NAB and Apple Certification

[Moody Glasgow]

Yeah, NAB’s website isn’t very clear on this.

As far as I know, the Post Production Conference and the Certification classes are seperate prices.

https://www.nabshow.com/2008/attendee/packagesandFees.asp
https://www.nabshow.com/2008/conferences/ppwccertification.asp

So, my interpretation of those 2 pages is this: The $900 is for the full week of Post Production conferences. Certification costs $850 per class. Or you can combine certification with the Post Production Conferences for a total of $1325.

I am actually going to the Monday post conference for final cut pro, which comes out to $275 for the day. We had an editor take the hands on Final Cut Level 1 certification class last year. He was a bit overwhelmed and ended up not even take the test at the end of the class. This was my fault, cause I kept him up past his bed time drinking, and gambling.

moody glasgow
smoke artist / editor

[Ron Lindeboom]

Lynda.com has a full complete curriculum available for both Apple Final Cut and Motion. You can pay $25 a month if you just want the lessons at your pace, or you can pay $50 a month if you want the lessons and the project files.

I have yet to meet the person who didn’t get left behind in an area of learning during the conference because they were afraid to put up their hand and stop the class because they missed a point and fell behind from that point on.

I truly think that the days of trade shows and conferences are coming to an end. There used to be a real point to them decades past but today there are so many cheaper and better ways to learn that conferences are becoming a thing of the past.

Also, unless you are planning on writing a book, I have yet to see anyone gain an advantage from a certification program.

Save your money, go to Lynda.com. I would.

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom
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Publisher, Creative COW Magazine
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[Moody Glasgow]

I disagree Ron. I think learning is an individual process, and what works for some people doesn’t work for others. Personally, I like online tutorials for picking up a bit of knowledge here and there. But, I think a classroom is much better if you want a full immersion experience with a program.
But you are right that lynda.com has some great online tutorials. I got a free month of it when I bought my most recent version of After Efftects.
You also correct in saying that you must be aggressive in making sure you don’t get left behind in a class. You are paying just as much as anyone else in that class, so feel free to stop the instructor, and ask questions so that you do understand.

moody glasgow
smoke artist / editor

[Ron Lindeboom]

There are FEW people that learn best in a group setting that is paced to go at the pace that the teacher sets.

MOST people learn best when NONLINEAR learning is involved. (If you don’t think so, that’s your prerogative but it’s the reason that nonlinear editing beat out other forms; that, and it’s cheaper — the two things that nonlinear learning also enjoys.)

For the few that can learn and retain everything that is presented at a conference, “go for it” me says.

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlindeboom
Publisher, Creative COW Magazine
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[Timothy J. allen]

My issue with the courses at conferences is that they don’t go fast enough or cover the material deep enough!

Even though my critisism is coming fromt the other end of the spectrum, it actually supports Ron’s point in that the more students in a class you have, the more difficult it is to connect with each individual student.

I’ve been certified on Media 100, took Avid’s advanced editing course in Tewksbury, and attended several “tracks” of classes at NAB through the years. My mileage on each of these varied. How much I actually *learned* usually depended on the competance and enthusiasm of the instructors and my fellow students.

If you are interested in attending, I’d say go for it. Why? Not because of the actual learning in class… becuase of the comraderie and support to be gained by connecting with other people who are eager to learn more about the same things that you want to learn.

(Of course there are various way to get that too – for instance in this very forum.)

Are you the kind of girl that actually cracks open and reads the manuals or actually goes through the kind of tutorials that you’ll find in “Classroom in a Book” or the Creative Cow series of DVDs? I find the knowledge there is usually deeper than the classes if you are disiplined and follow through with them. If those kind of things don’t provide enough motivation for you, a class setting might be more beneficial.

What works best is truly dependant on your learning style.

As far as whether certification is worth the effort, I have to say that I never got a job because of my certifications, I got them because of the interview and my reel. BUT… having the certifications DID help me make the cut to where I was one of the applicants who was invited to interview and submit my reel.

Certifications might not get you the job, but in my book, they certainly don’t hurt.

[Ron Lindeboom]

[Timothy J. Allen] “As far as whether certification is worth the effort, I have to say that I never got a job because of my certifications, I got them because of the interview and my reel. BUT… having the certifications DID help me make the cut to where I was one of the applicants who was invited to interview and submit my reel. Certifications might not get you the job, but in my book, they certainly don’t hurt.”

I’d agree 100%, Timothy, when one is looking at working with a government entity like NASA, etc. These types of jobs are the only ones where I have seen certification carry a lot of weight.

But even in ad agencies, etc., I have seen that a killer demo reel goes much farther than certification.

But as you say, it can’t hurt. ;o)

My point was speaking strictly from the angle of cost efficiencies and that there are better ways to spend one’s money.

How did your move go, Timothy? Are you and the family settled in???

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlindeboom
Publisher, Creative COW Magazine
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Now in the COW Magazine: Commercials. A look at the history, strategy, techniques and production workflows of successful commercials. All brought to you by some of the COW’s brightest members. Accept no substitutes!

Would you like to be in Creative COW Magazine with your story or contribution? Contact me.

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