The ARRI Certified Training for Camera Systems course on MZed is an online intensive 10-hour class loaded with technical details, fascinating facts, and vast knowledge regarding ARRI cameras and ecosystem. Should you take it? Read below.

MZed and ARRI Academy

MZed, which is an online educational platform, partnered with ARRI to bring the ARRI Academy online and provide its renowned training programs to filmmakers all over the globe. Now you can get certified by ARRI Academy without leaving your couch. However, the question I asked myself when taking that course:  Does this course will make you an ARRI operator? Practically speaking, does this course will grant you the confidence to shoot with ARRI systems? The answer is yes, and no. Spoiler: This intensive course can be a great, and even crucial complementary piece of education before filming with ARRI. However, the ARRI Certified Training for Camera Systems is not going to transform you into an ARRI specialized shooter. Nevertheless, this course can be used as an essential educational segment for all ARRI shooters.

The instructor of the course is Florian Rettich, which is a senior trainer at ARRI Academy. Florian was a freelancer for 24 years before joining ARRI, and thus owns a ton of relevant experience and expertise. The amount of knowledge is awe-inspiring, and with attention to the smallest technical details.

The instructor of the course is Florian Rettich, which is a senior trainer at ARRI Academy

Topics

As written above, the total time of the course is 10 hours that are divided into eight sessions (modules). The items are diverse. The course reaches almost every aspect regarding the ARRI ecosystem plus a plentiful amount of nerdy stuff. You will get exposed to ARRI’s secret sauce (cooling mechanism, sensor design, structure, and more). Even there is some explanation regarding the camera’s engineering, which is pretty cool. 

The course reaches almost every aspect regarding the ARRI ecosystem plus a plentiful amount of nerdy stuff

In general, the topics are :

1. Introduction to almost all ALEXA cameras (AMIRA, Mini, SXT, LF), including an in-depth look at their features, capabilities, configuration, and control.
2. ARRI lenses, mounts, and filters.
3. Media and codecs.
4. ARRIRAW, camera sensor, exposure, and focusing tools.
5. ARRI Looks, color tools, and post-production workflow.
6. ARRI image quality and HDR (High Dynamic Range).

The intensity of the course

Although the total time of the course is 10 hours, there is a lot of references (files, links, PDFs, manuals, user guides, and videos), and various links to ARRI’s website (camera simulators, tables, and more). To accumulate and utilize all that knowledge, you will have to make a decent effort because there are a lot of details in-between. It seems that a meticulous effort has been done to build a course with great attention to details. Furthermore, the best way to take this course is by downloading it. That will allow you to repeat some parts with the minimum hassle (Vimeo streaming is not so efficient for educational purposes). For beginners, be ready to spend about 3 hours on a module, at least (including the reference links).

General thoughts and insights

The best way to learn how to shoot on a specific camera is to use it in a shoot. In an online course, we can’t do that. However, the educator can demonstrate it by taking the camera physically and shoot with it. That method hasn’t been shown in this course. I wish Florian had taken one of the ALEXA and starts shooting with like in real production.

Furthermore, I wanted to see a demonstration in the field and not just inside the studio. There are some BTS footage at the end of specific modules. However, it would be helpful and educational if a field demonstration was shown. There is nothing like taking an ARRI from the studio to the field and put it to the test. This course needs a more practical approach; for instance, take a look at  Philip Bloom’s class. However, I assume that ARRI wants to be extra meticulous, which can be optimally accomplished in the lab.

Price

You can own the course forever to stream and download for $199 or to stream it, along with the entire MZed PRO Library for $299.

Summary

Will this course transform you into an ARRI shooter? No, it will not. Does this course is a mandatory (or highly recommended) for becoming an ARRI shooter? Yes, it is. The ARRI Certified Training for Camera System is an excellent starting point to learn and get accurate knowledge on how to utilize ARRI’s ecosystem in a professional cinematography environment. But again, be ready to spend some time (about a couple of hours per module). By the way, at the end of the course, you will get a formal certificate by the ARRI Academy, which might be very beneficial for your career.

Click here to get into the course. 

What do you think? Are you interested in being an ARRI shooter? Would you take this course? Comment below.