their understanding of narrative culture.

New York Film Academy’s three-year bachelor's degree in acting for film is for highly motivated students who would like to enter an intensive, hands-on professional course of study. By completing the bachelor's degree in three years, students can:

• Save one year of expenses
• Enter the field of their choice a year early

The Academy makes this accelerated schedule possible by creating an extended academic year, allowing students to complete three full-length semesters in each calendar year. Students may also choose to complete the program in a traditional four-year time frame.

The New York Film Academy (NYFA) Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Acting for Film is an eight-semester conservatory-based, full-time study program. The curriculum is designed to immerse gifted and energetic prospective actors in all aspects of acting as a discipline. The program provides a creative setting with which to challenge, inspire, and perfect the talents of its student body. Students follow an intensive curriculum and achieve multiple learning goals.

Our prescribed eight semester acting curriculum serves to address the following core competencies necessary for the completion of a BFA in acting:

BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS ACTING FOR FILM: LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• PERFORMANCE
  • Demonstrate the ability to create a fully articulated, believable performance in scenes exhibiting emotional depth which are appropriate for actors' physical type and age range in both stage and screen.
• LITERATURE
  • Provide critical analysis of the global standard of literature for film and theater, demonstrating an advanced understanding of the vocabulary, history and writing trends within the industry.
• PRODUCTION
  • Acting BFA students demonstrate an understanding of and basic competency in technical film/video production skills and standards relevant to today's film and television industry.
• KINESTHETIC EXPRESSION
  • Demonstrate technical mastery in the selection and execution of movement, gesture and vocal elements that reveal the subtext and intention of a character.
• BUSINESS
  • Demonstrate critical analysis by researching the industry for their own marketing niche and create a personalized business plan to meet their vocational objectives.
• SYNTHESIS
  • Evaluate the core training skills practiced and synthesize these into the formation of a unique artistic product (vision), allowing for continued growth within the industry.

Overall, the first six semesters of the program concentrate on developing the tools required to create a believable character, while the final two semesters refine these tools for use in film/video projects, preparing students for their careers in the entertainment industry.

An MFA in Photography program at the Photo Arts Conservatory at the New York Film Academy (PAC at NYFA) is an accelerated, conservatory-based, graduate program designed for full-time study over the course of four semesters. We provide a creative setting in which to develop, challenge, and inspire the skills and talents of prospective photographers in an immersive, stimulating environment. By combining seminars and lectures with intense, hands-on classes, students acquire a sound understanding and appreciation of still photography and learn to integrate knowledge and professional experience.

At the Photo Arts Conservatory at NYFA, students engage with a diverse international student body and a core faculty of working professionals. This master's degree program includes visits to museums, galleries, and studios, along with guest lectures and critiques by photographers, artists, and curators. PAC embraces all lens-based media, offering a unique curriculum that includes digital and film-based photography. Though all MFA candidates must take two semesters of Lighting, Imaging, Printing, and Introductory Theory, beginning in Semester Two students are able to choose the rest of their course load themselves.

PAC faculty are committed to our Photography students and their futures as successful image-makers. Through demanding, hands-on coursework, instructors help students keep pace with technological change and push them to excel in all the areas needed to compete in the ever evolving marketplace.
Applicants to the program who have graduated from NYFA’s One-Year, Two-Year, or BFA in Photography programs, or an equivalent program from another institution, may attempt to test out of certain foundational courses within the MFA program. All evaluations and decisions are at the sole discretion of the department chairs, and are final. Students who successfully test out of any courses will substitute other courses in their place, and must fulfill the 63 total credit minimum, as well as all course category requirements.

The NYFA Master of Fine Arts in 3D Animation & VFX is a four-semester graduate degree program intended to prepare animation & visual effects artists for technical and creative leadership in the various fields of the cinematic and emerging arts while nurturing a deep sense of service toward storytelling.

Students will:

• Develop a thorough technical understanding of the animation & VFX workflow & pipeline.
• Analyze and identify the industry trends that affect Pre-Production/Preparation of Animation & VFX.
• Hone their craft in intermediate and advanced Digital Element Creation, Motion Capture, Animation, Interactive Games, Stereoscopic 3D, Post-Production/Image Manipulation, Organization of Data Acquisition & Capture for use in the VFX pipeline.

In these MFA courses, students will learn from faculty that bring knowledge from the industry, many with experience from major brands including Disney, Dreamworks, Universal, Netflix and more. Students will master tools and techniques to create compelling 3D Animation & VFX shots that culminate in their final Thesis courses.

The integration of Animation & VFX curricula has been fine-tuned at the Los Angeles campus at the bachelor's level, to provide students with a specific technical and artistic education. The curriculum has been tailored to fit industry standard technical and artistic roles as laid out in the Visual Effects Societies Handbook.

At the master's level, NYFA does not just create artists or technicians; they effectively execute on a hybrid learning curriculum for students seeking to become leaders and innovators in 3D Animation, VFX, Computer Imaging, Feature Film, Television, New & Emerging Media, Research & Development, and the Interactive & Game Industries.