Schools training: need to brush up on the latest software update? Eager for a career in post production? You have many options

Post, Sept, 2005 by Debbie Galante Block

As the media world becomes more and more sophisticated, software and equipment are constantly changing. It's a fast-growing industry, which means two things: new jobs are being created, and more schools are offering the training needed to land those jobs. Plenty of options are available. Whether it's a certificate program or a full-fledged college education, there is a school for you ... and many now offer job placement. The following is a sampling of what options exist.

VIDEO SYMPHONY, INSTITUTE OF POST PRODUCTION

(www.videosymphony.com)

LOCATION: Burbank

CURRICULUM: This is a nationally accredited career college. Courses and certificate programs fall under one of three areas: (Avid-emphasis) Film & Video Editing, (Pro Tools-emphasis) Sound Editing & Mixing, and (Adobe-emphasis) Motion Graphics. The most popular courses and the ones that have been offered for the longest amount of time, since startup in 1994, are associated with Avid. The 14-month Avid Professional Program is customized for each individual. The program consists of about 30 classes, which can be scheduled however the students want--weekends, weekday, skip a week, etc. Many of the courses are developed for and offered exclusively at Video Symphony (VS), says president Mike Flanagan. Also, every instructor is an experienced production professional. What Flanagan is most proud of is being a post production school that provides comprehensive job-readying programs along with job placement services.

STUDENTS: VS caters to two groups: working industry professionals upgrading their skills who take individual courses, as well as career changers and starters who enroll in one of three Certificate Programs. "We do have some students ages 18 and up, but we are more of an adult education center with an average student age around 30," says Flanagan. "Annually we may have about 600 or so industry professionals and about 200 Certificate Program students," says Flanagan. Student ratio is about 10 to 12 students to one teacher.

HOUSING: Available is a full-time housing coordinator who assists incoming students to obtain housing in apartments and houses that VS leases solely for its students. Most housing costs between $425 and $750 monthly.

TUITION: Ranges from $395 for an individual eight-hour class to $24,995 for the 14-month Avid Professional Program that comprises 1,072 hours and includes student counseling and job placement.

CHALLENGES/TRENDS: Post is becoming more data oriented. Even processes that were analog or film-based are becoming digital, says Flanagan.

EX'PRESSION COLLEGE FOR DIGITAL ARTS

(www.expression.edu)

LOCATION: Emeryville, CA

CURRICULUM: Started up in 1999, Ex'pression is an accredited school offering accelerated Bachelor's Degrees in three programs: Sound Arts (all various applications for audio); Digital Visual Media (focuses on animation, 3D modeling, motion capture, all of the various aspects of computer graphics): and Digital Graphic Design (strong emphasis on broadcast design and motion graphics).

"In addition to actually doing course work, we have a career development program that gives individual attention to each of our students as they're preparing to graduate. Some of our top students have the opportunity to be in our mentor program where they are mentored by industry professionals either in the Bay Area or remotely," says director of marketing Karen Wertman.

STUDENTS: "If you have absolutely no college credits whatsoever, you can come in and get a degree in 31 months," says Wertman. Industry professionals also have the option of single tracking, which means if somebody wants to do a motion capture course, and there is space in the class, they can come in and pay a separate tuition. "While we are not set up for a certificate program, we do still have professionals coming in to ramp up skills." she says. A one to one student to machine ratio is key in the visual program with no more than 12 students per instructor in a lab. In sound arts labs there is a ratio of six students per instructor.

HOUSING: The school acts as a resource for students looking for housing. Several apartment buildings are reportedly in walking distance from the campus.

TUITION: $59,500 for the full program, which includes all books and materials.

CHALLENGES/TRENDS: Audio post production area is growing for handheld devices. "We also have a curriculum that focuses on audio for gaming," says Wertman.

UCLA EXTENSION

Department of Entertainment Studies and Performing Arts

(www.uclaextension.edu/entertainmentstudies)

LOCATION: Westwood, CA

CURRICULUM: Continuing education classes are available for film and television. Students can take one class or they can take an entire certificate program. Also available are certificate programs in business and management, music, recording and engineering. Some students, when they finish their film and television certificates, can go into a level-two certificate program where they take another 36 units. From there they can go into a specialization like post production or cinematography or business management, for example. "We are certified by Avid, Apple, Discreet, Autodesk and Adobe," says program rep Judith Chlipala. Twenty percent of the class offerings change per quarter. "We have a group of industry professionals that are on an advisory committee that keep us abreast of trends," she says.