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Directing

Editing

Producing

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Screenwriting

AFI Conservatory Guests

Oscar Winner Cord Jefferson discusses his film AMERICAN FICTION
PERFECT DAYS Writer/Director/Producer Wim Wenders in Conversation
THE BROTHERS SUN Seminar at the AFI Conservatory
Todd Haynes and Affonso Gonçalves on their film MAY DECEMBER
Writer/Director Celine Song on Her Film PAST LIVES
A Conversation with ANATOMY OF A FALL Director/Co-writer Justine Triet
Alexander Payne Discusses his Film THE HOLDOVERS
Producer James Wilson on THE ZONE OF INTEREST
In Conversation with BEEF Creator and Showrunner Lee Sung Jin
Master Seminar with THE TEACHERS' LOUNGE Writer/Director İlker Çatak
Sean Durkin discusses his film THE IRON CLAW
Chad Stahelski on Directing JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert on EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Todd Field on Making his film TÁR
Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin on Making ELVIS
Director Joseph Kosinski on Making TOP GUN: MAVERICK
Gina Prince-Bythewood on THE WOMAN KING
Ruben Östlund on Making the Vomiting Scene in TRIANGLE OF SADNESS
Lena Dunham on CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY
Guillermo del Toro on NIGHTMARE ALLEY
S. S. Rajamouli on RRR
John Patton Ford on Making EMILY THE CRIMINAL
Matt Reeves on THE BATMAN
Denis Villeneuve on DUNE
Siân Heder on CODA
Kogonada on AFTER YANG
Gus Van Sant on MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO
Phyllis Nagy on CALL JANE
In Conversation: Lukas Dhont on Making CLOSE
Elegance Bratton on Making THE INSPECTION
MORE VIDEOS
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Film School in Los Angeles CA, Best Film School Hollywood, AFI Conservatory

A Training Ground for Filmmakers

At the AFI Conservatory we believe in filmmaking first. Filmmakers come to AFI because they are guaranteed to make movies, and to master not only the tools, but also the art of storytelling. AFI isn’t like any other graduate film school in Los Angeles or the nation. Think of us like the most prolific content creators in Hollywood. Fellows collectively create up to 175 films a year across six disciplines in the master’s degree program: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting.

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Learn from Acclaimed Filmmakers

Led by Hollywood icon James L. Brooks as Artistic Director, AFI Conservatory Faculty and seminar guests are working filmmakers who bring decades of award-winning experience as real-world, professionals and transformative leaders in their field.

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A Bridge to the Film and TV Industry

As a top-ranked film school located in Los Angeles, the AFI Conservatory MFA program is more than an academic experience in the art of moviemaking — it’s about connecting you with influential artists in the field, and with key players in the industry, to get your career off the ground right after graduation. Through a carefully curated series of programs and opportunities that happen year-round right in the middle of Hollywood, you will have the best possible launchpad for success.

Scholarship Opportunities

The AFI Conservatory offers scholarships to help incoming and current AFI Fellows pay for their MFA film school education. Scholarships are based on merit and financial need. Several scholarships are available for Fellows from underrepresented communities, specific nationalities and Conservatory disciplines.

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Alumni Recognition

Last Five Years

After their MFA film school training, AFI Conservatory filmmakers go on to make enormous cultural impact that resonates and endures far beyond the halls of AFI.

Academy Awards®

15
Nominations

4
Wins

Emmy Awards®

87
Nominations
19
Wins

Major Festivals

350
Alumni on
481
Films
AFI DOCS, AFI FEST, Berlin, Cannes, London, New York, Sundance, SXSW, Telluride, Toronto, Tribeca and Venice

Festivals updated as of Jan. 1, 2024

Awards updated as of Mar. 11, 2024

Diversity at a Glance

The AFI Conservatory is committed to nurturing fresh perspectives from diverse voices.

“The AFI experience is transformational. This is a place where ideas of all sorts and all perspectives come to blossom. The relationships and the skills you foster here are the ones that will carry you throughout your entire career.”

–Joyce Liu-Countryman, AFI Producing Class of 2018

Of 285 Year 1 and Year 2 Fellows currently enrolled at the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles:

56%are women
45%of the domestic Fellows are filmmakers of color
47%are international

Updated as of Oct. 15, 2023

Slide
The American Film Institute believes in the power of diverse voices to drive culture forward.

We strive to cultivate and sustain an inclusive environment at AFI that actively affirms and is respectful of the identities of all people across genders, abilities, ethnicities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic backgrounds and ideological perspectives – and one where self-reflection, honesty and accountability are practiced.

At AFI, we are responsible for the community we build and the stories we tell.

#AFICONSERVATORY

We’re also hoping to see the films on this list at Cannes, especially these movies from AFI alumni! #aficonservatory #afialumni #cannes 
 
🎥 BIRD
⭐️ Andrea Arnold (AFI Class of 1991), Writer/Director
 
🎥 OH CANADA
⭐️ Paul Schrader (AFI Class of 1969), Writer/Director
 
🎥 RUMOURS
⭐️ Ari Aster AFI Class of 2010), Executive Producer
This movie’s gonna steal the show. AFI alum @darrenaronofsky is teaming up with @austinbutler for a crime thriller and we can’t wait to see it! #afialumni #aficonservatory
How #SAFE led to #MAYDECEMBER – watch AFI’s conversation with Oscar-nominated filmmaker #ToddHaynes and #AFIConservatory Alum #AffonsoGonçalves about powerhouse performer Julianne Moore, acclaimed producer Christine Vachon and the complexity of the MAY DECEMBER script. You can hear the entire conversation at link in bio. #FilmSchool #GuestLecture
Get a front row seat to this revealing conversation with #FrybreadFaceAndMe writer/director/producer Billy Luther about coming-of-age stories, queer identity and Navajo presence on film. Check out the entire seminar at link in the bio. #AFIConservatory #FilmSchool #GuestLecture #BillyLuther
Inspiration is everywhere. Writer/director @mohamed_kordofani talks to AFI Fellows about his impressive debut feature #GoodbyeJulia – making history as the first Sudanese film presented at Cannes. Watch the full video at link in the bio. #AFIConservatory #FilmSchool #GuestLecture #MohamedKordofani
AFI Conservatory alumni are making waves at @SXSW! 👏👏👏 A round of applause for these AFI filmmakers whose films just picked up awards at this year’s festival. 🏆
 
Narrative Feature Competition
🏆 Winner: BOB TREVINO LIKES IT
⭐️ @grainspirit (AFI Class of 2014), Editor
⭐️ @edgarrosa (AFI Class of 2014), Producer
⭐️ @ricchshotit (AFI Class of 2012), Post Production Supervisor
 
Documentary Short Competition
🏆 Special Jury Award: FRANK
⭐️ @natehurtsellers (AFI Class of 2014), Cinematographer/Producer
 
#afialumni #aficonservatory #sxsw #filmfestival #winners
There is no better way to celebrate Oscar week than spending some time with AFI Fellows and sharing your film wisdom with the next generation. Just ask Academy Award nominee @CordJefferson who stopped by to talk about his approach to adapting movies for the big screen. @americanfictionmovie #oscars #screenwriting #aficonservatory

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