NYFA I New York Film Academy

RW

Robert Widdowson Local Guide

14 Jul 2026

Buyer Beware -- the low review is due to personnel, not the curriculum. The course is excellent; the instructor was an unmitigated disaster.

I took the 1-year online screenwriting course. In theory it sounded perfect for me, since I wasn't in a position to go to school full-time. I had high hopes.

On the positive side, I did learn the basic principles of screenwriting. Also, I finished a first draft of a film script, which was pretty cool. The discipline of meeting weekly to report on my progress helped me achieve my goal. I wish my review could end there, on a positive note.

But on the negative side, I found the instructor extremely rude to anyone who didn't agree with their opinions 100%. The person often ridiculed students and dismissed their contributions. The surly attitude shut down conversation more than once. I have a Masters degree, and have been a student in several schools as an adult - and I have encountered only a few instructors as abrasive as this person. (That's saying a lot, considering how arrogant many professors are!)

Also, the instructor was late to class more than once. To be fair, the person did make it up, by extending the classroom time. Still, when you've arranged for child-care, it's a drag to sit and wait in front of your computer, while your instructor fumbles around, making half-baked excuses why they were late. I have kids at home who play the same tricks in an attempt to evade their responsibilities, I don't need my screenwriting instructor doing the same!

Worse yet, the instructor once shared personal information about their family of origin that was unnecessary to the classroom context. (We paid a hefty tuition fee to learn screenwriting skills, not to hear sad facts about this person's childhood. Hey, we all have a few sad memories about childhood! Get over it! An online classroom is not the place for a paid instructor to share personal memories). I would have been more sympathetic to their plight if they had been a nice human being from the beginning. They weren't nice, so I'm not sympathetic.

Finally, the instructor went back on a promise they had made to me during a classroom session. Another student hadn't come to the online class, and we were scheduled to read their script. So I volunteered to submit my rough draft - with the understanding that I could re-submit my script once it was finished, for another classroom review. The instructor agreed to those terms - but went back on their agreement a few weeks later.

When I questioned the instructor about it, my concern was dismissed. So, I copied the transcribed conversation in which the instructor made the promise. They replied that they were way too busy to give each student individual attention! (Then why make the promise in the first place?).

My poor rating is entirely based on the habitually unprofessional conduct of the instructor. The actual course content was good. Had someone else - with a good work ethic, a sense of punctuality, and a commitment to personal and professional integrity - taught the course, then I would have given NYFA a perfect score.

So, although I'm indebted to NYFA for helping me acquire basic screenwriting skills, and giving me the opportunity to complete a rough draft, I found the personal conduct of the instructor a serious obstacle to the learning experience.

My suggestion to anyone who wants to enroll in an online screenwriting course: Make sure the educational institution has a professional code of conduct which instructors must follow.

If you can't afford the cost of tuition:
- Buy a good book on screenwriting. It will give you the same info about skills that this course provided, at a fraction of the cost
- Enroll in a writing class at your local community center.

Update: It's 2023; July 2024; March 2025; November 2025; March 2026; June 2026; July 2026

NC

Nevaeh Cannon

18 May 2026

An employee of yours by the name of Jared Doucet mad a nasty racist remark. Saying “I guess they ran out of chicken” when referring to a group of black individuals. I find this disgusting and very inappropriate to be posted on social media.

LB

Leechelle Butts Local Guide

29 Jul 2025

I’m extremely relieved my daughter decided not to attend this school. We were deceived from beginning to end. When we called them on each lie we were told “the person no longer works here.” We were later told she would get a full $500 refund if she decided not to attend for any reason. When it was time to collect her refund she had to call several times. I called and left a voicemail with no return call. My daughter called every day and being that they have caller id they ignored every call. I finally called from my google phone number and they answered on the first ring. The next day she received a portion of the refund. Then five days later they sent my daughter an email asking “how can they help her they have already sent her refund.” As if they were not dodging her calls for weeks. They refused to call her back and then sends an email after the fact. Very unprofessional, shady and deceptive. I am beyond frustrated with them and would not recommend anyone to attend this school. Not now. Not ever. George the director was the best thing they had going on now he’s gone. The new people have horrible customer skills.

IC

Ivan Cherepov Local Guide

21 Feb 2024

My daughter Kate was in the summer camp at New York Film Academy Paris. It was expensive but I was most devastated by the final performance. All the students were using absolutely inappropriate language, cursing, and profanities. I am not sure if only the teachers at the Paris location teach this but I can assure you this is not the model in the U.S. and NYC. In America, it is absolutely irresponsible to teach profanities to young students. The boarding in Paris location is absolutely ridiculous. No supervision and students are smoking and even taking drugs. For my deepest regret, this was the place where my daughter was introduced to drugs and this is my biggest regret to send her to NYFA Paris summer camp.

PM

Pili Martínez

6 Nov 2021

Did a filmmaking workshop. Loved some teachers and learned a lot, but the administration its just been awful. Since my first day. When I arrived due to a ridiculous covid protocol that I haven't been informed, I couldn't attend my first day of classes. I lost many hours and they just left me outside the door even though I crossed the world to get to nyc.
And now, I finished the workshop four months ago and still haven't get my diploma. I keep writing to them but nothing gets done and it just keeps wasting my time. I paid around 5 thousand dollars to take that workshop and I just can't believe I don't have the proof of the classes I took.