Who are the Apple FCPX Certifiers here?

Or I should ask, Who here on this forum are the ones responsible for getting people prepped and ready for the FCPX exam? I remember seeing several posts about it in the past however I forget who is who. BenB? I'm thinking. Otherwise I would like to have a serious 1 on 1 chat offline or in private messages. Gimme a bump please.

Well there is at least one more of us. Paul from Berlin

I also run the user group in Berlin here (which is 10 years old today) :woohoo:

finalbug.net/

Would also be curious if there are more!?!

The same here, also located in Germany for Business. Which we have started FCPX group. Paurray any interested maybe doing something together?

I'm an Apple certified trainer as well.

ACT since 2005 !
Paul, any good advice for running the User group? Seems the interest is beginning to build
around X, looking to get a UG up and running.

Sorry, been out of the loop this past week. Was teaching the LSU Filmmaking Bootcamp for high school kids here in Louisiana. 5 full days, 15 teenagers, and just me. I was exhausted! But I'll tell y'all this, those kids picked up more about FCP X and editing in 2 hours than any adult I've taught for 3 solid days. They were amazing! They took one look at FCP X and seemed to automatically know what to do. Apple did something really good with FCP X. Well, good for this up and coming generation, not my own. LMAO!!!!

I've been running an FCPUG for just over six years. Been an ACT since FCP 4, was teaching it for a couple of years before that (my degree was in education). But teaching as an ACT and running a users group are two very different normally unrelated things. I teach every semester at LSU, and have taught all over the US these past several years.

• Running an FCP users group is a LOT of work! Be ready for it!
• Get a web page, keep it up to date.
• Get a regular place to meet monthly, free if possible.
• Get out to all the video/film/broadcast social events you can and spread the word.
• Keep your email list very well organized, and NEVER share it EVER!
• Do the leg work, contact all the vendors you can asking for free donations for the raffle at each meeting.
• Hold the raffle LAST! Otherwise folks will get their free stuff and hit the road.
• Find local folks who are experts and have them come do presentations for you (for free).

Feel free to email me (address in my profile) and we can set up a Skype chat or something.

count me in. working on my Motion cert as well.

FYI, since the release of X, many established FCPUGs have closed down, or opened tup to being "Creative Professionals Users Group" CPUG, (as opposed to "Final Cut Pro User Groups"). Mine, specifically may be shutting down do to lack of attendance in the next few months. Be sure you can get the turn out.

As for certification, here's my advice.

• Do the book cover to cover at least twice, if not more.
• The test goes into the details and is tough.
• The practice questions at the end of the chapters can lead you to think the real test questions are that easy, they're way harder.
• The Apple authorized training will help you pass easier, but by itself won't prepare you 100 percent by themselves.

How long did it take you guys to get certified, including studying? Was it worth it for you? I've been considering it for a little while, but just haven't had the time to assign to it.

Running a User Group is or should be a full time job.

I started with a simple HTML web page!

Had a place where I would copy and paste the time for the next meeting into it and then things just got more and more complicated...

A static webpage with a date that changes once a month just isn´t all that hot.

So I made my first Wordpress Blog.

Wordpress was fine but I had security issues with Viagra worms in the template getting me banned from Google!

Also I wanted to have multiblogger functionality so I made the switch to Joomla.

MySQL dumps, php config files and rock and roll...

I wanted to stop sending mass emails with every one in BCC and so set up a newsletter plugin in Joomla which whilst not rocket science was a little tricky etc

So these days I spend a lot of time sitting in Joomla which is a little bit like playing with lego and there is a lot of trial and error involved. And sure I admit it I am a perfectionist.

And then there are the meetings.

Where I am at it is relatively easy to get some media experts to show up and absorb information. But getting them to contribute is something else...

So as I said at the beginning and as Ben has also said here it is a hell of a lot of work. See if you can find some partners? Or roll up your sleeves. Or just let it roll....

How long does it take to get certified? Depends on how much time you have each day to invest in the serious studying to prepare for the test. Like I said, go through the book cover to cover at least twice, if not three times. Take the Apple authorized training course if you are able (but it is not required). Most importantly, be using it to do actual work, also. The more time you spend in the app, along with doing the book, the better your chances are at passing the test on your first try (you can retake the test if you don't pass the first time).

Also, do not get hung up on what your final score is. Most folks barely squeak by to pass. Apple only gets a notice saying you passed or didn't pass. It is a pass/fail test, no one really cares (except you) what your actual score was. And three weeks after you pass, you won't care either. Passing is all that matters, the actual score doesn't.

BTW, today I am working on updating my sample questions I use with my students. These are about 7 questions that are intended to give a real world taste of how difficult and detailed the test really is. Drop me an email (in my profile) for a copy.

Also, I have this PDF that is posted on my business page. It is all the information you'll ever need about Apple Pro App testing. Links to important information, docs, etc. Also, a brief editorial at the end about what the test is like, and what your benefits are with certification.
Click here for the PDF.