NYC Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Digital Film Academy

DFA Goes Brazilian!

March 16, 2014DFA Students, Events, Sara McDermott JainBMI, Brazil, Brazilian, Carol Mazzoni, DFA, Digital Film Academy, film school, international, international students, Latin America, NYC, Patrick DiRenna, Salão do Estudante, student recruitment, Times Squareadmin

When she was first considering film schools and living in Brazil, Carol Mazzoni did an internet search to discover which school might be best for her. Her main considerations were cost (number one) and location (number two).

It wasn’t long before she landed on the Digital Film Academy (homepage). Given the low cost and Times Square address, she knew she’d found a perfect fit.

Times Square, New York City - a center for film. — Times Square, New York City – a center for film.

Now, she’s also an employee at the DFA, managing the school’s Social Media and working on International Outreach. Additionally, she’s completed a variety of film projects, from short films destined for the festival circuit to web series she’s collaborating on with fellow DFA alums.

Mazzoni’s story is a common one at the DFA. The school boasts a large number of international students who’ve come to the US to pursue their dreams. For this reason, they are branching out by attending their first-ever student-based recruitment fair in Brazil in the second half of March 2014.

The Salão do Estudante, run by BMI, is one of the most active student recruitment fairs in the world, with 200,000 students coming through the fair in four days. Additionally, in days when the fair isn’t running, the DFA will meet with numerous agencies that work to partner students with the perfect program for their needs.

Mazzoni will be attending the fair along with DFA President Patrick DiRenna. Between agency meetings, meetings with prospective students, and the fair itself, the event will take them to several Brazilian cities over the course of two and a half weeks.

“It’ll be exciting to talk with the crowd and hear more about what international students are looking for,” Mazzoni says. “I can’t wait.”

By Digital Film Academy Blog Manager Sara McDermott Jain

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Spotlight on Jazmin and Steven Young

March 14, 2014DFA Students, Sara McDermott Jainaudio, Bollywood, DFA, Digital Film Academy, editing, film school, Jazmin Young, music videos, NYC, production company, Selective Vision, short film, Sid Polar, Steven Youngadmin

Despite a six-year age difference, sister and brother Jazmin and Steven Young have always been close. Now, 20 and 26 respectively, that closeness has translated into shared professional passion and career opportunities for both.

One of the challenges of a career in film, according to Jazmin, is finding exactly where you fit. As a little girl, she through of being an actress – but soon realized she didn’t want to be in front of a camera.

This didn’t stop her from wanting to express her creativity, however. She developed an interest in producing music videos while in high school, and when she saw the music video “Ride” with Lana Del Ray, realized that she really wanted to be telling stories in her videos. Her love of cameras grew, and now, her main focus is on editing and camerawork.

Steven likewise started his film career with music. His wide musical background included writing his own songs and producing music, so for him it was natural to develop an interest in audio.

Jazmin was the first of the duo to attend the Digital Film Academy. The DFA opened her eyes to cameras and to a whole new perspective on how to tell a story. It wasn’t long before Steven joined the DFA as well and both their careers began to flourish, starting with the production of short films which they wrote together. The first, a psychological thriller titled Love Jacket, is now in the editing process.

Last summer, they had the opportunity to work together on a Bollywood film being shot in various US locations, Uncommitted. Steven first joined the production as the sound engineer, and recommended Jazmin for camera assistant.

On the set of Uncommitted. — On the set of *Uncommitted.*

A big pro of working together has been helping to set each other up with such opportunities. People enjoy the sibling teamwork Steven and Jazmin bring to their sets.

The brother-sister pair are now legalizing their own production company, Selective Vision, along with partner Sid Polar. They love the creative process and, in addition to producing work they feel strongly about, want to continue to put music and film together. Music, according to Jazmin, “is like another subplot in a film.”

Of course, the challenge of starting a company is daunting, but if anyone is up for it, it’s these two. Jazmin says that while it’s true that there’s a lot to figure out when starting a business, in the end, figuring it out and moving forward makes you better in your chosen field. She also stressed that, when learning how to start the company, the DFA was hugely helpful. “The DFA helped a lot,” she said. “We’ve learned so much.”

Selective Vision is on its way.

By Digital Film Academy Blog Manager Sara McDermott Jain.

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Top 5 Take-aways from the DFA Open House

March 10, 2014Audio, DFA Instructors, DFA Students, Directing, Editing, Events, Sara McDermott Jain, Web seriesaccredited, additional digital recording, ADR, AMC, avid media composer, Corey Christian, DFA, Digital Film Academy, directing, film school, Guy Mor, NYC, Patrick DiRenna, web tvadmin

True to form, the DFA Open House did not disappoint! The two hours were packed with three informative demos that gave attendees a wealth of information.

Here are the top 5 take-aways from the open house:

1. “The director is king… but the audience is GOD.”

This is at the core of what the DFA advocates and how they teach their students. As DFA President Patrick DiRenna says, “The most important ‘person’ to a production is not the star or the DP or even the director… it’s the audience.” The entire goal of film is to get the audience to feel what you want when you want them to feel it – and the DFA is the place to help students figure out how to do just that!

Patrick DiRenna teaches the DFA philosophy.

2. Film requires skill sets – including how to be a business person.

People sometimes forget that, in addition to being an expert in a particular craft or skill set (lighting, camerawork, audio, etc.), they also need to be great business people in order to succeed in film.

Attendees got a taste of how to think about and market their work and themselves.

3. First Accredited Web TV Production Program!!!

In huge news, the DFA now has the country’s first accredited Web TV Production program. In an age where entertainment is moving online – and the opportunities for development in that area seem endless – this presents a major opportunity to enterprising students.

Corey Christian walks the room through the finer points of editing.

4. Avid Media Composer (and RED camera footage) are AMAZING.

You probably knew this already, but Equipment/Facilities Manager Corey Christian showed attendees why. AMC not only has an amazing ‘warp stabilizer’ feature which can help filmmakers steady shaky camerawork after-the-fact, but it can also take wide shots and turn them into excellent close-ups. Corey taught attendees how to use these features.

Essentially, filmmakers now have the option to take previously unusable footage and sculpt it into great shots – saving time and money.

A volunteer becomes Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. — A volunteer becomes Dorothy in *The Wizard of Oz*.

5. ADR is not as hard as you may think!

Director of Operations and audio wizard Guy Mor handed out flash drives and guided attendees into the world of additional digital recording. One lucky volunteer got to replace the voice of Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, saying “I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Mor showed the class how to replace Judy’s original line and make it sound seamless – in less than fifteen minutes.

All of the above is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what students could learn when they enroll at the DFA. So what are you waiting for? Sign up today!

By Digital Film Academy Blog Manager Sara McDermott Jain.

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Q&A: DFA Student Steven Young!

March 6, 2014DFA Students, Harley PageDFA, Digital Film Academy, directing, Double Dealing, film school, NYC, one-year advanced, R88, Steven Young, writingadmin

Born in Harlem, New York, Steven Young grew up listening to the likes of The Beatles, James Brown, and Michael Jackson. At age 9, he came across the parody video “I’m Fat” by Weird Al Yankovic and saw something that combined his love for music and entertainment.

After shooting two music videos independently, Steven decided to crossover into writing and creating short films, which led him to attend the Digital Film Academy.

DFA: What attracted you to the Digital Film Academy?

SY: The opportunities that DFA presented.

DFA: What opportunities presented themselves to you?

SY: For one, I knew going in that what I learned would not only teach me how to use the equipment but how to excel in my field. Secondly, I knew what I was learning would apply to my everyday work.

DFA: What program did you take at the Digital Film Academy?

SY: One-Year Advanced.

DFA: What class did you like the most and why?

SY: I would say my favorite class here was the directing class, which was taught by Patrick DiRenna. It was one of my favorites because it gave me insight on how to direct an actor and how to make the audience feel how I want them to feel.

DFA: What are you currently working on?

SY: I am currently working on my thesis short film Double Dealing, which is in the post-production stages.

On the set of the feature film Uncommitted. — On the set of the feature film *Uncommitted.*

DFA: What is Double Dealing about?

SY: It’s about how my character Collin returns to New York after being gone for several years to visit a college friend who has been attacked by an unknown attacker.

DFA: Will you tell us why he’s being attacked?

SY: See the film!

DFA: When your thesis is completed, will you be submitting it to film festivals?

SY: Indeed.

DFA: What is your area of expertise?

SY: Audio Engineering, but I also enjoy writing and directing.

DFA: What is your favorite piece of equipment to use and why?

SY: My favorite piece of equipment is the R88 which allows me to record sound for eight different channels and do a pre-mix before heading into post. Touch Screen is always awesome.

Steven Young playing with audio. — Steven Young doing live audio recording for the Stevie Boi fashion week fashion show.

DFA: Who is your favorite director?

SY: You know, I would have to say Scorsese.

DFA: Give me your top three movies of all time?

SY: Goodfellas, Good Will Hunting, and The Departed.

DFA: Did any of these films influence your short film, Double Dealing?

SY: Maybe The Departed, but not really.

DFA: What is your favorite genre to watch? And is it different from the genre that you shoot?

SY: I would have to say I’m into the more sci-fi action type of films even though I mainly write suspense dramas.

DFA: What are your future plans?

SY: In the future I would like to do more writing and directing as well as start my own production company.

DFA: Any piece of advice for young, aspiring filmmakers?

SY: My advice is to have fun and believe in creative freedom.

By Digital Film Academy Student Blogger Harley Page.

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Why the DFA Open House is a Must-See!

March 1, 2014DFA Instructors, Events, Sara McDermott Jainadditional dialog recording, ADR, automated dialog replacement, avid media composer, Corey Christian, DFA, Digital Film Academy, directing, director, dubbing, editing, film school, Guy Mor, New York, NYC, open house, Patrick DiRenna, red, red camera, workshopadmin

You know the regular school open house drill: sit in a chair with some strangers, hear a few words from a professor about what you would do in his class, maybe hear some success stories about former students…

But the Digital Film Academy Open House is no regular open house.

The DFA is all about getting students working in film – and their open house on Saturday, March 8th from 3-5pm in NYC is no different.

At this totally free event, attendees won’t just get to see the facilities and network with current/former students and professors. They’ll also take part in three hands-on demonstrations:

Directing Demo: Ever dreamed of commanding your own set as a director? Taught by Patrick DiRenna, the President of the DFA, this directing crash course gives attendees the “magic formula to create the perfect shot.” Guests will learn how to set up two different, dramatic SteadyCam shots and will also be taught the primary functions of a director.

ADR (Additional Dialog Recording) Demo: Imagine this: you’ve yelled “Cut!,” you’re bursting with excitement over what you filmed, and you get into editing – only to discover that the sound is a garbled mess. Something went wrong – so now, is your project dead?

Absolutely not, because you can replace that original dialog – if you know what you’re doing! Guy Mor, the DFA Director of Operations and an audio wizard, will show you how to both replace bad audio and record audio for animation… the best part? Attendees can take part in a fun exercise, re-recording audio for famous movie lines such as “Hasta la vista, baby” – and enjoy the results.

Avid Media Composer Demo: Two things are hot right now in the world of film: Avid Media Composer, the most widely-used non-linear editing program for professional film, and the Red camera. (In fact, most DFA grads report being able to easily find work after graduation thanks to their continued free access to the expensive Red camera through the DFA membership program.) In this demo, DFA Equipment/Facilities manager Corey Christian works with both, showing how to load footage from the Red camera into Avid Media Composer and use the software to create a perfect final image.

If you’ve ever considered a career in film, what are you waiting for? Come to the DFA Open House to make connections, learn tricks of the trade, and see if you’re ready to take the next step to “monetize your media!”

RSVP today at DFA Open House.

By Digital Film Academy Blog Manager Sara McDermott Jain

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5 Rules for Doing a Web Series

December 16, 2013Sara McDermott Jain, Web series2nd Ave, 2ndAve, DFA, Digital Film Academy, Mari Kawade, Mariko, NYC, web series, webisodeadmin

Web series are hot right now. Why? They’re a cheap, fast way to show what you can do. Not everyone can get a deal with a major network – but everyone can create a web series.

Well, hold on… they can… but it doesn’t mean it’ll be any good.

To help make yours the best it can be, follow these simple rules:

Short and sweet
Colorful and close
Story and Structure
Resourceful and Rare
Quality and Quantity

2ndAvenue_L — Title image for DFA grad Mari Kawade’s web series, 2ndAve

1. Short and sweet

Web series means online means short attention spans.

Generally, most belong in the 5-10 minute range. Going longer will cost you viewers, unless the subject matter is absolutely RIVETING. The only types of web series that consistently get away with long episodes are educational programs people watch because they need the info – not for entertainment.

If you still think this is too constrictive, consider this – the average online video is 6.5 minutes, and most people prefer not to click on anything over 2 MINUTES long.

2ndAvenue_Apt — The colorful apartment of 2ndAve star, Mariko.

2. Colorful and close

Mari Kawade, the creator of the web series 2ndAve, points out that most people watch web series in places where they can be easily distracted. For this reason, it’s better to make your web series colorful, literally (or at least give it a strong aesthetic), and avoid having too many wide shots. Close-ups will be more engaging to an iphone viewer on the go.

3. Story and Structure

Just because it’s a web series doesn’t mean your story is less important than it would be on a network show. Great visuals will get you far – but if they’re combined with a story or unifying concept, the series can develop a faithful audience and be sustained over a longer period of time.

Keep in mind: story and structure don’t just refer to individual episodes. They also refer to how the series unfolds over time. Plan a whole season’s worth of episodes, and structure each so it leaves the audience wanting more. A good tactic is to always end with a cliffhanger – and the link to the next episode!

2ndAvenue_Shock — The leads on 2ndAve get a shock.

4. Resourceful and Rare

Web series can be done cheaply, but that goes out the window if you write in a bunch of special effects and set pieces you can’t afford. When planning your series, think about resources you have at your disposal. How can you use them to create something special? With luck, this thinking will help you achieve the ‘rare’ status of a creative series that’s doing something original.

5. Quality and Quantity

A web series doesn’t have to look like a Hollywood blockbuster – but it should at least look like you know what you’re doing. Do amateur home videos sometimes go viral? Sure. But how many of those ‘filmmakers’ have the strength to pull views time and again when they post new content?

Do your homework. Assemble a team of people who want to make your series happen. Teams often come together at the DFA – students have the necessary knowledge and the school provides the equipment.

Finally, without hurting the quality, do a lot of episodes quickly. (This is another reason why it’s good to keep episodes short.) Put up a bunch at once so people can keep watching – and then keep ‘em coming. If you only put up one every 6 months, no matter how great, people will forget about you by the time you put up another.

This list doesn’t cover everything about web series – but it’s a great start. So go ahead and start planning your webisodes now!

By Digital Film Academy Blog Manager Sara McDermott Jain

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Digital Film Academy New Filmmakers Screening

November 5, 2013DFA Students, Events, film festivals, Sara McDermott Jain2nd Ave, 2ndAve, Anthem, Chameleon, Christopher Delao, Chronicles of a Profiler, DFA, Digital Film Academy, documentary, dreadlocks, Dreadlocks Story, Film Anthology Archives, film school, India, Jamaal Green, Jamaica, Japanese, Jimmy Negron, Joseph Leon Stein, Linda Ainouche, Maho Honda, Mari Kawade, Mariko, music, music video, new filmmakers, new filmmakers' screening, New York, NYC, Rastafari, Rich Lanzillotto, short films, Stood Up, student films, The Room Next Door, Tsukasa Kondo, web seriesadmin

October 23rd was the most recent in a proud history of evenings that celebrate DFA graduates’ work. As each semester draws to a close, the Digital Film Academy screens student projects at the Film Anthology Archives, an impressive venue in NYC whose name also carries quite a bit of weight.

The experience of getting to see their work on the big screen is often mind-blowing for students.

These nights typically feature a wide range of work across different genres, and the 23rd was no exception. The audience was treated to a documentary trailer, the first episode in a new web series, a video Kickstarter campaign, two innovative short films, and a music video.

Three of the filmmakers were in attendance, so I got to chat with them after the show.

First up for my Q&As was Rich Lanzillotto, the creator of the short film Stood Up. The film, which goes inside the troubled relationship of two New Yorkers, offers viewers an unsettling ending. Unlike the other filmmakers in attendance, Lanzillotto shied away from directing his own piece. His long-term goal is to become an editor, so he focused on the editing and producing of Stood Up, which he co-wrote with his step-brother. The directing reins were handed over to another DFA student, Joseph Leon Stein.

Next up on my journey through filmmakers was Mari Kawade, whose web series 2ndAve is garnering lots of well-deserved attention. Three episodes are already online and have received more that 17,000 views, no small accomplishment. Maho Honda and Tsukasa Kondo, Kawade’s two lead actors and co-producers, were also in attendance.

2ndAve Team — Tsukasa Kondo, Maho Honda, Sara McDermott Jain, and Mari Kawade talk about 2ndAve.

The show, which features a new-to-NYC Japanese actress (Honda) and her homo-sexual roommate (Kondo), has developed a strong following of immigrants. “We knew the show would have a strong reaction from other Japanese,” Kawade says, “But we didn’t expect the massive reaction from other immigrants.” 2ndAve’s storyline, which features, among other things, the struggle of living in a foreign country and trying to build a creative career, showcases characters that anyone can relate to.

2ndAve Mari — Tsukasa Kondo and Mari Kawade give Sara McDermott Jain the low-down on 2nd Ave’s audience.

The third filmmaker was Linda Ainouche, an Anthropology PhD with a passion for documentaries. Her documentary-in-the-making, Dreadlocks Story, was presented in the form of a trailer. The subject is fascinating: the documentary explores the connection between India and Jamaica, how India influenced Jamaica’s Rastafari, and the movement which led to the proliferation of dreadlocks. The finished film will delve into how this is a result of India and Jamaica both being oppressed by Britain at the same time, and how their resulting connection is one positive thing to emerge from this oppression.

Ainouche is currently organizing a crowd-funding campaign to help finance the next stages of her research. Of the DFA, all the filmmakers stressed how the support and experience offered during their classes made their films possible. The DFA membership, which allows free access to film equipment, also made it possible to do these films with little to no budget. Those filmmakers who were unfortunately unable to attend were Jamaal Green, whose Kickstarer campaign trailer for the dramatic, psychological web series Chronicles of a Profiler was screened; Christopher Delao, who directed the surprising short film The Room Next Door; and Jimmy Negron, whose music video “Anthem” for the group Chameleon packed a powerful punch. The following projects are available to view online: