Motto | Pursue Your Passion |
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Type | For-profit college |
Established | 1999 |
President | Diana Derycz-Kessler |
Students | 2,464 (2014) |
Location | Los Angeles, California, USA |
Campus | Urban |
Website | www.lafilm.edu |
The Los Angeles Film School (informally LA Film School) is a for-profit college offering associate and bachelor's degrees in majors relating to the entertainment industry. The school is located in Los Angeles, California and encompasses the Los Angeles Recording School. The school is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
The Los Angeles Film School was founded in 1999. The school was conceived and founded by married investors Paul Kessler, a financier, and Diana Derycz-Kessler, a Harvard-trained lawyer and entrepreneur, together with Thom Mount, and venture capitalist Bud MaLette. In 1998, the founders developed the idea for the school and made an initial investment of $2 million.
The first classes began in September 1999, and the school's first students graduated in July 2000. The founding faculty included Tom Schatz, professor of film,William Fraker and Janusz Kamiński teaching cinematography, Jon Amiel and Donald Petrie teaching directing, Dede Allen teaching editing, Ron Judkins teaching sound production, and Joe Byron, Director of Technology.
The school was originally funded by Kessler and Derycz-Kessler through their company Bristol Investments. After 18 months, the couple bought out their partners in the school and Dercyz-Kessler became the CEO, seeking to address overspending in a more active role. The total investment in the school had grown to $15 million by 2001, including the installation of the professional equipment required for film production. As of 2001[update], students at the school had created 700 short films. The total number of students was 150 full-time and approximately 30 part-time.