How many of your are Certified AVID or FCP

[Grinner Hester]

Certifications are for engineeers, not editors. Your reel is what will get you gigs, not a piece of paper of any kind.

[Rory Brennan]

I don’t have either certification, will never get either and can proficiently use both programs.

Why would someone ask for 8 years of experience and think that in that time, having certification would matter. If you cannot cut with Avid or FCP after 8 years, who cares if you are certified.

So why are they asking for it? Are they an inexperienced setup who thinks that this is what is required of a good editor?

I guess the solution would be to address the lack of the certifications in you cover letter and explain tat your years of experience outweigh any additional information you could possibly learn in one of those certification classes. Let’s face it, if you’ve been using Avid professional (and consistently) since 1993, you might as well go teach the Avid certification.

Rory Brennan
Editor
New York City

[Rocco Rocco]

I’m not certified. But it sounds to me like if it’s not too much trouble or cost, then it might be worth it. We can all bark back and talk about how pointless it is (maybe it is) but if employers are asking for it, then why not add it to your arsenal. Hell, you might even learn something. If it literally comes down to “At this point in time for this specific job I won’t be able to work with out it” then do it.

[Bill Davis]

The only time I ever see someone demanding “certification” it’s on Craigs List – typically as part of a Job Offer Post that requires not only “certification” but someone willing to provide all the professional equipment required, plus uncompensated out of state travel, planetary class creative skills, and a decade or so of top level experience – all in exchange for $100 a day. (and CREDIT of course!)

[John Grote, jr.]

Thank you for all your responses!!! Bill is correct, this was a Craigslist posting.

I’ve been an AVID editor for over 16 years and it amazes me how many people say they have taken AVID training, but have no clue or experience editing what so ever. I got burned a couple of times in the late 90’s when I had to hire some freelancers to pick up some of the overflow work. Needless to say, I would up finishing half the sessions, because they were clueless other than pushing buttons and no client skills.

I would imagine that we have all encountered people like this and with how cheap it is to buy a system they are here to stay. But I have a saying that maybe a little brash, “You can hire me now and pay once or go cheap and pay twice.” Funny thing is it has happened many times over and the last time it happened, the client lost most of his footage over the person he hired incompetence. Cost him more in the long run. Oh well.

That is why you hire a professional!!!

Cheers,

John

J. Grote, Jr.

[Jeremy Doyle]

I’m level 1 certified in FCP. I didn’t take the class. My employer paid the testing cost. At the time I had roughly 6 years FCP experience. When I went to take the test, everyone else there had taken the class together. I was the 1st one done and passed with 95%. I didn’t stay around to see how those who had taken the class finished.

With your experience, I’m sure you’d have no trouble passing the tests.

[Beau Brotherton]

I once asked a production company owner what they thought about being certified in FCP. He said that if an editor told him that he was certified, he probably wouldn’t hire them because he was certified. The owner said that it would be a sign that the editor was just a button pusher with out any skill.

Beau Brotherton
Reel Memories Wedding Films
http://www.reelmemories.ws
FCP6, HVX200

[Shane Ross]

I took the Avid Certification…well, I took a 3 day Avid Bootcamp and received certification that I took that class. I used that certification only to get jobs as an Assistant Editor. That is the job that required the technical know-how of Avid. SO when an employer asked “do you know the Avid?” I was able to say “Yup, I took the Bootcamp, and have been using it for 3 years.” I had been using it BEFORE the bootcamp, but I learned a lot more stuff in taking that class.

But as an editor…that certification is meaningless. Reputation and reel…that’s what counts.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Grinner Hester]

I subscribe to this. When hiring freelancers, the certified engineer types are the ones I don’t waste time interviewing. I need artists and story-tellers. I do my own maintenence.

[Scott Sheriff]

I agree with all the ‘don’t need certification’ opinions. That certificate doesn’t magically make you an editor.