NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY

Learning to be a filmmaker is not done "by the numbers." It is done by immersion in the process and by knowing the "whys" that teach the “hows.” It is done by hands-on experience, trial and error, feedback and correction, and questions and answers. Filmmaking demands the integration of many kinds of knowledge. It is the integration of knowledge that distinguishes the New York Film Academy from many other film schools. In our filmmaking courses, students learn not only how to operate a camera, light a scene, or edit film, but they also learn how all the aspects of filmmaking relate to, interact with, and depend upon each other.
We believe a top quality education in filmmaking should be accessible to anyone with the drive and ambition to make movies. The student provides the talent; we provide great instruction, equipment, and structured curriculum. It is the students' drive and creative ability that carries them forward.

A Personal Message from Vincent Oduor Ochieng'

Josphat Keya and Vincent Oduor filming in Kibera

My name is Vincent Oduor Ochieng’. I live in Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa.  I am 19 and currently I’m studying filmmaking at Kibera Film School.

I want to share about a close friend of mine - Josphat Keya, the Program Manager of Hot Sun Foundation, who is a great influence of my life. He is that one person who has made my passion in filmmaking grow to the level that it is now. Just recently Josphat selected me to be one of  the trainees that were taking part in a movie set. In that set I was to be a set runner. After some days with the pieces of advice and motivation Josphat was giving me daily, I worked hard to an extent where I was elevated from just being a set runner to a third Assistant Director! When Josphat heard of this he congratulated me and told me to forge ahead.

In class Josphat was my first script teacher. He also gave me directing tips while I was doing my first project which he was my main character too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1BXz0UJacQ. The project came out to be the best.

Josphat started influencing me by drawing me closer to him first and creating that friendship bond. After which he took me through life practical examples of successes and failures, we discuss this together. I still need his guidance in my daily life.

To me Josphat is my role model. The responsibilities that lie in front of him daily at Hot Sun Foundation are so much that they need someone who can be able to steer everything well without rocking the whole organisation. I have seen him handle difficult situations that I thought he’d give up.

Now that he has this scholarship to Ghetto Film School, New York, it is a great opportunity to him. And through him it is a great opportunity to me too. Josphat has given up many things for the sake of this filmmaking industry. He has total belief in it. One thing, whenever Josphat talks about his future in filmmaking he doesn’t think of it as him alone, but also how he can help other fellow youth learn and be transformed. This is going to be a great opportunity for Josphat as a filmmaker, being that he is a promising writer and director. He is disciplined to make it through. Josphat is exceptional.

Josphat and Vincent at Hot Sun Foundation offices

Kibera Meets The Bronx NY

Hey beloved friends,

I have just had a great opportunity to go to the Ghetto Film School in the Bronx, New York for two months filmmaking training. I have a scholarship and a flight. I'm really happy, as this is a breakthrough in not only for my career but my life as well.  I was once told that films were only made by rich people, that meant that i had no chance of making films, taking the fact that i was born and raised in Kibera. I took a leap of faith and joined Kibera Film School. At the beginning i wasn't sure where i would end up, but in the long run my passion in filmmaking grew, i did not expect that film would take over my life like this.

To this great opportunity, lies a limitation, I need funds for housing and food. I have started a campaign on global giving to help in raising these funds. 

Go to  http://www.globalgiving.org/3632. All donations are USA tax deductible.

I have also done my story and you can watch it here http://vimeo.com/25133848 

I kindly also request that you also spread the word on facebook, twitter, blogs for more people to come in and help me.  

I appreaciate any kind of help or suppport you are going to accord me. 

All the best.

My Kibera

Hey friends check out my story here: http://kiberafilmschool.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/my-kibera-josphat-keyas-story/#comments

Support Josphat Keya's film fellowship at the Ghetto Film School in the Bronx USA

Application: Obsession Short Film

Greetings,

I’m in the process of producing yet another short fictitious film titled Obsession. The running time will be about 10 min. The language is English. I’m almost done with the scripting part.

I’m opening up support for crew. Kindly note that I will not offer any kind of payment to the crew. I do not have a financier to the project thus I’ll be funding it myself with some help (not monetary) from friends. The only guarantee I can offer is credits and experience.

The following departments are what I need:

• 1^st Production Assistant
• 2^nd Production Assistant
• 1^st Assistant Director
• 2^nd Assistant Director
• Casting Director
• Script Supervisor
• 1^st Assistant Camera
• 2^nd Assistant Camera
• Continuity
• Locations Manager
• Locations Scout
• Gaffer
• Best Boy Electric
• Key Grip
• Best Boy Grip
• Dolly Grip
• Sound Mixer
• Boom Operator
• Art Director
• Wardrobe
• Make up Artist
• Lighting
• Lighting Assistant
• Catering
• Still Photographer
• Behind The Scenes (In charge of also making a documentary about the making of Obsession, direct, shoot, edit)
• Editor
• Assistant Editor

You can apply for at most three positions; rating from your most preferred one to your less preferred one. I won’t guarantee that you will get your 1^st choice, the positions are open to many people and the selection will be quite competitive. I hope you bear with me on that. But this should not discourage you whatsoever from applying; no candidates have been selected already.

I’m hoping to introduce Kibera Film School trainees in the project by giving them a platform to experience what a film set is like. But this is yet to be confirmed. But In any case they are considered they will not act as full crew but as trainees and or assistants. I will leave this to be discussed once the crew is selected.

I haven’t put definite production dates but will probably be end of March 2011 or beginning of April 2011. But this will be up to the selected crew to weigh if it will be feasible.

My email is long but I hope that you’ll read it. You can forward it to friends you think can have interest.

Just incase you have any queries, comments, suggestions you are most welcome, anytime.

Thanks in advance for your support. Looking forward to hearing from you.

PS: Please include your phone contacts in the application.

Kibera Film School 2nd Graduation Ceremony:Saturday, January 29 · 2:00pm - 6:00pm

2010 was a year of great achievements for Hot Sun Foundation.
We had our second intake of Kibera Film School i.e. the Class 2010 who have now successfully completed their course.

Our feature film, Togetherness Supreme won various awards at ZAFAA Awards, AMAA Awards, and Kalasha Awards and premiered at Vancouver Int’I Film Festival. We also toured Maasailand with the film and held peace and reconciliation screenings. Kibera Film School director Mercy Murugi, was named by The Standard as one of Young Kenyan Achievers of 2010.

We held peace photography workshops with 8-12 year olds, whose photos will be exhibited in Kenya and USA soon, a film workshop with another group of 8-12 years old who produced a short film, Majukumu.

As we prepare for even greater things, in 2011, we would like to invite you to the graduation of the Kibera Film School Class of 2010, at Hot Sun Foundation premises on 29th Jan 2011.
Map on how to get to us is in the photos section of this event, or you can get it here - http://kiberafilmschool.blogspot.com/2005/09/contact-us.html