NYFA - New York Film Academy (Los Angeles Campus)

This school is a freaking NIGHTMARE. I was sexually harassed and bullied by foreigners in my class and the school took their side because they cater to rich foreigners over everyone else. I had exlax put in my coffee during shoot, I had to change classes lost 6 months of my GI Bill and they thought they were doing me a favor. A foreign student stole my mother's, who is a professional artist. painting and I had to deal with all kinds of drama to finally get it back, the school refused to help me, and the guy who stole it demanded I buy him an expensive external drive because he said his was broken while we were shooting in his apartment with permission, so I bought him a new one and then he wanted the old one back to recover what was on it, clearly if it was recoverable you would have checked that first so it was a scam to get a new external hard drive and the school told me to give the broken one back and I said no I paid for it ffs and this guy is trying to scam me after he already stole from me. The school hates veterans, they had Steven Spielberg as a guest and the school told us none of the veterans were allowed to attend, too many people wanted to attend so they kicked us out so that all the rich foreign students could get in.
If you are a veteran DO NOT attend THIS school, there are other better options, literally any other option is better than this Anti-American sexists PSO school and their failed bitter staff.

Also you have to pay for film and tons of other things, so the costs are way more than advertised. And because a lot of the actors in the acting program they want you to work with are foreigners without driver's license so they expect you to drive them around with no compensation to include driving rental trucks full of equipment and if anything goes wrong because you are the driver it is legally on you which is bs. And you would think working with a bunch of rich foreigners would at least help with expenses, I have never seen a bunch of cheap freeloaders in my life with as much audacity as these students, they are rich spoiled and many on their own for the first time, so it feels like babysitting a lot of the time. And and the teachers when I went there seemed to resent veterans being in their classes, they really disliked us and it was uncomfortable. Many of the veterans who started with us left and lost their GI bill money due to it so please be careful with THIS school because they don't care if they rip you off and screw you offer.

The best thing I can say is that for the filmmaking master's program I have truly learned. I am so grateful and gracious for the level of knowledge that has been provided here, however there are a few classes later on that feel like fillers, just to justify the cost.

The schedule, especially in the first semester is often over 40 hrs a week, sometimes weekends. If it's possible for them to make the schedule where you could have consistency or work, they simply won't meaning, you can see that there was room in the schedule to do 9-3 five days a week without change but they might have one day 9-7, the next day 12-3 and another day with a 5 hr gap between classes, for example. You have no say in your schedule. You have to take the one they give you and they don't tell you this until orientation so if you need to work, you pretty much can't with this program. If you have kids, you're going to need full time assistance with them. If you're moving prior to attending the school, I suggest doing it at least a week before or you'll have no time to catch up on jet lag and sleep.

Same classmates throughout, it's good because you get to know everyone's strengths and weaknesses when working on projects and it'll be like a family if you're a group who likes each other but you get tired of the same people and you don't meet many people outside of your class to network or from other programs.

Many mandatory productions you must do which is great but for the cost of the school, you would think they would provide something some sort of benefit. You can't use the school for anything regarding a project due for your homework, can't have a simple meeting with cast or crew, or auditions, use the school in anyway. Then they place requirements on the insurance you have to pay for and all these things quickly rack up your project costs. Part of going to school is supposed to be the benefits that you won't have once you leave it.

The environment is inflexible and fairly militant in how it operates, you feel it through the halls.

Also when they say you will shoot on a studio backlot, it's only for class assignments on the same western lot with a bunch of other classes making noises while you shoot.

Don't let the fact that it's 100% acceptance fool you into thinking you won't learn much though, the education warrants an A- at the least but there are things you may want to consider before you attend this school.

I still may recommend this school for this program because you will leave with knowledge to work in the industry but those other factors can truly be a deterrent to consider.

Honestly, the best thing about NYFA when I was there in 2011 was the location. I attended the New York location and it was a dream for a small-town girl from North Carolina. It was also expensive, of course.

The courses were fun and we actually got the chance to take filmmaking courses along with our acting courses. So you get a little experience with everything (mainly editing, wardrobe and make-up, script supervising, boom operating, gaffer, etc.)

Acting courses included, Acting for Film, Improv, Meisner, Scene Study, and a few others I can't remember right now.

The campuses were spread out when I was there, but that was just good exercise. Classes were every other day and then for your second semester, we switched days(1st-semester m,w,f; 2nd-semester t,t,s ).

The faculty was great. Very supportive. I made life-long friends. Network connections, not so much, but if you know where to go in the city then maybe you can find something or someone.

A few agents and managers will come to the graduation to see your final films (I was asked to submit a headshot to an agency. Nothing came of it, but it was still nice to be noticed.)

Financial aid helps a lot if you can get it. I was lucky enough to be able to live with my cousin for free, so I didn't have to pay rent and could live a little with my extra fin aid money.