Film Studies, NYU Tisch: Student Profile

Wearing a suit and tie to work everyday is some people's idea of hell. If this is you, then perhaps you might be advised to follow in the creative footsteps of Ashish Ghadiali, who is studying an MFA in film at New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts.

"It's a great film school," he says. "In its 40-year history it has seen through filmmakers that have gone on to change the landscape of cinema - Martin Scorcese, Ang Lee, Spike Lee, Todd Solondz, the Coen Brothers' the list goes on."

NYU Tisch School of the Arts fosters creativity and entrepreneurial skills and is itself leading the way. In 2007, the school opened an Asian campus in Singapore and Ashish competed for a place in its inaugural class. "Tisch's new Singapore-based branch seemed to me a completely unique opportunity to be part of a tradition that is so well tried and tested, and at the same time, to embark on a journey that would be completely new."

He's not the only one embarking on a journey with NYU Tisch. So too is Academy Award winning filmmaker and alumnus, Oliver Stone, who in 2008 agreed to serve as artistic director for Tisch School of the Arts Asia. He's frequently on campus presenting lectures on writing, directing and industry topics as well as working closely with the school's president and faculty - all of whom are working artists with respected careers in the industry. In other words, Ghadiali is learning from the best.

But what exactly is the study of creative arts? Think advertising, animation, architecture, computer arts, new media, fashion, fine art, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, television, photography, drama, music, theatre or film. Much like NYU Tisch's filmmakers, the list goes on.

At NYU Tisch, students can earn the prestigious Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) in Animation and Digital Arts, Dramatic Writing or Film. "The curriculum remains solid after 70 years and the faculty has fine-tuned it so that the graduates of our program are among the highest calibre of artists in the world," says Josh Murray, Director of Global Communications and Program Development at NYU Tisch. "We also offer students the opportunity to study in industry-standard facilities."

The majority of NYU Tisch's students are from the United States, but at its Asia campus, students from an additional 23 countries all study towards this prestigious degree, which, says Murray, is just as rigorous and demanding as medical or law school. The average age is 28; 55% are male, 45% are female; and applicants with work and life experience are preferred. "There isn't one type of candidate who applies to our school - it's common for us to receive applications from attorneys, doctors and executives. We're really looking for innovative thinkers but candidates have to want to be an animator, a filmmaker, or a writer more than anything else. An MFA program requires serious commitment," Murray says.

To be successful at Tisch, students are required to diversify their talents - they must write, edit, direct and act. They also have to understand all points-of-view and the business side of art.

Ashish has been actively engaged in the creative arts for as long as he can remember, but until going to grad school any writing or directing he was doing was either assisting on other people's commercial projects, or working on his own material during evenings and weekends. "Film school has given me the opportunity to focus exclusively on my own creative vision, from when I wake up in the morning to when I go to sleep," he says. "I don't believe the MFA in terms of the piece of paper is so important for gaining work in the film industry, but the skills and experience that I will have developed during the three-year degree will be invaluable assets for a lifetime."

Ashish acknowledges that a career in film is never going to be the most stable of paths to choose, so in the past he's turned to teaching. "It's a great way to reintroduce both financial and emotional stability and it's also inspiring," he says. Ashish's entrepreneurial spirit is a common characteristic among graduates of NYU Tisch. The school recently surveyed their graduates to find out where their MFA took them. First jobs included producing at the BBC, writing for Fox Kids, working as a gaffer at MTV, creating websites for large companies such as Barnes & Noble and designing interactive installations at museums around the world. Others dedicated their time to writing and directing, submitting their work to festivals.

"Art is not going away," says Murray. "It's one thing that remains consistent across generations. It takes on different forms and within different platforms, but art tells a story, it captures an idea or reflects a specific period in life."

At the moment, that specific period is an international economic downturn, a time when everyone is tested, particularly artists. "We opened our campus in Asia in 2007 and enrolment has steadily increased," Murray says. "The last year has certainly been filled with turbulent times such as the economy and changes in governments around the world, but this is really a time when some of the best stories unfold right before our students. And as artists, it is their job to take those stories and create something that can be shared."

Ashish thinks everyone has to find their own way. "A graduate degree may not be for everyone but for me, I can say I spent a number of years pursuing my creative goals in a very individualistic way and that being part of my class at Tisch Asia has been more fun. Don't wait for grad school to start doing what you want to do. The more you bring to the program, the more you will get out of it."

We'll now wait to see if NYU Tisch produces another Oliver Stone in the form of Ashish Ghadiali.