Articles : Guest Articles : Guest Article : Acting Workshop @ NYFA

A Sense of "Direction"
On weekends, we were combined with students that enrolled in the Direction course, to act in their short-films, which were their weekend assignments (they have classes in weekdays like us). Their film projects were broke down into 3 parts � Pre-production (story, screenplay, story-board, music, and location scouting), Filming, and Post-production (editing and other changes). Their classes involved teaching all those concepts � camera angles, storyboarding, how to work with actors, budget expectations, and so on. They were provided with world-class cameras (16mm, 32mm and High-Definition) and equipment. As a student who acted in their direction, I could get a sense of what their courses were like.

These students were split into batches of 3-4 people each, so that they can form the crew of their own team. One of them directs, one handles the camera, one has the boom microphone, and the other has the lights and slate, and so on, depending on the number of crew. Each job was rotated among themselves in each of their projects. They sometimes chose us (actors), or we sometimes chose them, for their projects. After they are done shooting, they also edit it with the equipment available at the Academy. NYFA provides great technology to edit films � check their website � and the students in Direction course should get used to various editing software available. Initially they were asked to shoot silent films, with or without background score, and with a maximum duration of five minutes each. These silent films are real test to them, as they have to rely completely on the visuals without any dialogues. We don't get much scope to act in this short duration, but it was fun, alright! We used to have brainstorming sessions among ourselves and directors, discussing how to do a particular role/scene, etc. Even in leisure times in our dormitories/hostel � we used to share a lot of knowledge. That helped us a lot, mutually. If you ever go to these institutes, stay in their on-campus dormitories if possible. That's a lot of fun and knowledge right there! Once we even shot a party-night in our dorms in a weekend as a weekend assignment! All these videos were uploaded in YouTube. Check them out!

The Grand Finale
The actors' final project would be the Monologues, shot in the last days of the workshop. The directors' final project would be their films, of course. All our final projects were screened in our Graduation Ceremony! There was some real talent in the hall. The way they made their movies and acted � it was so wonderful! Wow, it was quite a memorable event altogether! We get diplomas from NYFA � of course, with the "Harvard University" name as the campus where we had completed the workshop � one proud moment, definitely, for someone who want to connect with their dreams!

Lastly...
To all my fellow aspiring-actors and directors, and to myself: It's important that we should try figuring out our own limitations and scope, plan our careers, chalk out our alternative options and lastly try convincing our family! May be we can't become lead actors � we could be great comedians or supporting character artistes, or psychopath villains, or something else. Having the right attitude and flexibility would avoid hurting oneself from high expectations. Training at established film institutes gives us a definite push, confidence, and courage � tools required to go forth in our career paths. I learnt a lot, really � things like how to face the camera, how to enact, how to control the body language and other stuff effectively, and so on � things I thought were all simple and easy before I attended the workshop! The experience and training is definitely some real experience that one can showcase to people! But as they say, these crafts can't be mastered in a specific time! All the great directors and actors still figure out something new and surprise themselves. It's a never ending craft, literally, and a wonderful one nevertheless! The best thing about films, for me, is that one can tell thousands of stories and live of thousands of lives, all in one lifetime! That's what drives me, always!

I hope my efforts to share some of my knowledge from the workshop can let people look at things differently, realize the importance of experience and start respecting arts and artistes. Instead of helplessly going around studios and directors with our portfolios, it's better to join any good institute, or even assist a director, and attend auditions with the newly gained experience. That sounds like a plan, to me at least!

And, please wish me the best luck in my efforts to be a successful actor � I promise to bring the deserved respect to this profession. And, I wish you all the very best in your own career paths. I hope we all can meet as colleagues at some point of time, in the film industry!