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New York Film Academy - Serious Concerns

New York Film Academy - Review - Serious Film School or Scam?

New York Film Academy - is it a serious film school? I'm Jerry the Prof, and lately people have been asking me about NYFA. NYFA operates film and acting schools in Los Angeles and New York and in a number of cities around the world.

Seems an email from a disgruntled instructor at NYFA posted on a blog has gone viral. The email is a scathing report on the New York Film Academy school. Many comments on the post seems to agree with the instructor's very poor evaluation of the New York Film Academy.

Coming in for particular criticism in the email is the Senior Director, Jean Sherlock.

Understand that NYFA is a "FOR-profit school". Unlike traditional private schools that are NON-profit and were founded to teach, the basic purpose of the New York Film Academy seems to be to make money. It has been described as a corporate business pure and simple.

The anonymous author of the email goes on to point out what he claims are unfair and possibly illegal practices in how the faculty is handled. He says that the equipment the New York Film Academy has for students to learn filmmaking with is inadequate and mismanaged. He makes many other claims which you can read for yourself. Also do a search on Yelp.com and see the additional unfavorable reviews there.

I see the many advertisements for the New York Film Academy and hear about the heavy sales pitch given to any potential student who shows interest. Many web sites strongly promote NYFA which I suspect is due to the large commissions paid if they help sign up more students.

The NYFA is not on my list of the top film schools. Nothing I have ever heard about NYFA is about to change my mind.

I have never attended NYFA, don't personally know anyone who has and have no vested interest concerning NYFA one way or the other. I'm simply reporting what I am hearing.

New York Film Academy - Privatized Education In America

I have reported before in my blog about the scandal of for-profit film schools. Do your research and think VERY seriously before you sign up to attend the New York Film Academy. There are just too many reports coming out indicating you will not get your money's worth until something drastic changes in how the school is run.

Even if major changes are made I still can't recommend that any student wanting to become a filmmaker spend anything like the money required to attend a traditional kind of film school. What you will learn at any film school is so basic and easy to learn that the cost and time involved makes no sense.

There is nothing magical about attending film school to get you into filmmaking. Movie making is a hard profession to break into and a college degree will be of little use. Energy, persistence and talent are the requirements. It's hard but it can be done.

If you want to give it a try have a look at the resources below before you commit yourself to thousands and thousands of dollars in tuition at a corporate business claiming to be a film school.

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Film School Secrets Reviewed - Better Than Film School?

Film School Secrets big box imageFilm School Secrets is a web based set of lessons in filmmaking that at long last uncovers how little value there is to a film school degree. There has been a lot of talk and blogging about this course that you may have seen. Many film school grads are coming out and saying "About time someone spoke the truth!"

Assembled by former top film school graduates, a former NYU film school teacher and working filmmakers, this course divulges the two biggest nasty film school secrets: the best film schools are atrociously overpriced for what you get, and are next to ineffectual for getting a job in filmmaking.

If you are even slightly looking at going to film school please do yourself a favor and check into the course that everyone is talking about while it is still available.

Film School Secrets is currently available for a low price but has already seen one increment and will soon be increased again. Despite its still reasonable cost don't believe this is a superficial, ineffectual course like many others. This is filled with the solid insider secrets you need to finally begin a real career.

The heart of the instruction is 8 modules of video training:

Module 1: How the film industry actually works and why even top film school grads are seen as a joke by most working filmmakers and film studios. With the correct strategy you can get your career started now and be taken seriously for a lot less time and money than going to film school.

Module 2: Why pay to participate on a film school set and be taught by a teacher when you can do it for free? Better yet, why not get paid to work on a professional set making feature films? That's always been the fastest way to learn. You can do it if you know how to.

Module 3: Get just the filmmaking techniques you will need to get moving. Some of the most famous film directors have all agreed that fundamental filmmaking skills can be learned in hours to days. It isn't that hard to aim a video camera, folks!

Module 4: Essentials of a outstanding screenplay. How to tell stories that people will pay to see. How to find experienced professionals who will help you refine your script to perfection.

Module 5: How to get top experts to work for you for very little money, or even for FREE is you know what to say. Shooting films takes more than one person so get the best helping you for a fraction of the cost of four years at film school. Learn from the experts while you create your movie.

Module 6: Shoot your film locally like the big studios are doing. Being in Hollywood is really a disadvantage if you want to make a movie. Shooting where you live can lower your costs to practically nada.

Module 7: Ways to make your own movies without any experience, equipment or knowledge of filmmaking techniques. (Yes it can be done!)

Module 8: How to sell and distribute your film taking advantage of the latest in online selling and digital distribution.

An important part of Film School Secrets is Seth Hymes' hilarious exposé book, Film Fooled, which takes you course by course through his real experience at NYU film school, one of the top ten film schools in the world. Nothing will convince you of the uselessness of film school quite like getting to read the often childish course of study taught by bumbling instructors with almost no filmmaking experience.

You also get a copy of the NYU Production Handbook. NYU would like you to believe that this book alone is worth the cost of tuition. You get your own copy included at no extra charge.

I have also thrown in a copy of my complete 350 page Filmmaking Reference that regularly costs more than the current cost of Film School Secrets all by itself. That's how much I believe in this course and want you to check it out before you seriously consider an expensive film school.

But there's more:

The course includes interviews with successful filmmakers spilling the secrets of exactly how they broke in to exciting jobs in movie making. These are your treasure map to your success, too.

Finally the course includes the ability to contact and ask advice from the authors of the course for no extra cost. Priceless!

How Does Film School Secrets compare to what you get from a top film school?

Pros:

  • The only filmmaking course that teaches the actual techniques for getting onto professional sets and creating a career in filmmaking.
  • Following this course and actually doing what you will learn will literally save you years of your life and thousands of dollars getting started as a filmmaker.
  • Far less expensive
  • You will finish the course materials in a matter of days

Cons:

  • This is not a complete course in filmmaking techniques. Many basics are taught but you may need to supplement the lessons with other low-cost, or free instructions on film making techniques.
  • The materials are presented in online videos while some might prefer all the materials to be in a printed manual. Nevertheless the videos are very clear and easy to follow.
  • Your friends and family may not believe you until they see your name in the credits in the theater

When you finish the videos you will realize why the last thing you need to do is waste time at a film school. You will understand the real strategies to get started as a filmmaker. You will also have experts you can contact to assist you along the way.

There is no risk as there is a thorough, no questions asked, money-back guarantee for 60-days.The price has gone up once and will soon go up again.

What are you waiting for?

Dare To Be Outstanding!

Click on this link to discover all about Film School Secrets.

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