NYU Tisch School Of The Arts Announcing The Jeff Lima Production Award 2019

Chicago Fire actor Jeff Lima has partnered with the NYU Tisch School of the Arts to announce a wonderful new opportunity for current students and recent alumni: The Jeff Lima Product Award.

This $10,000 award will be made this upcoming Spring '19 semester and will be given to a thesis student or recent alum to shoot a film project that advances the Latino presence on screen.

Graduate Film Program thesis students (3rd year and above), and alumni who graduated from the Program within five years (those who graduated after January, 2014), will be eligible for the Award. The winner will have 12 months after notification to complete their short film. If the award is made to a current student, they will use it towards the completion of their Thesis film. If an alum wins the award, they must produce the film outside of any degree requirements and must provide their own equipment and insurance.

The Award recipient will be selected by a committee of Graduate Film faculty and outside industry professionals.

The recipient must acknowledge the Award in the credits of their winning film. The winner will also agree to meet with Jeff Lima to discuss the potential of a producing partnership on the film, which will occur if both parties are interested and in agreement.

Applications are due February 15, and recipients will be announced in March.

New York native, Jeff Lima, got his start in theatre at the age of 11 after gaining acceptance to the "by audition only" junior high school, Tito Puente Performing Arts Academy. Jeff was immediately immersed in the teachings of Meisner and Stanislaski with ambitions to secure a seat in a premiere performing arts high school. His tenacity and diligent preparation earned him a seat at the Talent Unlimited High School where he'd study theatre all throughout his high school years. Fortunately for Jeff, preparation met opportunity. The year right before high school, Jeff landed a role in a short film titled 'Gowanus Brooklyn', which would later become a feature length Oscar-nominate film. He embarked upon his high school years having already starred opposite Ryan Gosling in 'Half Nelson'.

During his tenure at Talent Unlimited, Jeff was not allowed to audition for any professional productions, as is the case with most Manhattan performing arts high schools. His insatiable approach didn't allow him to align himself with the aforementioned school policy. Jeff would often sneak to auditions and one in particular would serve as the catalyst he'd been hoping for!

During an audition in which Jeff spent about an hour with the director and producer during a first session, a spectator observed from afar. At the conclusion of the audition, said spectator followed Jeff to the elevators and asked that he submit his headshot and resume to her agent for consideration. The spectator would go on to win the 2015 Emmy for best Actress in a Comedy Series- Gina Rodriguez.

Having remained a client with the agent to whom Rodriguez introduced Jeff, he secured a commendable amount of work in film and television. Jeff has guest starred on CBS's Blue Bloods, Netflix's The Get Down, and NBC's Taxi Brooklyn. He eventually landed a series arc on the HBO mini-series Show Me A Hero and currently recurs on NBC's Chicago Fire.

Jeff hopes he can be as influential as many of the educators he's come across. He is a founding member of the Achievement Lab After School and Summer Camp, which serves 150 at-risk children, annually.

Currently, he is shopping to finance short films penned by serious filmmakers. His goal is to identify films that are prevalent to today's society, and to see the films to fruition. Jeff hopes that majoring in Finance for his undergrad degree finally pays off, having decided not to attend a conservatory as is practical of young actors.