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.
A Training Ground for Trailblazers
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 film school. Think of us like the most prolific content creators in Hollywood. Fellows collectively create up to 175 films a year across six disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting.
Led by Hollywood icon James L. Brooks as Artistic Director, AFI Conservatory faculty are working filmmakers who bring decades of award-winning experience as real-world, professionals and transformative leaders in their field.
As a top-ranked film school located in the middle of Hollywood, the AFI Conservatory 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, you will have the best possible launchpad for success.
Scholarship Opportunities
AFI offers scholarships to help incoming and current Fellows pay for their 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.
After their training, AFI filmmakers go on to make enormous cultural impact that resonates and endures far beyond the halls of the Conservatory.
Academy Awards®
14
Nominations
2
Wins
Emmy Awards®
81
Nominations
11
Wins
Golden Globes
21
Nominations
4
Wins
Major Festivals
317
Alumni on
204
Films
AFI DOCS, AFI FEST, Berlin, Cannes, London, New York,
Sundance, SXSW, Telluride, Toronto, Tribeca and Venice
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 282 Year 1 and Year 2 Fellows currently enrolled at the AFI Conservatory:
Thank you @humanitasprize and congratulations to current #AFIConservatory Fellow Rafael Diez who received the David and Lynn Angell College Comedy Fellowship. Funny and enriching? Now that’s prize worthy. #screenwriting #afi #filmschool #fellowship...
@Indiewire calls today’s #AFIMovieClub pick starring @michellepfeifferofficial “wry and beguiling.” Swipe through to learn more about #FrenchExit, directed by AFI Conservatory alum @azazeljacobs & with cinematography by alum Tobias Datum. #afialumni #aficonservatory #michellepfeiffer #lucashedges #afi #movieclub #filmmaking...
@danielcarsenty hasn’t even officially graduated from AFI, and his feature film premiering at @tiff_net next month was just sold. This guy’s well on his way. #aficlassof2021 #aficonservatory #tiff #afi #filmschool #directing #thedevilsdrivers...
Who can manage to have two new films at number one on the same weekend? An AFI alum, of course. With @candymanmovie #1 at the box office and @hesallthatmovie #1 on Netflix, cinematographer & AFI alum John Guleserian better get used to being at the top. #aficonservatory #afialumni #canydman #hesallthat #candyman #HesAllThat #netflix @johngules...
So proud of #screenwriter and recent AFI alum @anna.s.vecellio. She's been selected as one of the six participants in @filmindependent's Episodic Lab. But wait, there’s more… This talented writer will also receive a $10,000 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. 🎉 🎉 🎉 #afialumni #aficonservatory #filmschool #screenwriting #filmindependent...
Everything that Melina Matsoukas directs is brilliant. We can’t wait for this series to debut. #afialumni #aficonservatory #femalefilmmaker #thechangeling #tvseries #appletvplus @msmelina...
💥 🏁 Kudos to the AFI alums who helped drive this film to become a global sensation: screenwriter @danielcaseyandstuff (AFI Class of 2007), producer Jeffrey Kirschenbaum (AFI Class of 1999) & visual effects coordinator m.silverback (AFI Class of 2016). #F9 #afialumni #aficonservatory @thefastsaga #filmmaking #filmschool...
This edge-of-your-seat thriller was honored as one of the best films of the year at #AFIAWARDS 2012 and also earned a Best Picture Academy Award. Swipe through to learn more about #Argo, directed by @BenAffleck and with production design by AFI alum Sharon Seymour. #afialumniday #academyawardwinner #oscars #benaffleck #filmmaking #johnchambers #afialumni #aficonservatory...
AFI Conservatory alumni are no strangers to breaking records. Congrats go out to @jonathanlevineforrreal and his pitch-perfect direction on @9strangershulu. #afialumni #aficonservatory #nineperfectstrangers #nicolekidman #hulu...
This is great news to write home about! Congratulations to all of the AFI Screenwriting Alumni who are now 2021 @TheAcademy Nicholl Fellowship quarterfinalists. 🎉🎉🎉 #screenwriting #aficonservatory #filmschool #nichollfellowship
🎥 @haleybartels (Class of 2019), PUMPING BLACK
🎥 @bwilandrea(Class of 2020), WEST WOMEN
🎥 @omerbenshachar(Class of 2018), UNFIT
🎥 Steven Gregory Alan Crawford (Class of 2017), THE GREAT EMU WAR
🎥 @scoutcripps (Class of 2021), STOLEN
🎥 Rafael Diez Uriarte (Class of 2021), LOVE IS HELL
🎥 @misterferron (Class of 2020), FISHMONGER
🎥 Ariane Hahusseau (Class of 2020), THE UNFINISHED SONATA
🎥 @henryhughes (Class of 2014), HUMAN TERRAIN
🎥 Isabella Issa (Class of 2019), YELLOW GIRL AND ME
🎥 Christina Kingsleigh Licud (Class of 2019), DAUGHTERS
🎥 @anna.s.vecellio (Class of 2021), LOOKING GLASS
🎥 @marisesamitier (DWW Class of 1998), AFRICAN HARVEST...
We’re honored to celebrate these titanic artistic voices this year with AFI Honorary Degrees! Click link in bio to read more. #lilytomlin @im.angelabassett #aficonservatory #commencement #honorarydegrees...
Only one more day left in our week celebrating the brilliance that is #LilyTomlin! In today’s film, Tomlin stars alongside Julia Garner in #Grandma, directed by Paul Weitz with cinematography by #AFIConservatory alum Tobias Datum. #afimovieclub #afialumniday #goldenglobes #gothamawards #juliagarner #paulweitz #tobiasdatum #afialumni...
You’re invited! On September 29, the #AFIConservatory’s 26 graduating #screenwriters will share brief, live pitches in three separate hour-long online sessions. Each hour will feature eight or nine writers as they share something about themselves and their completed feature and TV scripts. Join any or all of these great sessions.
Space is limited, so please send us your email address to be added to the invite list: VirtualPitch2021assist@gmail.com.
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“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