Fas Courses

Jim

I was thinking of doing one of th media courses in Fas and was basicly looking for some feedback on people who already done them.

cheers,
jim.


Addition to the sticky, by Lump.

If you post on this thread looking for course advice, please give the following info, so people on here can help as much as possible.

Duration you'd be interested in doing the course for?

Your current skill level? (software used etc)

What you hope to get out of your chosen course - Going for the standard "I want to make movies is a little wide, think about the areas you enjoy/ would be interested in. Directing, writing, techincal (Camera, Sound, Editing, these are the 3 main areas, but of course there's more) Also a big issue, do you want to work in Film or digital technology. Not such a big issue for editing, but still has to be thought about.

How much are you willing to spend? Many companies run courses in specific editing platforms for example, also consider if you wanted to go to the UK/America there's costs involved, so giving an idea of how much you are willing to part with helps. Saying as little as possible doesn't give much scope for bouncing ideas around.

I know I included camera, sound etc etc in the above points, but I think most people that have done media will have a general idea what's on offer in these areas too, it's nice to open this up into a media wide type thread.

John

Ajos

If you're talking about Screen Training Ireland then highly, highly recommended. I wouldn't be where I am today without them. Some of the best training in the world, quite literally.
If you're not, then I have no idea.

Dustaz

There is a FAS course you can do in video production. I know one or two people whove done it, ill try and track them down and ask.

Its in tralee iirc.

Jim

Originally posted by Dustaz
Its in tralee iirc.

thats the exact one im think of doin. any feedback would be great.

cheers.

mycroft

I know the course in Tralee is supposed to be excellent, and I know someone who's making a good career for themselves out of it, also I know the caliber of the tutors they get is excellent, all industry professionals.

voodoo

Anyone got any further information on this? Is it offered anywhere else? Are these courses something that can be done part-time ( that is, if you are working full-time in something else already).

Cheers,

Voodoo

Jim

While most of the courses are day time there are also night time courses available.
Theres a similar course in Malahide I'm looking into myself.

Go to www.fas.ie for a full list of courses.

father_ted9t9

howya! i currently am workin as an online editor for one of the national stations and i know a few people who are working with me came from the FAS Course. Sounds good but if you really are interested in gettin training, check out BCFE.ie closing date is mon and head of lecturing name is John moriarty, give him a call or drop him a line!! if ya have any questions drop us a pm

Jim

Tried looking at the site, but the page was just blank. What does bcfe stand for?

lodgepole

Originally posted by Jimeatsmenu
Tried looking at the site, but the page was just blank. What does bcfe stand for?

Ballyfermot College of Further Education

Dustaz

The course in ballyfermot is a great course.

Its geared specifically towards people who wish to become operators in the industry rather than the producer/director type of courses on offer in Dun Laoghire and DIT.

John is a legend of a lecturer too

lodgepole

Originally posted by Dustaz
The course in ballyfermot is a great course.

Its geared specifically towards people who wish to become operators in the industry rather than the producer/director type of courses on offer in Dun Laoghire and DIT.

John is a legend of a lecturer too

On top of that, by next year their multi million euro TV studio/control room/editing suites should be relativelty up and running. You won't be able to pry John away from them...

If you're prepared to put in two years of a full time course, Ballyfermot will be the place to go next year.

Dustaz

I didnt know they got new gear. Any idea of the specs?

lodgepole

Originally posted by Dustaz
I didnt know they got new gear. Any idea of the specs?

Brand new building and top of the range studio and control room... I don't know the exact specs because i'm graduating this year and we haven't gotten to use any of it (long story). The studio has a gantry, is two stories high and has a proper lighting rig. The control room is on the upper story of the building looking down over the studio on one side through a glass window, and on the other side, over a multi purpose hall with wheel out seating. The entire building is wired together, with all the feeds going through a tech office. All the edit suites will be feeding off a stack of hard disks accessible to every machine... It's a stunning facility. Was supposed to be finished this year but we were dicked around by the Department of Education.

Owenw

This sounds great.
When do they have their next open day and when should you apply for next years courses? (I always miss the deadline for applications!)

mycroft

Was supposed to be finished this year but we were dicked around by the Department of Education.

Hell they were telling me it was supposed to be finished for the start of the '00 term....

How many edit suites? What are they using Xpress or media composer?

lodgepole

Originally posted by Owenw
This sounds great.
When do they have their next open day and when should you apply for next years courses? (I always miss the deadline for applications!)

Unfortunately you've missed the open day, and i'm fairly sure there isn't another one. Not sure about the date for late applications but the interview process for next years students is taking place next week, so you may want to get on the phone if you're interested...

Originally posted by mycroft
Hell they were telling me it was supposed to be finished for the start of the '00 term....

How many edit suites? What are they using Xpress or media composer?

I'll get some info once i'm back in class, i'm sick as a dog right now.

Owenw

thanks for the info, hope you feel better soon.

father_ted9t9

I Think you may have missed application deadline mate, i know that interviews for the course are this week. As i said b4 if you are interested in the tecchie side of things this place is the dogs B*&&!x. They have their new studio built, and have everything ready to go, except for one major thing...the equipment! There is a budget problem with the CDVEC at the moment but they are hoping to have the equipment in by sept this year.Best of luck to john gettin it too, ya wont find a better lecturer, Or Should i now call him by his new title "Head of Film And Television" haha! Maybe if you contact them you may get a late interview and if someone then decides not to attend course or drops out they sometimes call on a standby list of hopefuls!

The_Scary_Man

I don't want to start a new thread if I can piggy back on this one so I hope you don't mind

I'm looking for film courses too but in the Cork area. I haven't been able to source anything. All the FAS ones are in Dublin and Galway.

Owenw

I think FÁS run a film course in Tralee, The_Scary_Man

Some of the other more knowlegeable posters can probably give you more info...

The_Scary_Man

Thanks for the info OwenW. I'll see what I can source on that myself.

Cheers

dory

Anyone know any course in the Kildare/Dublin area that's really technical? I want to learn about editing and sound and stuff. I'm doing a BA in Media Studies and it's all theory. Learning about philosophers and the like.
And whenever they give us a media project they literally say, 'Here's the project, go do it', and give us absolutely no help.

mycroft

dory wrote:

Anyone know any course in the Kildare/Dublin area that's really technical? I want to learn about editing and sound and stuff. I'm doing a BA in Media Studies and it's all theory. Learning about philosophers and the like.
And whenever they give us a media project they literally say, 'Here's the project, go do it', and give us absolutely no help.

Lump. Again hate to be a pest but could we edit the first post in this thread to include a request that a questionare details the duration they'd be interested in doing the course for, current skill level, what they hope to get out of it, and how much are they willing to spend?

So doxy

duration you'd be interested in doing the course for?

Your current skill level? (software used etc)

what tyou hope to get out of it?

and how much are you willing to spend?

Lump

Not being a pest... I have plenty of time today, not working

Plus I want this board to be as helpfull to other people that are in a similar situation that I was in a few years ago Re. College and a few months ago Re. Work.

Pester me all you want.

John

Lump

Added a few bits of my own, let me know if you disagree, want me to add more.

Also any other suggestions.

John

mycroft

Lump wrote:

Not being a pest... I have plenty of time today, not working

Plus I want this board to be as helpfull to other people that are in a similar situation that I was in a few years ago Re. College and a few months ago Re. Work.

Pester me all you want.

John

Ditto I can remember how hard it was picking a course, and the variety of courses available. And this was in the late 90s the growth has been phenomnial (It could be worse, on a mailing list one contributor in the states is bemoaning cable tv adverts akin to "learn how to drive the big rigs" offering potential students a chance to work in the "exciting and rewarding field of audio/video editing" with "no artistic talent required"), and the change thats occured in student skill level and technology over the past few years has been intense.

First few years are tough.

Lump

mycroft wrote:

Ditto I can remember how hard it was picking a course, and the variety of courses available. And this was in the late 90s the growth has been phenomnial (It could be worse, on a mailing list one contributor in the states is bemoaning cable tv adverts akin to "learn how to drive the big rigs" offering potential students a chance to work in the "exciting and rewarding field of audio/video editing" with "no artistic talent required"), and the change thats occured in student skill level and technology over the past few years has been intense.

First few years are tough.

Glad we agree, it's amazing how one matures when they're in the industry!

John

gibbon75

Any opinion about St.John's College in Cork City?
They have a 2 year course in Video and Film Production.

Here's the link:
http://www.stjohnscollege.ie/index.php?pageID=22

mycroft

gibbon75 wrote:

Any opinion about St.John's College in Cork City?
They have a 2 year course in Video and Film Production.

Here's the link:
http://www.stjohnscollege.ie/index.php?pageID=22

one thing that leapt out at me, super8 film making? Who on earth makes films on super 8 any more. I'd find out whom the tutors are, how much pratical film making you'll actually be doing, and the format's you'll be shooting on. Many of these course claim to be film and video, but the film end is all theory and you only work on video.

Lump

Yea, AFAIK, the only place that still shoots film is YE OLD BALLYFERMOT. Shoot on Bollox (Bollix.... However it's spelt) 16mm.... may have changed their cameras since I went for and interview there.

John