What do Comedy Central’s smash hit Broad City and Netflix’s bloody comedy-drama Russian Doll have in common? Both feature camerawork from Rebecca Rajadnya, New York Film Academy (NYFA) Cinematography alum. Since completing the NYFA program in 2009, Rajadnya has worked on a staggering number of productions, with more than 50 credits to date.
After working on a number of shorts and feature films, Rajadnya joined the crew of Broad City in 2017 as first assistant camera for 11 episodes. The show, which was executive produced by Amy Poehler, was nominated for five Critics’ Choice Television Awards and one MTV Movie & TV Award. The show was praised for its focus on two female leads, with Vulture saying it was “heartening to watch an entire series devoted to female friendship.”
Following her work on the comedy, Rajadnya worked as first assistant camera on Netflix’s comedy-drama series Russian Doll for the full run. The show has received top marks from critics, with Time calling it “2019’s best new show to date” and Vox raving that both the show and the lead actress are “terrific.”
Piero Basso, NYFA Chair of Cinematography, spoke about Rajadnya’s talent, saying “Rebecca is a wonderful camera assistant. A perfect example for equality in the field. She is within the best focus puller I have met in my career. She is attentive, effective, professional above all, while keeping a pleasant and lovely attitude on set. With her on the side of the camera, you know your back is covered and you can concentrate on being creative.”
Next up on her roster is Hustlers, an upcoming drama with a full roster of A-list stars including Constance Wu, Julia Stiles, and Lili Reinhart. The film was inspired by a New York Magazine article about a group of former strip club employees who join forces to turn on their former clients. Stiles went on record to ET about her enthusiasm for the project, saying, “I was dying to be a part of this movie. I told Lorene Scafaria, the director, when we met, ‘I will do anything. I will do craft service, I will make coffee for the crew, I don’t care. I just want to be a part of it, because it’s such an interesting story.'”
The New York Film Academy congratulates Rebecca Rajadnya on her continued success, and looks forward to seeing her future projects!