Trainspotting (USA)
By Boe Gatiss

Based on rave reviews and UTS's very apparent professionalism, you may want to consider doing the same for a quality dose of sun and formal Pro Tools immersion (not necessarily in any particular order). UTS is located on the edge of Sydney's central business district, and is comprised of 27,000 students (many international), over 300 degree programs, and three separate campuses.

While the university itself has been around for quite a while, and Pro Tools systems have been utilised for in-house production for about ten years, the UTS Pro School's a relatively recent development. The program was started in February 2003 by James Hurley, now UTS Pro School Coordinator and Instructor, a long-time Pro Tools aficionado and a seasoned audio and film professional. Due to its familiarity and history with Pro Tools, and on account of the fact that a dedicated Pro Tools curriculum was lacking, Digidesign's David Corazza suggested the university start a Pro School. Hurley took to the idea immediately and had the Pro School up and running half a year later.

UTS Pro School thus became Australia's first Pro School, offering all courses up to Operator and Expert level training (300-level courses) and certification. "When we established the Pro School," Hurley explains, "we were initially thinking about focusing on post production in the Pro School courses, but then found there was a really high demand for music as well in Sydney." So a music tack took precedence initially; although complementing UTS's desire for cross-disciplinary offerings, post courses will be offered this year as well.

As is the case with many Pro Schools, classroom environments are intentionally intimate to make the most of the intensive experience: two students per station at the 101 level, with a maximum of twelve students per class; six students in a class with one workstation between two students at the 200 level; and one workstation each and a 3:1 student to teacher ratio at the 300 level.

"It's made it really interesting that we've had students from such a wide variety of backgrounds at all levels," Hurley says, "so an established rock producer might be sitting next to a techno DJ or sound artist. When that happens, the opportunities for everyone to learn something new about workflow or tips and tricks grows exponentially, and it makes the class that much more exciting."

Hearty Pro Tools LE production suites   Mac G5s with Digi 002s   are employed for 101 courses, each loaded with software synths and plug-ins. 200- and 300-level students get in on three Pro Tools|HD control rooms complete with control surfaces and 5.1 monitoring, all housed around a central recording floor. In addition to plenty of plug-ins and virtual instruments, each include SYNC I/Os with plans to add AVoption|V10s and Avid Mojos for digital picture.

Alongside education, talent and machines are constantly directed at an endless stream of non-commercial projects that serve to complement the instruction. "Because of this experience in using Pro Tools across all of music, post, installation, radio and more, we understand the incredible variety of uses that people want to use Pro Tools for," Hurley points out. "So whether a student comes in wanting to learn more to cut a soundtrack, mix a dance track, or install 26 speakers in a sculpture park for an installation work, we can help in getting them up and running with Pro Tools. This is confirmed by the fact that most people who come through for 101 are coming back for the later stage courses even if they didn't intend to initially."

As principal instructor, Hurley's deep experience guides and furthers the UTS Pro School's student body. Originally a jazz arranger and trombone player, he became a sound editor for the six years following college, working on films as well as new media projects and in dance music. Along with his past five years of UTS involvement, he continues to compose for short films, increasingly in the electronic domain, and inevitably with Pro Tools at the helm of his productions.

Hurley's insight feeds a learning culture characterised by no particular musical pursuit music teachers, rock musicians, sound editors, radio producers and others commingle to create and sustain a uniquely enriched balance of personalities, skills, and experience.

"The one thing they all have in common," Hurley reflects, "is a commitment to learn to get around Pro Tools at the highest level of skill and efficiency. These people really want to have an edge when it comes to their work, getting their ideas out of their heads and sounding great in as little time as possible."

Case in point: UTS Pro School's first certified Operator (Music) and music veteran Matt Cunliffe of internationally renowned band Yothu Yindi and the Subsonic music production company. His take: "A program like this offers great opportunities to revise existing skills, learn new ones, compare production techniques and reference all the skills one has learned to a recognised standard."

"We really see the Digidesign Training & Education program as a quality product," Hurley continues. "There are a lot of Pro Tools courses out there but they don't offer nearly the scope or the depth of the training that Digidesign has put together. They've worked really hard on it and it's very thorough and very detailed training.

"Having the Pro School at UTS has actually allowed us to raise the bar for both our staff and student training in the degree programs. A number of our academic staff have gone through the Pro School. It's given them more efficient ways of working, and a more extensive knowledge of Pro Tools, which helps them in the classroom. We also encourage our degree students to come and do the Pro School program in their final year, as a means for gaining an edge for entry in the industry."

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