Specialises in Four-, six- and eight-week film courses and a more intensive one-year acting course
Notable alumni Abu Dhabi TV director Jamal Salem, and Dubai TV director Amal Al Abdouli. Directors Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, actors Al Pacino, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Jodie Foster, Sharon Stone and Pierce Brosnan from the New York campus
Most unusual course BA in game design and a one-year musical theatre, both coming soon
Pros Practical courses
Cons It’s expensive
Campus life
Allan Nicholls, the academy’s artistic director, says, ‘Our Abu Dhabi movie club is a weekly screening of short films created by students, followed by a themed question and answer session. The next one is in the Spielberg screening room at 6.30pm on April 24; it’s free and open to the public. We also have a free screening at Vox Cinema in Marina Mall at 7pm on May 21, which will showcase work by students who have studied for one year.’
Student Chioma Precious Adiele, 27, from Nigeria, has just completed a four-week course at New York Film Academy Abu Dhabi. She says, ‘I wanted to learn film-making so I can break into the Hollywood movie scene, and a friend recommended the academy to me. My course appealed to me because it’s practical. I learnt about cinematography, how to edit, do special effects, write short stories, handle cameras, direct and produce. The classes ran from 10am-5pm, with lunch at 1pm, from Monday to Thursday. At weekends, we shot short films. The impressive facilities included a studio and editing room equipped with Apple Macs, a library and Red Scarlet, Panasonic, Arriflex and Canon cameras. As film students, we hung out at Al Wahda Mall cinema. If you show student ID at the National Theatre you get in for free, and we could tour media companies and get free entrance to shows.’
Inspired to take a short course? Try… A four-week film-making course, Dhs14,140.
Between Muroor (4th) and Airport Road, off 15th Street, next to Abu Dhabi TV and Sky News Arabia, www.nyfa.edu/abu-dhabi (02 446 6442).
