AI Rate Professor

Film

Payam (P.K.) Ziainia

FILM70835 · FILM50079 · FILM20 · FILM1 · FILM21 · 28 lifetime ratings

AI rating
93/100
RMP rating
4.4/5
Take again
86.36%
Difficulty
3.3

The decision

if you want a transformative film mentor and and high standards.

Best fit · Effort For RewardAmazing lecturesIndustry-style standardsAttendance-criticalFilm mentorHarsh but fair
  • In-person film classes are widely loved for , and real industry standards.
  • Attendance and punctuality are strict and grade-impacting.
  • Online sections are more mixed, with and D grades.

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

FairEffort

62/100

Many students earn As or Bs if they show up, do the work, and engage, but and industry-style standards block free As.

Online reviews include D grades from timed quizzes; .

Is the course easy?

Standard

52/100

but lectures, analysis, and production standards still require real focus.

Online paced more harshly with weekly work; in person feels more story-driven and manageable.

Is attendance flexible?

Mandatory

18/100

leave, and absences hurting grades.

; online also flags commitment and participation.

Is this professor recommended?

MustTake

88/100

Most students call him a , with high would-take-again energy.

; online is more split between love and avoid.

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Fair

48/100

, but several call him a tough or .

Format shift

Online felt especially unforgiving on timed quizzes; in person harsh but often fair.

Workload

Moderate

58/100

Expect films, , and at least one essay rather than nonstop busywork.

Format shift

One online 8-week section felt overloaded; regular in-person load is steadier.

Teaching experience

Excellent

90/100

Students repeatedly praise amazing lectures, humor, mentorship, accessibility, and life-changing film insight.

Format shift

In-person teaching praise is near-universal; online quality depends more on pacing and quizzes.

Assessment method

Balanced

55/100

Grades mix , and essays from lecture material.

Format shift

Online leans quiz and timed-test heavy; in person mixes films, notes, and essays.

Luni fit check

Weigh these signals against your actual schedule.

Get help balancing workload, grading, and timing when no option is an obvious fit.

Course format

Compare the in-person and online experience.

Classroom format

In person

23 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

In person he is a standout film mentor with engaging lectures, great stories, and career-level standards.

Main concern

, and harsh grading that mirrors industry pressure.

What students said

“PK is one of a kind. He tells great stories, has amazing fits, and makes you feel loved. We all got As.”
FILM1
“He's a and won't tolerate lateness but his rules are reflective of what it's like working in the film industry.”
FILM1
“My favorite professor. I took a year and a half of classes from him. Along the way he became a mentor.”
FILM21

Remote format

Online

5 reviews

Medium confidence · Best fit for Self Taught Pro

some call him exceptional and caring, while and failed with Ds.

Main concern

and if you try hard.

What students said

“All the quizzes and . 30 question and 10 or 5 question 2 minutes to complete... I tried so hard and still got a D!!”
FILM1
“ because I could not keep up with the pace as , but professor Ziainia encouraged me to stay in the class. So, I stayed in the class and I earned an A.”
FILM1
“Probably one of while attending community college.”
FILM70835

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

and tests, sometimes with pop quizzes and one essay, not open-book freebies.

Pop quizzesLecture-based testsMidterm and finalEssay componentTimed online quizzes

Assessment risk

Standard

55/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

In person, tests and midterm or final, and an essay.

Pop quizzesLecture-based examsEssayMultiple-choice quizzes
“NO NEED TO GET THE TEXTBOOK! I never opened it and got an A in the .”
FILM1
“ and lots of amazing movies every class.”
FILM1
“ . 1 Essay worth 25% overall. .”
FILM1

Online

Online reviews describe very short timed quizzes and tests that some students found nearly impossible.

Timed quizzesTimed testsWeekly assignments
“All the quizzes and . 30 question and 10 or 5 question 2 minutes to complete...”
FILM1
“He's a and the films are boring. I didn't pass by 1%.”
FILM1

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice

“PK is one of a kind. He tells great stories, has amazing fits, and makes you feel loved. We all got As.”

Voice snapshots generated from 28 reviews, highlighting . Credibility rating: High.

🎬 Teaching Quality

90/100

“ . Really enjoyed his sense of humor. I learned so much and the info has seriously helped me look at filmmaking differently.”

👍 Recommendation Rate

88/100

“Just like everyone on here said taking his class changed the way I look at films. A+”

⏰

18/100

“ and being tardy or leaving early will count against you.”

⚖️

48/100

“He's a and won't tolerate lateness but his rules are reflective of what it's like working in the film industry.”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

  • He tells great stories, has amazing fits, and makes you feel loved.
  • Along the way he became a mentor. The amazing thing is he was everyone's mentor.
  • The philosophical, psychological, political, and historical all converging through film.

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

  • If you try, you will pass.
  • Work hard, u'll do fine
  • I tried so hard and still got a D!!

Theme 3

❤️ About Character

  • Makes you feel like you are speaking with a friend.
  • He is so funny and very approachable.
  • and an inspiration.

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

28

Recent reviews read by the AI

28

Lifetime ratings

86/100

Evidence confidence

28 reviews spanning 2013-2025 with consistent in-person praise and .

Inside 28 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 521
4 out of 53
3 out of 51
2 out of 52
1 out of 51

Course coverage

FILM122 reviews
FILM202 reviews
759481 review
FILM211 review
FILM500791 review
Show 1 more courses
FILM708351 review

Reported outcomes

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

20 reported outcomes

A range

12

A+ 1 · A 10 · A- 1

B range

4

B 4

C range

0

No reported values

D range

2

D 2

F

0

No reported values

No letter grade reported

2

Not sure yet 2