I'm wanting to get started in the world of Avid editing and am looking for a bit of direction.

I've been employed in the IT industry for about 14 years. I'm trying to figure out the best way to learn Avid to a point where I could potentially start doing work on the side and then possibly switch careers completely at some point in the future.

My first instinct is to attend the first Avid training course, but I am not sure if that will be enough on it's own to get me started.

The main thing I am trying to figure out is how I can get the software at the student discount. I could just enroll in some non-related community college courses to make myself eligible for the discount, but that seems kind of silly to me. My only interest is to learn Avid products, not go back to college for anything else so I would think that there would be some other way to obtain an education version. Does anybody know if Avid offers something for people who attend the training classes? I would have no problem paying for the training classes, as that is what I am looking to learn.

I'm just thinking if I take the training and then come back home I will need something to continue to practice with. Is there any type of do it yourself training with sample projects, etc.? I have a certified system but I don't have a lot of equipment to actual shoot video at this point.

I do have some footage of my own that I was editing via Sony Vegas, so I was thinking that moving that project to Avid would at least give me some experience while working on a real project.

I've got the 30-day trial of MC installed right now and am pretty much lost on most things outside of the basic functions.

Any recommendations?

Thanks for any help! I am just looking for some guidance at this point as I'm not really sure where to start.

Hi, Reading your post gives me the impression that if you learn the Avid software and get a certificate you will be an Avid editor able to make a living, this is not possible much above the minimum wage these days.

To make a good living you will need to be a highly creative editor who knows how to cut really well and that cannot be taught only developed over a long time.

To get you started learning the software

http://filmmakeriq.com/general/featured/404-avid-tutorials.html

Hi, thanks for the response.

I definitely don't think I can make a living doing editing right off the bat! :) That's why thankfully I have my "real" job. I'm basically wanting to learn enough to become at least somewhat competent where I would feel confident enough to work on local projects for free or for very low pay just to get even more experience.

Mainly I'm trying to figure out two things. 1. Is there any way to get the educuational version of the software without actually being enrolled in a general education college program? and 2. Are there any recommended workshops/classes or books that will step me through the basics in a lesson by lesson format?

Hello 30fps,

and welcome to the Avid Forum.

30fps:

1. Is there any way to get the educuational version of the software without actually being enrolled in a general education college program?

Something like, "Is there any way I can get to heaven without actually dying?"   :-)

Some of the documents you would need to get the Academic prices are:
 as a student - a copy of a current, dated student ID card
 as a teacher - A letter on headed paper from your educational institution, confirming your employment status

Also this condition is worth keeping in mind:

The Avid products on the attached purchase order can only be used by full-time students or full-time staff member of the Institution, for educational purposes in the field of media studies, and can not be used to create content for commercial use (i.e. the content created on these systems will not be used to generate revenue for the Institution, its staff or its students. The Avid products may not be sold, transferred, modified or copied.

One way to go might be to buy an Academic copy through a younger relative who is currently studying at a school or college, but then I think something like this would apply:

Parental/legal guardian consent form (for students under the age of 18 only) 

30fps:

I've got the 30-day trial of MC installed right now and am pretty much lost on most things outside of the basic functions.
Any recommendations?
Thanks for any help! I am just looking for some guidance at this point as I'm not really sure where to start.

As a follow up to my reply above, a little more positive help.

There are quite a lot of tutorials available throughout the Avid site. (Use the search function)
Also YouTube will reveal a lot of tutorials if you search for Avid Media Composer etc.
Even tutorials for Avid Xpress can be of help when looking at the basics.
Finally at the top of this section of threads there are 2 "stickies" about Basic MC tips.
I have about 150 tutorials available there.
Unfortunately there is little or no structure in their arrangement.
But starting with Link 001 and going to around Link 020 or so, you should find a lot of very basic tips.

Good luck, yet again!

Douglas