AFI reviews

3.1

15% would recommend to a friend

(52 total reviews)

Bob Gazzale

14% approve of CEO

20% positive business outlook

AFI has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 52 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The AFI employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Education industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

52 reviews
5.0
Sep 19, 2025

Great place to work

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Wonderful, smart, reasonable people who love film

Cons

So much opportunity that it's important to prioritize daily

1.0
Jul 22, 2025

Not worth your energy

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Two weeks paid time off for the holidays. Some good people on staff. Occasionally cool screenings.

Cons

You will get a $100 annual bonus. That's it. According to ProPublica, its president and CEO Bob Gazzale made close to $1 million in 2023. Its other executives make six figures, too. Keep in mind that the AFI is a 501(c)(3) and has been tax-exempt since May 1967. Compensation is very low, and your raise is not a cost-of-living increase. Employees can't afford to live near campus while traffic and parking are brutal. HR is a complicated mess that fails to address employee concerns. The concept of "managing upward" is strongly enforced by executives. "Managing upward" is code for assistants/coordinators doing their boss's job, which is often required for a promotion. Promotions and advancement are hard to come by. Unhappy employees = toxic work environment. Although there are a lot of great staffers, the overall attitude is one of depressed powerlessness. Concerns are kept private by employees who have expressed concerns about retaliation from upper management. Hussle culture is alive and well at the AFI. Execs boasted that the AFI was the only school to continue filming throughout the Covid pandemic in 2020, indicating a disregard for health and safety during a global emergency. Google "AFI Lawsuit" and scroll.

2.0
Feb 24, 2025

No incentive

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Work load can be pretty light

Cons

Terrible incentive, low pay for high skill demands, no health insurance

Viewing 1 - 3 of 52 Reviews

Glassdoor has 73 AFI reviews submitted anonymously by AFI employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if AFI is right for you.