When I first learned that a representative of the New York Film Academy was coming to town to meet with potential students, my eyes grew wide and starry. I thought to myself–New York City and film, film in New York City. It seemed like a dream come true. I hurriedly told my boyfriend about it and equally excited, he asked, “What does NYFA have to offer?” I was stumped. Here I was, getting carried away with daydreams of top of the line video cameras, broadways, and visiting the MoMA, when I had no clue what NYFA is really all about.
So I did my research and this is what I discovered: NYFA is the real deal.
NYFA was founded by veteran producer Jerry Sherlock. The idea of establishing the academy all began when his friends (both from the industry and outside), expressed their wish to go to film school or send their children to learn film, but the prices of the existing schools were too costly. Armed with his philosophy that in order to learn how to make movies, one must have to actually make movies, Sherlock and his colleagues started to design the programs. No wonder people like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Martin Scorcese sent their loved ones to study there. The rest, as they say, is history.
New York Academy (NYFA)’s Vice President Ms. Kitty Koo talking with a potential student
Convinced that it was worth my time, I went to the NYFA consultation at the International Education Specialist’s (Inter-Ed) office in Makati City. The office was cozy and the people were friendly. When I got there, Ms. Kitty Koo was already waiting for us. She was how I pictured her to be–sharp, poised, and confident.
There must have been about twenty of us in the waiting room and people kept pouring in.
Reading through their site and brochures, one of the statements that struck me was how they described their workshops. They said, “Intensity is the hallmark.” Hearing Ms. Koo discuss the workshops and the curriculum, as well as the projects their students engage in, I realized that they truly lived up to their claim.
Overall, the talk with Ms. Koo was very informative and definitely worth my time. She didn’t just discuss NYFA, she discussed a whole lot of other things. I didn’t feel like she was marketing something to me because it felt like having a conversation with a friend–like I was asking her for advice on my future. She talked about New York City, the lifestyle, what student life really is like in NYFA–the challenges and the highlights, as well as what lies ahead of us if we graduate from the program. I think I speak for everyone who attended when I say that she gave us a realistic view of the whole picture. It is something I’m grateful for because then, I can make an informed choice about pursuing it.
Ms. Kitty Koo talking with high school students interested in film with their parents
After the consultation, someone from Inter-Ed talked to me, asked how the consultation went and walked me through what I would need if ever I pursue an application with NYFA. It really reaffirmed that the decision to study abroad is not something that should not be taken lightly, but something to really think about. Aside from courage, seeking information from the experts is essential.
I’m really grateful for this eye-opening experience. I am now equipped with more information and I am now open to the many possibilities (and options) that lie before me, not just in New York, but also in other parts of the world. So I haven’t dismissed the idea of trying out the controversial and famous balut, but I also know that it isn’t the only place where I can learn what I want to learn.
The Inter-Ed staff with Ms. Kitty Koo
If you want to know more about studying in NYFA or other countries abroad, you can get in touch with Inter-Ed at 819-1001 or 0917-5351956. You may visit their website at inter-ed.com. Almost every month, they have representatives from different universities coming in and you can be updated through their Facebook page: Interedspecialists.
