The Hollywood Reporter's inaugural list and ranking of worldwide film schools called AFI Conservatory "among the most selective film schools in America," with its Fellows benefiting from "speakers and teachers drawn from the highest levels of the industry, supported by the full weight of AFI itself...AFI's glittering parade of alumni, from David Lynch to Darren Aronofsky, remains unrivaled when it comes to auteur filmmakers...If you know where you're going, AFI can get you there." The Hollywood Reporter's list was developed with the help from entertainment industry insiders, including executives and filmmakers, as well as film school graduates. Schools were rated based on a range of criteria such as alumni, cost, facilities, industry access and strength of faculty.

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The application deadline for the 2012-2013 academic year has been extended for the following disciplines:

Cinematography and Screenwriting – applications due by March 30.

Editing, Producing and Production Design – applications due by May 1.

Directing is closed.

All letters, transcripts and TOEFL scores are due by the discipline specific deadlines.

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AFI Alumni Contribute to AFI Awards 2011 Selections

Congratulations to the 19 AFI Conservatory alumni for their creative contributions to the motion pictures and television programs to be honored at AFI Awards 2011 in January. Click here to read the list.

Directing Alumnus ('10), Julian Higgins accepts the Gold Medal Student Academy Award for Narrative from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 38th Annual Student Academy Awards competition for his AFI thesis film, THIEF. Watch the video.

Thesis team includes:

THIEF
West Lee McDowell (P '10), Producer
Julian Higgins (D '10), Director/Co-Writer
Matthew Wieland (S '10), Co-Writer
Andrew Wheeler (C '10), Cinematographer
Justin LaForge (E '10), Editor
Erika Ann Walters (PD '10), Production Designer

AFI Alumni Winners at the College Television Awards

Congratulations to our thesis teams and winners of the 32nd College Television Awards — West Lee McDowell, THIEF (1st Place, Drama), S. Brent Martin, CLEAR BLUE (2nd Place, Drama), Sarah Hannah Bigle, FIRST DATES (3rd Place, Comedy) and Julian Higgins, THIEF (Best Direction).

The AFI Conservatory would like to congratulate Directing faculty member, Mick Jackson, on winning the Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series for his film, TEMPLE GRANDIN. The award was given by the Director's Guild of America.

This is Mr. Jackson's fourth DGA Award, with previous wins for INDICTMENT: THE MCMARTIN TRIAL (1995), TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE (1999), and LIVE FROM BAGHDAD (2002).

Congratulations to Cinematography Senior Filmmaker-in-Residence, Stephen Lighthill!

The AFI Conservatory would like to extend a hearty congratulations to Stephen Lighthill, ASC, and discipline head of the Conservatory Cinematography program, on his recent award from SMPTE. Stephen was the 2010 recipient of the Kodak Educational Award for his lifetime commitment to film and film education. In September, he was also awarded the Deluxe/Bud Stone Award for educational contributions to the Art and Craft of Cinematography at the 2010 Emerging Cinematographer Awards.

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