# Film Scoring UCLA Extension



## Gzu (Oct 14, 2016)

Hello Everyone!

Hope you having a great weekend !

Does anyone have information, or some testimonials about this UCLA Program ?
How good is this Program ?
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https://www.uclaextension.edu/public/category/courseCategoryCertificateProfile.do?method=load&certificateId=1061874
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Thank you so much!
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G.C*


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Oct 14, 2016)

I've met 2 people who did the program and both said that it was very basic and not really worth it. One of them used it as an opportunity to get a visa but then didn't really go to class. I believe the other person got hired as an assistant by one of the professors and just left the program. I've heard that they let pretty much anyone in so they need to go over very basic things to make sure that everyone is up to speed. So basically if you need a visa, want to more to LA, or are looking for a reasonably cheap program it might be good for you. In terms of getting the best education I've heard that the USC program is a lot better. It's also now a masters program.


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## JohnG (Oct 16, 2016)

Many years ago I took a couple and they were fine, for what they are. It is quite basic but far, far less expensive and much less of a time commitment than USC. 

If you have little or no experience with live players it's a relatively low-cost way to get a little. The players are pretty good -- some of them are actually very good indeed. I still hire some of them when I record here.

As Gerhard says though, they let almost any would-be composer in so, with a few exceptions, you are not in class with students who have a rigourous background.


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## chillbot (Oct 16, 2016)

Does it say who the teachers are? I couldn't find that info anywhere. That would be important to me... in LA you would expect they would at least be names you vaguely recognize.


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## JohnG (Oct 16, 2016)

I was lucky with good teachers but you're right -- that makes all the diff.


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## gsilbers (Oct 16, 2016)

Gerhard Westphalen said:


> I've met 2 people who did the program and both said that it was very basic and not really worth it. One of them used it as an opportunity to get a visa but then didn't really go to class. I believe the other person got hired as an assistant by one of the professors and just left the program. I've heard that they let pretty much anyone in so they need to go over very basic things to make sure that everyone is up to speed. So basically if you need a visa, want to more to LA, or are looking for a reasonably cheap program it might be good for you. In terms of getting the best education I've heard that the USC program is a lot better. It's also now a masters program.



yep. this is my assesment as well when i went for a few classes. i lived in westwood at the time so i tried it out. 
the ucla music program is a lot harder. the extension program is for continuining education or basic stuff. 
f


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## gsilbers (Oct 16, 2016)

chillbot said:


> Does it say who the teachers are? I couldn't find that info anywhere. That would be important to me... in LA you would expect they would at least be names you vaguely recognize.



these are the ones i remember:
Charles Bernstein
James L Venable. 

but some composers like marco beltrami would stop by and give a class lecture about one of the films he did. 

even though those teacher might have a wealth of info, they mostly sticked to the basic basic stuff. 
like youtube tutorial basic stuff. that was like 10 years ago so not sure if it changed. 

defenitly not a program as matured as the USC or berklee programs.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Oct 16, 2016)

gsilbers said:


> these are the ones i remember:
> Charles Bernstein
> James L Venable.
> 
> ...



I'd say it depends on the Berklee program. I don't know about their on campus degrees or their Valencia masters but I'm finishing up an online film scoring degree there and it was all pretty basic stuff. They cover a lot of area but nothing in too much detail. Maybe the other programs are like that as well. If I couldn't transfer half of the degree in from my other university I wouldn't've done their degree since it would all be really basic stuff that isn't worth $20,000. 

The Thinkspace courses and masters are a good value from what I've heard.


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## JohnG (Oct 16, 2016)

Gerhard Westphalen said:


> The Thinkspace courses and masters are a good value from what I've heard.



Don't know about the masters one way or another but Thinkspace is fun and very practical.


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