Training – Benjamin Hershleder

Avid Training for Individuals or Groups

Benjamin can provide Avid's course curriculum, or customized instruction to fit your specific needs. Completing Avid's curriculum can lead to earning the distinction of being an Avid Specialist➚ (previously named 'Avid Certified User').

He provides training anywhere in the U.S. or abroad, either in-person or over the internet. Benjamin is certified by Avid Technology to be able to teach their introductory through advanced courses; and, he is able to provide customized training based on the client's unique needs.

After over 27 years teaching Avid Media Composer, Benjamin is able to help new users get up and running quickly. He provides a solid understanding of when, why, and how various tools or workflows are used, so they have a deeper, more thorough, understanding rather than simply learning to press buttons. For intermediate users Benjamin can help them gain speed and confidence by revealing many of Avid's often hidden tools, shortcuts, features, and capabilities.

Below you'll find a Frequently Asked Questions section that may help with some of your questions. Always feel free to contact Benjamin to schedule a meeting to have your questions answered, as well as to discuss your career goals, your training objectives, your particular scheduling needs, and training fees.

Brief Background
More information available on the About page and Resume page.

Benjamin Hershleder is an editor, educator, and author. He earned his B.A. in Film Production at University of Central Florida, and his M.F.A. from Florida State University Motion Picture Conservatory. He has been an Avid instructor since 1995, and became an Avid Certified Instructor (ACI) in 1997 — keeping his certification up to date continuously to the present.

In 2013, Benjamin began working directly with Avid Technology's education division as what they refer to as a 'Master Instructor' — meaning that he trains and certifies others to become Avid Certified Instructors so that their college or university can become an official 'Avid Learning Partner' institution. He has certified instructors at many institutions, including Savannah College of Art and Design (Atlanta), Full Sail University (Orlando), Santa Monica College (L.A.), Cuyahoga College LiPuma Center for Creative Arts (Cleveland), New York Film Academy (NYC and L.A. campuses), and Seneca College (Toronto).

Prior to taking the position as Head of Post Production Education at Georgia Film Academy, Benjamin taught for 12 years at the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles (1➚, 2➚), where he also taught workshops in Photoshop, and After Effects. He has also had long relationships with other official Avid Learning Partners➚ such as Moviola Education Center in Hollywood (20 years), and with Video Symphony Training in the heart of Burbank, California's 'Media District' (18 years). Some of his private training clients include Disney Feature Film Animation, Disney Latin America, PBS (L.A.), NBC (L.A.), CBS News (NYC), CBS Interactive (L.A.), USAA (Texas), Granada Television, Silo Films, and Lighthearted Entertainment.

As an editor and/or director, during his 25+ years in Los Angeles, he worked with companies such as Paramount Studios, Shapiro-West Productions, E! Entertainment network, Style network, Steamroller Entertainment, Spark Factory, and Gameworks (a division of Dreamworks).

F.A.Q. — Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Benjamin located?

Benjamin is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which is in the Central Time Zone➚

Is Benjamin an Avid Certified Instructor?

Yes. He has been teaching Avid since 1995 and has been an Avid Certified Instructor (ACI) since 1997. In 2013, Benjamin began working directly with Avid Technology's education division as what they refer to as a 'Master Instructor' — meaning that he trains and certifies others to become Avid Certified Instructors so that their college or university can become an official 'Avid Learning Partner' institution. Benjamin has certified instructors at many institutions, including Savannah College of Art and Design (Atlanta), Full Sail University (Orlando), Santa Monica College (L.A.), Cuyahoga College LiPuma Center for Creative Arts (Cleveland), New York Film Academy (NYC and L.A. campuses), and Seneca College (Toronto),

If you'd like more information about his experience as an editor, director, and/or private instructor for companies such as CBS, NBC, PBS, Disney Feature Animation, Granada Television, etc., or as an adjunct professor at institutions such as The American Film Institute Conservatory, UCLA Extension, University of Central Florida Film Division, and others, more details are included within his resume.

What topics does Benjamin teach?

Benjamin teaches introductory through advanced Avid editing, native visual and audio effects, audio mixing, input/output, and introductory color correction.
Benjamin also teaches important fundamental concepts and terminology related to post production that are not addressed in Avid courses.
While he is not an Adobe certified instructor, he is also available for Photoshop training. He has taught introductory courses in Photoshop and After Effects at Moviola Education Center Hollywood, the American Film Institute Conservatory, and to private individuals and groups.

Does Benjamin teach any other applications or provide any other services?

Yes. He teaches Photoshop, and offers story and technical consultation.
While he is not an Adobe certified instructor, he provides Photoshop training. He has taught introductory courses in Photoshop and After Effects at the Moviola Education Center Hollywood, the American Film Institute Conservatory, and to private individuals and groups.
Benjamin is also available for story consultation, both before the cameras roll as well as after. Analyzing and discussing the script prior to production can help spot (and remedy) story issues and shots or scenes that will require planning so they come together correctly (and with as little difficulty as possible) during the edit. During post production, it's true that editing is the final rewrite. Having an impartial viewpoint as well as a fresh eye can help a great deal when you've encountered a complication or obstacle.

How can I get a free trial version of Avid Media Composer?

Avid offers a 30 day free trial➚ (the clock starts ticking from the first time you start-up the application). It's important that your computer's operating system and the version of Avid Media Composer are compatible. Benjamin is happy to help you determine this, or you can check Avid's compatibility chart➚ NOTE: Avid does offer a free (forever) product which they have named Media Composer First➚ (MC1). MC1 is essentially a limited version of its big brother, Media Composer, that has some restrictions and differences. Those receiving personalized training might consider MC1 — however, you may want to discuss its limitations➚ with Benjamin to see if it fits your needs. Those receiving Avid Certified training must use the full version of Media Composer.

What are the benefits of private training?

Individuals, Pairs, or Groups – Private training is available for you, you and friend, or you and many friends.
Your location – Private training allows the training to come to you, rather than you to the training. In addition to remote online training, Benjamin provides instruction at homes, offices, and post production facilities anywhere in the U.S. or abroad. Why have yourself or your staff learn with a different system or facility set-up from the one you/they will be using?
Your schedule – Whether it's during the workday, after working hours, or on weekends, private training can take place on your schedule, rather than a school's.
Customization – Private training allows for customization of topics based on your specific needs and goals, rather than having to attend a course with other students that may contain topics of which you are already familiar, or are of no immediate use.
Attention – Individuals will receive 100% attention as opposed to being one of many students in a classroom. Ask questions whenever you want to! Further, you'll be able to ask questions related to your unique situation and/or workflow. DVDs and online training can repeat the demonstration of a tool or technique, but they are unable to provide additional context for using it in different editing situations or provide clarification through analogies and alternate demonstration methods.
Pace – Students taking classes at professional schools (which are 8 hours long for several days in a row), have described taking in the information as being like trying to get a drink of water from a fire hose. Private training allows you to learn at whatever pace suits you best. Benjamin is always available to discuss various training strategies to consider for achieving your goals and maximizing your training budget.
Scope – Benjamin is an instructor with understanding of, or background in, all phases of production and post production who can help to tie concepts and techniques together within a particular editing situation or across an entire production.
Current – Learn with the most current release of the software.

What is the cost for private training?

Because rates are dependent on a variety of factors, please contact Benjamin with details of your objectives and he'll be happy to provide you with precise information and a formal quote, if required.

What should I know about payment and session rescheduling or cancellations?

50% of the booked session duration is due prior to each session via PayPal or credit card (3.5% processing fee is added). You will be invoiced for this, and once payment is received you are officially booked. When the session is completed, you will be invoiced for the remaining fees, depending on the actual session duration. Additional fees may apply for in-person/on-site training, depending on the extent of travel, accommodations, and/or pre-training set-up at your facility.
Clients must provide at least 48 hours notice for rescheduling or cancellation in order to avoid a $65 fee.

What is the minimum duration of a session?

For remote training the minimum is 1 hour, and for on-site training the minimum is 4 hours. With customized sessions, topics are always of your choosing. Benjamin is happy to guide you with subjects to focus on, as well as with the progression of covering the various topics.

Do I have to commit to taking several sessions in advance?

No. Book one session to get a sense of things and determine what will work best for you, and then go from there. Benjamin is happy to provide you with strategies for retaining the information you learn, as well as for getting the most out of your training budget.

What technical stuff do I need to be aware of?

For remote training over the internet:
Benjamin uses Zoom➚ to connect with you. This allows you both to share screens, and for him to demonstrate while using your system — this makes it very quick and easy for you to try out the topics while he demonstrates them without the delay of switching screens back and forth, or dealing with any possible internet issues.
It is recommended that your system meets the following specifications:

16" screen or larger — two screens is ideal, if/when possible. Screens smaller than 16" make seeing and accessing the various tools and menus more challenging, and it may become frustrating for you.
16GB RAM — 16GB is the bare minimum since your computer will be running Zoom as well as Avid, both of which require a good deal of computer processing. Please note the following: Avid's current System Requirements relate that 32GB of RAM is the minimum, though 16GB can work fairly well when using only SD or HD video. Also, Avid Media Composer can be started-up with as little as 8GB of RAM, however this would be insufficient for practicing and editing because it will very likely make using the system virtually impossible — however, you would still be able to become familiar with the interface, tools, and menus — but you would very likely not be able to play video.
Sufficient internet connection — A connection that provides 60Mbps+ download speed and 10Mbps+ upload speed is recommended. You can test your connection speeds at Speed.Cloudflare.com➚ Slower connections may work, but they often cause problems such as poor audio and/or image, or disconnection.
Mouse — It is highly recommend to use a mouse or Wacom tablet rather than a track pad.
Keyboard — if you're using a laptop, it's recommended to connect a keyboard which generally makes using Avid, and other applications, easier for you.
Power — Ensure that your system is connected to AC power.
Avid Media Composer software — Avid offers a 30 day free trial of Media Composer. More information about this is available above, near the beginning of this FAQ. Ideally, you would have Avid Media Composer on the same system that is running Zoom. This allows Benjamin to easily see your computer, and makes it quick and simple for you to try out the things that he's demonstrating, as well as for him to walk you through things while you're fully in control. Additionally, having Media Composer will give you the ability to study, practice and, in the case of certified training, complete the exercises for each chapter. If you do not have Avid available, some free or low cost options can be discussed.

For in-person, on-site training:
If a system is not available at your physical location, then Benjamin uses his portable system, which can be connected to your big screen display or projector via HDMI. The system provided consists of the following:

            - 2023, 16", M2–MAX MacBook Pro
            - 64GB RAM
            - The most current version of Avid and/or Photoshop
            - Peripheral mouse
            - Keyboard reference

How does private training typically work?
Training can be customized to suit your needs, though here are some common scenarios:

An individual wants to get a feel for how the training works, so they book the minimum of 1 hour (for remote, online training) or 4 hours (for on-site training) and cover topics of their choosing or those Benjamin suggests (after a discussion with you). It's recommended that you create a list of topics and arrange them in order of priority. A one hour session can generally accommodate 3 or 4 topics, depending on the focus and the depth required. A four hour session can generally cover 10 to 15 topics. Future sessions can be arranged at any time.
A corporate client books two or more 4 hour sessions of customized training for their editorial team.
A corporate client books one or more full days (commonly 10:00am to 5:00pm) of certified training for their editorial team. Most often, concurrent days are scheduled.

Can I practice and/or complete lesson exercises with Benjamin present?

It's always up to you — Benjamin encourages clients to let him know what works best for them. Many feel more comfortable, in the beginning, having him with them while they practice. Then, once they are feeling more self assured, they will practice/complete exercises between each session. Questions that come up while working solo are answered during the next session.

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