In 2007, the New York Production Alliance (NYPA), an industry advocacy organization, approached New Visions for Public Schools with an idea for a high school in western Queens that would connect students to production employment opportunities. Mark Dunetz, Edgar Rodriguez, and Alan Metzger--the founding Principal, founding Assistant Principal and founding Director of Production, respectively--met with industry professionals to define how the production industry and public education could collaborate to support a small and rigorous Career and Technical Education (CTE) school.
The result of that collaboration was the Academy for Careers in Television and Film (TvF), which opened its doors to its first freshman cohort in September 2008. Today, TvF serves grades 9 through 12, and uniquely provides its students with a high quality college prep education as well as meaningful entry points into a range of career paths, including a variety of “below-the-line” positions almost entirely neglected by existing high school programs. The membership of NYPA, the school’s lead partner, represents a cross section of the industry and includes the owners of New York’s major studios, top producers and directors, unions, and scores of other businesses and organizations. Through this and many other industry partnerships, students benefit from unprecedented opportunities to work alongside industry professionals and gain valuable experience to support their career and academic aspirations.