Krizzie L. Syfu is one of three directors whose film has been selected for a two year film tour by SM. Krizzie, a Philippine based director, was a student in New York Film Academy’s four-week digital workshop at Universal Studios in June 2009. Her film Tahanan is the story of a once-sheltered student (Lauren Young) whose eyes are opened after volunteering in an orphanage. Comments Krizzie in an interview about the project, “an average person can be a hero. Heroism isn’t limited to great acts of nation-building” …
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Let’s face it: Australian actors are hot. And I don’t just mean physically. Australian actors are the buzz from Broadway stage icon Hugh Jackman to sexy Hollywood seductress Nicole Kidman. New York Film Academy has new Filmmaking and Acting one-year programs and short term workshops beginning in February 2012 in Australia, which has me wondering what bewitching talent will apply to this year’s workshop. Check out our ranking of the most irresistible Australian accents…

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Brett Ratner

New York Film Academy students and alumni packed the room to capacity on the Tuesday, January 24th talk with prolific filmmaker Brett Ratner, director of films Rush Hour 1, 2, & 3 and X-Men: The Last Stand. “How many people are at this school?” Brett joked as more students poured in, grabbing floor seats and standing room only space.

Brett started the event by screening his student films, providing hilarious commentary on the trepidation of the actors to kiss, the out of focus shots and the many overexposures. Brett advised students you have to start somewhere as he continued through his body of work, explaining the evolution of how he got better (Brett’s films have grossed over 1.3 billion dollars)…

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Image from 1980 film The Shining

New York Film Academy Editing Instructor Rodney Ascher is the subject of The New York Times article, “Cracking the Code in ‘Heeere’s Johnny!’” for his feature length documentary Room 237, which examines the multiple theories surrounding Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece The Shining. The theorists claim the film is ostensibly about the Holocaust, the genocide of American Indians, and most bizarrely, all a veiled confession that Kubrick helped NASA fake the Apollo Moon landings. The result is a two hour documentary that Rodney premiered at Sundance Film Festival this past Monday…

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Check out these great New York Film Academy tips for casting your own films:

DETERMINE WHAT ROLES YOU WANT TO CAST:

The first step of casting your film is to decide what roles you need to fill. Focus on the lead roles (larger parts) first, deciding which factors are important for each character.

1. Questions to consider for each part: Age? Gender? Height? Ethnicity? Any unusual personality traits? Do they need any special skills such as ability to sing or play an instrument?

2. You do not need a breakdown for every character. Many smaller roles can be cast from people that you auditioned but didn’t end up casting as the lead…

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Tracy Morgan

30 Rock actor Tracy Morgan collapsed outside of the Creative Coalition Spotlight Awards gala event in Park City, Utah last night. Morgan, the Emmy-nominated actor who is known for his work as a regular on Saturday Night Live from 1996-2003, is currently at Sundance 2012 promoting film Predisposed, directed by New York Film Academy graduate Philip Dorling.

Sources tell THR that Morgan is seeking medical attention due to a combination of exhaustion and altitude, but that no alcohol or drugs were found in Tracy’s system when he was rushed to the hospital.

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New York Film Academy graduate Sushma Reddy

New York Film Academy graduate Sushma Reddy is currently working on several commercial Hindi film projects. Sushama, who set up production company Seven Island Studios Pvt. Ltd. with partner Sanjay Bhattacharjee, previously produced and released film Dus Tola in 2009. The film was the fourth Bollywood film made and distributed in partnership with a major Hollywood studio and the second Hindi film under the banner of Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Etta James. January 25, 1938 - January 20, 2012

“At Last” has been covered by everyone from Judy Garland, Miles Davis, and Aretha Franklin to Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey and Jason Mraz. However, it will forever be remembered for the 1960 cover of the song by icon Etta James, who died today, January 20, 2012 due to complications from leukemia. Etta was 73 and would have turned 74 on Wednesday. In 1999, James’ version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

“At Last” was written in 1941 by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Orchestra Wives. Various covers of the song have been featured on TV series The Simpsons, FOX’s post-game coverage of the 2004 World Series, UPN sitcom The Parkers. Live covers of the song include ventriloquist Terry Fator on the 2007 season of America’s Got Talent using puppet Emma Taylor to sing the song. In addition, Beyoncé Knowles performed the song for President and First Lady Obama’s first dance at the January 20, 2009 inaugural ball.

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New York Film Academy graduate Pau Guinart (right) presents travel book Fragmentari de Nova York in Spain. Photo by Josep Fonti.

New York Film Academy graduate Pau Guinart is busy promoting novel Fragmentari de Nova York, a collection of short stories and experiences from Pau’s time studying at New York Film Academy’s New York location while getting his MFA in 2009. The novel is written in Spanish, Pau’s native language.

Pau says the inspiration for his novel came from Paul Auster, a Brooklyn based writer who published book Invisible based on his time studying in Paris. Pau met writer Paul at a New York based book event, where Paul remarked, “As soon as I arrived in Paris I knew that the only thing that would remain would be my writings.” Pau says he began writing that night, knowing that he needed to document his life in New York to fully process his experiences. The novel was his third travel diary, and one that was strongly influenced by his classwork…

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