Certificate Producing

Overview of our 1-Year Producing Program

What makes our Producing Programs unique?

The New York Film Academy's Film and Television Producing Program is housed within our film school and is designed to illuminate one of the most important, yet misunderstood, pursuits in film and television. Students eager to develop their passion for producing flourish in this intensive hands-on program. It is geared toward students with little or no experience in producing, but who recognize that an intensive and demanding program will provide them with the knowledge they seek.


Students are treated as producers throughout the duration of the course, and are challenged each step of the way. Students are encouraged but not required to bring a piece of intellectual property — adaptation projects which might consist of: a book of fiction, magazine article, newspaper article, biography, autobiography, or original idea (if deemed appropriate) at the beginning of the course which serves as the foundation for their thesis project. Students take this project through the various stages of development: pitch, treatment, script, talent search, budget, schedule, and plans for marketing and distribution. Students learn the practical strategies for pursuing their art as producers and practice collaboration with their fellow students.

Students must be prepared for full days of intensive work throughout the entire year. They must be committed to a fastpaced, intensive learning and production schedule, and willing to work collaboratively with our filmmaking, screenwriting, and acting students. The program is offered at our New York and Los Angeles campuses.

SEMESTER ONE OVERVIEW

Producers are confronted with a number of visual, dramatic, financial, legal, logistical, managerial, and technical challenges. Instructors encourage students to artfully work through these challenges while working to complete several film and television projects.

From the first day of class, students are immersed in a hands-on education. Students undergo a thorough regimen of class work and film production that lays the groundwork for a professional life in the film arts. They learn both the creative aspects of producing, as well as the more technical, line producing side. All students participate in an intensive sequence of classes and hand-on workshops.

SEMESTER ONE OBJECTIVES

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.

PERFORMANCE GOALS

• In collaborative groups, students develop, prep, shoot and edit a short film and a reality television project.
• Breakdown, budget and schedule a film from scratch.
• Each student develops and produces his or her own short film.
• Each student collaborates on multiple short films.
• Each student develops a feature length narrative film, feature length documentary or television project.

SEMESTER TWO OVERVIEW

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.

SEMESTER TWO OBJECTIVES

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.

PERFORMANCE GOALS

• Produce a short film for a NYFA filmmaker.
• Continue to develop the feature length narrative film, feature length documentary or television series and business plan.
• Prepare and rehearse effective pitching presentations. Final pitches are presented to a professional panel.