The American Film Institute Conservatory is a non-profit, 501 c3 organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. As such, AFI was most recently ranked No. 1 among all the film schools in the country by The Hollywood Reporter.

Established in 1967, the two-year Master of Fine Arts program provides training in six filmmaking disciplines: Directing, Cinematography, Screenwriting, Production Design Editing and Producing. Admission to AFI Conservatory is highly selective, wth a maximum of only 140 graduates per year.

A dedicated group of working professionals from the film and television communities serve as mentors in a hands-on, production-based environment nurturing the talents of tomorrow's storytellers. AFI applies practical, hands-on collaboration as the primary approach for Fellows to master the art and technique of filmmaking. Fellows collectively create up to 175 films a year and graduate with the ability to confidently step onto a working set and hold their own with any master in their chosen field.

The thesis film is the crowning achievement of a Fellow’s two-year tenure at the AFI Conservatory and showcases the mastery of filmmaking achieved by Fellows. Thesis production is a rigorous nine-month collaborative process that culminates in the production of a 20-minute film.

As AFI is a not for profit organization, your donation is received directly by the AFI Conservatory and is 100% tax deductible.