I had 13 years of experience as a freelance environmental journalist in India. I thought that experience could be honed with new skills and a short-term course, and in such a prestigious institute, it was precisely what I needed. I thoroughly enjoyed the course. I met some great people and, believe me, every single task in this vocation is a learning experience. To that extent, the prospect of living in exciting NY was a reward in and itself.
Despite awesome challenges I finished it and I relish every ounce of the experience to this day. What I learned with writing screenplays is holding me in good stead today.
I had 13 years of experience as a freelance environmental journalist in India. I thought that experience could be honed with new skills and a short-term course, and in such a prestigious institute, it was precisely what I needed. I thoroughly enjoyed the course. I met some great people and, believe me, every single task in this vocation is a learning experience. To that extent, the prospect of living in exciting NY was a reward in and itself.
Despite awesome challenges I finished it and I relish every ounce of the experience to this day. What I learned with writing screenplays is holding me in good stead today.
I’m now working in the Lebanese American University as a teaching assistant. I teach students TV production courses and editing. That’s not all. I’m now working on a TV pilot for a sitcom. I wrote the episode, and got approval to go ahead with the pilot.
Nine weeks ago I didn’t know an f-stop from a backstop, and five days ago I finished an 8-minute short which I intend to submit to festivals.
I’m writing to say that NYFA is a tight ship and I loved every minute of my coursework. The instructors served as an ensemble of knowledge while preserving their individuality and freely expressing their opinions.
In particular, I’d like to mention (in no particular order) that Brian Norton, Till Neumann, Heng-Tatt Lim, and Pamela Harris were extra special.
The course at NYFA kick-started me into understanding some of the vernacular necessary to embark on a journey as a filmmaker. Filmmaking is the most humbling feeling anyone could experience — partly because one quickly discovers one’s fallibility, but more importantly because making a film is a group activity which benefits from input from all members of the group.
When I returned to the UK, I wrote a short based on my film at the Academy and won a competition at the BBC.