"We wanted to do Nigel's course because our team has a member who has a hidden disability and a member who is a carer. Nigel made it clear that he is a teacher with a hidden disability and therefore we felt he would understand  our experiences and deliver the course in a way that would be accessible for us. Nigel provides support for getting the technology we needed to do the course and worked to make sure we could access the software and the materials. He provided notes and video material as well as weekly sessions live online to take us through the course. The course makes it possible to learn about AVID and editing in an accessible and enjoyable way."

The AVID 101 course is a three-day comprehensive introduction to the video editing software AVID Media Composer 2020. In this course, students develop an understanding of the video editing process and the basic skills to edit a video project from first cut to final finish. This includes understanding the relationship between media and project files, media storage location, the abilities to create the project file; bring in the source video and audio files; edit the sequence, add titles, music, and basic effects, and then export the finished sequence. 

The interactive nature of this course allows individual to put into practice what they learn before sitting the Avid 101 Certified Assessment Exam at the end of the course. 

There are no formal entry requirements for this course, and previous experience with Avid Media Composer is not necessary. However, other software experience, such as FCP or Adobe Premier is useful. A background or experience in editing, production, or post- production is recommended.

An AVID license is required, participants may use their own, otherwise a University license (AVID 2020) may be provided for the duration of the course.  

Participants will need a working knowledge of Windows or Macintosh operating systems and access to a workstation equipped with Mac Pro, iMac or HP Z440.

This course is aimed at producers, editors, assistant editors, and multimedia producers or similar. Media Composer Fundamentals I is an introductory course designed to get a new user up-and-running on the software. 

This course covers the fundamental skillset required to edit a video project start to finish, and includes:

•    Launch Media Composer
•    Identify and understand the function of the primary Media Composer tools and windows
•    Create/Open a project using Frame Settings, Understanding of Interlaced and Progressive Video
•    Import/Link to media
•    Create project bins, as needed
•    Organise clips by moving them from one bin to another
•    Create a sequence, and add or remove tracks as needed
•    Add clips to the sequence using Splice and Overwrite, or equivalent SmartTool functions
•    Remove sequence material using Lift and Extract, or equivalent SmartTool functions
•    Use Trim mode and SmartTool trim tools to change the length of sequence clips
•    Adjust the audio level (clip gain) of clips in the sequence
•    Add basic effects to sequence clips
•    Add transition effects to the sequence
•    Create and add static titles
•    Export the finished sequence as a high-quality video file, or for uploading to the web
•    Adjust basic settings relating to the media creation and user preferences
•    Locate Media Composer project and media files
•    Delete unwanted media files, and all media at the completion of the edit process

All course-related materials will be included as either a PDF or Hard Book.

On completion of this course, participants will be familiarized with and have the confidence to use the software efficiently to create or manage their own projects. 

AVID Media Composer is the most broadly used video editing software in the industry. The technical and operational skillset developed through this certification program is designed to qualify students to enter the workforce as post-production assistants, assistant editors, or video editors.

Participants will be offered the Avid Certified 101 assessment at the end of the course, completion of this will allow the participant to then take the AVID 110 course and assessment to become AVID User accredited.

Nigel G Honey (MA) Film, Film TV Editor / AVID Certified Instructor, has over 25 + years editing experience as a freelance editor both in UK and Europe in Avid Media Composer 2018/2019/ (2020.10 latest Vsn), DaVinci Resolve 16, and Premiere Pro CC2018/19/20, and still edits professionally alongside teaching for STV, BBC, RDF, Channel 4, and SKY. Editing credits include Cannes, Raindance and BAFTA.

This course will be taught entirely through LSBU’s online learning platform. 

This course totals approximately 16 hours, and will be split over 3 days.

Day 1 and 2 will comprise of a 3-hour morning session and 3-hour afternoon session. Day 3 will then be practice and revision, participants wishing to take the assessment will be afforded the opportunity to do so.

The AVID 101 assessment (via an online exam) may be taken on completion of this course should the participant wish to progress to AVID 110 and become user accredited.

Whilst the AVID 101 is not accredited, completion of the course alongside completion of the second certification AVID 110 will certify the individual AVID user accredited.

For information on our policies (payment, cancellation, terms and conditions, etc.) visit our general information page.

If you have a question that we haven’t answered here, please contact lsbushortcourses@lsbu.ac.uk and we will respond to your query within 24 hours.