It’s been about seven years since I took the advanced course in filmmaking at NYFA. Since that time, my primary job has been a film editor, and I now have over 10 features and numerous shorts that I have edited. Many have played some of the world’s premier festivals such as Sundance, Rotterdam, SXSW, Montreal, Berlin, and others. Currently, I have a film in national distribution that I both line-produced and edited, entitled American-Desi. It is playing in Manhattan at the Cinema Village and has made almost one million dollars since it was released one month ago.
A feature film that I wrote and directed called Neptune’s Rocking Horse has played all over the world and received glowing reviews in Variety, ABC TV (San Francisco), and from Carrie Rickie of the Philadelphia Inquirer (among others). A short film I directed called “Ketosis” won the audience award for best comedy at the Edinburgh Short Film Festival.
I owe a great deal to NYFA. I was lucky to have a terrific (and small) group of students in my class. The fact that we each played several roles on each other’s films is one key reason I became enthralled with all aspects of filmmaking, from sound to camera to editing. You may be interested to know that I am still very close to my fellow classmate, Renato Falcao. He was DP — Director of Photography — on many of the projects I have worked on — including “Neptune” and “Ketosis” mentioned above!
NYFA taught me that editing is an important and powerful aspect of filmmaking. Far from being a mere button-pusher, I believe the editing process is one of reinvention. I enjoy working with the pace of a film, experimenting with rhythm, problem solving, scene juggling, tightening moments, expanding moments, and basically getting to the true essence of the film. I thoroughly enjoy working with directors who have the same open mind.
Milovan Radovic
In a recent interview for a Peruvian film website (filmsperu.com), award-winning television advertising director, Milovan Radovic, talked about the impact the New York Film Academy has had on his career:
“When I was younger, learning filmmaking was a problem and no one could tell me what I needed to do in order to become a film director. It was as if you needed to be chosen by God…
After submitting the films I had made at NYFA to Channel Four (UK), I was invited to direct an 11-minute film as part of the network’s season. The knowledge and confidence I had gained at NYFA undoubtedly fed into the film and helped make it the success it has become. The film, “It’s Not Unusual,” has won the British Academy Award (BAFTA) for Best Short Film.
It’s been a beautiful summer here in Denmark. Right now, I’m working as a freelancer for the United International Pictures Denmark, in their publicity department. So far, I’ve been a part of movies such as “Gladiator,” “Shrek,” “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” “MI:2,” “The Fast and the Furious,” “Traffic,” “The Mummy Returns,” “Cast Away,” and others; but that’s not all. I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of the crew for the new Thomas Vintererg film, “It’s All About Love,” starring Joaquin Phoenix and Claire Danes.
I am sending you to let you know what I’ve been up to since I went back home to Paris, France. I went back to school to study executive production and script writing. I started to work on different short films as an executive producer and director’s assistant.
I am now working for a film production company for television and theater as, what you would call in the U.S., a script doctor and art director. I’m now also working in production for two short films, including one that I will direct. I would like to thank all of my instructors, and of course, Jerry, for all the support they gave me while I was in school.
After graduating from NYFA, I immediately got a job as a second assistant director on an independent film with David Klein (cinematographer of “Chasing Amy,” “Mallrats, and “Clerks”). I was also production coordinator for another film, two specs for Coca-Cola, and a music video.