About the company

Q: Why Soho Editors Training?
A: Where to start! Firstly, we are long established as being suppliers to the post-production industry, and therefore have an excellent understanding of the market, and the skills that post-production staff need to have. We are not purely a training company, with other branches of the group having a huge presence in the industry. Secondly, unlike a lot of our competitors that provide training to the post-production industry, the Apple courses we run are fully approved and certified, and would give you a recognised qualification if you pass the exam (more on this later). We do not do general IT training – our courses are all industry specific, and we are experts in this field. Thirdly, we're situated in the heart of London's post-production district – where better place to train on post-production technology? Fourthly, the team here is friendly, helpful, efficient, understanding, flexible and approachable, and the trainers, as well as being all of the above, are fully qualified and certified, and all have significant industry experience and kudos as editors / operators in their own right.

Q: I see you're an Apple Accredited Training Centre; does this mean you're basically an Apple subsidiary? Do you not train on anything else?
A: No, it doesn't mean we are an Apple subsidiary, and we do train on other technology. We are indeed an AATC, and we do have an excellent relationship with Apple – however, we are an entirely independent organisation, with no ties to any manufacturer or other company. For example, we are a Leitch Post-Production Training Centre as well as an AATC, we provide Pro Tools training, we are the former global training provider to Quantel and European Training Partner to Media 100, and continue to work closely with Avid on periodic training programmes. We train on Apple products on the premises, but are able to, and do, provide training on most post-production platforms and software. See our bespoke training page for just a few of the industry manufacturers we are able to provide support to you for. We can also provide independent consultancy as to the right technology for you and your organisation, and deliver a full training and support package with it, depending on your needs.

Q: Is Soho Editors Training purely a training company?
A: Soho Editors Training specialises in training, as the name would suggest! However, there are other equally important facets of the Soho Editors group, each division complementing and supporting the others. We are an agency for freelance post-production talent, supplying major broadcasters, production companies and post-production facilities globally, with offices in London, Dublin and New York. We offer both technical and creative consultancy to a wide range of clients in the broadcast and creative media sectors. Soho Web Editors creates interactive web applications and database systems for broadcasters, post houses and other media organisations.

Courses and exams

Q: How would doing a course with you benefit me?
A: The pro-app courses we run (e.g. Final Cut Pro etc) are Apple Certified - the ones that aren't are still Apple Approved. This means that you will get certification from Apple proving your level of expertise if you pass the exam. You can be assured of training to the highest possible standard, with your trainer being a qualified expert with significant experience both professionally and as a trainer.

Q: Will this certification guarantee me work?
A: Not necessarily, but it will be good for your CV – you will actually have documentation stating you're a qualified user of the programme, whichever it might be. This is a recognised qualification within the industry, and more and more employers are looking for this. A manufacturer accreditation will hold more weight than that of a training company accreditation; an employer can't be sure of the criteria than a training company might have for accreditiation. Manufacturer accredititation points toward the holder having a comprehenive knowledge of the apllication.

Q: What happens if I don't pass the exam?
A: Our trainers are very good at what they do, and for this reason we have approximately an 80% pass rate. If you don't pass, you can come back and retake the exam here at a time that suits you. This incurs an administration fee of £75 + VAT. Your first exam is included in the cost of the training course – if for any reason you don't take this at the time of your course you can come back and do it at a mutually convenient time at no extra cost.

Q: What if I just want to take the exam? Can I do it at home?
A: If you wish, you can skip the relevant course (though we would suggest you take the course – you are much more likely to pass) and just do the exam, at a cost of £75 + VAT. You can't take it at home; Apple Certified Exams need to be invigilated by an Apple Certified Trainer, in an Apple authorised training centre. With regards to the Level Two exam for Final Cut Pro, you WILL NOT be certified as a Level Two user unless you've already been certified at Level One.

Q: What's the difference between Level One and Level Two Apple certification?
A: Level One attests to the basic operational knowledge of the application – most applications will just have this level. Logic has a Level Two certification as well, which attests to a knowledge of the more advanced features and a deeper understanding of the application in general. Final Cut Pro has 3 levels of certification. The first level is required in order to take either the level 2 or 3 course, or both. You don't have to have taken the level 2 to take the level 3. As mentioned above, you can't achieve Level 2 or 3 status unless you are already certified as Level One.

Q: How many other people will be on the course with me?
A: A maximum of 6 others (so 7 in total plus the trainer). We think that's about the right number for people to get the attention they may need, whilst still working in a group atmosphere. We can provide one-on-one training off-site if you require it – take a look the off-site / bespoke page.

Q: Do I have to do the training at your premises?
A: No, we can send trainers to your own premises if you wish, where they can run the same courses that are run here, or we can create a bespoke training programme for you – take a look at the off-site / bespoke page.

Q: I employ several people, and would like to have them all trained up on a number of applications, with training support afterwards – can you help?
A: Of course – we have a significant number of training programmes set up with a range of different organisations of differing sizes and requirements. These are not just for their training, but also for post-training support and general developmental partnerships. We are able to offer you independent and impartial consultancy, not just on the most suitable training solutions and support packages, but also on the most sensible systems to install in the first place. Please take a look at the consultancy page or contact us and we'll discuss how we might best be able to help.

Q: I don't see any Logic courses scheduled – do you train on it?
A: Yes we do, but will only schedule a course when demand dictates it. You can find out more about the programme itself in the main training section and can access the course outlines on this site. If you want to submit your interest in Logic certified training we'll be in touch to let you know when the next course is.

Q: Are there any pre-requisites for going on a course with Soho Editors Training?
A: It depends on the course you're taking. If it's an Apple course you're taking, knowing your way round the Mac operating system is important (we can arrange pre-course training on this if needs be). An understanding, even a basic one, of the terminology that comes with whatever field you're training in is also important i.e. if you are taking a Final Cut Pro course, an understanding of what editing is, the terms involved and a general understanding of the editing process are all necessary to hit the ground running when your training begins. If you are taking the Final Cut level Two or Three course, a pre-requisite is that you have taken a level one course and exam.
We run a course called an FCP 250, which is a Final Cut Pro course specifically aimed at Avid users. Do not look to go on this course unless you really are an experienced Avid user, it is a very intensive course, and will only be effective if you have been using Avid systems for a significant length of time before going on this course.
If you have any concerns about whether you're equipped to join one of our courses, or if you'd like to discuss the most suitable course for you, please get in touch.

Q: I want to get to level one certification on Final Cut Pro, and I see there are two types of level one course, the FCP 101 and the FCP 200. What's the difference?
A: Both the 101 and 200 cover exactly the same content. The 101, a 3 day course, is very intensive and only suitable for those with a fair amount of experience on FCP, or a professional editor. The 200, a 5 day course, gives you more time to go through the course programme, with more practical exercises and generally more time to work your way through the application. The 200 is your best if you're not an editor by trade.

Money, payment and funding

Q: How much do your courses cost?
A: It depends on the course, but in general terms, it's £250 + VAT per person per day. So, a 3-day course would cost £750 + VAT for one person. Bespoke and off-site training rates vary according to your requirements, and the Pro Tools training costs are structured differently due to the specialised nature of the training.

Q: What's included in the cost?
A: All your training materials including the course book/s, refreshments and lunch for every day of training (we have deals with a selection of café's / restaurants nearby), any stationary you need – in principle, you won't need to bring anything along except yourself.

Q: How do I pay?
A: We accept cheques, bank transfers, credit cards (soon) and cash. You can also pay for your course via this website using PayPal. If you do book a course, you'll be sent an invoice with payment details. If your training is booked within 30 days of the course starting, we require immediate payment on the receipt of your invoice. If it's booked further away than this, we require payment a minimum of 30 days before training commences. Only when payment has been received will your place on the course be fully confirmed. Companies and organisations are able to apply for a credit account if they wish.

Q: How can I apply for funding or part funding for my training?
A: There are a huge number of governmental, regional, access and industry organisations that may be able to help with the cost of training, or have training and development bursaries available. We've complied a list of some of the organisations that may be able to help you.

Q: I want to book several training courses with you – do I have to pay full price for them all?
A: Probably not – we are happy to talk about discounts made for multiple bookings, so please contact us to discuss this.

Q: My colleague and I would both like to book places on the same course – do we both have to pay full price?
A: Again, probably not, depending on how busy the course is and other factors. Give us a call and we'll see what we can do!

Q: Can I reserve a place on a course without incurring any cost?
A: You can, but if someone else wants a place on the course that is willing to confirm, you will be notified, asked if you wish to confirm, and if you don't the place will go to the new candidate that's willing to confirm. Please note, the only way to fully confirm your course place is to pay for it. If you aren't willing to pay for your training as soon as you've confirmed your place, you may lose your place to a candidate who is willing to pay for the training straight away.

Q: What if I confirm my place and then have to cancel it?
A: It depends on the amount of notice we have, and if we're able to fill the course place with somebody else. You can take a look at our terms and conditions for full information on this. We try to be as flexible as possible, and are fully aware of the problems that work sometimes creates, especially if you are a freelancer. With enough notice, if you have to postpone going on the course, we'll simply move you on to the next available course that suits your schedule.

Other information

Q: Can you help with my accommodation whilst I'm training with you?
A: We have no particular arrangement with any hotels, but you can find information on where to stay on the accommodation, food and fun page.

Q: Does the training centre have disabled access?
A: We have a number of training suites around central London, some of which have disabled access, some of which don't. Certainly the main Berwick St building doesn't, simply due to the fact the listed building is 300 years old, and its layout does not allow for disabled access. If you have special requirements of any sorts, please contact us and we'll help as much as we possibly can.

Q: I run a facility, and want to get some of my editors trained by you. Problem is that we're very busy, so there is no time for them to get trained, either here on site or at your premises. What would you suggest?
A: Soho Editors is the largest agency for post-production talent in the world. This means that if you need top-class operators to fill any gaps (training, holiday, sickness etc), we will be able get an editor (or compositor, or VFX artist, or sound designer, or anyone else!) to your facility to make sure your output is not affected. And your mind can be at rest - we will ONLY supply you with the highest quality talent with the relevant experience, both in terms of platform expertise and genre. There is no extra charge for this service - you'll be paying standard freelancer rates, without having had to go through piles of CVs to make sure you get the right person for the job; leave that to us. You can contact us for more information, or go to the main SE site, where you can view showreels and CVs online.

Go to top of page