Rye student accepted on New York film course

Maria Ezobi, a 17-year-old student at Rye Studio School, has been accepted to take a producing course.

The year 13 student is following in the footsteps of actress Julie Pacino, Al Pacino’s daughter, and Oscar winners Melissa Leo and Tracy Morgan, having gained a place at the world famous film academy, which has campuses in South Beach, New York and Los Angeles.

“It didn’t feel real,” she said.

“I’d wake up thinking ‘am I going to hear back from them today?’, and then realise that I already had.”

Originally wanting to go into acting, Miss Ezobi moved over into directing and producing and found her niche.

“I still love performing but I didn’t want to be in the limelight in front of the camera,” she said.

Moving behind the camera does not mean that Maria will be any less involved.

“As a producer, you have to work closely with everyone,” she said.

“You have to be the optimistic person, but be really focused at the same time.”

Miss Ezobi, who was born in the Philippines and lived in Ghana and London before settling in St Leonards, will not be lacking for company when she makes the move over the Atlantic.

“I have family in Sacramento and Chicago, so they’re not that close but it will be good to see them,” she said.

Maria, who joined the creative industries-focused Rye Studio following her GCSEs, is completing Level 3 BTEC qualifications in Music, Digital Creative Media and Performing Arts.

The school recently awarded outstanding in all areas by Ofsted,

Rye Studio is currently taking applications for key stage four (year 10) admissions to study core GCSEs and creative options in visual, performing and film arts.

As well as 16 plus for all level three creative options including performing and production arts, production arts make-up and hair, visual arts including art, photography, fashion and textiles plus graphics and film-making.

For more information about the courses on offer, contact the school by calling 01797 228434, emailing [email protected], or visit www.ryestudioschool.co.uk.

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