Filmmaking - The Times Of Central Asia

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Higher Education

New York Film Academy Opens First Central Asian Campus in Kazakhstan

The New York Film Academy (NYFA) has opened its first campus in Central Asia, marking a significant milestone for the region’s creative industries. The official launch took place on September 27 in Kaskelen, a town located 20 kilometers from Almaty. Situated within the Creative Industries Park of Energy University, the new campus spans more than 1,000 square meters. It features professional sound stages, editing and recording studios, lecture halls, dressing rooms, and specialized classrooms for acting. According to NYFA, the facilities are designed to support the full cycle of film production from concept development to shooting and post-production. NYFA Kazakhstan will welcome its first cohort in autumn 2025, offering five of its most sought-after programs: filmmaking, screenwriting, acting for film, game design, and 3D animation and visual effects. Courses will be taught by faculty from NYFA’s U.S. campuses, bringing international expertise directly to Kazakhstan. Speaking at the opening ceremony, NYFA President and CEO Michael Young emphasized the broader cultural significance of the project: “We are proud that the New York Film Academy has opened in Kazakhstan. This is not just an educational project, but a platform that brings together the region's talent and introduces them to the global film industry.” Officials stated that the campus is expected to become a regional hub for cultivating creative professionals, providing access to world-class film education without the need to study abroad.

TCA Interviews

Behind the Scenes in Hollywood: Kyrgyz Screenwriter Guljan Toktogul on the Industry Without the Glamour

Screenwriter Guljan Toktogul spent nearly a decade in Hollywood. She wrote the script for the movie Salam, New York, about a Kyrgyz man adapting to life in America, and also has writing credits for the short films I'll Be A Star and Alexandra. A graduate of the American Film Institute (AFI), she now plans to continue her screenwriting career in her native Kyrgyzstan, having recently returned to Bishkek. The Times of Central Asia spoke with Toktogul about how screenwriters sell scripts in the U.S., how much they earn, what the bidding process entails, and whether it’s all worth it. TCA: What was it like living in Hollywood? Did it ever feel like home? Toktogul: It became comfortable, but not immediately, only after I built some connections. I first arrived in the U.S. in 2016 with my brother, who was there for work. We lived in Washington, D.C. for two years. When he left, I suddenly felt anxious. The thought of being alone so far from family, literally a day’s flight away, was overwhelming. I cried. But when I moved to L.A., completed a semester, and made friends, things improved quickly. I was lucky to be studying screenwriting at film school. TCA: Did the school feel like a second family? Toktogul: Exactly. Writing and working together means sharing deeply personal memories and thoughts, so people bond much faster than in everyday life. The school created a very supportive environment, full of people just as obsessed with film as I was. You live and breathe cinema, nothing else seems to matter. TCA: How are screenwriters treated in the U.S. compared to Central Asia? Toktogul: In the U.S., screenwriters are respected, but still often in the background. Producers and directors are the main creative forces. That’s why many screenwriters eventually try directing, to retain more control. You hand over your script, but what happens next is out of your hands. We don’t just write randomly, there’s meaning in every scene. When a script is mishandled on set, it’s painful. Many screenwriters avoid being on set for that reason. TCA: Are screenwriters usually present during filming? Toktogul: Yes, and rightly so. Unexpected problems always arise, maybe an actor drops out or a location falls through, so changes must be made on the spot. This is especially true for low-budget projects. I once worked on an indie film in Chicago and realized just how crucial a screenwriter’s presence can be. TCA: But aren’t things in the U.S. locked down by contracts before filming begins? Toktogul: Only if you're someone like Aaron Sorkin. He insists on filming scripts exactly as written. He’s known for demanding that actors deliver 10 pages of dialogue in nine minutes with no cuts. And it works, his dialogue has a musical quality. But most writers aren’t in that position. Ideally, scripts would be treated with more care. We’re not trying to take over, we just want the best version of the story to be told. TCA: Were you a member of...

Higher Education

New York Film Academy Launches Branch in Kazakhstan

The New York Film Academy (NYFA) has officially opened a branch in Kazakhstan, marking its third campus outside the United States and the first world-class creative university to establish a presence in the country, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan announced. The launch agreement was signed virtually on March 1 by Sayasat Nurbek, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Science and Higher Education, and Michael Yang, President of the New York Film Academy. Academic programs at the new campus are set to begin on September 29 at the Energo University Creative Industries Park in Kaskelen, near Almaty. Instruction will be delivered in person by professional NYFA faculty from the United States. The Kazakhstan branch will offer one-year and short-term training programs in five core disciplines: Filmmaking Producing Screenwriting Animation and Visual Effects (3D Animation & VFX) Game Development (Game Design) The inaugural class will enroll up to 200 students from Kazakhstan and neighboring countries, including China, India, and Russia. Graduates will receive diplomas from the U.S.-based NYFA and will have the opportunity to continue their studies at the Academy’s campuses in New York or Los Angeles, with credits transferred from their coursework in Kazakhstan.