Los Angeles Film Studies Center

Name

Los Angeles Film Studies Center

Legal name

LA Film Studies Center

Website

https://lafilmstudies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Education / Higher Education Program

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faculty-Led Study Tours & Embedded Short Programs (Home Institution-Led) (EDAIAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA), Academic Program Housing (Study Abroad, Language Schools, Field Schools) (THAMAGAE)

Keywords

• Film studies education
• Semester programs
• Film internships
• Production workshops
• Screenwriting courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Hollywood / Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Semester Program Fees: LAFSC charges instructional and housing fees for its semester-long program. Instructional fees are $13,150 and housing fees are $6,750, totaling $19,900 per student per semester. Food is not included. Students pay a $300 program deposit and a $700 housing deposit upon enrollment confirmation. Each student's home institution may apply its own financial aid policies.
2. Donations and Grants: As a CA-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, LAFSC accepts donations from alumni, industry sponsors, and larger private donors. Recurring small-dollar donations from alumni and one-time or multi-year grants from foundations support program operations and student experiences. 100% of donations go directly to funding classes and student experiences.
3. Industry Sponsorships: Industry partners and sponsors contribute in-kind support including internship opportunities, equipment loans, facility discounts, and other operational resources that reduce program costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

LAFSC delivers a semester-long, 16-credit undergraduate film and television studies program in Hollywood, combining in-person coursework taught by working industry professionals on active studio lots (Sunset Las Palmas Studios, Sunset Gower Studios) with 20–24 hours per week of industry internship placements. The program includes a faith-integrated curriculum, career coaching, a festival-ready short film portfolio piece, and furnished student housing at Park La Brea. Pricing is $19,900 per semester ($13,150 instructional fees + $6,750 housing fees).

Product overview

LAFSC operates as a single unified educational program—a semester-long, 16-credit film and television studies curriculum for undergraduate students. The core product consists of the LAFSC Semester Program, which integrates six course components: the Faith and Artistic Development core course (3 credits); three elective courses—Narrative Storytelling (3 credits), Hollywood Production Workshop (4 credits), Professional Screenwriting (3 credits), and Acting for the Camera (3 credits)—from which students choose; and the Inside Hollywood internship class (6 credits). The program also provides housing accommodations at Park La Brea as an ancillary service. All components are delivered through in-person instruction by working industry professionals at Hollywood studio lots.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LAFSC Semester Program A semester-long, 16-credit undergraduate film and television studies program combining practical coursework on working Hollywood studio lots with 20–24 hours per week of industry internships, faith-integrated curriculum, career coaching, and a festival-ready short film portfolio piece. Designed for undergraduate students (primarily from CCCU member institutions and other universities) seeking Hollywood production experience and transferable academic credit toward a four-year degree.
• LAFSC Student Housing at Park La Brea Ancillary furnished student housing provided as part of the LAFSC semester program: 2-bedroom/2-bathroom and 3-bedroom/2-bathroom apartments in a gated residential community at Park La Brea near Beverly Hills, walking distance to LAFSC facilities and local amenities. Included basic furniture, TVs, and kitchenware; bundled into the $6,750 housing fee.

Quantifiable outcome

• Each student produces a festival-ready short film as a portfolio piece.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor thirty years, LAFSC operated as a semester-long off-campus studies program under the CCCU. Following the CCCU's pivot to international programs post-pandemic, LAFSC became independent but continues to serve CCCU member institutions as a primary recruiting channel. LAFSC's curriculum, which integrates faith, spirituality, and ethics into film studies, aligns with the CCCU's institutional mission.
• Geena Davis Institute on Gender in MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLAFSC students have interned at the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, a nonprofit organization focused on gender representation in entertainment. This represents an industry connection that provides internship opportunities for LAFSC students.
• Park La BreaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLAFSC partners with Park La Brea, a gated residential community adjacent to Beverly Hills, to secure furnished short-term lease apartments for students during the semester. This housing partnership provides students with accommodation walking distance to the LAFSC facilities and local amenities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• USC School of Cinematic Arts: Premier film school at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, the largest and most established film program in the city. Sets the competitive standard for LA film education; LAFSC's $19,900 semester sits at a small fraction of USC's tuition while offering a more limited curriculum.

Direct peers

• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): Major US-based study abroad provider that operates semester and short-term programs in multiple countries and disciplines. Comparable to LAFSC in the 'study abroad / off-campus studies' provider category, though without the film-specific curriculum and faith component.
• IES Abroad: Large US study abroad provider offering semester and short-term academic programs abroad. A direct peer in mission and structure as a non-degree-granting semester program provider; does not typically offer film-specific programs with studio lot access like LAFSC.
• New York Film Academy: Operates multi-location hands-on film schools including a prominent Los Angeles campus offering semester and short-term programs. NYFA is the closest direct competitor to LAFSC in format and target student, though it is a for-profit institution without LA Film Studies Center's faith-based curriculum.
• Emerson College: Boston-based college with a major Los Angeles campus offering film, television, and visual media programs. Comparable to LAFSC for students seeking LA-based production experience, though it is a full university rather than a semester program.
• Columbia College Hollywood: Small, faith-friendly private college in the Los Angeles area exclusively focused on cinema, animation, and the performing arts. Strongly comparable to LAFSC in mission, scale, and emphasis on hands-on production training in Hollywood.
• Chapman University – Dodge College of Film and Media Arts: Top-ranked LA film school offering undergraduate and graduate film programs with strong industry connections. Comparable to LAFSC in location and industry orientation, although it is a full degree-granting university rather than a semester program.
• Loyola Marymount University – School of Film and Television: LA-based Jesuit university with a prominent film school integrating liberal arts and faith perspectives into film education. Overlaps with LAFSC's faith-integrated approach, though it is a full degree-granting institution on a single campus.
• The Los Angeles Film School: LA-based private film school offering degree and short-term programs in production, animation, and entertainment business. It directly competes with LAFSC for Hollywood-based film students, though it offers longer-form degree programs rather than semester-long credit transfers.
• AFI Conservatory: American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles offers MFA training in cinematography, directing, editing, and production. A direct peer in the LA film education market, though its programs are graduate-level rather than undergraduate semester experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/los-angeles-film-studies-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Los Angeles Film Studies Center