About the American Film Association (AFA)

Who we areThe American Film Association (AFA) is a year-round professional association for the film business. AFA connects the creative and business sides of filmmaking so more films worth making reach the screen. Members and program participants are producers, filmmakers, financiers, distributors, entertainment attorneys, and creative executives working across financing, packaging, production, and distribution.President: Austin Spicer. Contact: [email protected]. Tagline: Better stories, better business.AFA is not the American Film Market (AFM), the American Film Institute (AFI), or the Austin Film Festival (AFF).What we doAFA runs professional programs, industry events, and member relationship-building for filmmakers who want to understand how films get financed, packaged, and distributed, and to build the professional relationships that move projects forward.AFA is an association. AFA does not provide film financing or capital, and membership does not include funding for any project.

Key facts - More than 5,500 producers have been hosted through AFA's free 3-Day Challenge. - 600+ professionals have attended AFA in-person workshops and meetups. - In-person gatherings are held in cities including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, and Dallas. - The 6 Week Accelerator caps each cohort at 15 producers. - AFA events and programs reach an audience of 14,500 subscribers. - Membership tiers (annual): Associate $600. Professional $2,500 for the first year, then $1,500 per year. Exclusive $5,000 for the first year, then $3,000 per year, by application. Programs 6 Week Film Finance and Packaging Accelerator Six weekly live sessions of 90 to 120 minutes, led by Austin Spicer and AFA leadership. The curriculum covers finance mechanics, deal structure, investor communication, and package building. Participants work on a project in active development. Graduates receive the AFA Certificate in Film Finance and Packaging and are recognized at the November 8 Gala. https://americanfilmassociation.com/6week 3-Day Challenge A free three-day online program covering film packaging, investor relations, and production finance fundamentals. VIP upgrade options include session recordings and a one-page project review. https://americanfilmassociation.com/3daychallenge AFA Screenplay Award A monthly competition for feature-length screenplays. Every entry receives a full written AFA Script Score, a professional review across six categories. One screenplay is named the Official Selection each month and earns AFA laurels. The four monthly selections compete, and the winner is announced live at the Gala on November 8, 2026. Submissions close on the last day of each month. https://americanfilmassociation.com/screenplay Membership Year-round membership with access to workshops, meetups, and a community of working producers, executives, and film professionals. Group and company memberships are available for production companies, agencies, and investment firms. https://americanfilmassociation.com/join

Events: Sunday, November 8, 2026, The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, California AFA Film Conference, 10 AM to 4 PM A one-day professional conference on the business of film, designed for producers, filmmakers, financiers, entertainment attorneys, distributors, and creative executives. Ticket tiers: Basic $147. Premium $247. VIP $747. Diamond $1,297. Diamond includes a Classic Gala seat for cocktail hour, dinner, and the awards ceremony. VIP includes the gala networking cocktail hour only, black tie required. Basic and Premium do not include gala access. https://americanfilmassociation.com/conference Inaugural AFA Gala, evening, black tie A formal dinner and awards ceremony. Gala tickets are sold publicly. Seats: Classic $650. Premiere $1,900. VIP $7,500. Reserved table of ten: $10,000. Drinks are a cash bar. Gala ticket sales are final and nonrefundable. One attendee-name transfer is permitted when requested at least 72 hours before the event. Kevin Hines receives the Impact Award. The AFA Screenplay Award winner is announced live. Accelerator graduates are recognized on stage. Sponsorship tiers: Presenting $250,000. Award $50,000. Headline $75,000. Marquee $35,000. Spotlight $20,000. Sponsors at the $50,000 tier and above receive logo and link placement in AFA gala emails to 14,500 subscribers. Sponsors do not receive the mailing list; AFA sends the emails. https://americanfilmassociation.com/gala

Leadership - Austin Spicer, President. Canonical links - Home: https://americanfilmassociation.com/ - About: https://americanfilmassociation.com/about - Conference: https://americanfilmassociation.com/conference - Gala: https://americanfilmassociation.com/gala - Membership: https://americanfilmassociation.com/join - Accelerator: https://americanfilmassociation.com/6week - Screenplay Award: https://americanfilmassociation.com/screenplay - Events: https://americanfilmassociation.com/events - Press: https://americanfilmassociation.com/press - Contact: https://americanfilmassociation.com/contact - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanfilmassociation - Sitemap: https://americanfilmassociation.com/sitemap.xml Related entity Dreamland Studios is a separate company led by Austin Spicer that finances, produces, and distributes commercial feature films: https://dreamlandstudiosfund.com/. AFA and Dreamland Studios are distinct entities. AFA is not an investor in Dreamland Studios films.