Help me choose an editing workshop!

December 29, 2005 11:49 AM

Advice on non-degree film editing workshops?

I'm planning now for next summer, which I hope will involve some kind of intensive film editing education (I'm envisioning a program of 1-4 weeks, in the US--possibly NYC, unlikely to be LA). I have no idea how to choose among my options. I am not a complete novice but would like to sharpen my skills considerably before going out into the freelance feature film world as some kind of grunt/lackey/lunch-getter. I do have some experience in Avid, more in Final Cut Pro.

I've heard happy things about:
-NYU summer workshops
-Rockport, Maine Film and Television Workshops
-The Edit Center in NYC

Does anybody here have any experience/opinions on any of these places, or for that matter, on any others I haven't thought about? Thanks!

posted by catesbie to education (5 comments total)

I work for a company that does this (fmctraining.com). We're train all the major players (i.e. TV Network people) on the East Coast. We're also a small, friendly company. If you call, I know one of the reps will take a long time to talk you through various alternatives.

You might want to take our "Avid Master Class," which takes you through all the Avid courses. Depending on how much money you have to burn, you could also take our Final Cut courses. We also offer classes on Animation, Post-effects, 3D and other, related topics.

I feel weird "selling" my company to you. I'm a teacher, and it's not usually my job to directly promote the company. But I will say that I've been working for them for five years, and I can vouch that we're a good, dedicated group -- and we're highly respected in the industry.

Note: our classes are 80% about the technology and only 20% about the aesthetics. In other words, we'll mostly be teaching you how to operate an Avid station. We'll spend less time teaching you the grammar of editing (i.e. when you should cut from a longshot to a closeup).

Some of the big schools (i.e. Pratt) focus more on the aesthetics. I know this, because many of their students take our classes. They say that at their school, they learn a ton about the history and aesthetics of editing, but they have trouble figuring out how to use the software and hardware involved.

Feel free to email me (see my profile) if you have any questions.

PS. We have an AWESOME internship program. You work for us for a few months (for free) and then get to take many thousands of dollars worth of classes without having to pay for them.
posted by grumblebee at 1:29 PM on December 29, 2005

I've taught at The Edit Center (I've been on back to back editing jobs for the past couple of years, but will probably teach there again soon) and can vouch for their dedication and expertise.

Damn, this is going to sound like a sales pitch. Sorry.

Their weekend and one-week classes touch on aesthetics and professional workflow, but focus mostly on learning Final Cut.

The six-week editing program, however, has you -- after the first training week -- cutting scenes from an actual film project and learning to work with the director or producer to, as a class, put together a rough cut of the film. You end up with scenes for your reel and a credit for your resume. It gives you the time to really learn how to use Final Cut professionally and efficiently (which in your case might mean unlearning certain habits like using the mouse instead of the keyboard) and to learn aesthetic fundamentals by actually doing a job. The teachers are all editors, so even the technical aspects are taught with an eye toward the professional craft. (What a terrible phrase. You can replace with appropriate synonyms.)

A good number of students end up getting work as editors or assistant editors right after the class, so there's a good chance it would mean you could skip the "grunt/lackey/lunch-getter" stage completely, but know that there's no formal job-placement service. They do help former students get work, but it's completely informal and nothing's guaranteed. Something to keep in mind is that half of any editing job is really about interpersonal skills, so be kind and seem smart, but not so kind and so smart that it's obnoxious.

You can email me with questions (listed in my profile), but I only check that account once a week or so.

Incidentally, I've heard good things about grumblebee's place. I think we've shared a weekend teacher or two, but probably only from their NYC location.

P.S. - I don't know through first hand experience, but I'd stay away from anything New York Film Academy related.
posted by nobody at 2:23 PM on December 29, 2005

My interest is purely video and TV, but I have pretty much learned AVID on my own with the help of some manuals (Kaufman and the one that AVID sells). I bought the software, and spent about 2 hours each saturday for two months.

After I had the initial skills, I swapped some time with an expert who gave me an afternoon of tips. After a month more of saturdays on my own, he says i am good enough to work at local station (he is network).

If you are looking for final cut pro, the Apple store runs some free workshops that are really good. check their schedule.
posted by Duck_Lips at 2:31 PM on December 29, 2005

I went to film school in New Zealand so can't really help you, but this caught my eye:

PS. We have an AWESOME internship program. You work for us for a few months (for free) and then get to take many thousands of dollars worth of classes without having to pay for them.

"avid master class" = expensive but good.
internship = financial hardship but a priceless opportunity to network with people who actually work in the industry ("We train all the major players"), and also might represent a good opportunity to play around with equipment during off hours.
if you can, take the internship. good luck.
posted by ancamp at 5:47 PM on December 29, 2005

I'm keeping quiet on this. I have vested interest along grumblee's lines, I have a friend who ran the edit center, and I've been invited on numerous occasions to teach at Rockport.

But if you email me where my words aren't on a public site, I'll give you the pros/cons of what you may be looking for (god, for anon answers!)
posted by filmgeek at 6:32 PM on December 29, 2005