Testimonials

"As a professional infiltrator, video is a big part of my job. When I needed to learn Final Cut Aron Ranen's class was the perfect solution. Unlike other workshops that cram information down your throat, I found Aron's class to be both highly informative and entertaining, with unique teaching methods that makes the information stick! Hurrah for Aron!"
--Harmon Leon (author of National Lampoon's Road Trip USA,)

"Aron is the best friend an aspiring filmmaker can have. His DV Workshop Basic is fast, fun and easy on the wallet. By the third lesson we were editing our own footage on Final Cut Pro! And there's a madness to the method: Aron mixes his Hollywood savvy and artistic sense with a totally warped sense of humor. You'll love his comfy new Mission District studios, too!

"Hey Aron:

In spring of 2004 I took your Basic DVD class. (I'm the guy whose quote
appears at the top of your testimonials web page). I thought you'd like to know that I've had modest success with my super-short comedy, "Baby Pepper", which I shot and edited using the techniques you teach.

As of this writing, "Baby Pepper" has been accepted at nine film festivals
in such cities as Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia, Edinburgh (Scotland), and Melbourne (Australia). In September, 2005, I screened it at the Milano Film Festival in Italy.

It was really a cheap production, and my technical skills are still close to
'beginner' status, but I thought your students would like to know how far
you can get with a simple idea and a good DV class."

"Aron, Your lessons were perfectly formatted, practical, easy to comprehend and ideally suited to my professional needs. You took the mystery out of this marvelous program (Final Cut Pro 4.0) and made it an extremely useful and productive tool."

Greg Lefevre, Independent Correspondent, San Francisco. Former CNN San Francisco Bureau Chief and Correspondent

Aron,

"I just wanted to say what a great experience I had in you documentary workshop. The amount covered was amazing - lighting, audio, the camera, what makes a good story & documentary, Final Cut, documentary highlights.... And have taken and delivered a lot of technical classes, I have to say you are an incredible teacher!. I will never think of that red overlay button as anything but the blood of the Jews building pyramids..and the A is for Aron text button - you've got some great memory aids. But I have forgotten the one question we aren't allowed to call you on.

Seriously though you have the patience of a saint, dealing with the various people and their anxieties, and you really put your all into wanting us to get it. The structure of the class was perfect - throwing us right into filming the second day (before I had time to think about being intimidated). I appreciated you inviting Bruce over to give us his take on good documentaries and our stories. And you went over and above the call of duty powering through the creation of my video, taking it to the bitter end with voice over and music. Even though I thought I didn't care, I was proud to have a take home - though my daughters just mocked me.

THe week flew and all my technical and creative brain cells have been jumpstarted! I hope I don't lose the momentum. I am a day away from getting a PD150 on Ebay, and Final Cut is on its way!

Thanks again, and thanks for keeping your website up to date with all that info!"

Martha

"Aron's two day Final Cut Pro course is a wonderful immersion into both Final Cut and non-linear editing. If you are looking to get up to speed, fast, on Final Cut and the basic concepts of non-linear video editing techniques and practices, look no further."

Robert Labatt
CEO
Ezboard, inc.

"Aron Ranen is a fabulous instructor! . Entertaining, articulate, skilled and insightful. Aron totally demystifies the field of digital video and empowers students (with varying skill sets) with tools and techniques within a matter of hours. Take this class and have a great time learning."

"Hey Aron, Thanks a lot for the DV Workshop. I learned a lot of good stuff! Well, I'm excited about making films and I appreciate your work to make an affordable DV Workshop for beginners. Thanks again."

"Aron, Thanks for the great workshop. Your lectures on lighting, sound and interviewing techniques were just what I needed and have saved me hours of reading books. The Saturday field trip to fisherman's wharf to interview people was a great hands-on learning experience. The Final Cut Pro lectures covered what I needed to get started. I have been putting off learning this software because the interface is intimidating but your lectures provided just the right amount of detail - logging and capture, editing video and audio, effects and titling and creating DVD's. A big reason I took your class was the price - compared to other classes in SF this class was very affordable. Best of luck with your future classes. I'll definitely recommend it to friends."

"Last night was the first session of the class I'm taking, "Documentary Video Production", at the Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco. I had a great time. The instructor, Aron Ranen, is a blast. He's a very interesting person to watch, and he knows his stuff. I'm not just saying that because he liked my documentary idea, or because he told me that the idea was too good to do with my old, one chip camcorder. But neither of those things hurt him in my estimation. Aron offers lots instruction in digital video. Check out his workshops page for more details. I feel I can highly recommend them. So I went ahead and ordered the GL2 from B&H. Aron was more of a fan of the Sony cameras, but I don't think he's seen a GL2. But I did look at the TRV950 and the PD150 before ordering. I still like the Canon best, for the price. The 20x optical zoom, built in ND filter, frame shooting mode and clean sound put it well ahead of the TRV950. And while the PD150 is clearly a better camera, I'm not sure it's $1000 better, at least for my needs. Plus, I'm used to Canon. Next week I'll bring it to class and we can do a camera bake-off. The best part of last night's class was the lighting exercise. I really liked the way Aron worked hard to make sure everyone did a little hands-on work with the lighting equipment. And while I'd read about three point lighting before, it's really amazing to see what it can do. I know now that I'm going to have to put together decent lights for the interview sections of the documentary. I really want the folks who speak to look good. Next week we learn about cameras and sound. I'm really looking forward to it."

"Your video workshop in Final Cut Pro was one of the best classes I have had. You introduced so much in a short time but in a way that it really made me understand the entire process from A to Z. Spending a day-all day- doing our own video in groups and then working on it was beautiful. Each day was a step towards the making of a video.

It was amazing how a group of 12 of us, some very experienced and some less, and me very inexperienced, all progressed ahead. You really are one of the most giving instructors I have ever had. You make sure each one understands no matter how long it takes.

I was so motivated and encouraged I grew from thinking about just making fun home movies of trips to making a documentary about the breast cancer of myself and my friends! It will be a challenge and take me time but I know I can do it. All I need is help along the way when I forget or get confused. At age 70 my memory is a bit weird (though I never did have a good one) but I really do understand once I see it and do it over and over. By the time I finish this project I should really know all the basics quite well.

They say learn new things as you get older, like a language or crossword puzzles. This is far more fun, sort of like chess, which I love!

I am so glad Elena suggested we take your workshop. Keep up your good work, you really are an amazing man with so much energy and heart as well as humor. You cannot imagine how happy I feel to finally have a project I feel strongly about! Keep it open to all ages sizes and shapes!

I hope other souls out there join your class! Just think, from the talented high school students in the group, on up to me. We were such a varied group and all progressed from where we were at.

Thank you and keep up the good work."

Vivi Wiitala

"The Basic DV workshop was excellent. Aron is a thoughtful and enthusiastic teacher who is extremely knowledgeable in his field. As a teacher myself, I appreciated the the well organized classes and presentations and the careful attention to each of the students needs. I certainly recommend this workshop to anyone who is considering entering the world of video film making."

E. Sheehan

"This class kicks ass! It wastes no time on the non-essential. Aron shares his thirty years of experience in a direct, hands on way and nets it down so you get what you need to to make your own professional quality video right now. His teaching style is easy and humorous and he takes great personal interest in each of his students. The kicker is the ridiculously low price. Twenty- five hours of learning for $195. You do the math. You've spent all the money on the gear. Now do yourself a favor and learn how to use it."

M Wombacher

"I attended Aron's Basic DV Workshop in February 2004. After a few lectures to introduce us to the basics of lighting, sound, and camerawork, we went straight into the field to practice what we learned. Aron's informative and entertaining lectures had us well prepared to capture good footage. The remaining lectures were spent discussing our footage and doing a lot of editing with Final Cut Pro. This class afforded me the opportunity to get a lot of hands on experience with high end digital video equipment and learn from someone who's worked with DV for over 30 years. Another great thing about this class is the price - you're not going to find quality instruction like this at such a cheap price anywhere else."

E. Lin

"I justed wanted to say that the DV Basics workshop was fantastic. I really learned a lot from those sessions. I've just installed Final Cut Pro yesturday and started to pay with it again. Its amazing how much I still remembered from the workshop (i.e Magic Peter Pan Play Head, Buddist Meditation Tables, I for in and O for out). At some point, I'd like to go even deeper into what Final Cut Pro has to offer."

"Hey Aron, Thanks again for the class. It's the first time I left a class and remembered almost everything. You must be doing something right.

My G5 arrived yesterday and I was able to cut a video that I shot last month, burn it onto DVD and then show it that evening to a cheering crowd at The Canvas. Very cool."

Steve

"I really enjoyed your "bootcamp" dv worshop. I learned so much, information re-enforcing and creating a better understanding of what I had learned previously, as well as, completely new info. Great informal, but focused group. You brought it all together. I must admit that I began running our of steam late afternoon, even though YOUR energy seemed to be energizing and infinite. Thanks for a great day! Looking forward to future encounters!"

Claudine Le Moal

"Gearing up for a documentary shoot at the end of the summer, I flew
myself and my project's camera man to DVworkshops. Our goals were to learn, to practice communicating with each other, and to network. Aron went above and beyond to make sure that each of those goals was not only met, but practically perfected. Having never used final cut pro at the end of the week I felt like a veteran. Aron was an incredible teacher and very receptive to everyone's questions.

I have to admit that the workshops "sink or swim" approach to having us
actually film a short Documentary on the streets of San Fran seemed a
little intimidating before I arrived. However, after observing about 2
minutes of Aron's "hyper-friendly" personality" my worries quickly
subsided. If you are worried about "sinking" the way I was....don't
be! Aron is the best life guard in town!!

My camera guy and I, in fact learned so much that in only one weeks
time (the week immediately after the workshop!) we were able to step
off the plane, take some footage, and edit together a 1-minute trailer
for our city's film festival taking place that very weekend (The
Athens, GA film festival). Not only did the festival accept our trailer, and not only did we get to see our work on the big screen....but our trailer was the only one out of three that received thunderous applause after it! I transfer those applause to Aron Ranen, and the rest of the gang at DVworkshops!

You will not regret taking this class!"

Logan Smalley and Dylan Wilson
Director and Camera of the DariusGoesWest.com project

"I really enjoyed your FCP class and couldn't wait to get home to start editing my project. You combined a whole semester's worth of information in two days, and then made it fun. I really enjoyed the hands on approach to your teaching and I look forward to taking additional classes from you. Thanks again."

Duran

.."Yes, I enjoyed your class. If I leave a class feeling like I can win using what was taught, then I know I have a winner for a teacher/mentor! If I leave feeling I have the power to successfully create, then I know I have a powerful and creative influence beside me. My dream has always been to create not only lovely but meaningful images. Movie making with Final Cut Pro as taught by you has given me that edge. I know I can continue to create in a new (for me) arena."

Cynthia Nichols

"I just wanted to drop you a quick email to thank you for the video training this past weekend. I never learned so much over a short period of time (& remembered it). Your experience, dedication, and passion for video made this a fantastic learning experience all the while having fun. Thanks for everything."

Best Regards,

Eric Marcussen

"...You took a really complex program and got us up and running in no time, particularly for those of us already familiar with keyframing. I just wanted you to know that I appreciated your effort and that I think you've got a great system for teaching the program and video editing. I've recommended the class to a couple of my peers."

Thanks again,
Mike Lollar

As a print journalist, I found Aron's DV workshop very valuable. I began the workshop with some ability to use a camera and edit and left feeling a lot more confident about my expertise in both. Most importantly, I learned visual story-telling techniques that I would never have thought of using without Aron's guidance.

Aron is a patient instructor who takes time with each student and makes sure each learns the material. I had attended several broadcast and video courses at community colleges before attending the DV workshop. I learned more in a week with Aron than I ever did in a full semester elsewhere.

I highly recommend the class for print reporters who want to make a transition to new media. -- Valerie Jeanne Alvord, Fallbrook, CA.