New York Film Academy

I always dreamt of studying acting. This school made my dreams come true. It has been the best decision in my life. It changed everything. It gave me opportunity to explore different cultures, meet people from all over the world, it opened my mind for new adventures and it made me stronger. The course is so intense especially the first year. It is truly hands on, you get in front of the camera on the first day of school, go through different emotions and learn about yourself and go over your limits. It is something everybody should experience. Going abroad to follow your dream being only 19 is challenging but it is wonderful and it is lesson that teaches you all you need for life.

I did the one semester acting for film workshop in Florence, Italy with NYFA and it had changed my perceptions of education. I had - without exaggeration - the best time since I was a toddler probably. Truly amazing, inspiring, professional and above all kind, helpful teachers, safe, clean learning environment, and an inarguably unique chance to shoot with beginner filmmakers continuously so that you have enough material for a professional demo reel at the end of the three months. Not to mention the cultural goldmine you're about to enter if you choose to move to Florence for the extent of the programme. Recently got accepted to the LA campus of New York Film Academy, I'm attending the one year acting for film conservatory here and let me just say I am still absolutely impressed with the institution!

I am a 21-year-old Peruvian boy and I’ve been a movie fan practically all my life. However, I can remember perfectly the moment when I could witness the multi-colored magic of my favorite film. It taught me about the fools who dream have certain craziness inside their hearts that ache and break in order to see the world not the way it is but the way it should be and how this exceptional point of view can take us toward spectacular places and chances. This lesson I got from “La La Land” may be the only resource I have to try summarizing my experience in Florence. A city widely-known as the birthplace of Renaissance and that has inspired artists from different fields for many decades and even centuries. From this very personal perspective, I believe the branch of the New York Film Academy located in Florence is the perfect place to start making your dreams come true. Being able to find programs of 4, 8 and 12 weeks, you really can reach your whole potential as an actor or director in progress. I was in the 4-Week Acting for Film program and it’s probably true that it’s a short one, but I could honestly say that during that time I reached the principal goal of this institution that is being able to tell stories. This unique learning process was supported by different world views the faculty and staff members had from their native countries; all of the time with the same passion for teaching and sharing. For example, Miss Diana Santi from Italy as the principal, Paul Valley from the U.S as my voice and movement teacher, Fred Lancaster from the UK as my scene study and tech teacher and also as my acting for film coach, Nicola Cicarelli from Italy also as my acting for film coach, Benjamin Sidney from Italy as my instructor for film craft sessions for cinematography and editing and, last but not least, Andi Deliana from Albania as my instructor for film craft sessions for directing. They have been working in the industry as filmmakers, directors, producers and actors for years and due to their experience, I learned from day one by doing, through a rigorous and fun training that made everybody; actors, directors and teachers, work together by developing projects for each week’s assignments using modern equipment, contemporary tools and ideas; and as a consequence, we created an international network of contacts. To many people, Italy is the home of cinema because not any country can give ideas or let the inspiration exalt the feelings from an actor or director’s heart and mind the way Italy can. But talking about Florence, I could say it’s a magic framework since it shows culture and innovation at the same time and immersion inside an environment where your creativity is free to flow. It’s probably the only city in the world where you can find two different viewpoints such as romanticism and gothic. These have inspired many forms of art and cinema hasn’t been the exception with great examples like “Room with a view” from 1985, “Portrait of a lady” from 1996, “Hannibal” from 2001, “Eat, pray and love” from 2010 and “Inferno” from 2016. Me and my other 28 classmates from countries such as Mexico, Ukraine, Luxembourg, the UK, Switzerland, Hungary, the U.S and Spain were involved in traditions and customs all the time. I was bringing stories and characters to life that showed the culture and wonders from Florence and even real Italian citizens turned into our scene “partners”. We weren’t only a new generation of actors and directors, we were also a modern version of “The Grand Tour” phenomenon looking for a once in a lifetime experience that we could take and live during every moment we were filming or studying. A new branch of this renowned institution that not only offers knowledge, but also personal growth, real feelings and ideas to tell stories using the diversity of its students to its advantage. A branch that started knocking down barriers and usual conventions where there’s only room for dreams and art. Florence gave me the necessary tools to start developing my own projects in my country, to tell stories about the context that is around me in order to improve the society I live in, for everybody, without any difference. NYFA- Florence taught me to use the art of cinema as a channel to express the real human values and feelings that we need the most during the dark times we might face. Finally, the New York Film Academy located in Florence taught me cinema is a way of loving every aspect that this world can offer us.