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So last spring I signed up for a Final Cut crash course at NAB. A two day course taught by Future Media Concepts (embed link) which culminated with a test and certification for basic Final Cut Certification (the 1st of 3 levels). I don’t know if a crash course is for everyone, but if you like to drink from a fire-hose, this may be the solution for you.
Luckily I am pretty good at taking tests and was able to pass the test. But during the class I sat with several editors, and many of them (including at least one editor who had just finished up a major feature), noted that the test wasn’t as important as the knowledge to know how to use this tool.
Knowing how to use Final Cut is not the same thing as being an editor, and the certification hanging on my wall means very little to the Editors that I know who know Final Cut inside and out. But it is helpful. No matter how much you know about a program like Final Cut there is still something that you don’t know that could speed up your process or fix that problem you are going to inevitably face in the wee hours of an edit.
Being an editor means understanding how to elicit a response from the viewer, how to time shots and work with music to make someone’s vision come to life. Final Cut is merely a tool, but it is a good tool and relatively inexpensive. Now that I am certified I have the confidence to work for clients rather than just my own stuff (and charge them for it). I also get listed on Apple’s site (which mostly just helps my ego), but I can also continue and take the next levels of certification, and eventually get be better at the whole suite (including the intimidating COLOR program and the less-intimidating Motion). I am glad that I certified, but your experience may be different. Thoughts?