NAB advice

[Chris Harlan]

Hey y’all. A few quick questions.

I’ve been back on Media Composer for about eight months, on and off, after an extremely long–read decades–absence. I’m enjoying myself immensely. I’m feeling quite comfortable, though I know there are a lot of little pockets I still need to master.

Well, I’m considering going to NAB this year, and I’m considering taking that three day crash course for User Certification. What do you all think about that?

Is certification actually worth anything these days?

Have any of you taken the course, and will I pick things up that I couldn’t easily learn elsewhere?

If I’m already feeling pretty comfortable doing my work on it, will I be picking anything up that is worth one third the cost of a Macbook Pro? Well, actually half, when you include the extra hotel days.

Any other thoughts about it?

I’ve never been much for training courses, but maybe that’s a mistake on my part. If you have any thing to share, please let me know.

Thanks.

[Michael Phillips]

If you’re looking to get a job in an Avid job – either permanent or via freelance, the certification gives some idea of the base level of training achieved. So it’s a good starting point. If you’re your own one-man shop with your own clientele, it’s really up to you whether you need certification or not, or just learn more on Media Composer functionality via the myriad of tutorial videos available.

Michael

[Chris Harlan]

[Michael Phillips] “If you’re looking to get a job in an Avid job – either permanent or via freelance, the certification gives some idea of the base level of training achieved.”

I certainly get the concept, but I’ve always been a bit leery of the actual value of software certification programs. They often seem to be as much about arcane nomenclature as actual useful field knowledge, designed to prop up or otherwise propagate a brand. You say Canvas, I say Record Monitor; let’s call the whole thing off, as it were.

[Michael Phillips] “If you’re your own one-man shop with your own clientele, it’s really up to you whether you need certification or not, or just learn more on Media Composer functionality via the myriad of tutorial videos available. “

Unfortunately or fortunately, my world’s a little more complicated than either/or. I do both, and, over the last few years find myself running crews, as well–lead Preditor and post supervisor in one. Those were all lengthy Final Cut Pro adventures, and I don’t think I ever once actually thought of certification when looking for help.

Once upon a time, you couldn’t get any kind of Avid training (besides field experience) without it being official. Those days, thankfully, are gone. Over the last year, I’ve worked through some terrific books and many terrific tutorials, and I’m having a hard time imagining that the “official” classes will add anything to what I’ve already learned. In fact, my fear is that I will spend a chunk of money on an intensive that chases baby steps I’ve already taken.

I know that the Avid mindset can be a bit different than the FCP world I’ve been in for so long, which is why I’m asking 1) what certification really means to people, and 2) if anyone has taken these specific set of courses and what they think about them?

[Michael Phillips]

Some of my thoughts on the first example got typo’d out, now that re-read it. I meant to say getting a job in an all “Avid shop” a certificate can at least help filter out those with some level of “familiarity” versus those who don’t. Not that someone who isn’t certified isn’t qualified – it’s one of those things that gives a head start to the conversation.

You can certainly go though a book like Media Composer 6:
https://www.amazon.com/Media-Composer-Editing-Essentials-Learning/dp/1133727980/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364937889&sr=1-1&keywords=media+composer+6

Which is based on entry level certification on your own. The benefit of any class situation is the ability to ask the questions usually not covered in a book which is usually “how” but also when and why?

Michael

[Chris Harlan]

[Michael Phillips] “Some of my thoughts on the first example got typo’d out, now that re-read it. I meant to say getting a job in an all “Avid shop” a certificate can at least help filter out those with some level of “familiarity” versus those who don’t. Not that someone who isn’t certified isn’t qualified – it’s one of those things that gives a head start to the conversation.

You can certainly go though a book like Media Composer 6:
https://www.amazon.com/Media-Composer-Editing-Essentials-Learning/dp/1133727...

Which is based on entry level certification on your own. The benefit of any class situation is the ability to ask the questions usually not covered in a book which is usually “how” but also when and why?
“

Ah. Got it. I’m also wondering if I don’t want to do it as some sort of personal rite of passage, something that makes me feel a little bit more on board in my own head. I’m starting to think of it like it might be kind of a fun vacation workout intensive, and a fine way to say goodbye to FCP. A bit pricey, but what the hey. Of course, that might argue for doing the Premiere course, instead, as I’ve vowed that I’m going to get fast fingers on both of them.

As to books, I’ve already got the text you linked to on my iPad. It’s very thorough, though frankly, I have thumbed it more than read it. Personally, I really liked Avid Agility. I found it a little more relatable. Among the several tutorials I’ve waded through–all good–I especially liked Steve Kanter’s Avid Six Core Training.

I’m delivering the finals in a series of episodic promos tomorrow, that I’ve been using MC to work on, and then I have a little time, so maybe its good to tie together all of the far-flung training and practical work into some sort of codifying event. Maybe turning it into a moment is worth the price of admission, itself–I tell myself as I reach haltingly for the credit card.

[Chris Harlan]

[Michael Phillips] “You can certainly go though a book like Media Composer 6:
https://www.amazon.com/Media-Composer-Editing-Essentials-Learning/dp/1133727...
“

Michael, I owe you! Thanks. I get the full picture, now. This book and its companion ARE the course. When I compared my copy’s table of contents to the syllabus, I realized that they were exactly the same. The course is not for me, and I’m glad that I followed through on your posts before ordering. I’m quite a bit further down the road at this point, though I’m sure there are many details that I haven’t focused on, so I’m going to review.

I’ve downloaded the other three books in the series, as well, and will go for both certificates just to do it. Rite of passage, thing. Again, thanks for taking the time to respond. You saved me a pretty penny, especially when you add the extra hotel days to the cost of the course.