Good school to study post production

[TWoZ]

Good for you, Sound Chaser. That's really cool! Probably meet alot of cool people and have some fun while you're at it!

"This program, short in duration and very intense will quickly fill in all the holes in my knowledge. It will also give me a post graduate education, which more and more large establishments are demanding. "

A few comments/questions for you.

One, don't expect any school education to fill in all the holes. Like everyone else (aka working, successful, professional) is saying, nothing takes the place of being in a studio and working (or interning or running or just sitting there staring and absorbing all day -- especially when you can focus on what you're really interested in.)

Two, which studios are demanding a post graduate education? Most places I know don't even care if you've graduated from high school. If you've got the chops (and, more importantly, the clients,) some places will give you a run if their schedules aren't full. Specifically knowing your story, I'd say you'd be better served by taking up a runner position (better than interning cuz at least they pay you.) And then, in your off time, watch, learn, ask questions to the friends you will make. Take up student projects to build your chops. After a bunch of those, move up to independent films.

You may want to rethink or reconsider if you're going because of your second quoted statement. Or, at least do more research to verify. It sounds like the school told you to say that.

[Sound Chaser]

Originally Posted by Henchman

If you want to get into post, try and get an internship at a post facility. That will do you way more good than an internship at Rogers.
I understand they're building a huge new Film Stduio in town, that they are hopign will bring bigger work to Toronto.
However, I also know that alot of peopel have been leaving there. becasue teh works has really dried up.
I suggest you get some kind of degree. That will help you get a residence Visa when you move to where the work is. IE, London, LA or New York.

BTW, what is your "advanced age".

Of course interning in a post house would be a lot better! But, if mixing baseball games out of a remote truck is the only way to get my foot in the door, I'll take it with humble gratitude. Post facilities out here are dropping like flies, but corporate Toronto is buying up the broadcast business. Rogers just bought Chum/City TV, which by the way is right up my alley--mixing FOH & Location.

The point is you have to pursue every angle, which I do. As it is, I had to chase this position for months...they said I had too much experience...maybe they meant I was too old.
BTW to answer your question, judging from your picture I'm probably your age.

[Henchman]

Originally Posted by Sound Chaser

Of course interning in a post house would be a lot better! But, if mixing baseball games out of a remote truck is the only way to get my foot in the door I'll take it with humble gratitude. Post facilities out here are dropping like flies, but corporate Toronto is buying up the broadcast business.

The point is you have to pursue every angle, which I do. As it is I had to chase this position for months...they said I had too much experience...maybe they meant I was too old.
BTW to answer your question, by the looks of your picture I'm probably your age.

Aah, now I understand. Out here Rogers is Telecommunicationsn only. Meaning cell phones etc.
So, I would really try to get a degree, because if you want to work outside of Canada (which I highly recommend anyone in Canada considering post), having a degree will be a big help obataining work/residency visa's.
However, I think given your background, going the broadcast route is the smartest thing for you.
Trying to get into audio-post at this poitn of your career, and age, would be pretty hard.
And beign in a market where the post studio's are dropping like flies doesn't help much either.

Hence, my relocation plans to LA.

[Sound Chaser]

Originally Posted by TWoZ

A few comments/questions for you.

One, don't expect any school education to fill in all the holes.

Two, which studios are demanding a post graduate education?

1) If you mean everything there is to learn, I will never get past scratching the surface. By filling the holes, I mean basic knowledge to compliment being a working professional for 20 years doing FOH and studio.

2) I don't know of a single studio that cares if you have, as you say 'a high school diploma.' But, all of the major corporations are asking for papers now. And in my neck of the woods big box broadcasting corporations dominate the landscape.

There are 2 monster sound stages opening up here in the next two years. Most in the industry say it's not enough to save dying Toronto.

[TWoZ]

Sorry, Soundchaser. I meant no disrespect.

Those were direct quotes from you. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were saying.

Good. Sounds like you know what you're doing. Good luck to you.

[Dr. Phil]

i'm going to quote what everyone i know has said to me about this industry.
"it's not WHAT you know, it's WHO you know."

this is the worst part of this industry and i'm lucky enough to get a job right out of school. as like many, i attended ARTI Orlando and i do feel there are the ups and downs to every single school, no matter what field you go into.
this school has deffinately given me a background of information to work with and continue to grow on. it's only a 10 mo. course if you go part time, but the post course is 2 mo long, 5 days a week, 4 hrs. a class using an ssl axiom, pro tools hd 3 rig, and TONS of plugins.
they teach you the mindset you should have when doing movies and even when doing DTS music mixes.

i agree with everyone that said it's better to get a good internship than spend the money at a school, but it did help me.

i'm graduating soon and i'm entering a post career with an indie movie company. hopefully i'll know where to start on the projects i get so they'll sound good.

wish me luck and keep up the great work and posts. they're always extremely helpful.

[minister]

i will say this for the schools. if one applies oneself, one can get a good foundation. obvious, but true. all but one of my audio assistants went to schools. nice thing was, they had a basic knowledge of analog as well as digital work flows. the smart ones apply it immediately here.

the schools also provide netwroking possibilities. and for some people, they have NO knowlege, and so it can be a boon for them.

i have a friend who teaches, so i can just ask him who the good prospects are.

i personally have not gone to school for this, but i worked my butt off. and i have another new assistant who went to school for the visual arts, but really has a good brain for sound design.

that said, EVERYONE says they leanr more in 3 months with me than they did in 2 years. but ... it is how they got the opportunity in the first place.

don't be ashamed of your past and those skills come in handy. what geogia says about B-school and IT experience is actually an overstatement that NONE of it applies. surely some of that knowledge is useful n thinking about the business, in planning a studio network, in even knowing where to begin to work with computer technology. my asst. of 9 mos. has a background as a radio and stereo and remote start install tech. this has served him in basic electrical knoweldge, repairing our Yamha 03D board -- swapping out resistors and transistors and soldering new connections for the studio as well as running a new CAT 5e cable 260 feet to another new humble temp setup. i don't know what the hell a resistor is (ok, kinda)....

you can always apply SOMETHING from your past -- even if it is people skills or oranizational skills or something.

[rcarson719]

I went to Fullsail. While I thought that the time I spent on certain pieces of gear were lacking. The school made up for it with networking. You will meet alot of people at Fullsail. There are people from many different industries and if you get out you can work on as many student films as you like. So get a protools rig. Go talk to some Film kids... I.E the kids playing hacky sack and start working.


Rick Carson

[soundguydave]

Originally Posted by rcarson719

I went to Fullsail. While I thought that the time I spent on certain pieces of gear were lacking. The school made up for it with networking. You will meet alot of people at Fullsail. There are people from many different industries and if you get out you can work on as many student films as you like. So get a protools rig. Go talk to some Film kids... I.E the kids playing hacky sack and start working.


Rick Carson

Thats been my problem with many of the trade schools that teach gear. A good school will teach you how a compressor works or how a console works. No matter what kind of compressor it is, you'll understand what you're doing when you modify settings. Schools that teach you how a 1176 or a Neve works are doing students a disservice in my book.

[hollowsea]

Originally Posted by minister

the schools also provide netwroking possibilities. and for some people, they have NO knowlege, and so it can be a boon for them.

I agree with this. The fact is that some people will benefit from school and some people won't. Going to school for audio is good for someone who's interested and driven to learn about it, but perhaps doesn't know how to go about learning it on their own. Plus, some places will only accept interns if they can say they're getting school credit for it, so it gives those people some additional opportunities as well. (This may apply more to record companies than studios, but it's still a way to get one's foot in the door.)

That said, I went to school as an audio recording major and didn't know much of anything about post production until I ended up with an internship at a post facility. Now I work in the field and am very glad I "discovered" it, lame as that sounds. Most of the students we've gotten that are interested in internships are still very focused on music and making records. I would guess/hope that as the major music studios keep shutting down, audio recording programs will evaluate what they're teaching students and treat post production as another viable path to take in audio.

Regarding the original post, it sounds like he has knowledge on some of this already and might be better served just trying to go for an internship or assistant position and spending the money on housing/equipment.