The AFI 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 at No.1 among all the film schools in the country by The Hollywood Reporter.

Established in 1969, 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, with a maximum of only 140 graduates per year.

The AFI Conservatory is dedicated to celebrating excellence in the art form and to creating national education initiatives that inspire artists and audiences alike. 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. Over half of the incoming students are women, and nearly half are filmmakers of color.