May 26, 2020
AFI Remembers Trailblazer Lynn Shelton
“Anyone of you who are out there thinking that you can’t make a movie because nobody is stepping up to the plate and giving you money and permission to do it. You can. You can do it. You can empower yourself. You can pick up a camera. The technology is there. You can get your…
May 13, 2020
Interviewing the Award-Winning Filmmakers Behind SINGLE
Produced through AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, SINGLE is the brainchild of writer/director Ashley Eakin (DWW, Class of 2020). The sharp comedy follows a young woman (Delaney Feener) with a physical disability confronting unconscious biases – both others’ and her own – when she is set up on a blind date. Originally set to premiere…
May 9, 2020
AFI Movie Club: CHICAGO
CHICAGO was honored with an AFI AWARD in 2002 and appears on two of AFI’s lists of the greatest American films – AFI’s 100 YEARS…100 SONGS and AFI’s 100 YEARS OF MUSICALS! Movie Trivia about CHICAGO –DID YOU KNOW the film is based on the 1926 play “Chicago” written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, which was inspired by two…
May 7, 2020
Lawrence Herbert On His $3 Million Dollar Gift to AFI Conservatory
“At this time in history, it is my honor to create a place at AFI that will drive the future of this global connection between all of us who love a story well-told.” -Lawrence Herbert AFI recently announced a $3 million gift from AFI Trustee Emeritus Lawrence Herbert, which will establish the Lawrence Herbert Alumni…
May 1, 2020
Watch: AFI Alums Hanelle Culpepper and Tessa Blake Talk About Directing Episodic Television
AFI alums Hanelle Culpepper (DWW Class of 2002) and Tessa Blake (DWW Class of 2014) talk with Refinery 29’s movie critic Anne Cohen about working in Hollywood as episodic directors and how Hollywood can reset itself in terms of inclusion. Both directors were on set when the industry shut down: Culpepper was in Vancouver working…
April 30, 2020
AFI Announces Winners of 2020 Writers’ Room Ready Awards
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2020 Writers’ Room Ready Awards: Haley Bartels, Christina Kingsleigh Licud, Kenda Greenwood Moran and Alessandro Pederzoli! The award recognizes outstanding work by AFI Conservatory Screenwriting Fellows, and the winners will be paired with mentors, giving them an opportunity to work directly with established artists. 75% of the past winners…
April 24, 2020
Watch: Kevin Bacon On Directing and Acting
AFI Conservatory Fellows were only one-degree away from Kevin Bacon last week. In AFI’s weekly HLMS seminar – hosted online, of course – the accomplished actor and director spoke with current Fellows about growing as an artist and his working relationship with different directors, including AFI alum Andrea Arnold (Class of 1991) and AFI Life…
April 22, 2020
AFI Announces $3 Million Gift From AFI Trustee Emeritus Lawrence Herbert
AFI announced today that it has received a $3 million gift from AFI Trustee Emeritus Lawrence Herbert, which will establish the Lawrence Herbert Alumni Center on the AFI Campus located in Los Angeles, CA, as well as a digital portal, AFI Backlot, to magnify the center’s global reach to AFI alumni. Herbert joined the AFI…
April 11, 2020
AFI Movie Club: WONDER WOMAN
WONDER WOMAN was honored with an AFI AWARD in 2017 – recognizing it as one of the 10 most outstanding films of the year. And it was directed by an alum of the AFI Conservatory – Patty Jenkins! Movie Trivia about WONDER WOMAN –DID YOU KNOW that Wonder Woman made her first comic book appearance in 1941? –DID YOU KNOW…
April 6, 2020
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and Frederick Elmes on Filming HUNTERS and Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers
Growing up on the Texas/Mexico border in the ‘80s, director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s (AFI Class of 1995) first introduction to the work of legendary cinematographer Frederick Elmes (AFI Class of 1972) was a worn-out VHS tape of BLUE VELVET. Describing Elmes’ filmmaking as “hypnotic,” Gomez-Rejon continued his initiation with other films shot by Elmes – ERASERHEAD,…
April 2, 2020
Dean Susan Ruskin Q&A: How the AFI Conservatory is Adapting to COVID-19
As we continue to evolve to meet this unprecedented moment prompted by the COVID-19 crisis, AFI turned to Dean Susan Ruskin to discuss how the AFI Conservatory has transitioned to online learning over the past several weeks and how Fellows, faculty and staff are adjusting. We spoke with her about the state of the industry,…
April 2, 2020
Member Spotlight: AFI National Council Members and Founders of Last Rodeo Studios
Three AFI National Council members – Steve Stodghill, David Kiger and Philip Erdoes – also happen to be the founders of the production company Last Rodeo Studios. Their latest film SCARE ME had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by AMC Networks’ genre streaming service Shudder. Their collective credits…
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