New Media Technology College

Ulf

Hello,

I was considering doing a Masters in Film production next year at this college and was wondering if anyone could give me some feedback on whether it is a good place to study. I was speaking to the guy who runs it there last week. Lovely guy, very enthusiastic. The course sounds very interesting with both practical and theory based elements. Anyhow I was wondering if anyone on boards is a current student there or has had past experience with this college and if they could give me some feedback on the merits and even the negative aspects of NMTC I would really appreciate it.

Ulf

Woah maybe the fact that nobody has even heard of the place is an even worse indication of what to expect...

BlitzKrieg

havnt been personnally so I cant help...

got a link?

Ulf

Thanks for getting back to me at least.
It's a small enough school in Town on Harcourt street.
Here's the link http://www.nmtc.ie/courses/mafilm.html

Nolanger

I have a DVD of short films made from that place and they're not too good.
If you need an MA in Film Production then check other out colleges such as
http://www.ucd.ie/englishanddrama/film/film_masters_production.htm.

Also abroad such as highly regarded London Film School
http://www.lfs.org.uk/courses/ma_film_making/introduction.php.

Alternatively, you could spend your course fees making your own movie.

Ulf

"Alternatively, you could spend your course fees making your own movie."

That may be a valid point but surely the training/equipment you'd have access to in a certified course would be better than trying to cobble together your own film?

Are you doing the MA in UCD? Why would I pick that course over the one at NMTC?

Thanks for the responses.

Nolanger

You could spend your MA fees making your own movie because:
1. You actually get to make a film - a lot of film courses only select certain students to make film and the rest of the class help out.
2. You retain the copyright of your film and can try to sell it - most film schools retain the copyright of students' films.
3. You will learn a LOT more making your own film with no-one to hold your hand and gain experience from your mistakes.
4. You will make a more personal film that stands out from the routine film-school stuff that all looks the same

If you still need an MA in Film Production then UCD is a University with a highly-regarded film department - New Media College is what?

BlitzKrieg

the best thing I found about doing film in university or film school is that you get access to alot of equipment and alot of free time.

I got hired on to work as an editor after only 6 or so months out of college because I spent alot of free time in university in the editing suites learning the ins and outs of Final Cut Pro.

The best thing you can do while in university is use the equipment as much as possible and get as many oddjobs as you can to fill your cv with experiance.

Ulf

Nolanger wrote: »

New Media College is what?

Thats what I'm trying to find out.

Thanks nolanger

Are you doing the MA in film production in UCD?
I am aware of UCD's program also. However their courses were originally film studies and not production I believe (unless I am mistaken) which had a more theory and less practical approach. Their masters in production is in its first year this year and as of yet is relatively unproven against other more practical courses offered in institutions such as ballyfermot, IADT, Dhulaigh and a few others. I could be very wrong though. It looks very interesting however and I would love to study in UCD.

I'm not asking which is best. I am asking is anyone has any experience in NMTC positive or negative.....

Ulf

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

the best thing I found about doing film in university or film school is that you get access to alot of equipment and alot of free time.

I got hired on to work as an editor after only 6 or so months out of college because I spent alot of free time in university in the editing suites learning the ins and outs of Final Cut Pro.

The best thing you can do while in university is use the equipment as much as possible and get as many oddjobs as you can to fill your cv with experiance.

Thats the impression I was under.

BlitzKrieg

I am aware of UCD's program also. However their courses were originally film studies and not production I believe (unless I am mistaken) which had a more theory and less practical approach.

Again this could be personnally taste (Mycroft god bless his user account disagreed with me strongly here) but I found a combination of theory and practical worked best, practical thought you the needed skills to make a film, but studying theory and then applying it to your own work helps you find what kind of films you want to make.

it is heavily contested by alot of people, but I picked up things in film theory that I practically apply into my day to day workings. Especially when it comes to structuring my work.


On a side note, DO NOT take any film course, practical, theory or film school unless they give you at least one semester working with film, 16mm or 35mm (8mm is pushing it)Working with actual film is a fantastic way to get you disciplined.

Some might call it snobbish, but you need to have hands on film experiance if you intend to do any work involving a camera or editing.

Ulf

I had no intention of taking a course with no practical component. As I said UCD's old course was 'film studies' a purely academic approach to the medium of film. DCU do a similar course that has an element of production but weights heavily on the theory side. The new course in UCD has both practical and theory basis. The course in NMTC (which is two years as to opposed to UCD's two.) is also theory and practical. I'm just looking for anyone who has done it before. Or any other film course in the college. Alas due to its size this is proving difficult.

BlitzKrieg

well according to the link you gave me, you seem to spend much of the course in portugal. There's only 15 slots so regardless of the course's quality it must be difficult to get in. But only 15 slots does bring the notion of hope that it means you get alot more one to one experiance with the equipment and instructors.


Where have you studied already, seeing as your looking to do a MA I assume you have a BA in something somewhere else?

Ulf

I have a BA in Arts from UCD funilly enough. You don't most of your time in Portugal. The course is run in conjunction with a university in Portugal under funding from the EU. You do projects with other schools in Europe, visiting them and hosting them too. It all sounds too good to be true. I just need some feed back from people who have acually been there..... You know?

humanji

I did one of the night courses in NMTC a while back and well, let me put it this way, the entire class of 5 people left after the first year. There was hassle with trying to get equipment (they didn't have a lot, it wasn't always the best quality, and full time students always had preference over it when they wanted to take it out on weekends etc).

Also, the layout of the course was fairly bad. One of our lecturers, I have to say, was fantastic and he completely diverted from the lesson plan. If he hadn't we wouldn't of held a camera, let alone shot anything until the middle of the first year, and we'd of only shot a short film in the second year.

Now, I've heard that they've changed the courses completely, and it's been a few years since I went there, but on personal experience I can't recommend it at all.

Ulf

Yeah I appreciate the honesty. Well you have to have your eyes open going into these things. I'll have to weight up my options. I sincerely hope this place has moved on since you went. What camera formats did they have when you were there? And was there just too few or they actually wouldnt let you use them?

Nolanger

They might not approve of FÁS exam cheats?

Exar Khun

What do you mean nolanger?

theseeker

hello,hope you're well. I came accross your comment while looking for something else and I had to set up an account just to say that I'm attending nmtc at the moment and I would never ever recommend anyone to go there. You think it sounds too good to be true, it is. the lack of communication, passion and knowledge in the place distracted me and many others during the year and we found it hard to stay motivated. The equipment is dodgy and has to be back at 5:30pm, 10am is the earliest you can take it out although you are allowed to use it whenever. There is one 16mm project which nearly didn't happen this year. put it this way, 18 of us started in october and there is only 9 left that still come in and that is only to get our qualification. Up until about 3 months ago there was only 1 edit suite, yes ONE computer with final cut on it and now there is two, booking enough time to do your editing on these is hard especially when other people get there first. I personally feel that I have been conned out of 4,000 euro and it is not clear to me at all where that money or anyone elses has been spent on. It could have been great but anything we learned we learned ourselves we didn't need to be in college for, so if you would like any kind of guidence etc.. dont go there. People will pay to do courses such as film production and there are some people out there that are prepared to exploit that fact. any other Q's just ask!! it gets a big thumbs down from me.

Nolanger

theseeker wrote: »

I personally feel that I have been conned out of 4,000 euro and it is not clear to me at all where that money or anyone elses has been spent on.

I could have sold you my old XL1 and PC-editing system for that money.
Unless you want to become a lecturer most film courses in this country are a complete waste of money - all they do is kill people's interest in cinema.
They teach you how to fit into our "thriving industry" and make bland and unoriginal films.

Exar Khun

Jesus christ, thats pretty damning.

Two reports from different people saying the place is bad.

I don't know where else to look in Ireland now postgrad wise....

humanji

Spend your time making films instead. It'll serve you better.

zdrina

Hi,

I also planned to join NMTC... and I heard they did a lot of changes now...
but Im getting slightly scared off by the negative comments

I hope at least we get the chance to work on our own projects..

Dreh

I planned to join them too.. but i want to do the one year course for interactive media.

Any thoughts about it?

AARRRGH

There was a new media technology college around 12 years ago which closed down and screwed loads of students out of a qualification.

Are these guys them reincarnated?

Milly83

Dreh wrote: »

I planned to join them too.. but i want to do the one year course for interactive media.

Any thoughts about it?

I applied for the course Interactive Media Production a couple of weeks ago. I visited the school twice to get a lot of information and everything sounded very good!

BUT... Yesterday(!!!!) they sent me an email (after sending a letter with the request to pay my fee of 2000 E a week ago) that the course was not going to run because there weren't enough students, actually there was just ONE, me!!!! :eek: They have never warned me that this could happen so I didn't looked for a second option, and most school start next week.
Oh... they did suggested the Film Production course instead of the Media Production because there were a lot of subjects exactly the same in the two courses, how weird is that?!

Anyway, I think I should be happy the course will not run, especially after reading previous posts....

Exar Khun

The place seems dodgey tbh,

Nolanger

Ulf = Exar Khun?

BlitzKrieg

dont see why he would need to re-register?

Exar Khun

Actually nolanger is right, I was in work when I was asking about the NMTC and the network settings wouldnt let me log in for some reason. But I found if U registered a new account I could access it. Don't really use Ulf ever/anymore...
Sorry to be confusing.

BlitzKrieg

meh technically you are not reregging to get around a ban, so no issue there really.