# Question about The American Feature Film Academy



## aa (May 19, 2011)

Hello everyone 

I have to do an internship in marketing from September 2011 to January 2012 for my studies.

I applied to an offer of The American Feature Film Academy to do marketing (mainly internet) and social networking

And they are interested by my profile.

I looked for what people think about this company-school (if I understood well) and I saw some people criticizing it.

So I would like to have more information. Is this company really bad or it's just few students who say that?

Thanks


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## Bella Bella (May 26, 2011)

Hello   

I was a student there and I had a great experience. I was really drawn to their concept because it's different from the other schools. They focus on making feature films instead of shorts. I'm a go-getter and I wanted a program that would immerse me in real filmmaking right away.

It's a small program (there were 8 students in my class), but because of that they really personalize it for each student. They've been my family away from home and even helped me find a car and furniture for my apartment! I don't think the program is bad at all, but I did work hard while I was there. I like a challenge (which is why I like directing), but not everyone is cut out for this industry.


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## JROSSJR (Jul 10, 2011)

The American Feature Film Academy used to be the LA Feature Film Academy but after the owner was shut down by the CA Dept of Education he changed the name. The owner is such a fraud he's the only one who actually posts good comments about the so-called schools! NO Joke! This school has never even completed a feature film! Please call the CA Dept of Education if you don't believe me and they will give you the facts!


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## JJacob (Jul 12, 2011)

Ok, I have made a bit of inquiry on this school and it looks totally illegitimate and bogus. For one, if you call the L.A. Center Studios where they are located and ask them if they have anything to do with them they don t even know who you are talking about. Then the receptionist put me on hold and came back and said "they just rent space from us".

Interestingly, when the "owner" gives you the tour of the campus, he makes it sound like that is the whole school.

Secondly, I asked people I know that are in the entertainment industry in L.A. and no one had ever heard of that school.

I think this school is all a con and the owner tries to prey on naive and desperate students who want to get into films....

You are better off going to a legit school like NYFA and L.A. Film School. In fact when I went to see them, they hadn't even heard about the AFFA. The "owner" of the school will tell you that those schools are a waste of time and money as you only learn to do shorts...true but at least they are legitimate schools.

His big claim about the AFFA is that you get to be on a feature film right away AND you get to produce your own feature film, which they finance...yeah uhhuh right, we all know how much money it takes to make movies.

There is a saying that goes "if it sounds to good to be true, it generally is"...this is a perfect example....


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## sgunther (Jul 18, 2011)

I decided to check up on this "research" regarding LA Feature Film Academy and the American Feature Film Academy and do some of my own. I made some calls, read everything I could find, and went on a tour. I asked lots of questions.

These last two comments posted above appear to be from a spy from another school, as none of these allegations are true.

The American Feature Film Academy is a tenant of LA Center Studios, as are Madmen, Law and Order, Good Luck Charlie, Shake it Up, and many other productions and industry professionals. So, I don't see how this is a criticism. NY Film Academy rents a building off of Universal Studios. They're doing the same thing.

I called the CA Department of Education (mentioned by a previous commenter), but it wasn't even the right resource to use. I then called the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. I found out that the American Feature Film Academy (AFFA) is a completely different school from the LA Feature Film Academy (LAFFA). 

The LA Feature Film Academy no longer exists. The concept was bought by another company and was turned into an entirely different school - The American Feature Film Academy.  They changed the structure and pricing when they bought the general concept of a school that makes feature films instead of short films.

AFFA is a small private film school/production company that teaches students filmmaking by putting them through the making of a professional feature film that the school is producing. The school cares about the quality of the films, because they make their money from distributing the films (not from the tuition). They only charge $2,500 for 12-week training.

This is how The American Feature Film Academy works:

The American Feature Film Academy charges $2,500 for 12 weeks of hands-on training. Students learn side-by-side with professional filmmakers to make a collaborative feature film for worldwide release, and they receive screen credits on the film. 

Students who complete the 12-week training and the included film financing workshops then have the opportunity to make their own professional feature film assisted by an on-set mentor with a 2-4 week shooting schedule, professional cast, crew, camera, grip, lighting, and post production package. 

The training stands alone and only costs $2,500. The students' individual feature films are financed through a mix of their individual efforts to raise funds, their own (optional) contributions, and/or a co-production with other production companies. Students are co-producers and can choose how they want to be a part of the film (for example, a student interested in directing can direct the film). Because of the "real-world" training at the AFFA, students are making professional feature films that can make money and/or be submitted to film festivals to gain exposure.

Personally, I think they have a great concept. And after researching other film schools, I think the American Feature Film Academy's unique method to teach feature filmmaking makes a lot more sense than making short films at a typical film school.

My only criticism is that their website kinda sucks. Check it out:

http://www.americanfeaturefilmacademy.com/


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## JJacob (Jul 19, 2011)

Interesting how Mr. Sgunther above is making a real marketing speech for this school...I suspect this comes directly from the owner as why would anyone with any kind of interest, take the time to write this whole sales & marketing spiel.

Oh and interesting also how sgunther just became a recent member 6 days after U posted my comment

I would like to add Mr Sgunther that I am not at all affiliated with any other institutions but simply a student looking for a good film school. I went to see quite a few and all had their positive and negative points but I never felt the unease I felt while visiting AFFA which was abound with "red flags" from the moment you walk in. 

As I mentioned, everyone I asked in the industry, had never even heard of them....I wonder why, if they are supposed to be so good and students can work on feature films then...its a concept people in the industry should know.

And why suddenly did the fee go from $39,900 to $2,500? I suppose sgunther knows the answer to that of course


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## JROSSJR (Jul 20, 2011)

Oh my gosh! Seriously? The owners of this school Bill Wesley and Monika Wesley are the ones that posts these replies! Since you both have nothing better to do than to keep watch on the replies here on the board about your con school, let me say this, you are pathetic! You personally made one b-movie called Scarecrows and it's not even worth it to say that you are a has been! You're simple a never were and a never will be! Give up the con and get a frickn job like the rest of us and stop making a living taking other people's money! Go back to Cuba where you are from! Are you even a US Citizen?! Maybe it's time to call immigration on your sorry ass! You're an old washed up soul who's dreams never came true and you get satisfaction from trying to steal the dream of others! Go back to Cuba you sorry ass!


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## UndergroundFilmmaker (Jul 20, 2011)

I can absolute confirm with what JROSSJR has said.  These two people (Monika and William Wesley) go on to film message boards, make up names, and pose as "students" who have attended the "school" and talk up how "amazing" it is and how it was such an amazing experience.  Meanwhile, they've never distributed any feature length film of any kind in it's 4 years of existence.  This is all a part of their bait and switch routine they do to hustle and screw over young filmmakers who have dreams and aspirations of getting into the film industry by making a feature film. If any one thinks I am just a student who "had a bad experience" and I'm "bitter", just get face to face with either one of these individuals and ask them to provide you with proof of getting their students' films made or distributed and I guarantee that they will fold, back track, start making excuses, and then they'll go back to their sales pitch and try to hustle you.  I'm just warning people to avoid to what I experienced.  Oh and if anyone wondered why I used "quotes" referring to this "school" because what they give you is anything but an education in film.


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## lvly2cu (Jul 20, 2011)

Three words....Don't do it! The American Feature Film Academy is a scam, just as their previous business, the LA Feature Film Academy was a scam.  We were snowed over by the owner with his convincing snake oil sales pitch, and his daughter from day one with a bogus tour of their "film academy; when in reality they only rented one room on the lot.  The "tuition" we paid to them up front provided nothing in return.  Months of lies and delays turned in to three years of more lies and delays. Honestly, I don't know how this man sleeps at night with all the money he has taken and the dreams he took away. This is not a film school nor a film academy, and none of my money has ever been returned to me.  There are no take aways from this place...it is only what is taken away from you..your dreams, your aspirations, and your hard earned money.  Don't walk away from this, run.


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## JJacob (Aug 2, 2011)

Thank you JROSSJR, UndergroundFilmmaker and lvly2cu for backing up what I thought. I could have made a huge mistake by going to that school.

I guess in the end, their downfall will be that the owner is over eager to oversell his school (like a used car salesman) making it hard to believe anything coming out of his mouth....


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## wmwesley (Aug 30, 2011)

Greetings Fellow Filmmakers!

My name is William Wesley, founder of both the LA Feature Film Academy (LAFFA) and the American Feature Film Academy (AFFA), and I've joined this forum to address some of the comments posted here regarding these two schools.

First of all, a very grateful thank you for all the kind words posted here by my former and prospective students!

As for the not-so-kind words from either agents of competing film schools (posing as students) or from actual former students of the LA Feature Film Academy, I wish that I could say that I'm grateful for your negative comments as well.

Sure, praise and appreciation feels good, but our greatest opportunity for growth as individuals or as companies comes from criticism. Thus legitimate negative comments or constructive criticisms are always encouraged and welcomed.

However, none of these negative posts can be considered legitimate or constructive, as they are inflammatory, libelous, and racist. I would hope that such comments (posted mostly by JROSSJR) are not welcomed on this forum, as they violate the right-mined and supportive spirit of the Studentfilms.com community, as well as break the first 3 Rules of its Terms of Service:

“1. No flaming or wars OR posting messages which could be considered libelous; 
2. Respect others (see above)
3. Keep post mature (see above)

Good rules to live and post by, but I'd like to suggest adding one more to that list -- that of “turning the other cheek,” a rule that is easy to preach and hard to practice. But I'll give it a shot:

Although certain forum members, especially JROSSJR, made false and libelous statements, made racial comments (about my being Hispanic/Cuban), and attacked my young daughter, who had no control over how the LAFFA was run, I will turn the other cheek and offer them the AFFA's Hands-on Feature Filmmaking Program tuition FREE.

But I am also offering our training tuition free to said forum members, because I'm confident that they will come back to this forum with rave reviews (and hopefully an apology to my daughter, Monika, who has always cared deeply for our students).

This FREE TUITION opportunity is offered to said forum members only if (a) they are not agents of a competing film school and (b) are legitimate former/disgruntled students of LAFFA. If this applies to you, you may contact me directly at 310 281-8111 or via email: wesley@americanfeaturefilmacademy.com

And as a token of my appreciation for considering my point of view in this post, I am offering all Studentfilms.com forum members 10% OFF the AFFA's already low tuition of only $2,500 for our 12-Week Program, which I describe below.

But before I describe our unique teaching methodology, some corrections are in order, as much misinformation has been disseminated by JROSSJR. For example, JROSSJR's statement that the AFFA used to be the LAFFA is FALSE. These are two separate schools, owned by two separate business entities.

The LAFFA ceased to operate nearly a year ago in order to improve on what it had learned from its beta phase. A school of its kind (where students make feature films instead of shorts) had never been attempted, so during its 3 year R&D phase much was learned about how to better deliver this unprecedented training and career opportunity to students.

Then late last year, the LAFFA's proprietary concept and teaching system were purchased by the AFFA, who further refined, streamlined, and compressed this unique teaching system, with the goal of creating not only the world's most accelerated professional film school, but also the least expensive.

At $2,500 there's no better bang for your film school buck. Even if the AFFA's tuition were 4 times higher it would still be a bargain, as no other film school offers hands-on training during the making of professional feature films that are released worldwide, screen credits, a percentage of profits, and the opportunity to write, produce, direct, and/or star in you own feature film upon graduation.

Our goal isn't to become another film school factory (I won't mention names, but they're “the big two”). At these schools, where the business model (their main focus) is to make as many tuition dollars as possible, students graduate improperly trained, unemployable, and heavily in dept with student loans. At these schools, the relationship with a student ends upon graduation.

But at the American Feature Film Academy, that's when the relationship begins because our goal is to turn students into employable professional filmmakers with whom we can collaborate and coproduce feature films.

For further information on this training and career opportunity (and your 10% tuition discount), please contact me directly at 310 281-8111 or via email: wesley@americanfeaturefilmacademy.com

William Wesley, founder American Feature Film Academy

“Our Students Don't Make Student Films, 
they Make Feature Films for Worldwide Release"

Visit our website: www.americanfeaturefilmacademy.com

Call for Studio Campus Tour: 310 281-8111


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## Truegirl (Sep 6, 2011)

Hey William,

This proof that you are a scam artist, found it on the website of the bureau of Private postsecondary education. 
http://www.bppe.ca.gov/enforce...ctions/cf2011001.pdf

You can also report William Wesley. Just contact the bureau of Private postsecondary education.


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## filmlovalot (Sep 25, 2011)

So "AA" what happened to your Marketing Internship?


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## uknowWhoIam (Oct 1, 2011)

William.  Why don't you just refund everyone's money before matters get worse?  Your laffa was ordered to shut down and you didn't even bother to let anyone know.  Instead, you opened affa and began searching for brand new students for a fraction of what everyone else paid.  Not only that, but you're offering users of this site free tuition because you're confident.  How is that fair to the former students?

Let's put the laffa not delivering or even producing a single film typical comments made by others who attended.  

Simply put, your school was never licensed by the bureau, which means all the "contracts" (Which, by the way, no student of yours ever had a copy of and some even claiming to never have even signed anything) were not even legal contracts.  Which means that you are stealing, no matter how intricate you try to word your sentences.  You stole.  Good for your new school and good for your new students.  But, just refund the money to the handful of complaints.  That's all, period.  

You're aware that this matter has already gone to the state.  This is a very serious issue.  Stop stalling. You've already been exposed:

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com...ivering-on-promises/


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## Mike_V (Oct 1, 2011)

Hi,
Before this goes out of hand. I'd like to close the thread so there would not be any more drama.

Studenfilms.com is a site for us to learn and help each other with film making. I understand that there are scam schools out there and that it has to be brought to light, but flaming them with drama causing comments does not help.

EDIT: If you have any concerns, you're welcome to send me a PM.


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