Film School in Los Angeles CA, Best Film School Hollywood, AFI Conservatory
AFI Conservatory Guests
Danny DeVito: "Be kind, Be Mindful of Everybody's Space"
Akinola Davies Jr. on Why He Shot MY FATHER’S SHADOW on Film
Noah Baumbach on Writing and the Musicality of Words
Chloé Zhao on the Artist’s Journey: “Surrender to Not Knowing”
How TRON: ARES Writer Jesse Wigutow Approaches Screenwriting
Ari Aster: "After AFI, I understood what it meant to direct"
ADOLESCENCE Co-Creators Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne on Making their Acclaimed TV Drama
Behind the Scenes: Erin Foster on Making NOBODY WANTS THIS
Peter Berg Breaks Down American Primeval
BOB TREVINO LIKES IT Filmmaker Conversation at AFI
A Conversation with Deniese Davis & Monique Dias on ONE OF THEM DAYS
A Conversation with MARIA Cinematographer Ed Lachman
A Conversation with THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG's Mohammad Rasoulof & Setareh Maleki
EMILIA PÉREZ Director/Writer/Producer Jacques Audiard on David Lynch
Jesse Eisenberg Discusses His Film A REAL PAIN
A Conversation with Azazel Jacobs on HIS THREE DAUGHTERS
A Conversation with JT Mollner & Giovanni Ribisi on STRANGE DARLING
RaMell Ross on the Friendship of the Characters in NICKEL BOYS
Malcolm Washington on his film THE PIANO LESSON
Sean Wang on his film DÌDI
Anna Kendrick Discusses Her Film WOMAN OF THE HOUR
In Conversation with THE SUBSTANCE Filmmaker Coralie Fargeat
Halfdan Ullmann Tøndell on ARMAND
Shuchi Talati Discusses her Film GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS
Shuchi Talati on GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS Star Preeti Panigrahi
In Conversation with ALIEN: ROMULUS Filmmaker Fede Alvarez
In Conversation with 3 BODY PROBLEM's David Benioff, D.B. Weiss and Alexander Woo
In Conversation with THE FIRST OMEN's Arkasha Stevenson
In Conversation with DADDIO Filmmaker Christy Hall
MORE VIDEOS
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.
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.
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.
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®
Emmy Awards®
Major Festivals
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.
Of 277 Year 1 and Year 2 Fellows currently enrolled at the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles:
40%of the domestic Fellows are filmmakers of color
Updated as of Sep. 18, 2024
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
At AFI, you learn from the masters – and the leaders shaping the film industry. A full house for Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group Chair & CEO Tom Rothman in conversation with #AFIConservatory Fellows about the film business, joined by THE TOWN podcast hosts Matthew Belloni and Lucas Shaw. Listen to the episode next week. Video from the conversation coming soon!
🎬 At AFI, you learn from the masters. Director and writer @julia_ducournau joined Fellows of the #AFIConservatory for an inspiring seminar, sharing insights into the making of her latest film ALPHA.
Ready to turn your filmmaking dreams into reality? Applications remain open for AFI’s Editing and Production Design disciplines through April 15. Apply today at AFI.edu.
✍️ Congratulations to our 2026 Writers Guild Awards nominees!
#AFIAlumni #AFIConservatory #WGAAwards #Screenwriting
Congratulations to Michael Bauman (AFI Class of 1992) on his #AcademyAward nomination for Best Cinematography for ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER. 👏👏👏 #oscarnoms #afialumni #aficonservatory #oscars
Congratulations to Autumn Durald Arkapaw (AFI Class of 2009) on her #AcademyAward nomination for Best Cinematography for SINNERS. 👏👏👏 #oscarnoms #afialumni #aficonservatory #oscars
🚨LAST CHANCE🚨 Today is your FINAL opportunity to apply to the #AFIConservatory for #Cinematography, #Editing, #ProductionDesign, #Producing and #Screenwriting! Don’t miss the chance to shape your future in film. Apply NOW at AFI.edu. #ApplyNow #FilmSchool #GraduateSchool
Time is running out—applications for the #AFIConservatory close in just 2 days! 🎬✨ Elevate your craft and find your future at one of the top film schools. Apply now at AFI.edu. #Apply #FilmSchool #GraduateSchool
🎬 AFI prepares filmmakers for careers in film. Affonso Gonçalves (AFI Class of 1993) honed his editing skills at the #AFIConservatory, building a craft that has led to a distinguished film career, including his work on HAMNET.
Applications for AFI’s Cinematography, Editing, Screenwriting, Producing and Production Design disciplines have been extended through January 5. Apply today at AFI.edu.
#Apply #FilmSchool #GraduateSchool #Cinematography #Editing #Screenwriting #Producing #ProductionDesign
FOLLOW THE AFI CONSERVATORY
STAY CONNECTED