In 1989 Steven Spielberg was directing "Indiana Jones 3" in Petra. He became friends with His Majesty King Abdullah II (then Prince Abdullah). Later His Majesty sought his friend's advice on setting up the first MFA program in Cinematic Arts for the MENA region. His Majesty felt that it was vital to train the brightest and best young MENA filmmakers and artists to ensure that the next generation of MENA media leaders would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their overseas counterparts.
Spielberg introduced His Majesty to Dr. Elizabeth Daley, the Dean of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, universally recognized as the leading film school in the world. In 2006, USCSCA and the Royal Film Commission Jordan signed an agreement to cooperate.
That same year Dr. James Hindman, the former Chief Operating Officer of the American Film Institute, and Provost of the American Film Institute Conservatory, moved to Aqaba to set up the ambitious graduate film institute on land donated by the Jordanian government.
September 1 2008 the new Institute was launched. May 21 2010 the first graduation was held, under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II. August 20 2010 the Class of 2012 arrived to start their two-year program.