Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) Producing

Overview of our AFA in Producing

The Academy makes the accelerated two-year schedule possible by creating an extended academic year allowing students to complete three full-length semesters in each calendar year.





The New York Film Academy Associate of Fine Art degree programs are stand-alone degree programs intended to prepare students in the filmmaking process from understanding roles, effective pitching, and creating business plans. They are designed giving students the opportunity to focus almost exclusively on subject in a studio based curriculum without standard distribution requirements. These AFA programs are not intended to be components of longer bachelor's degree programs nor they structured for transfer.

DEGREE PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The AFA Degree Program in Producing allows students to focus exclusively on technical and artistic development. Unlike a standard undergraduate program students are able to focus on the craft immediately and without the usual array of distribution requirements.

The New York Film Academy Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) in Producing is a conservatory-based two year program designed for full-time study over the course of four or five semesters. The New York Film Academy provides a creative setting with which to develop, challenge and inspire the talents of dedicated prospective producers in a total immersion, professional environment. By combining seminars, lectures and intense hands-on film shoots, students acquire a sound understanding and appreciation of motion picture arts and learn to integrate knowledge and professional experience. Our prescribed four semester producing curriculum serves to address the following core competencies:

• Introduction to the roles, tasks and obstacles faced by film and television producers.
• Gain understanding of the physical and post production processes.
• Master storytelling concepts of elements, conventions, structure and style.
• Understand basic principles of entertainment law.
• Introduction to filmmaking from the perspective of the screenwriter, director, actor and cinematographer.
• Develop a foundation in English composition and literature and basic computing.
• Continue to analyze and master key elements of effective producer's craft.
• Develop and write original film and television pilot treatments.
• Introduction and practice of effective pitching and public speaking skills.
• Learn critical elements of effective feature film business plans and television show bibles.
• Explore story and storytelling through an in-depth study of the elements, conventions, structure, style and traditional forms of the art.
• Identify the techniques used by cinematic innovators.
• Explore the post production process.
• Case study analysis of successful feature film business plans and television show bibles.
• Further advanced study of cinematic innovators.
• Advanced hands-on study in camera, lighting and sound.
• Undertake a study of basic physical and mental health.

During the first half of the program, students will take a variety of general education courses which focus on communications, analysis and deductive reasoning. Students will practice critical thinking, analysis, scholarly research, writing and reading. These courses will build the foundation for more specialized subjects requiring advanced written and oral communications skills.

Further, students undergo a thorough regimen of class work and film production that lays the groundwork for an understanding of the film arts. The curriculum is extremely comprehensive, teaching students the creative aspects of producing, as well as the more technical side of line producing. Students gain a practical understanding of the entertainment industry and the tools needed to successfully navigate it.

During the second half of the program, AFA in Producing candidates must complete a series of advanced classes and deliver a completed and well-executed Thesis Project in order to successfully complete the program and graduate with an Associate of Fine Arts in Producing. Students are required to pursue one of three thesis options for the remainder of the degree program. While the thesis options differ in length of time for completion, they are equivalent in scope and content. All students are expected to have a role in multiple thesis productions besides their own. Those who select Thesis Option C will also be required to enroll in a paid fifth semester to complete their project.

DEGREE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

In addition to providing a solid foundation of general education and specified upper-level knowledge, the educational objectives of the Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) in Producing Degree Program are to teach students the skills and craft of producing and to instruct students through a strict regimen consisting of lectures, seminars, and total immersion workshops to excel in the art of producing.

YEAR ONE

The Year One curriculum is extremely comprehensive, teaching students the creative aspects of producing, as well as the more technical side of line producing. Students gain a practical understanding of the entertainment industry and the tools needed to execute effective productions.

SEMESTER ONE OBJECTIVES

Producers are confronted with a number of visual, dramatic, financial, legal, logistical, managerial, and technical challenges. From the first day of class, students are immersed in a hands-on education on how to work through these challenges. Through an intensive sequence of classes and workshops, and with encouragement from their instructors, students rapidly learn the fundamental creative and technical skills they need to produce film and television.

LEARNING GOALS

• Introduction to the roles, tasks and obstacles faced by film and television producers.
• Gain understanding of the physical and post production processes.
• Master storytelling concepts of elements, conventions, structure and style.
• Understand basic principles of entertainment law.
• Introduction to filmmaking from the perspective of the screenwriter, director, actor and cinematographer.

PRODUCTION GOALS

• In collaborative groups, students develop, prep, shoot and edit a short film on the Universal lot.
• Each student will write, prep, shoot and edit his or her own short film.
• In collaborative groups, students develop, prep, shoot and edit a reality television segment.

SEMESTER TWO OBJECTIVES

The second semester challenges students to develop their production abilities artistically and technically. Producing students are instructed in the craft of writing and championing dramatic treatments; in pitching story ideas to a variety of audiences; and presenting industry-standard written proposals in support of the feasibility of their projects. This semester culminates in each student pitching and presenting a film or television project at the Producers Pitch Fest.

LEARNING GOALS

• Continue to analyze and master key elements of effective producer's craft.
• Develop and write original film and television pilot treatments.
• Introduction and practice of effective pitching skills.
• Learn critical elements of effective feature film business plans and television show bibles.

PRODUCTION GOALS

• In collaborative groups, produce a short documentary or news segment.
• Produce a short film for a NYFA filmmaker.
• Develop an effective pitch and business plan or TV show bible.

YEAR TWO

AFA in Producing candidates must complete a series of advanced classes and deliver a completed and well-executed Thesis Project in order to successfully complete the program and graduate with a Associate of Fine Arts in Producing. Students are required to pursue one of three thesis options for the remainder of the degree program. While the thesis options differ in length of time for completion, they are equivalent in scope and content. All students are expected to have a role in multiple thesis productions besides their own. Those who select Thesis Option C will also be required to enroll in a paid fifth semester to complete their project.

Prior to entering into thesis production all candidates, regardless of thesis option, must pass a final evaluation by the thesis committee and faculty chair, ensuring that all academic requirements and standards for the previous semesters have been achieved.

SEMESTER THREE OBJECTIVES

Semester Three focuses on perfecting craft, exposing students to emerging media and technology, and exposing them to the realities of the film industry and the business of filmmaking. Emphasizing professionalism, the third semester is designed to prepare AFA students for their thesis projects. Throughout this semester, students meet individually with their Thesis Advisor, as well as the Faculty Chair of the Producing Department to discuss the progress of their thesis projects.

LEARNING GOALS

• Explore story and storytelling through an in-depth study of the elements, conventions, structure, style and traditional forms of the art.
• Identify the techniques used by cinematic innovators.
• Explore the post production process.
• Case study analysis of successful feature film business plans and television show bibles.

PRODUCTION GOALS

• Develop and write a first draft feature screenplay.
• Develop and write a TV pilot episode.
• Introduction to the production demands of web episodes, commercials and music videos.
• Begin in-depth research and development of the AFA Thesis Project.

SEMESTER FOUR OBJECTIVES

In Semester Four, students devote much of their time to their AFA Thesis Projects and thesis requirements. Throughout this semester, the Thesis Committee, chaired by the Producing Department Faculty Chair, meets with students and advises them through the successful completion and final presentation of their AFA Thesis Projects.

LEARNING GOALS

• Further advanced study of cinematic innovators.
• Advanced hands-on study in camera, lighting and sound.
• Further analysis of successful film and television development strategies.

PRODUCTION GOALS

• Successfully develop and present the AFA Thesis Project.

SEMESTER FIVE OBJECTIVES

Students who choose to complete Thesis Option C will complete their thesis in a paid fifth semester. During Semester Five, each candidate will produce a feature length film or television show pilot and will navigate each phase—development, prep, shoot and post production—of their selected project. Students will be involved in all aspects of each phase of the film or television pilot's production execution, including development of script, casting and talent negotiations, budgeting, scheduling, locations, hiring of crew, payroll, contracts and deal memos, equipment rentals, applicable Union regulations and contracts, and post production including delivery requirements.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

With the exception of electives and the thesis option, the AFA in Producing does not provide for multiple tracks of study. The AFA is a full-time program only. The degree may not be obtained in less than four semesters for Thesis Option A and B, or less than five semesters for Thesis Option C. Students who elect Thesis Option C are required to register for a paid fifth semester of study in order to complete their thesis requirements. In order to graduate, students must successfully complete each required course for a total of 76 semester credits. Additionally, students must successfully complete and submit all thesis requirements in a timely manner and receive a passing grade for the thesis production requirement. Those pursuing Thesis Option C must enroll in a paid fifth semester to successfully complete all requirements for the AFA degree.

The school Registrar ensures that the student has fulfilled all academic requirements for the entire program, as well as all financial obligations to the school. Student transcripts showing the awarding of the AFA degree will be withheld until the graduate meets all academic and financial obligations.

OTHER COSTS

Film and Video Stock, Processing, Telecine, Art Supplies and other production related expenses are not included in tuition, and vary from student to student. Students must pay a refundable fee of $30 for a magnetized Student ID Badge that is required for access to several areas of the campus.

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

The proposed Associate of Fine Arts in Producing (as in the existing Associate of Fine Arts degrees at the New York Film Academy), and is intended as a General Education transfer degree. In spirit with the traditions of the AFA degree, the curricular structure of the proposed degree programs focuses heavily on foundational production skills and development. Also in line with many AFA degrees, the general education requirements generally incorporated into a traditional AA, BA, or even BFA degree, are not satisfied upon conferral of the degree. Although designed to meet the transfer requirements of many institutions, the AFA degree does not complete the full general education requirements for the successful completion of an Associate of Arts (AA) degree. It does, however, provide 10-15 % of the total degree in art history and film studies. The AFA degree allows qualified, goal-oriented students to properly focus on their intended majors earlier than the Associate of Arts degree allows.

CREDIT TRANSFER

The New York Film Academy makes no representation whatsoever that credit earned in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Programs or any non-degree program or workshop operated by the New York Film Academy will be accepted or applied toward the completion of any degree or certificate by any other postsecondary institution. The acceptance of transfer credits is always governed by the receiving school.