Remembering Kelley Mack: A Rising Star in the Entertainment Industry

The New York Film Academy (NYFA) is a private, hands-on film school founded in 1992 by Jerry Sherlock, a film producer known for *The Hunt for Red October* (1990). It was established to offer an alternative to traditional academic film programs by emphasizing practical, immersive learning where students "learn by doing"—writing, directing, shooting, and editing their own films from day one[1][2][4][6]. This approach was innovative at the time, challenging conventional teaching methods that relied heavily on theory and lectures. NYFA's first campus opened in the Tribeca Film Center in New York City and later moved to Tammany Hall in Union Square before relocating to Battery Park in 2014. The school expanded quickly, launching summer programs at prestigious universities like Princeton, Yale, UCLA, and Cambridge throughout the 1990s. Its Los Angeles campus opened in 1999 on the Universal Studios backlot, and by 2001, NYFA was offering filmmaking workshops in Asia, marking its global reach[1]. The academy received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in 2019, solidifying its status as a recognized institution offering one- and two-year programs, bachelor’s degrees, and Master of Fine Arts degrees[1][2]. NYFA prides itself on fostering creative collaboration and technical proficiency, training students across various disciplines including film, acting, producing, screenwriting, and digital editing[4][8]. NYFA’s graduates include numerous successful professionals working worldwide in the film and entertainment industry. The academy's hands-on, project-based methodology has influenced other film schools to adopt similar teaching models. Its campuses now span New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Australia, reflecting its growth as a global institution dedicated to democratizing access to filmmaking education and empowering diverse voices in storytelling[1][5].