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Hands-on Intensive
Short-term Workshops
Filmmaking | Acting for Film | Musical Theatre | Photography
Producing | Documentary | Screenwriting | Broadcast Journalism
3D Animation | Virtual Reality | Game Coding | Digital Editing

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 HANDS-ON
FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS
8, 6, 4, 3, 1-Week & 12, 6-Week Evening
Short-term Intensive Workshops

T
Each workshop’s course of study is designed for people
he New York Film Academy offers a wide
with little to no experience in making films. The goal is
variety of workshops in filmmaking that
to arm students with the skills and confidence needed
allow students to obtain a strong foundation
to produce a well-told story with moving images. To
in a short period of time. The workshops are
fulfill this goal, classes and projects concentrate on the
comprehensive, hands-on explorations of the subject
essential elements of visual storytelling, which enable
that immerse students in each of the key creative roles
the participant to direct a series of films.
of making films including directing, screenwriting,
cinematography, and editing.
Students have the opportunity to enroll in one of our
leading filmmaking workshops at NYFA locations around
This comprehensive approach gives students the
the world, including New York City; Los Angeles, California;
broad array of skills and experience they need to thrive
South Beach, Miami; Harvard University; Florence,
as filmmakers, whichever path they ultimately pursue.
Italy; Walt Disney World® Resort, Florida; Doha, Qatar;
In fact, students in our Filmmaking Workshops even
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Paris, France; Moscow, Russia;
work in front of the camera as actors.
Barcelona, Spain; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Istanbul,
Turkey; Gold Coast and Sydney, Australia; Beijing, China;
The curriculum outlined on the following pages is the basis
Shanghai, China; Kyoto, Japan; Mumbai, India; Seoul,
for learning in our short-term Filmmaking Workshops.
South Korea; and Jakarta, Indonesia.

Please Note: curriculum and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location.
Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up to date course information.
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 Filmmaking WORKSHOPS

TOTAL IMMERSION CLASSES

The following classes are designed to be of immediate and practical use in an integrated
curriculum. Each week, students are able to immediately apply the lessons learned in their
classes to the films they are producing.

DIRECTOR’S CRAFT SOUND RECORDING (Excluding 1-Week)

Director’s Craft introduces students to the language and This is a comprehensive class that details the process
craft of filmmaking. Topics covered include storyboarding, of sound recording. It provides concepts, technical
composition, camera movement, continuity, montage, information, and hands-on demonstration. Students are
pacing, and rhythm. This course introduces students to introduced to various types of recording devices and
the language and craft of film directing. taught when to use them.

SCREENWRITING CREWS
This course is designed to help students develop their While every student in a Filmmaking Workshop writes and
scripts for their final films. Students will be instructed in directs his or her own films, it is important that students
story structure, dramatic arc, creating characters, text and realize that filmmaking is a collaborative art. Students
subtext, refining stories, and scriptwriting style. form three- or four-person crews and gain invaluable
experience in the principal production positions:
CINEMATOGRAPHY
• Writer/Director/Editor/Producer
In this course, students undergo intensive training in the • Director of Photography
use of the HD digital motion picture cameras and their • Assistant Camera
accessories. Through hands-on workshops and film tests, • Gaffer/Grip
they will also learn fundamental lighting techniques.
By getting behind the camera as a cinematographer,
PRODUCTION WORKSHOP students train their eyes for composition and learn to
The Production Workshop is designed to demystify the respect the difficulties of setting up a shot. Similarly,
craft of filmmaking. It is a hands-on class in which students by working as a gaffer and taking responsibility for
stage and shoot exercises under the supervision of the the lights, they practice how light and shadow effect
instructor. The technical aspects of filmmaking are seen the film. By working in the various crew positions,
as tools to realize the story. The guiding idea is that once students gain empathy and respect for their crews,
students can articulate the objective of a given scene, which is essential for successful work as a director.
the necessary craft and techniques will follow. Through
in-class exercises, the rules and tools of mise-en-scène ASSIGNMENTS
and continuity are defined and practiced. The Film Academy faculty designed a series of film
exercises as building blocks for the final film project.
EDITING They are intended to instill in each student a degree
Editing is an art unto itself. Regardless of the editing of confidence in visual storytelling and to provide a
system a filmmaker uses, it is the editor’s ability to foundation in basic film craft.
work with the shots and tell a story that makes all the
difference. Workshop students will learn how to use Those new to filmmaking begin to understand how
the digital editing program Avid Media Composer. Each the disciplines of writing, cinematography, sound, and
student edits his or her own films and can supplement editing work together, while those with experience can
classes with individual consultations at the editing practice and refine specific craft skills. All students
station. Students are taught the fundamental concepts should seize this opportunity to freely develop their
of film editing, both practical and aesthetic. ability to engage and entertain an audience.

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WORKSHOPS Filmmaking

FILM
PROJECTS
MISE-EN-SCÈNE
(4 & 8 Week Only)
In their first film, students are introduced to mise-en-
scène, or directing a shot to visually tell a story. Once
they create a dramatic moment, they concentrate on
the dynamics of the shot that will best express it. This
project teaches students how the relationship of the
subject and the camera creates drama. Each student
designs and shoots a scene which has a beginning,
middle, and end. Students learn to pay close attention
to the choice of lenses, distances, and angles. Since
the story must be told in no more than three shots,
each shot must be staged to express as much as
possible about the characters and their actions.
Students should rehearse the shot for blocking of
actors and camera until the scene works without
needing to stop.

CONTINUITY
Continuity is one of the fundamental principles of MUSIC & IMAGE
modern filmmaking. By making a “continuity film,” (Final Project for 3 and 4-week Workshops)
students learn the way cuts can advance the story The third project introduces students to the
while sustaining the reality of the scene. They learn relationship between sound and film, as well as to
the difference between “film time” and “real time.” narrative tools like montage and jump cuts. In this
project, students are encouraged to explore a more
Students are challenged to make a film that maintains personal form of visual storytelling.
continuity in story, time, and space. The action in these
films unfolds utilizing a variety of shots (10-15) in a Students choose a short continuous selection of
continuous sequence (no perceptible jumps in time or music. In the editing room they cut their images to
action). Students must produce a clear, visual scene work in concert with, or in counterpoint to, the music.
while maintaining the truthfulness of the moment. It is Students should experiment with rhythm and pacing.
essential that the audience believes in the reality of the Each student writes, directs and shoots his or her
scene. Students write, direct, shoot, edit, and screen a project with digital HD cameras, edits digitally, and
film of up to several minutes in length. screens a completed Music Film.

Students must thoroughly organize and pre-produce In addition to storyboards, students may use a still
their projects by completing the following elements: camera to plan their films. This assists them in their
Script, Location Scouting, Breakdown, Floor Plan, choice of locations, distances, angles, and lighting.
Storyboard, and Schedule of Shots.

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 Filmmaking WORKSHOPS

FINAL FILM
(8-Week only)
This final film is more ambitious in scope than the
previous exercises. It builds upon the foundation
of skills and knowledge gained in the first half of
the workshop. There is a five-day pre-production
period during which students meet with faculty
for consultation.

The shooting period is two days for each film.

There are two weeks of post-production in which

each student may edit from 50-100 hours. Students
may use sound effects, music, voiceover, and
ambient sound to help tell their stories. They apply
the lessons learned through editing the first four
projects as they utilize the many transition tools,
special effects, and sound design options that
digital editing allows.

Films may be of any genre, and can be narrative,

TEXT & SUBTEXT documentary, or experimental. In past years, many
(8-Week only) of these films have been selected and won awards
This project challenges students to explore the at film festivals, both in the U.S. and abroad.
relationship between dialogue and dramatic action.
It serves as the students’ first foray into directing Each film project is screened in class for discussion
a film with dialogue recorded on set. Students are and critique. These screenings are an important
provided with short dialogue-only scripts with no part of the learning process and help students
description of physical detail or action. The student improve on their next projects. There is a group
director determines the “who, what, where, when, screening celebrating all final films open to cast,
and why” of the story. Above all, each student crew, friends, and family.
director identifies the character objectives and
dramatic beats of the scene. The final film is part of the six-week, eight-week,
evening, and one-year programs.
Students will find that these elements determine the
meaning of the dialogue and should deepen their We strongly recommend that students come to
understanding of text versus subtext. the workshop with written ideas for their films.
These ideas will be developed and honed in
When the finished projects are screened in class for writing class.
critique, students will discover how different directorial
interpretations of the same scene reveal the characters
and the impact and meaning of the story.

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8-Week FILMMAKING WORKSHOP

D
esigned for people who wish to study the craft COURSES
of filmmaking in an intense schedule, the Eight- • Director’s Craft
Week Filmmaking Workshop challenges students • Writing
to produce five films over a period of two months. • Editing
Students each direct five short films of increasing complexity • Hands-On Camera/Lighting
which are screened and critiqued in class. • Production Workshop
• Budgeting and Scheduling
This program is divided into two four-week sections. The first • Sound Design
four weeks of the program are divided between in-class hands- • Crews
on instruction and the production of three short films by each • Assignments
student. Students will take classes in Directing, Hands-on
Camera, Writing, and Editing. Students will learn to use Canon
5D cameras, professional lighting packages, and digital editing FILM PROJECTS
with Avid Media Composer. • Mise-en-scène
• Continuity
In the first four weeks, students learn the basic tools of • Music & Image
filmmaking and begin shooting a series of film projects. Following • Text & Subtext
production and post-production, students screen their work • Final Film
with their classmates and instructors and engage in critiques
and discussion.

During the second four weeks of the program, the use of dialogue
is explored in the “Text & Subtext” Film, which ultimately prepares LOCATION
students to take on the “Final Film” project—a film of up to ten NEW YORK CITY;
minutes with one or two tracks of sound. Students edit their LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA;
projects using Avid Media Composer on Apple computers and SOUTH BEACH, FLORIDA;
spend an additional twenty to forty hours a week on production FLORENCE, ITALY
of their film projects. Locations are subject to change.
For start dates and tuition, please visit nyfa.edu

At the end of the course, the final films are celebrated in a

screening open to cast, crew, friends, and family. All students
who successfully complete the workshop receive a New York
Film Academy Certificate and leave the workshop with a digital
reel of all their projects.

Please Note: curriculum and projects are subject to change

and may vary depending on location. Students should
consult the most recently published campus catalog for the
most up to date course information.

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 Filmmaking WORKSHOPS

6-Week FILMMAKING WORKSHOP

T
he Summer Six-Week Filmmaking Workshops provide COURSES
students with a strong foundation in filmmaking in • Director’s Craft
which the each make three films. The longer course • Writing
• Editing
period (in relation to the Four-Week workshop) allows
• Hands-On Camera/Lighting
students to concentrate on a longer final film.
• Production Workshop
• Budgeting and Scheduling
This workshop is divided into two periods. The first period of the
• Sound Design
workshop is divided between in-class hands-on instruction and • Crews
the production of two short films by each student. Students will • Assignments
take classes in Directing, Hands on Camera, Writing, and Editing.
Students will learn to use Canon 5D cameras, professional lighting FILM PROJECTS
packages, and digital editing software, Avid Media Composer. • Continuity
• Music & Image
During the second period of the workshop the student devotes • Final Film
his or her time solely to the Final Film project—a film of up to
ten minutes with one or two tracks of sound. Students edit their
project using Avid Media Composer on Apple computers. LOCATION
NEW YORK CITY;
The educational objectives in the Six-Week Filmmaking LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA;
Certificate Workshop are to teach students the art and craft SOUTH BEACH, FLORIDA;
HARVARD UNIVERSITY;
of filmmaking and to instruct students through a strict regimen
FLORENCE, ITALY;
consisting of lectures, seminars, and total immersion workshops
PARIS, FRANCE
to excel in the creative art of filmmaking.
Locations are subject to change.
For start dates and tuition, please visit nyfa.edu
Please Note: curriculum and projects are subject to change and
may vary depending on location. Students should consult the
most recently published campus catalog for the most up to date
course information.

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WORKSHOPS Filmmaking

4 & 3-Week
FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS
COURSES
• Director’s Craft
• Writing
• Editing
• Hands-On Camera/Lighting
• Production Workshop
• Crews
• Assignments

FILM PROJECTS
• Mise-en-scène (4-Week Only)
• Continuity
• Music & Image

T
his Four-Week Filmmaking Workshop provides students with
a thorough introduction to the foundations of film craft. Many
students find the one-month length fits conveniently into their
LOCATION
yearly schedules. The workshop is a full-time program and 4-WEEK WORKSHOPS
students must be prepared to make a serious commitment to its completion. NEW YORK CITY;
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA;
In select locations, a special three-week session is also available. SOUTH BEACH, FLORIDA;
HARVARD UNIVERSITY;
FLORENCE, ITALY;
During the first week, students will learn the basic tools or filmmaking and
PARIS, FRANCE;
begin shooting a series of film projects. Following production and post- BARCELONA, SPAIN
production, students screen their work for their classmates and instructors
and engage in critiques and discussion. 3-WEEK WORKSHOPS
WALT DISNEY WORLD® RESORT, FL;
Classes and hands-on workshops are held throughout the week and some HARVARD UNIVERSITY;
weekends are reserved for additional classes or shooting. Evenings are spent KYOTO, JAPAN;
on writing, location scouting, casting, and editing. The final week is devoted PARIS, FRANCE
to shooting and editing the final film, culminating in the final screening.
Locations are subject to change.
Classes in Directing, Writing, Cinematography, and Production cover the For start dates and tuition,
please visit nyfa.edu
creative and technical demands of telling a story. Each week all the students’
films are screened and critiqued in class with the instructor. By the end of
the workshop, students will possess the ability to work independently and
collaboratively in a high-pressure creative environment.

Please Note: curriculum and projects are subject to change and may vary
depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published
campus catalog for the most up to date course information.

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 Filmmaking WORKSHOPS

4-WEEK
MUSIC VIDEO WORKSHOP

M
usic Video are stylistic, expressive, evocative COURSES
— and a great proving ground for aspiring • Music Video Craft
film and television directors. Filmmakers like • Directing
David Fincher (“Se7en”), Spike Jonze (“Being • Cinematography
John Malkovich”), Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”), Michael Bay • Playback
• Editing
(“Transformers”), McG (“Charlie’s Angels”), and Brett Ratner
• Production Workshop
(“Rush Hour”) began their careers by making music videos.
Established directors like Martin Scorsese, Michael Apted,
and John Landis choose to direct music videos as a means of
exploration. Why not follow in their footsteps?
LOCATION
NEW YORK CITY;
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
The New York Film Academy has created one of the most
Locations are subject to change.
intensive workshop programs to train the next generation of
For start dates and tuition, please visit nyfa.edu
music video artists. Our 4-Week Music Video Workshop guides
students through the process of creating their own original
music videos in an immersive, hands-on program. Taught by
active professional music video makers and experts, students
Please Note: curriculum and projects are
learn how to conceptualize their project, work with a record
subject to change and may vary depending
label, collaborate with a musical artist or band, produce, shoot,
on location. Students should consult the
direct, and edit their own music videos. NYFA encourages most recently published campus catalog
students enrolled in the music video workshop to take creative for the most up to date course information.
risks and find their own voices as visual artists.

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 1-Week FILMMAKING WORKSHOP

T
he One-Week Filmmaking Workshop is the most COURSES
intensive, instructional one-week program in filmmaking • Director’s Craft
that can be found at any film school. In one short • Writing
week, students are instructed in the basics of writing, • Story Advisement
directing, camera, and digital editing, and each student writes, • Editing
directs, shoots, and edits a short film project. The pace of this • Hands-On Camera/Lighting
one-week course is feverish and students must be prepared to
live and breathe filmmaking for the length of their stay.
LOCATION
OVERVIEW NEW YORK CITY;
This program begins with an intensive study in filmmaking, which LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA;
encompasses directing, screenwriting, and cinematography. SOUTH BEACH, FLORIDA;
Each student will write, direct, and edit his/her own project. They HARVARD UNIVERSITY;
will also assist their classmates as key crew members on their WALT DISNEY WORLD® RESORT, FL;
projects. These individual film projects are edited on Avid Media FLORENCE, ITALY;
Composer under the supervision of an instructor. PARIS, FRANCE;
KYOTO, JAPAN;
Following production and post-production, students screen their MOSCOW, RUSSIA;
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
work with their classmates, instructors, and invited guests and
engage in critiques and discussion. Locations are subject to change.
For start dates and tuition, please visit nyfa.edu
At the end of the program, students will demonstrate the following
experience and knowledge:

• Experience working independently and collaboratively in a Please Note: curriculum and projects are
high-pressure creative environment. subject to change and may vary depending
• Knowledge of digital cameras and motion picture production. on location. Students should consult the most
• Experience working as both director and cinematographer on recently published campus catalog for the
student production. most up to date course information.
• Experience with Avid digital editing software.
• Knowledge of aesthetic film theory and experience with
practical application of the same.
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 Filmmaking WORKSHOPS

12-week Evening FILMMAKING WORKSHOP

T
he Evening Workshop is the ideal program for
individuals who must balance filmmaking with
other responsibilities. Students meet several
evenings a week and work on their film shoots
over the weekends.

The workshop covers roughly the same amount of ground LOCATION

as the Six-Week Filmmaking Workshop. 12-WEEK EVENING WORKSHOPS
NEW YORK CITY;
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA;
SOUTH BEACH, FLORIDA;
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
Locations are subject to change.
For start dates and tuition, please visit nyfa.edu

OVERVIEW
The Evening Workshop gives students the instruction they
need while allowing them to fulfill other obligations during
the day throughout the work week. All classes are geared
towards providing students with the building blocks
needed to create a film.

This program comprises evening classes and weekend

production sessions that take place over a twelve-week After each screening, classmates and instructors
period. Students will take classes in Directing, Hands-On engage in critiques and discussion. Throughout
Camera, Writing, and Editing. Students will learn to use the Evening Program, students meet with
digital video cameras, professional lighting packages, and instructors for one-on-one consultations.
digital editing with Avid Media Composer. Following production and post-production of the
final project, students screen their work with their
The first six weeks are devoted to the study of the four classmates, instructors, and invited guests.
primary elements of filmmaking: Writing, Directing,
Cinematography, and Editing. To apply the concepts they
learn in class, students write, produce, direct, and edit Please Note: curriculum and projects are subject
two short film exercises. to change and may vary depending on location.
Students should consult the most recently
In the second six weeks, each student writes, directs,
published campus catalog for the most up to
shoots, and edits a short film of up to ten minutes.
date course information.

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 Special Holiday
FILMMAKING WORKSHOP

T
he Holiday Filmmaking Workshop provides students with a strong foundation in filmmaking in
which they each make three films. The longer course period of six weeks allows students to
concentrate on a longer final film with more elaborate sound design.

LOCATION
NEW YORK CITY;
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Locations are subject to change.
For start dates and tuition,
please visit nyfa.edu

OVERVIEW COURSES

This program is divided into two sections. The first three weeks, before the • Director’s Craft
holiday break, are divided between in-class hands-on instruction and the • Writing
production of two short films by each student. Students will take classes in • Editing
Directing, Hands on Camera, Writing, and Editing. Students will learn to use • Hands-On Camera and Lighting
an HD digital video camera, professional lighting packages, and Avid Media • Production Workshop
Composer editing software. • Budgeting and Scheduling
• Sound Design
During the first week, students will learn the basic tools of filmmaking
and begin shooting a series of film projects. Following production and
post-production, students screen their work with their classmates and
instructors and engage in critiques and discussion. All films in the first
Please Note: curriculum and projects
three weeks are non-dialogue, but students may add music.
are subject to change and may vary
depending on location. Students
After the holiday break, the students will take advanced classes in Directing,
should consult the most recently
Editing, and Writing. Students devote their time solely to the Final Film
published campus catalog for the
project—a film of up to five minutes with multiple soundtracks. Students
most up to date course information.
edit their project using Avid Media Composer on Apple computers.

372 The most hands-on intensive programs in the world.