Apple Certification Exam at DVinfo.net

Joe Gioielli · May 5th, 2004, 09:24 AM

I'm thinking of taking the apple certification exam for Final Cut Pro.

Has anyone taken it? Are there areas I should focus on in my studies or is this a "know everything" kind of gig.

Any help would be great.

Josh Brusin · May 5th, 2004, 09:29 AM

didn't know they still offered certification... where are you taking it?

Joe Gioielli · May 5th, 2004, 10:25 AM

It seems it is something of a franchise industry. There is a company in Florida call Genius DV that offers courses and exams. I plan on taking it in Celebration, Florida.

Josh Brusin · May 7th, 2004, 03:31 PM

why would you need to? Does the paper give you any advantages?
I'm in Chicago and have gone through training in Premeire, AE, Director, etc... but have really never mentioned it aside from being a line on my resume... never had to pay for it though!
I would look into official Apple certification if they offer it at WWDC or NAB or the like... expensive but having apple on you resume is probably worth it...?

Joe Gioielli · May 7th, 2004, 04:41 PM

I took a course for FCP and when I asked the instructor about it, he felt the same way. The class is an Apple certified class, isn't that good enough? He seemed to think it wasn't essental. I bet it really is a resume thing.

At $150 for the test, it isn't cheap, but it isn't a bank breaker either.

If you don't plan on ever working for someone else, I wouldn't bother. As I have delusions about working for someone else, I'm going to give it a go.

Josh Brusin · May 7th, 2004, 07:02 PM

I do project work for large ad agencies and they never ask... I'd take that $150 and put it towards buying Motion when it comes out... Especially these days software comes out so fast that your certification in 2 or 3 years will mean only that you are capable of learning a package. You could benefit from stocking up on FCP 3.0 books cheap or better yet editing books in general> FCP is only the tool. Editing is something more...

Shane Ross · May 7th, 2004, 11:44 PM

If you don't know how to use FCP, then take the class. If you do, then don't bother. You won't be hired based on what classes you take, but your skill at creative editing.

What does the certification class teach you anyway? How to use the application in a creative way, or the mechanics and technical aspects of it and how to set it up and fix it if it breaks?

Kevin Burnfield · May 13th, 2004, 05:28 PM

well, if you want to start teaching people FCP I think it would be a good idea but if you just want to impress clients... well, you know the kind of clients you deal with better then we.

Yeah... I've had people say "Where did you go to school..." and "What's your degree in..?" and crap like that.

Some clients seem to think that unless you've got some piece of paper saying you can do something that you can't.

I don't understand that but there are people out there.

I friend of mine was shooting a commercial for a car dealership and he rented a couple of lights and the little stuff he needed because he had scouted everything and knew what he needed but the owner of the dealership started looking around and asking where the rest of the equipment was--- he realized that this was the kind of guy that unless he saw BIG that the end product wouldn't be BIG.

So he told the owner that it was coming, sent one of his assistants down to the rental house to rent a grip truck and bring it back.

He had him unload a pile of junk and start setting it up and making it look all impressive. By the time he was done with that he had gotten all the footage he needed and was pretty much done with the shoot.

He had the assistant load up the truck and take it back.

Needless to say he charged the dealership for a 2 day rental of the truck on top of his fee for the commercial.

(shrug) It's up to you, if you think it has value then it has value.

Joe Gioielli · May 15th, 2004, 06:53 PM

I agree that I think this is just sort of a "paper on the wall" kind of thing. The proof is always in the doing.

A good demo roll of your skill would be worth more than a paper on the wall.

I'm working my way through the training book and then I'll take the exam once and let the chips fall where they may. I don't really think it will halp getting a job but I don't think it'll hurt.

Thanks

Kevin Burnfield · May 18th, 2004, 02:42 PM

Hey, it can't hurt to have it on your CV, right?

Someone at some point is bound to be impressed.

May 5th, 2004, 09:24 AM	#1
Joe Gioielli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Port Richey, Fl Posts: 142	Apple Certification Exam I'm thinking of taking the apple certification exam for Final Cut Pro. Has anyone taken it? Are there areas I should focus on in my studies or is this a "know everything" kind of gig. Any help would be great. __________________ Why ask me? I thought you were in charge!

May 5th, 2004, 10:25 AM	#3
Joe Gioielli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Port Richey, Fl Posts: 142	It seems it is something of a franchise industry. There is a company in Florida call Genius DV that offers courses and exams. I plan on taking it in Celebration, Florida. __________________ Why ask me? I thought you were in charge!

May 7th, 2004, 04:41 PM	#5
Joe Gioielli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Port Richey, Fl Posts: 142	I took a course for FCP and when I asked the instructor about it, he felt the same way. The class is an Apple certified class, isn't that good enough? He seemed to think it wasn't essental. I bet it really is a resume thing. At $150 for the test, it isn't cheap, but it isn't a bank breaker either. If you don't plan on ever working for someone else, I wouldn't bother. As I have delusions about working for someone else, I'm going to give it a go. __________________ Why ask me? I thought you were in charge!

May 15th, 2004, 06:53 PM	#9
Joe Gioielli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Port Richey, Fl Posts: 142	I agree that I think this is just sort of a "paper on the wall" kind of thing. The proof is always in the doing. A good demo roll of your skill would be worth more than a paper on the wall. I'm working my way through the training book and then I'll take the exam once and let the chips fall where they may. I don't really think it will halp getting a job but I don't think it'll hurt. Thanks __________________ Why ask me? I thought you were in charge!

May 5th, 2004, 09:29 AM	#2
Josh Brusin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 439	didn't know they still offered certification... where are you taking it?

May 7th, 2004, 03:31 PM	#4
Josh Brusin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 439	why would you need to? Does the paper give you any advantages? I'm in Chicago and have gone through training in Premeire, AE, Director, etc... but have really never mentioned it aside from being a line on my resume... never had to pay for it though! I would look into official Apple certification if they offer it at WWDC or NAB or the like... expensive but having apple on you resume is probably worth it...?

May 7th, 2004, 07:02 PM	#6
Josh Brusin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 439	I do project work for large ad agencies and they never ask... I'd take that $150 and put it towards buying Motion when it comes out... Especially these days software comes out so fast that your certification in 2 or 3 years will mean only that you are capable of learning a package. You could benefit from stocking up on FCP 3.0 books cheap or better yet editing books in general> FCP is only the tool. Editing is something more...

May 7th, 2004, 11:44 PM	#7
Shane Ross Major Player Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Los Angeles, USA Posts: 539	If you don't know how to use FCP, then take the class. If you do, then don't bother. You won't be hired based on what classes you take, but your skill at creative editing. What does the certification class teach you anyway? How to use the application in a creative way, or the mechanics and technical aspects of it and how to set it up and fix it if it breaks?

May 13th, 2004, 05:28 PM	#8
Kevin Burnfield Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 363	well, if you want to start teaching people FCP I think it would be a good idea but if you just want to impress clients... well, you know the kind of clients you deal with better then we. Yeah... I've had people say "Where did you go to school..." and "What's your degree in..?" and crap like that. Some clients seem to think that unless you've got some piece of paper saying you can do something that you can't. I don't understand that but there are people out there. I friend of mine was shooting a commercial for a car dealership and he rented a couple of lights and the little stuff he needed because he had scouted everything and knew what he needed but the owner of the dealership started looking around and asking where the rest of the equipment was--- he realized that this was the kind of guy that unless he saw BIG that the end product wouldn't be BIG. So he told the owner that it was coming, sent one of his assistants down to the rental house to rent a grip truck and bring it back. He had him unload a pile of junk and start setting it up and making it look all impressive. By the time he was done with that he had gotten all the footage he needed and was pretty much done with the shoot. He had the assistant load up the truck and take it back. Needless to say he charged the dealership for a 2 day rental of the truck on top of his fee for the commercial. (shrug) It's up to you, if you think it has value then it has value.

May 18th, 2004, 02:42 PM	#10
Kevin Burnfield Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 363	Hey, it can't hurt to have it on your CV, right? Someone at some point is bound to be impressed.