SCOUTING
FIELD NOTES

Is The New York Film Academy Worth The Money? A Few Thoughts

01/19/2012

Dear New York Film Academy,

Scout, I wonder if you can help me, I’m a student at the New York Film Academy and I need a free location to shoot in for next Monday and Tuesday…The space I am looking for would be either a stage or a gym…

I have a favor to ask.

I am a directing student at the New York Film Academy…I need a doctors office examination room (with the exam bed, and an Ultra Sound). I have a very small budget…

Can you please, please start teaching your students how to make movies in New York?

I’m looking for a fully furnished apartment/loft in NYC. It’s a short film approximately 8-10 minutes long. I have a crew of 8 people and 5 actors. Unfortunately I’m working on a tight budget…

Every semester, I receive dozens of emails from your students (actual examples quoted here) asking me where they can find unique, iconic NYC filming locations available at next to no cost for several days of rental at extremely short notice…and I just don’t know how to answer these emails anymore. What they’re asking for simply doesn’t exist.

This is a student film so our budget is tight…I’m looking for a hospital to shoot…

I am happy to give advice when I can (I’m an aspiring filmmaker too!!), but honestly, your students are paying tuition costs ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to learn this kind of information FROM YOU – and this is Filmmaking 101 stuff that should be taught on day 1.

I am currently getting ready to shoot my thesis film…I am looking for a luxury apartment for a 3/4 day shoot. I have an excellent script…But I have no location and no budget for it.

Furthermore, the locations your students most often ask me about tend to be notoriously expensive and difficult to shoot in: doctor’s offices, jail cells, luxury apartments, high-end restaurants, etc. That students aren’t being warned off writing scripts around such high-priced filming locations they have no prior access to is really, really strange.

I have to shoot my thesis and I’m facing a lot of problems regarding my locations: my story in fact takes place during World War II, and I need 4 peculiar interiors: a bedroom, a living room and a kitcken that can be believable for that time. In order to make my life easier, I also need a jail, ‘40’s-looking as well.

The bottom line, as I’ve written to your students time and again: outside of public streets and parks, THERE ARE NO FREE LOCATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY.

I am doing the 8 week filmmaking program…I came across your site and read your post about 5 Beekman…Being a student, the problem is that my budget is next to non-existent. Is there any possibility that we could get this location next week?

I am a professional movie scout. I would kill to have a roster of locations that are free, or only cost a hundred bucks a day. They do not exist!

I stumbled upon your website while looking for a cemetery to shoot a short film in NYC. I am a student at the New York Film Academy. I was wondering if you had any other suggestions for me for a cemetery to shoot in this weekend. I would prefer to not to have to pay money…

But the more upsetting trend I read in these emails is a lack of understanding for just how important the locations element of filmmaking is – and this is simply inexcusable. I do not blame the students – after all, the whole reason they’re attending your school is to learn this sort of thing. What I’m wondering is if it’s even being taught.

My budget is about $400 for location expenses…I’m searching for a warehouse type setting to shoot all five scenes in a matter of three days…

A location is literally the canvas you paint your film on. Look past your actors and props, and you’ll realize that 95% of your frame is your location.

Originally l had a story written about an elevator operator…if you have any elevator locations that can be used on a micro budget film – please let me know.

The number one mistake student filmmakers make is thinking that locations are something they can figure out later, often focusing instead on the quality of their equipment, as if that “film look” will make or break the movie. Consider this e-mail:

I’m seeking for a locations for 2 days shooting in NYC area. I will shoot in 35mm, with a panavision camera. maximum i can pay 150$ per day for location.

Why would you ever pay for a 35mm Panavision camera package – and then cut corners in your budget for what goes in front of the lens?? Remember: there’s a reason that Locations is the first department hired after accounting on major movies shooting in New York City.

The final project is a ten minute short film. I’ve estimated a budget of $800, $500 of which will be spent on film stock and processing. I can only spend about $150 as an absolute maximum on securing a location. I don’t even have a story yet…

It is occasionally possible to beg your way into a location for free. But there’s a very, very important reason why you should advise your students to avoid this at all costs: something will go wrong.

I need 2 locations in my film: a hospital and a church. As you probably know these are really hard locations to get permission to shoot in….Since it’s a student film it’s low budget…

Yes, students often have the best of intentions and the purest of hearts – but they’re also inexperienced, and something always gets broken, damaged, scratched, burnt, electrocuted, flooded, etc. Without fail. And now you face two possibilities: either 1) the kindly property owner gives you the boot and you are fucked, or 2) the kindly property owner who has let you into his home now has to deal with NYFA insurance claims, hours of headaches, and a mess of problems he never asked for. For free!

I’m planning to shoot my semester film this june for five days and i need a restaurant location that it is supposed to look a bit fancy or romantic. i dont know what is the budget it for that.

There’s a very simple way to avoid these problems, especially if you’re just doing a homework assignment: write around locations you have access to. As always, your two most important resources are friends and family.

For my final film, I had a perfect location. But we had no idea that you have to have permission even to shoot inside a apartment. So we were kicked out of the apartment.

Back when I started this site, I used to always give advice to students working on low/no budget productions, like how you can secure a New York City public school absurdly cheaply, and get a wealth of locations from it. And then the New York Film Academy emails started pouring in.

Location sought in or near NYC that could give the appearance of an abandoned cottage or house in a forest / woodland. Dates: 4 days. I’m asking on behalf of a deserving student at the New York Film Academy for her thesis project. I unfortunately have to give you the usual plea of poverty…

Again, I don’t blame students for emailing – they’re only doing so because they haven’t received answers at the school they’re paying for.

-SCOUT

PS – Note to film students: I love talking locations, and I’m happy to continue giving general advice on, say, what neighborhoods to go to when scouting for Victorians. However, I cannot point you toward no-budget locations because I have yet to find them myself.

Many more posts in the archives!

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VeeGee

01/21/2012

Wait. Why would anyone pay $20k for a film school with no stages to shoot on, and gives you next-to-none of that money to use as a budget for your thesis film?

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NLP

01/22/2012

I realize that you just said that this is the job of NYFA, but as someone who is not in the film industry I’d be interested in knowing how you go about getting permission to shoot at a location. Also, what factors you take into consideration when looking at a site in terms of required space, difficulty in getting actors, props and equipment in and out, who you have to go to in order to film in public space, and so on. You often give us an insider’s view of film, and it’s fascinating, so I’d like to learn a little bit more of the inside of things.

And just think! Next time you get a request from a student you can refer them to the post.

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Dave

01/22/2012

People don’t seem realize how much time and effort is spent just looking for places to film/photograph, how you spend years living here in the City searching for these places. I receive questions from time to on my much smaller scale website asking for places to shoot, locations to get a specific shot or the “best place to shoot in the City”. I’ve spent seven years living and working here, crawling around neighborhoods, digging through the brambles of the parts, trying to find interesting and unique places to photograph, and I do it for fun not pay. I want to help folks when the ask, but part of me wants to say “move, do your research, live here, get to know it, then you will find them too!” There is a lifetime of things to experience here, no one can distill it down to a quick “go there, talk to Eddie, tell him I sent you!” I can only imagine how hard it is for you!

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M

01/28/2012

Its one thing to have a name for yourself, like the New York Film Academy does its a whole other thing to live up to that name and it seems here they are not. I’m starting a BFA (specializing in film) at Canterbury University in New Zealand this year and one of the reasons I was so keen to go their was because of its location. As a result of the earthquakes there’s going to be a lot of rundown, abandoned, ruined buildings that I can take advantage of while I’m there for the genre of film I prefer to shoot. The fine arts school also has a studio that can be used to create sets. Before I even start thinking about the plot of a film I take into consideration all the locations, props, actors, resources available to me. The fact that these students clearly are not doing that shows a flaw in the NYFA curriculum. I think its really unfortunate for the students that they haven’t learned that although your creativity can exceed all boundaries you must still work within some, thats just how it is and thats not going to change.

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rox3515

02/05/2012

As a former New Yorker, I am grateful that Scout shares his hard work with the world via his web site. To the students, Scout does not work for you. Period, end of story. To Scout, can you simply ignore request for locations and not post them? Since we do not know the character of these students, we cannot assume that they reflect the standards of the school. Some college students plagiarize term papers others ask you to do their scouting. To the faculty of the film school: Scout does not work for you either. You do not dictate the design of his site (i.e. make a FAQ). FAQ’s take time and time is money. YOU tell your students if you want them to know something.

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Apartment NYC

02/15/2012

So damn sad, if I don’t get a chance to shoot because of tight budget and unavailable locations, how will I ever know whether I am good at shooting or not? Is NYFA worth the money? My answer is NO.

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Phreedumb Philms

02/16/2012

First, I beleive Scout’s points (and frustration) to be very relevant. That said, I attained a masters’s in fillmmaking at NYFA. Having first hand exposure, the problem is not their curiculum. The importance of locations, location scouting, budgeting, insurance, etc. is thoroughly covered. However, the problem lies in their admission’s standards! A majority of their students are foreign (barely speak english), but most importantly all seem to come from very “well off” backgrounds. They are used to getting whatever, whenever they want (from mommy,daddy, whoever) and no exposure to discipline, respect, focus, punctuality, deadlines, etc. Most of the students I encountered there couldn’t make it doing ANYTHING, let alone the rigours, challenges, planning, and foresight to accomplish completing a mediocre student film. BUT to defend the curiculum, and the school itself, NYFA gives you everything you need to be on your way as a filmmaker, most of the teachers there are excellent. As far as is NYFA worth it? It is what you make of it and how hard you work. I ersonally found NYFA very much worth the money (regardless of the abyss of debt I am in). It helped me develope an number of projects, further my craft of directing holistcally, and provided numerous networking opportunities which has payed off dividends.

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Phreedumb Philms

02/16/2012

Locations on my last project at NYFA included Paramount Ranch, Sherayko Ranch, Mentryville Historical Park, and Central City Studios… and they were not for free, insured above and beyond what the school covered, and scouted thoroughly months before production.

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Paul H

03/10/2012

Stumbled on your fantastic site today, and wanted to weigh in on locations. Most of the students who write to you probably don’t know the definition of “chutzpah” – but asking you for free help, someone with your expertise, who is a stranger to them, is outrageous. If the teachers at their schools aren’t teaching about locations starting on Day 1, and hammering that home until the final day, they’re not doing their job. I’ve had three short films that have done well in the festival circuit over the last few years – and the FIRST question I’ve asked myself BEFORE writing was: what locations can I use for FREE. That helped me shape the script throughout, and in many ways improved what I was doing because this was part of the process from inception to execution. Love your site; love the pictures; love the stories. Keep it up. I’m now a loyal fan. -paul

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george

03/12/2012

hello there. i would like to have acting lessons for film or tv. i am from europe, greece. i am between two acting schools. nyfa and tvi actor studios. what is your opinion?

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Alex

07/13/2012

Hi Scout,

Thanks for posting this. I’m currently working as a producer in Australia and looking to branch out the the US. I was considering attending the 4 week NYFA course while i’m over there to become acquainted with the location and some local film contacts. I figure paying $3000 for access to film equipment alone for the duration of my stay would be worthwhile. Do you know of any other courses in NYC that use film as opposed to digital as a medium that are perhaps run by film industry professionals? Nothing frustrates me more than full time academics running film courses.

Thanks very much for your help in advance

Alex

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Jeff

07/18/2012

Wow, the lack of ingenuity is sad. 90% of these people could probably make a simple trade/barter with a building owner if they just used some creative thinking and a little negotiating.

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uwezo lusambo

10/09/2012

Hi my sponsor how support me to school to go and learn more about camera;im uwezo lusambo,Congolese by nationality,i live in kakuma refuge camp and that place is in Kenya;Here im a refuge i learn in fil maid here and i wanna said i know and i don’t know very well how to use camera.so i came from you to sponsor me to learn more about film making,here i don’t have mother or father to sponsor me to the school.thanks for received my application in our office and i will be happy if i gate that chance to be back to school.i have that experience to shoot some movie because i was learn in camp;thanks my sponsor and god bless you.my number phone is +254701046594 and that are my e-mail address what i gave you;thanks.

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sandor krasna

11/13/2012

As a student at a different NYC film school, I can attest that hundreds of good locations in this city have been burned/ruined for student filmmakers because the owners were pissed off by NYFA students who don’t know how to treat a location. In my school’s producing classes, it’s strongly emphasized exactly how much of an onus is on the filmmakers to leave locations in the condition we found them in — I even spent seven hours helping the art department on a shoot restore a beautiful DItmas Park home to the state of grotesque compulsive hoarding we found it in after a shoot.

It’s a serious problem in this city — there are only so many good locations, and it sucks to not have access to them because some know-nothing NYFA PA ruined a location’s paint job by hanging up duvetyne with duct tape (true story).

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hareesh

11/28/2012

Hi am an international student. from india..
and i saw convert your i-20 to nyfa.( what do it meant)(any additinal benefits )
Pls neeed a reeply

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Nikhil Elayat

05/28/2013

Hello guys,
I just graduated and was lookign forward to do my MFA in producing from NYFA?? GOOD idea?
After reading this I have gotten into a dilemma and since I’m on the other side of the globe here in
INDIA. Could you suggest me other alternatives? I mean, other universities that give you a good
MFA education in NYC ? Please do reply as it is extremely difficult to scout for universities from out here.
It can be universities from other parts of the US as well. Thanks in advance!!

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Christopher Edwards

08/14/2015

Hello,

I noticed that you are taking donations in order to create a movie. Are you looking for actors too?

Regards,
Chris

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