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Click above to view a Testimonial from Student
Click above to view a Testimonial from Student Gerald Block
Click above to view a Testimonial from Student
Sample our Student Documentaries
Going Local by Joel Bennett
SF's Rosalies Wig Shop
Ed Brooks Photographer by Stacy Stone
Cable Car
Bell Ringer documentary by
Darwin on
Columbus Dvworkshops student documentary by Martha Seaver
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Testimonials "After completing a one-year
course at the New York Film Academy, I decided to brush up on my
editing skills by attending Aron’s Final Cut Pro weekend
intensive. Wow, do I wish I had saved my tuition money and
just attended Aron’s camera and lighting courses as well!
I was shocked at how simple he managed to make a program that
had previously been presented to me in such a complicated and
confusing manner. Better still, Aron was at once
entertaining and informative. I highly recommend this course to
anyone who wishes they could learn the art of filmmaking without
taking out a loan to do so." __________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________ I recently took Aron's
workshop and it was
I have taken many courses
on many topics but DV CRASH tops the list for energy, pace,
content density and practical knowledge. Aron knows his stuff,
knows how to communicate it and knows how to keep a classroom
hopping. Maybe best of all, Aron Ranen loves filmmaking and
shares that passion in his teaching. If you want to be
entertained and learn how to entertain or educate or earn with
DV like a pro, TAKE THIS COURSE. As a full time professor in
one of the most highly regarded research Rafael C. Angulo "Thank you so much for
sharing your expertise at the 2-day digital video workshop. The
workshop was a revelation! I've taken courses in multimedia and
digital imaging, and this class is a real leap forward. Although
I had reviewed the tips on your website, your presentations and
exercises allowed me to absorb them so much more thoroughly than
was possible simply by reading. Yesterday's shooting and your
critique also brought your points home, by letting me in make
nearly every mistake you had warned about, and see the
consequences onscreen. I recommend your workshop to anyone with
an interest in making quality video, in expanding a photographic
career, or in using video in marketing on the web. "I just wanted to write to
you and commend you on your great workshop, DV Crash Course that
I recently took. I got more out of this workshop then any recent
class or workshop that I have attended and I want to thank you
for that. Your hands on approach to teaching and the knowledge
you share is worth much more than the cost of the course. You
explained the how, what and why of digital video recording,
visual story telling and more importantly the ease in which you
make Final Cut Pro appear makes this once daunting program easy
to understand. With a bit more experience I am beginning to
really understand this program and feel it will soon be like any
other program that I have mastered. "I wanted to thank you for
such and inspiring, informative and exhausting! workshop last
month. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye and thank you. I
want you to know that it confirmed a big change in my life to
focus on being involved in meaningful media. I returned home,
gave my notice, and will begin working for a media company in
August. Thanks so much for the jump start and the highly
engaging and entertaining teaching." "Wow! I'm so glad I took
the Documentary Workshop....you really deliver on your promises.
I got the knowledge and skills I was seeking so I can complete
several video projects that I've been inspired to do. "Before I took the six day
intensive course at DVWorkshops, I was a typical college student
mulling my way through school without a strong sense of purpose
or direction. Aron’s workshop changed all that. Aron not only
gives you a strong basis in the technical aspects of filmmaking,
but also serves as an extremely valuable example of a successful
professional in a highly creative field. The fact that he gives
you more in six days than most programs give you in one or two
semesters is incredibly valuable in and of itself. But he also
makes it a point to show you what to do with the information
that you’ve learned and that, for me, is what really sets
DVWorkshops apart. As a result of taking Aron’s course, I’ve
decided to pursue film not just as an area of study but also as
a career, and I feel that my prospects are much greater now than
they would have been before. Whether you’re a college student
like me or already an active member of society, anyone who has
the desire to discover a more creative field of work would be
very well served to attend a DV workshop with Aron. You have
nothing to lose and everything to gain." "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! Carl Russo, Film Journalist "Hey Aron: Here's the film web site: Thanks, "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,
"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." "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." M.S. Communications Consultant "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." Chris Mercer "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." L. Picardo, Phd "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." M. P.
"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. "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."
"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." "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." "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." Larry Ng "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. I took Aron's Final Cut Pro Weekend class and learned more in two days than I did during most college semesters. Aron's teaching methods are not only effective, but they make the class fun, too. You can take someone else's FCP class and spend three times as much, but why throw your money away? Plus, Aron makes the best coffee this side of Seattle.
D.
Parsons
San Jose
"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!" "Gearing up for a
documentary shoot at the end of the summer, I flew "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."
"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."
"...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." 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.
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Watch
DVworkshops' Roland Pan's Documentary 
Palermo
Deli- Student Doc made by Navy Combat
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