Video Symphony's Certificate Programs are some of the most comprehensive Editing, Audio Engineeringand Visual Effectsprograms available anywhere.
Watch the video and see what our alumni have been up to since graduating from Video Symphony.
More Program Info
Production Companies and Advertisers are increasingly tapping the potential of online video and interactive content for online and mobile devices.
The New Media Production program trains students to plan, produce, post and publish video content for online or mobile devices quickly and economically in order to meet that need.
Film editing is the art, craft and business of the Film & TV editing world. Training to be an editor demands that you learn these distinct facets in order to be prepared for jobs in the entertainment industry.
Our philosophy is "learn through doing" and this TV & Film Editing Program fosters just that. It is a comprehensive hands-on training experience in a professional environment with active industry leaders.
Graphics & Animation is the process of using video footage along with animation to create the illusion of motion and transform the visual media. They play a critical part in the making of movies, television, and media productions of any kind.
Video Symphony offers a unique program designed to focus and prepare students for the specific demands for jobs in the entertainment industry
The Pro Tools Audio Engineering Program provides comprehensive training in a professional studio environment.
Our Industry professionals teach technology and the art of recording, audio editing, mixing, mastering, Foley, dialog, sound design, sound effects, voice-over production, video game audio, film audio, music audio, surround sound production and much more.
Film editing is the art, the craft and the business of the Film & TV editing world.
Watch Ryan Moos , a VS alumnus, give his account about how the TV & Film Editing program prepared him for the next stage of his professional career and helped marry his love of creativity with the art, craft and business of the editing world.
Avid Editing & Certification
14 Months or 21 Months
Avid is the market leader in professional video editing and production. A vast majority of prime time television shows and feature films are edited on Avid Media Composer and Film Composer.
Video Symphony provides world-class Avid training - in fact, three time we have been recognized as the #1 Avid Authorized Education Center Worldwide. As the world's largest Avid Authorized Education Center since 1996, we excel in providing students plentiful access to the latest Avid equipment and outstanding instructors.
Avid courses are taught by Avid Certified Instructors. In fact, a number of our instructors have been directly involved with editing projects that have won or been nominated for awards like Oscars, Emmys or Golden Reels.
Several other exclusive Avid training courses, developed by Video Symphony, have gained an esteemed reputation in the industry. They have been developed by working Hollywood pros, namely our Instructors. These exclusive courses augment and expand the Avid Certified Courses. All of our Avid training courses have been designed for high-skill advantage in the job marketplace.
Video Symphony uses state-of-the-art Avid training equipment. We have a total of 74 Avid stations including 12 systems with Avid Adrenalines and 12 systems with Avid NItris DX.
AVID TV & Film Editing Certificate Program
Video Symphony's TV & Film Editing program encompasses technical skills, aesthetics, and workflow knowledge to provide students with an advanced industry-level expertise in Avid in as little as 14 months.
At Video Symphony, applied aesthetics and editing workshops hone student's perceptions and artistic creative decision making skills, while technical courses focus on developing students' mastery of film editing software and hardware tools. Plus, the special post production session and real life Experience courses provide students experience working on real-life productions under the direction of a seasoned editor/trainer.
Many universities and colleges offer only generalized media studies, or only focus on history and theory, or production. Video Symphony's TV & Film Editing Program is one of the most intensive professional movie editing programs in the world because we specialize in editing and post-production and we teach why, how-to, and how to get the job done and get paid for doing it, all at the same time.
Program Highlights
Course Listings (scroll down for complete listing)
Production Companies and Advertisers are increasingly tapping the potential of online video and video/interactive content for mobile devices.
Watch how the New Media porgram can train you to meet the increasing demand for qualified professionals who can plan, produce, post and publish video content for online quickly and economically.
12 or 16 Month Program
Adobe Creative Suite
Video Symphony provides world-class training in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Illustrator. Entertainment companies such as Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, Fox News, CNN and many others have written rave reviews of our classes over the years and continue to send a stream of new students.
Our Adobe Certified Instructors train students on modern, professional grade equipment and our Adobe training is conducted on systems as advanced as the professional systems used in the industry, running the latest versions of Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Illustrator.
New Media Production Certificate Program
Video Symphony's New Media Production program prepares students to create, edit and publish media content specifically for the web, mobile devices, tablets and non-traditional broadcast media vehicles, while providing a hands-on education that combines the central skills of editing, motion graphics (2D and 3D) and rich media to deliver content creating a whole new user experience.
It is an ambitious blend of courses aimed toward making graduates proficient in high definition video production, motion graphics and current methods of online publishing/monetization.
Graduates will have the educational background and experience with actual Clients and set out to work for a Production Company by taking on one or multiple roles (preproduction, production, editing, graphics and delivery), starting their business as a Producer/Editor or be poised for other opportunities in either video production, editing, motion graphics (Adobe Premiere,Photoshop, After Effects, Motion, ) and some aspects of internet publishing.
Graphics & Animation is the process of using video footage along with animation to create the illusion of motion and transform the visual media.
Watch the Student Reel and see how the creativity of Motion Graphics students comes alive.
12 Months or 16 Months
Cinema 4D & Maya
Graphics, F/X & Animation
Our Adobe Certified Instructors train students on modern, professional grade equipment. Our Adobe training is conducted on systems as advanced as the professional systems used in the industry, running the latest versions of Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Illustrator.
Video Symphony is proud to offer one of the best Cinema 4D educational experiences in the country. With over 80+ intensive hours devoted entirely to this extremely popular 3D application, students will be ready to enter the world of Motion Graphics and 3D Animation. Students begin their 3D training in the second quarter of Graphics Animation and Effects program with Cinema 4D Essentials-a class that will introduce them to the basic s of modeling and animating in 3D space. Successive quarters will yield more advanced Cinema 4D classes and will take the student even beyond the program itself as they will learn to couple with other applications such as Adobe After Effects and Photoshop. In fact, Cinema 4D works so well with Adobe applications, one would think they are the same company.
As a side note, Students will find that Cinema 4D is extremely friendly and intuitive to use. It's perfect for individuals with zero experience in the 3D to learn quicker and easier than ever before.
The popularity of Cinema 4D in the entertainment industry is growing so quickly-its sometimes hard to keep up with all of its advances and successes. Its ease of use, power and accessibility make it the perfect weapon for any Motion Graphics or Visual Effects workflow. Its easy to see why this program is being used en masse in the industry and demand for individuals who know it-in high demand. It appears that Cinema 4D jobs are "falling from the sky" these days. For those who are interested in learning this amazing application and becoming a part of one of the fastest growing fields in the industry-the time is now.
Maxon's Cinema 4D is one of the most accessible 3D Applications used in the film and broadcast industries today. Cinema 4D's intuitive interface and logical workflow make it possible for those new to 3D artistry to dive in and be productive quickly. Feedback is smooth and interactive so you can let your creativity run free.
Cinema 4D has been used to create high-end 3D images and animations for countless films, television shows, commercials, video games, and even in architectural and industrial design. For example, Cinema 4D was used on G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, District 9, and many more.
From the very beginning, MAXON has always been one of the first developers of 3D software to integrate important new technologies into its applications. MAXON demonstrated its ability to create fast, stable and easy to learn applications with its very first product. Multiprocessor support, multithreading, hyper threading and Dual Core support are just a few of the technologies MAXON has integrated into its applications over the years.
3D artists know that fast, easy workflow is the key to meeting deadlines and beating the competition. Maxon Cinema 4D allows you to customize almost every aspect of the interface to achieve the fastest and easiest workflow possible.
For motion graphics artists, Cinema 4D is a must-know tool of the trade. Video Symphony offers comprehensive training in Cinema 4D so that you can put your creativity to work.
Maya is an integral part of the Video Symphony 3D animation workflow. More than 56 hours of intensive training and integration techniques round out an already beautiful Motion Graphic Design and 3D animation Program. Students will begin by learning the application's interface and navigation before learning how to model objects in 3D space. Students will then learn about primitives, surfaces and curves before moving on to animation with kinematics beyond. Aside from modeling and animating, students will also learn integration techniques where they will combine Maya 3D modeling and animation with popular compositing programs such as Adobe After Effects and more.
A Motion Graphics Designer or 3D animator with Maya education and experience is a highly sought after individual. Maya remains one of the most powerful and popular 3D animation choices for professional Motion Graphics and Visual Effects workflows. Education in Maya alone offers dozens of potential and rewarding career opportunities in addition to the fact that it looks amazing on any resume. From Pixar to Industrial Light and Magic worldwide, the industry loves Autodesk Maya and so do we! Come learn Maya at Video Symphony today.
Maya is one of the most widely used 3D modeling and animation software applications in the entertainment industry today. Maya offers 3D artists an end-to-end creative workflow with comprehensive tools for 3D animation, modeling, simulation, visual effects, rendering, matchmoving, and compositing on a highly extensible production platform. All these capabilities are combined into a single application offering CG artists an exceptional power for exceptional value.
Maya's rise to dominance in 3D content creation continues to mirror Adobe's success in 2D graphics. An important feature of Maya is its openness to third-party software, which can strip the software completely of its standard appearance and, using only the kernel, transform it into a highly customized version of the software. This feature in itself made Maya appealing to large studios, which tend to write custom code for their productions using the provided software development kit.
Thousands of popular computer-animated films and non-animated films alike have been made with Maya software. Films like King Kong, Jurassic Park, Ice Age, Monsters vs. Aliens, James Cameron's Avatar, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and countless others are just a few jewels in Maya's amazing visual effects history. In 2003, Maya won an Academy Award "for scientific and technical achievement", citing use "on nearly every feature using 3-D computer-generated images."
Graphics & Animation Certificate Program
At Video Symphony, the Graphics & Animation program prepares students for careers as motion graphics artists for television and film. Our hands-on approach focuses on training our students on the basics and teaching them the latest techniques using applications that are most favored in the broadcast design and effects industry.
Learn to create dynamic content and mind-blowing effects within a quick workflow using Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Final Cut Pro, Cinema 4D and Maya.
Video Symphony serves as the launching pad of many successful careers in editing, graphic animation & effects, Pro Tools and 3D animation. All over the globe, in every facet of these industries, our students have worked on countless feature films and television shows--from Comedy Central's South Park to big films such as Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Disney's Tron Legacy.
Course Listings (scroll down for entire listing)
Watch the video and see how our alumni are using their comprehensive training at VS to make their mark on the audio industry.
15 Month Program
Pro Tools
Video Symphony is a top-rated Avid Pro School, providing world-class training in Pro Tools Audio Editing. Avid's Pro Tools is recognized worldwide as the preferred choice for digital audio recording, editing and mixing. Pro Tools systems are firmly established in every industry venue - music recording, feature film production, television production, video game production and radio.
Video Symphony uses state-of-the-art Pro Tools equipment. In Studio One each of our six workstations are equipped with Avid Pro Tools HD systems, coupled with the ProControl plus Edit Pack. Up to 128 high-definition tracks can be programmed and controlled simultaneously. Important peripherals include AVoption|XL, which supports instant capture, import and playback of Avid-compatible broadcast-quality video media directly within Pro Tools HD.
Each system is equipped with a professional quality video deck for digitizing, editing and layback. Also included is an extensive collection of high-end TDM and RTAS plug-ins, as well as software synthesizers and samplers such as Soft Sample Cell and Virus.
Studios A, B, C & D are Surround Sound control rooms originally built in the 70s that feature ProTools HD5 systems with two D Command control surfaces, a ProControl plus Edit Pak and TOFT ATB32 (Trident) analog console respectively. Standard equipment for these studios includes Genelec Monitors and plug-ins by Waves, Sonnox, Massenburg DesignWorks and Universal Audio. Our award-winning recording studio (Studio D) has a fine compliment of microphones and vintage analog outboard gear that includes, API, Boulder, Universal Audio, Urie Teletronix, Vintech and a Gotham EMT 140S Stereo Tube Plate Reverb.
Our Pro Tools Courses are taught by Avid Certified instructors. In fact, our primary Pro Tools Instructor, Joel Krantz was one of the experts who developed the courseware for Avid and wrote the coursebook! Several other exclusive Pro Tools courses, developed by Video Symphony, have gained an esteemed reputation in the industry.
While a number of our courses are dedicated to music production, we also provide exclusive classes which add major expertise for Pro Tools Certificate Program students - unique "Sound for Film" and Post Production courses. Video Symphony offers Pro Tools Certification for both Music AND Post Production.
Last year, Avid inaugurated certification testing for their esteemed Pro Tools sound editing system. Sound engineers and mixers who successfully pass the intensive Pro Tools tests are well regarded in the audio industry for their mastery of digital sound technology.
Video Symphony's Pro Tools Audio Engineering Program includes Avid Operator and Expert certification.
STUDIO A
Studio A is our largest control room with a big and open sound character, making it a favorite of movie productions because of its more theater like feel and sound. Studio A features our largest D Command ES control surface plus fader pack, and is often used in the Studio Production Module for sessions that consist of the entire class. This studio's plug-in compliment also includes the Waves Platinum package, and its computer and expansion chassis are housed in a machine room for a very low noise floor. Studio A ran as a mastering room for over 20 years, primarily doing the top radio show syndications such as American Top 40 and many others. On rare occasions this room was also used as an iso booth for Studio D. The engineer most associated with this room was Bruce Kennedy, originally from Motown.
STUDIO B
Studio B is our 2nd largest control room, and with a big but controlled sound quality, and also features a D Command control surface. Like all of the control rooms Studio B features walls with a bark covering, an acoustic feature associated with the 70s studio designs and a good diffusor as well. Excellent low level monitoring in Surround Sound is assured because Studio B's computer and expansion chassis are housed in a machine room as well. As a mastering room Studio B did its fair share of radio syndication, and it was also the CD mastering room for Location Recording Service. It was primarily operated by Kevin Gray, now of AcousTech Mastering, who with Steve Hoffman remastered many classic albums for DCC's 24 Karat Gold Disc CD series. The artists remastered included The Eagles, Paul McCartney, The Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell, Cream, The Doors, Heart and many more..
STUDIO C
Studio C sonically represents a tight production studio sound and features a ProControl with Edit Pack control surface. There is that unmistakable stillness in the air when you close the door and it also features bark on its front and back walls. There is an iso rack to lower the noise floor of the computer gear and this room has the closest audio engineer proximity to the Surround Sound speakers. Studio C represents a great, dampened room, with acoustics that truly define the quintessential small studio control room. It was the last mastering room built by Location Recording Service, and primarily did radio syndication shows.
STUDIO D
Studio D has that instantly recognizable traditional recording studio control room sound from which many hit records were created. It features a Toft ATB 32 Analog console with vintage and contemporary outboard Analog preamps, equalizers and compressor/limiters, along with a good compliment of microphones. As its history shows, Studio D's equipment and studios are excellent for recording a wide array of Analog sounds for voice, music, sound design and Foley. Studio D (then Studio 4) was put into service in 1974 and has been used by a wide variety of recording artists including Madonna, Ambrosia, The Jets, Ted Nugent and many more, and contributed to the sales of over 26 million records. With Gold, Platinum and Diamond record awards Studio D also has numerous movie credits, including Terminator, Beverly Hills Cop II, At Close Range, White Knights, Who's That Girl, The Virgin Tour and more. Studio D also features a collection of vintage Analog design in outboard gear, and the computer and expansion chassis are housed in a machine room opposite the Control Room.
STUDIO 1
Studio 1 is our multi user studio that includes 6 Pro Tools HD stations and is the primary room for the Audio Production Module. This studio has similar acoustic treatments to the other studios and also has a ceiling diffusor array featuring the Auralex T'Fusor diffusors, as every room within our complex is important for listening. In addition to essential Pro Tools training, Studio One is also a favorite for production editing.
The front part of Studio One was one of Location Recording Service's early mastering rooms which had a Fairchild 670 limiter, and the back of the room used to house two EMT 140 echo plates.
Location Recording Service, often simply known as "LRS", ran from the early 70s through the late 90s and had three mastering studios and one recording studio. Studios A, B and C were mastering studios that mastered vinyl records and later also CDs for Pop, Jazz, Classical, Blues and Big Band. One of the bigger acts for LRS was the Beach Boys, and they mastered "Holland", "The Beach Boys In Concert- Double Live", "M.I.U.", "15 Big Ones" and "Love You".
In the 80s you heard their mastering every week on radio syndication shows such as American Top 40, Country Countdown and other top of the charts shows featuring Kasey Kasem, Dick Clark and Rick Dees, as well as other syndication shows, like Dr. Demento. Studios A and C cut vinyl master lacquer discs, Studio B cut vinyl and later also did CD mastering. LRS used Studer 1/4" and 1/2" tape machines, Neumann consoles and cutting lathes, Sontec equalizers, and Urie compressors and Time Aligned monitors. The CD mastering was done to a Sony 1630, and in 1990 they installed a custom mastering console in Studio B.
The engineer most associated with Studio A was Bruce Kennedy, originally from Motown. Other engineers that worked at LRS included Jeff Peters (engineer for the Stray Cats, Beach Boys and others) and David Kulka (from Studio Electronics).
DCC Compact Classics (Studio B)
One of LRS's audiophile accounts was DCC, and engineers Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray (now of AcousTech Mastering) remastered many classic albums for DCC's 24 Karat Gold Disc CD series in Studio B. Since these classic albums were originally released on vinyl, the remastering was needed in part because of the differences in mastering process for the CD format. With only a few exceptions, they remastered from the original two track Analog master tapes, an important aspect for sonic quality and for the best mastering options. Many record companies would simply cut CDs from an equalized tape copy done from a previous mastering, often from a vinyl mastering session at that and sadly for some of the biggest selling classic albums.
While record companies usually already had their own CD releases of such classics, the quality of this mastering and the gold disc format had such a value that these companies licensed to DCC the rights to release their products while maintaining their own CD releases. The mastering for DCC products was done at LRS in Studio B from 1990 to 1995. The artists remastered included The Eagles, Paul McCartney, The Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell, Cream, The Doors, Heart and many more.
The recording studio within the LRS building was known simply as Studio 4, and was credited as "Location Record Service", then "Channel Recording" and finally "Monday To Sunday". Studio 4 opened in 1974 and would go on to host a wide variety of major Pop artists such as Madonna, Ambrosia, The Jets, Juice Newton, Larry Carlton, Al Jarreau, Cheech & Chong, Ted Nugent and many more. Having contributed to the sales of over 26 million records, Studio 4 helped create over 26x Top 40 hit singles and over 24x Top 100 albums, with RIAA certified awards that included 1x Diamond Record, 5x Platinum Records, 3x Gold Records and 3x Gold Singles.
It created product for TV shows such as The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Miami Vice and Rock Palace. Some of Studio 4's movie credits include Terminator, Beverly Hills Cop II, Born On The Fourth Of July, At Close Range, White Knights, Karate Kid III, Licensed To Drive, Who's That Girl and The Virgin Tour. Although it was often used as an overdub and mixdown recording studio, some of the Top 10 hit records that were completely recorded and mixed in Studio 4 include Madonna's "Live To Tell", Ambrosia's "Biggest Part Of Me" and "You're The Only Woman" and The Jet's "Cross My Broken Heart" and "Make It Real".
Before the Internet took hold, artists working in Studio 4 that had singles or albums in or near the Top Billboard charts would walk down the hall on Wednesday nights to our Studios A, B and C (which were the LRS mastering studios that cut various Billboard Top 40 or Hot 100 radio syndication shows hosted by Kasey Kasem, Rick Dees and others) to see where their songs or albums were charting that week. Since there wasn't a lounge within the building, on any given night major recording artists and session musicians could be found hanging out up front, in the kitchen, or sometimes they visited with the mastering engineers in the mastering studios. Studio 4's equipment included Electrodyne, Trident TSM and Neve 8108 consoles, Studer, Ampex and MCI Analog tape machines, and Urie Time Aligned and Yamaha NS-10 speakers.
Pro Tools Audio Engineering Certificate Program
Train with audio engineering masters in our production studios and learn recording, audio editing, mixing, mastering, Foley, dialog, sound design, sound effects, voice-over production, video game audio, film audio, music audio, surround sound production and much more.
At the heart of our program are our audio engineering instructors: top professionals with outstanding production credits recognized by the entertainment industry for sales and creative achievements through innumerable awards and nominations, from Emmys and Grammys to Gold, Platinum and Diamond records. Not only are our Pro Tools Courseware instructors Certified Professionals fully trained and approved by Avid -- a principal instructor in our Pro Tools Program also created some of the Avid course material used at Pro Tools training centers around the world.
Reflecting the current state of the art of audio production, Video Symphony's multi-studio complex includes the latest Pro Tools HD systems integrated with vintage analog gear and emulation plug-ins. An audio canvas that contains both vintage analog and contemporary digital tools is not only the one with the most sonic colors, but a harmonic richness that celebrates all that audio production can be.
The studio complex is a production facility acoustically designed for surround sound. It includes four surround sound control rooms in addition to a recording studio that has contributed to the sales of over 66 million records by renowned artists such as Madonna.
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EDITING I NEW MEDIA I GRAPHICS & ANIMATION I AUDIO
