Give it a shot

Mona

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Learning by doing is the philosophy New York Film Academy holds dear. And, as this prestigious institution rolls out a summer workshop of acting for films, exploring Punjab remains its top-most priority.

“Some 20 to 25 per cent of total enrolments are from Punjab,” opens Suniti Ghoshal, founder and director, Yellow Submarine Film Pvt Ltd, Bangalore that partners with New York Film Academy in India.

The Mumbai campus boasts the same facilities as the New York campus or any of the other NFYA campuses world over. Joining Suniti on this Chandigarh trip is Dionna Mcmilian, who holds a key position in the post-production department, NFYA. Currently teaching direction and editing at the Mumbai campus, this Love, New York director finds little difference between the Americans making it to her classes and others from the rest of the world.

“The film industry back home is quite regimented. There is a hierarchy and everyone sticks to one’s roles.” And, that’s as much true for big studios to small independent projects. What Dionna finds irksome is that the work culture is not well defined here, or something as small as not returning the equipment on time.”

As for India and her experience here, she finds Mumbai akin to Manhattan except for the cows on streets. “There are lot many cows around here,” she confesses. Her strategy to deal with it, “Oh, I just look at them. They are good.”

Back to the purpose of her visit, she says it is to find participants for courses and workshops in Mumbai. “We have rolled out four-week programmes on ‘acting for films’ that takes care of technicalities like different angles, shots and facing the camera comfortably.”

While the duo agrees that not always the greatest of actors can be made by training, the courses can help one get comfortable with the camera. “Auditions are the door between one’s reality and dreams, and courses prepare one well for that,” shares Suniti.

Among the alumni of NYFA stand stars like Kangana Ranaut, Imran Khan, and Gauri Shinde. From the region there’s been Kuljinder Singh Sidhu who attended NYFA workshop Mumbai back in 2011.

“Our course not just grooms you for the job but we also offer internships post it,” says Suniti. “From day one, the participants are on the job,” assures Dionna.

mona@tribunemail.com