Post Production career questions and schools

[royalxvi]

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations in regards to getting into Post Production and Sound Editing? I come from a music background (last 10 years) but want to learn more about post as a career option. Im aware of the Pro Tools cert classes but (from my understanding) teach you about how to use Pro Tools in post as oppose to how post production works in general. There are several schools near me (in Los Angeles) but they cost alot and I dont wanna waste money that I don't have. Can anyone recommend a good acredited school in LA that is worth all the money? What should i look for when choosing a school for post production?

[PoxyMusic]

Originally Posted by royalxvi

Can anyone recommend a good acredited school in LA that is worth all the money? What should i look for when choosing a school for post production?

How about LACC? It's been almost 25 years since I went there, but that where I got my start.

[Etch-A-Sketch]

Originally Posted by royalxvi

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations in regards to getting into Post Production and Sound Editing? I come from a music background (last 10 years) but want to learn more about post as a career option. Im aware of the Pro Tools cert classes but (from my understanding) teach you about how to use Pro Tools in post as oppose to how post production works in general. There are several schools near me (in Los Angeles) but they cost alot and I dont wanna waste money that I don't have. Can anyone recommend a good acredited school in LA that is worth all the money? What should i look for when choosing a school for post production?

Look at the instructors and the alumni. Also look at their ability (directly or indirectly) to put you into a working environment.

If you are looking at more of a vocational school. I highly recommend Video Symphony in Burbank. The instructors for post audio are great and are some of the best in the field (working on hundreds of the top current and past blockbuster hits).

If you want to go the more traditional route, you can't go wrong with USC's School of Cinematic Arts. With alumni like Spielberg and Lucas donating hundreds of millions to the school, in addition to Warner Bros, Fox and Disney, you really can't find a better equipped and better staffed film school in the country.

Some other facts about USC's SCA:

*It is the oldest and largest film school in the US, started in 1929 as a joint venture with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
* Since 1973, at least one alumnus of SCA has been nominated for an Academy Award annually, totaling 256 nominations and 78 wins.
* Since 1973, at least one SCA alumnus or alumna has been nominated for the Emmy Award annually, totalling 473 nominations and 119 wins.
* The top 17 grossing films of all time have had an SCA graduate in a key creative position.

[cubivore]

if you have time but not money, why not just intern at a post place? my last semester in uni required an internship so rather than going the music route i ended up at a video post house and learned crazy amounts of stuff and then got hired as a tape op!

however, if you can't afford donating time, just hit mandy.com and craigslist to find cheep post work that you can play and learn with.

[Uncle Bob]

I started out as stage & studio musician - keyboards, vox, arranging, etc. - which I did for 25+ happy and successful years. I picked up a lot of engineering info and techniques kibitzing with engineers at sessions and applying the lessons in my home studio. When arthritis forced my retirement from performing I went into engineering music full time. I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. I was behind the console, the artist was in the studio, the producer & ever annoying posse were behind me and for the most part I was a glorified button pusher. An instructor at FMC in Manhattan, where I went to take the Pro Tools certification courses, recommended that I get into audio post, which I have been doing for nine years now.

I have mostly learned on the fly, doing lots of freebee projects to gain experience. But I have also learned from reading lots books, sites like FilmSound.org, watching pros in action, and participating in forums like this one where well recognized names generously give valuable advice in the threads and via PMs.

The secret - which is no secret at all - is to work your tail off, to be ruthlessly self-critical and to apply lessons, tips and constructive criticisms from your peers and those you admire. The other "secret" is that you really have to alter the way you think; sound for picture and music are two very different disciplines.

If you have the time and money school is cool, but nothing beats practical hands-on experience.

[Kuba_Pietrzak]

A good and experienced mentor to learn from...

[Bartosz Idzi]

Originally Posted by Kuba_Pietrzak

A good and experienced mentor to learn from...

Good call! Kuba, where did you start? I went to NFTS UK this very monday to sound design interview. Still it felt like i would be better of working already and not staying in school for 2 years. They asked me what would i like to learn there...
Now I'm thinking about looking for a post job in Warsaw. Is it hard?

[Kuba_Pietrzak]

Well, actually I am a graduate of Sound Engineering Department at Chopin Music University in Warsaw, but from my experience I can say, that an opportunity to work with good sound designer or mixer gives much more, than tons of books, schools and lectures. So this means that such a cooperation supported with self-training and lots of reading may give you much much better results. Having read John's book about dialog I said - "that's the way I work", but I ended with this by finding those methods by myself and it took me some years of trials and errors. I wish I had someone to show me those tricks at the begining of my career...

As for Warsaw, I'll PM you

pozdrowienia z Ojczyzny
Kuba

PS. Koniecznie idz na wybory w niedziele
PS2. Sorry for Polish

[Rick Sanchez]

A school like USC is great if you want to study Cinema (directing / producing). If your major is audio, there is a good chance you'll be retiring just about the same time you pay off your student loans. Even at USC, audio is treated somewhat as the annoying little brother to the creative process.

I would recommend getting in with a post-production facility however you can and finding a competent mentor. Learn everything you can and if I were doing it today, I would not only learn audio, but video.

The harsh reality is that for most everything but scripted television dramas, A or high B list films, picture editors are handling more and more of the audio work and the budgets are getting smaller and smaller for post-audio.

The more you can know about the entire production through post process, formats, codecs, compatibility as well as the more creative and aesthetic aspects of creating film and television, the more valuable you will be. There is nothing like saving the day to help you get called back...even if you are not given credit for it.

That said..working in sound is a great job and can be very rewarding if you work hard, are willing to try some new things and don't give up.

[royalxvi]

OK, first off, I wanna say thanks for all the feedback and helpful information.

I've spent the last few weeks searching for schools, internships and any information. Ideally, I'd like to work in Post (or anything that will utilize my passion for audio and\or sound) and learn some video editing which will hopefully make me a more appealing applicant for a position. Ive been a producer for a last few years but have had an IT job to pay the bills. Hopefully a potential employer will think that I'd be a benefit to their company based on my background.

The vocational schools seem like a good idea but, they're alot of money (around 25-30k). I'm afraid of spending that kind of money, and not learning what I need for "real world" experience and oweing that amount of money (plus interest) back to them.

I've applied for intern postitions or other positions at some post houses (locally here in Los Angeles) but have yet to hear anything back.

Fortunately, I do have about $15,000 saved up so I'm buying the new fastest Mac Pro and Final Cut Pro to hopefully teach myself some editing. I already have a pretty sweet studio setup a (Pro-tools, tons of gear, etc) so I'm ok in that department (for now)

What are some recommendations for:
-Learning Surround Sound Mixing for TV and Film
-A cost effective way to learn Final Cut Pro
-Any more advice to help my switch from Music and IT to Post.

Thanks again for all the helpful information.

[mikevarela]

went to a trade school (SAE). I liked the school, especially for the hands on approach to the hardware. But I must say, I'd been soaking up everything written about post and audio years before, so the class was sometimes redundant.. also, the post program wasn't really started yet, so i had to focus on music mostly.

I learned a lot there, but nothing prepared me for a post house like a post house. I interned at three separate places, each taught me more than I could have hoped for.

One very important thing I learned.... be respectful and honest, never belittle or judge the actions of others until you know the full story. Always thank your mentors and only speak when asked to in the studio!

other than that, ask lots of questions and read concurrent with your work, it'll help drive the points home. Also, try and take on small independent stuff, it'll force you to work under conditions and wear many hats. it's invaluable experience.