Becoming an Apple Certified Pro
 

I'm considering becoming and Apple Certified Pro in FCP. I'm just wondering for those of you that are, has it been worht it? Has it opened up any more job opportunities for you and what other benefits can you tell me about?

My instructor is certified in many of the Apple programs (Shake, FCP, etc.)
to be truthful i think to some people that want to hire you for work will look at that certification and be impressed and other people wont.....but i think the latter is more of how it goes. Basically its something to add to the Resume that someone else might not have on theres. :)....isnt there also another type of certification apple offers.....anyways hope this helps

so Dave, did you do it?
 

I've been looking into it myself and am trying to decide if it's worth it. Did you do it? Were you glad you did?

And what's it like? Not asking for the answers, but what style of test is it? Multiple choice? Short answer? Practical project? How would you approach situation X? or What are the 10 different ways to achieve Y?

I spend about 30 hours a week editing in my day job, so I'm getting stuff done all the time, but that doesn't mean I won't cram for the test anyway.

Go for it:-)

You live in a land where "credentials" are king.....paper is in fact often more impressive than actual talent....but if you have both talent and credentials, you'll go along way.

I recently had Guy Cochrane - an Apple Certified editor and trainer who has been all over the world to teach FCP do some work and it was a great pleasure to watch a pro at work....and I suippose you know what pro's are worth per hour?

Wouldn't that be enough to make you want to get the certification? - because you build up a clientele and you name your own price.

Best wishes.

Michael KNight

Kris,

I haven't done it yet but plan to some time after the holidays when I recover from holiday spending :)

I'm like you, I edit 30-40 hours/week and am the IT person at work. I manage all of the Macs and the media we use with them. I just put together an new MacPro based uncompressed HD mobile work station. I know my way around FCP but would love to learn more.

Some people don't know what an NLE is nor do they care. Others specifically want their work done on a particular platform and search for individuals or companies that use what they want.

I think what Michael says is very true in this business as well.

In my world (broadcast television in Los Angeles) Apple Certification is meaningless. Unless you are trying for a job as an Assistant editor in FCP (which we are in DIRE need of out here...everyone fancies themselves editors) it won't mean a thing to the producers looking to hire you. All they want to know is, "are you skilled in the system" and then they will want to see your demo reel. The DEMO REEL is what gets you hired. If they see what they are looking for in an editor and storyteller, they will most likely hire you.

Apple Certification tells us nothing of your storytelling ability, just that you are a skilled technician with FCP...which is exactly what we look for in an assitant editor. The demo reel is what shows off your editing chops.

So...it depends on the work you are looking for, and what area of editing you are looking for work.

Well said Shane.

Something else worth considering perhaps is that while the accreditation may be meaningless to a hirer who would prefer to see a demo reel, one has to be both a good story teller AND an expert in FCP to tell the story.

From what I've seen of FCP trainers in action (like at NAB last March, and Guy Cochrane as I've mentioned) they are awesomely fast....and the accreditation program seems to be one way to learn from the best...and become the best.

At the very least, you'd be in the front running for a job as an assistant editor, and once there, you could really show your stuff....

Michael Knight.

Thanks for all the thoughts and opinions. I think I'll end up having a conversation with my boss, see if she wants me to do it. I'm already a full time editor - well, minus the time spent shooting so I have something to edit. So I don't so much need it for building a client base. I guess my real motivation was to get the level 1 certification so I could use it as leverage to talk my boss into getting me the advanced training classes. If she'll give me the classes without it I won't bother. But it is good to see if folks didn't have it and wished they did, or did have it and now feel like the needn't have bothered.

Smile,
Kris