Master in MFA in Cinematography

At AFI Conservatory, tuition comes to 78,151 USD per year, and the application deadline for the Aug 2027 intake is Dec 1, 2026.

The Cinematography discipline is one of six MFA tracks at the AFI Conservatory. Fellows spend two years developing cinematography craft through hands-on production, working on a share of the roughly 28 films the discipline produces each year and gaining access to lighting workshops and practical seminars taught by working cinematographers.

First-year coursework pairs studio-based camera-crew exercises with a technical curriculum covering digital and celluloid processes, exposure, lens tests, and post-production workflows. Fellows also take part in weekly analysis sessions of classmates' Cycle-film cinematography.

In the second year, each Cinematography Fellow produces an individual Visual Essay shot on 35mm film, guided from pre-production through post by the Discipline Head, and screened at the program's annual Visual Essay industry spotlight. Second-year Fellows also take part in advanced production workshops led by visiting cinematographers and complete thesis consultation alongside Directing Fellows.