TechSF and coding courses didn't work out. BAVC should stick to video production and support adults from all age groups, not just young adults under 25. read more

BAVC is an amazing place to learn about video production. It has helped me a lot and I don't even take advantage of all its resources. I have taken a bunch of classes in video editing, After Effects, and some web design. With a couple of exceptions, they all have been really good and I've learned a lot of stuff that I've been able to use at my job. I would particularly recommend taking classes with David Santamaria or Doug Garth. They're really good instructors, well prepared, and know what they're doing very well. Students come from many places. You'll find professionals trying to get new skills or get better at them, unemployed people trying to get into a new area, people who need to learn a specific software... BAVC has different programs where you can get access to classes at no cost. I have personally done it through the Corporate Training program, but there are others. I find the way classes are usually taught very useful. Every student has their own computer with the necessary software installed and the instructor works on a computer connected to several monitors that you can check while you're working. That's WAY better than having to look at one single screen on the wall. They usually give you a lot of exercises to do during the class, which is very helpful. A lot of the classes are during the weekend, eight hours a day, one or two days. This is great because you can learn a lot in just one weekend, but on the other side it's quite hard to absorbe so much content in such a short period of time. I sometimes wish they were offered through several weeks to have time to practice as we learn. The space itself is quite nice, with a common area where you can bring your food or take a break, although there are several places around where you could go get lunch. They recently made their restrooms gender-neutral. I'm so happy this place exists. read more

Bay Area Video Coalition - Welcome to BAVC. - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I just completed a presentation on "Interviewing Strategies" with Arya Zarrinkelk. This fast paced and informative Zoom class was well worth the 2 hours! I personally learned a lot of key points that I will use to get a raise! Fingers crossed with my new found confidence for a new future... Thank you so much for your insight Arya! Highly recommend this course (what do you have to lose; except for an amazing opportunity that may slip by). read more

This is a review for their customer service and their processes for TechSF, a program to help the unemployed. This is not directly targeting the staff, who I am sure are just following protocol and are the messengers in this god-forsaken process. They are actually decent people. I think the muddiness of this program begins with the structure and management. Fish stinks from the head down and government funding must be a horrendous undertaking to facilitate, but that should be no excuse. First off, if you are submitting an application, don't believe that they will call you within "five days" as it says on their website. It took me several applications, phone calls, orientation, EDD sessions, messages, submissions, re-submissions, and a back and forth between their staff for them to even call me back. So make that about 9 months until they get back to you. By then, you've already have your sights set on other organizations that might want to help you succeed. Heck by then, you might have already found a job in the field or related field faster than TechSF can say hello. Second, I received a letter that didn't quite make sense as they really didn't tell me if I was accepted or denied into their TechSF program. All they said that was clear as daylight was to attend several of their workshops. Now dig this, they sent me more emails pumping their free workshops for months. And it took them 9 months to contact me about their program. Third, I finally call them to get an elaboration on the cryptic letter and get a message saying that I "am not presenting myself as an expert in my field." And that I should take these workshops and follow their advice and maybe, just maybe they will reconsider in 6 months to perhaps accept another application again. Riiiiiiiight. Um, that is why people come in for training, to get better, to learn, to make the right steps to become the expert. This makes ZERO sense to me. I am so glad I don't fit in with these folks because I think I can spend my time effectively elsewhere. Just my two cents and experience. TechSF may work for you, and if you want to hold your breath them, practice holding it for a very long time. PS I am employed now working in my new field. Thanks for making jump through all your useless, grant earning hoops to make me wait for absolutely nothing. read more

I cannot in good conscience give BAVC a good review. I went into the training programs with high hopes, but unfortunately I was let down at every step of the process. Orientation was bad. The staff member who was running it seemed more interested in rapidly going through their powerpoint slide presentation and leaving soon as possible, than actually listening and helping students. They looked annoyed whenever any of us had a question. Some people stayed after staff left, and talked amongst themselves about they were going to look for training elsewhere. I wished I had listened. Never in my life have I experienced such bureaucracy and red-tape. It was harder trying to take some classes at BAVC than it was getting an actual job interview. It took weeks for staff to get back to me, and the classes were a let down. They simply breakneck rush through the programs in 2 days. There is no homework, and I seriously doubt you can become knowledgeable in just 2 days. I will seriously have look somewhere else. Listen to the other negative reviews here. read more

This place can't be any better than they are. Everything from the people, the class structures, the equipment is top of the line. If you are in need of quick, boot-camp style training on anything graphics, web, or video related, I highly recommend BAVC. Most are 1-2 day classes that go over all the basics and leave you some free time to explore the items that are key to you. I came here through their ETP (employee training program) so it was free for my employer. Thx California! If you can get the classes done free through their ETP, then awesome, but if not it's worth the money. Being that I was the webmaster and did all the art (t-shirts, posters, street signs, etc.) for my company and was self taught, I knew I needed some formal training. I took HTML, CSS, Photoshop, and Illustrator here and was so grateful for all that I learned. I was worried that since I was self taught I'd either A- be bored because I already knew how to do everything, or B- I'd be lost because I had been doing everything backwards. But I was neither. With small class sizes the individual attention is phenomenal and I was able to get a customized teaching experience. If you are unemployed, there are some discounts (look up on their site for details) you can use for the tuition, and since the job market is so tough, upping your skills can't hurt right? In fact if my company was hiring and I saw BAVC courses on their education, I'd definitely have them come for an interview. Plus there's some great lunch spots near by, so you can grab a sandwich or sushi, or coffee and chill out for your lunch break. :-) read more

re:TechSF If you are serious about getting an education, don't waste a minute here. BIG waste of time. Been there, done that. Head over to CCSF, where you can get a certificate or degree in a tech field of your choosing. City College of San Francisco is FREE, if you make under $17.5Kyr. Look up the BOGW fee waiver. If you make too much, CCSF has the most ridiculously low tuition of $47 per credit, so you can take a full load of classes(4 classes per semester), for a whole year (2 semesters), for under $1200. That's cheap!! You will qualify for up to $5775 per year Pell Grant.(You don't have to pay back a grant, so were talking FREE money here) After paying for books & tuition your still left with money you can use to buy a laptop or pay rent. Should you choose to, which would be stupid considering there is no out of pocket expense, you can take an additional $9500 per year in loans that you WILL qualify for (NO CREDIT required, BAD credit OK). Payback is $50mo for 10yrs for every $5000 you borrow. read more

I spoke with the person at the city who is heading up this project, and he said that yes, they have a very solid on-going relationship with BAVC and that yes, they do a very good job of working with the local tech community to do placement assistance. He denied and possibility of an issue with the lack of placement and that the person at BAVC was doing a fine job before a very cold-shouldered blow-off. Then why do they not have an 85-90% placement rate like the other tech bootcamps? Especially since it is about getting people work? http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/04/26/supervisors-criticize-techsf-program-for-lack-of-job-placements/ http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/TechSF-job-training-results-questioned-4465257.php One of the people I exchanged emails with -- the same guy who was snotty before, also claimed that almost everyone from my class had found jobs except for me, which 1) implies there is something wrong with me since I have not, and 2) is just not true -- the last I heard from my class mates, one was actually hired as a TEACHER (not a developer) by BAVC, two are still at their jobs they had when they started, two were still looking, 2 dropped from the class because they found jobs right when class started, and I don't know about the other one. Despite the "concern" in the response below -- and an email exchange with Mindy in which she expressed her concern over my review, I have received no follow up from BAVC. read more

After taking Adobe InDesign for beginners at LearnIt (downtown location), in a windowless, stuffy room, with very little individual attention from the instructor, I decided to go to BAVC for Photoshop 1. My instructor, Sade Huron, is an excellent teacher with a patient manner (the class moves quickly, though, so it's wise to come well-rested, properly caffeinated and ready to learn!) and an added plus--her soothing voice and British accent. Photoshop 1 is very hands-on. Each student gets a computer, and the instructor's computer screen is projected onto a wall. My class was held in their annex classroom. It's not fancy, but it's comfortable enough and the set up allows everyone to participate and allows the instructor to move quickly to students who need assistance. Sade Huron is extremely well-versed in Photoshop. She tells you how to do the commands on a PC (that's what they have in the classrooms) but also how to perform each command with a Mac. She can answer any question, even if it's really wacky or way more advanced than what you're learning in the class! We did such projects as making a Mr. Potato Head style image, and populating a deserted island with parrots, coconuts, a beach umbrella and a little radio. Each step is demonstrated and then we students tried it ourselves while the instructor came around and made sure we weren't lost. Each four hour class flew by, even after a full day of regular work! Class size was nice and small-- about a dozen people. Minus one star for the tech who seemed extremely angry with me for telling the instructor I had a mouse that wasn't working properly due to a build up of dust and goo inside. He was nasty and sarcastic toward me; it was kind of shocking how mean he was, actually. Other than that, I had a great first experience at BAVC and will return for more classes! read more

I have taken the following classes at BAVC: Dreamweaver 1 & 2 HTML 1 & 2 Photoshop 1 & 2 CSS The classes have been overall really great, however they can be hit or miss. I have had two instructors there that were really winging it. However, when the teachers are good, they totally rock. My Dreamweaver class was amazing as was my first Photoshop class. I mean truly amazing. What I love about this place is not only the instruction but the caliber of students. They really are at a fairly high level so you don't get stuck with "Slow Amy" in something like Advanced Excel that doesn't know how to "Save As". (This is not an exaggeration - I was in that Excel class!!!) Overall you are going to get some great instruction and if you can get your company to pay for it even better! I would choose BAVC to take classes over any other in San Francisco. read more

This review is long overdue, but I really want to put in a good review for BAVC. I took their photoshop bootcamp over the summer (one week in july and one week in August) and I thought they did a great job. My instructor was sarah soward and she was excellent. She was very knowledgeable, patient, and gave us very practical and useful tips. Also, their classroom machines were all in excellent condition and they were using all the latest versions of the software. Overall, I walked away feeling like I had a very good understanding and working knowledge of Photoshop. It is expensive though, so you have to decide if it's worth it. It costs $800 for a 5-day class ($1600 for the 10-day photoshop bootcamp). It sounds like a lot, but I think it's reasonable. In fact, I took a html class at Sonic Learning last year and it was $500 for a 2-day class and it was horrible compared to BAVC. So? $800 for 5 full days of training with a good instructor and good facilities seems worth it by comparison. read more

If you've got the money and the time, this is a super great crash course facility. I paid around $300 for a day course of intermediate final cut pro. The building is upstairs, there is an elevator you can take, if stairs are out of the question. My class was in a room filled with computers, that had a mirrored monitors of the teacher's computer. That made it easy to follow along with what he was doing. The class was super long, I was a little overwhelmed with how much I had to take in, thank God for asprin. But it was a good class and I walked away with a good amount of knowledge. read more

ETP = Employment Training Panel. What does that mean to you? Why, it means that the good state of California wants you to stay smart, well-trained, and employed! What does it mean to me? So far, an intensive week of Photoshop Bootcamp, and another four days of learning ActionScript 3.0. FOR FREE! That's right - it's at no cost to me, and no cost to my company. But even better, the classes here are in-depth and challenging, and the teachers totally rock. Many classes are offered on the weekends (two-day programs), but these week-long ones are great because I get out of my cubicle for a few days. Oh, sweet Mission District sunshine! If you've ever attempted using the ETP program in the past and found it to be difficult and/or confusing because of the hour requirements, then I have even better news for you. That freaky hour stuff is a thing of the past. Now you just have to take a minimum amount of required hours (24 I believe, which you should meet if you just take two classes), and you are set. Easy-peasy. Go get yourself educated! read more

I opened an account on yelp to write a review on BAVC. I ran into BAVC while doing a Google search to learn more about the tech industry. I'm changing fields and I am planning to switch into the tech industry. I noticed that BAVC offers a lot of free career development workshops for those who are already in the tech field and wants to expand their knowledge and for those who are new to the tech field and looking to gain knowledge. FYI, BAVC also offers tech training. I HIGHLY recommend the free career development workshops. It's free and very informative, make use of the valuable resources we have in San Francisco! I attended the Hardly Strictly Networking workshop. I enjoyed it and learned a lot. Arya, the presenter, was very informative, engaging, knowledgeable, and witty. He gave us very valuable tips to network and even gave us a step-by-step guide and gave us plenty of resources to strengthen our networking skills. Arya knows his stuff and is kind and helpful. So far, I've only attended one workshop from BAVC, but I know I'll be back soon. I signed up for future workshops coming up. Go sign- up and don't miss out on such a valuable resource! Update: I recently attended the Linked-In 101 workshop. Once again, I enjoyed the workshop greatly and went home with new knowledge and insights. I learned so much more about Linked-In and how to use it to my advantage as a professional research and branding tool. Arya inspired me to go through a Linked-In makeover :) read more

Just finished Video Production Bootcamp, a 4-day intensive for beginners, and the experience was simply amazing. I ate plenty of internal humble pie yet was powerfully motivated and inspired to find the creativity lurking inside me. After many years outside the classroom, it's wonderful to find my brain hasn't fully decayed! Instructor Sade Huron was a knowledgable, patient and superb teacher, constantly challenging and utterly open to every question. The small class size (7) was the right size for both individual and group exercises. The pro-level equipment we had use of was precisely what we needed, both to learn the right approach to the various tasks of video production and to practice applicable skills. I was impressed with the excellent facility and state-of-the-art computer equipment; the cameras were maybe not bleeding-edge but definitely pro standard. (I now have an acute case of tripod envy.) A great bonus in a nonprofit organization! As another reviewer suggested, show up on time, properly caffeinated and ready to learn, and you'll get filled to overflowing with important info that will start building (or enrich) your skills foundation. For me, 4 days doesn't make an expert...but it began to wipe away some bad habits and give me a bit of judgement to practice going forward. I was lucky enough to come to BAVC through my employer, but it's a valuable investment in the future even if it's on your own dime. Lots of dimes, actually, but remember that you get what you pay for, and the value at BAVC is through the roof. Plus, Coffee Bar is across the street (and, if you must, a huge and comfy Starbux is downstairs). So, to sum up: BAVC has the fuel, the neighborhood, the skills. I need say no more. Thanks, BAVC! read more

I recently completed the Tech SF Motion Graphics Bootcamp and found it very helpful in developing my design skills. It is a very competitive industry and I have encountered many people that were unwilling/uninterested in helping to answer questions. My instructor went above and beyond by staying after class to share his motion graphic knowledge. I learned so many new techniques in his class and I can't wait to put them to use! I would recommend the TechSF program at BAVC to anyone serous about developing their skills as a designer. Also, BAVC has a group of Career Specialists that have been an invaluable asset in my strategic job search, and in my professional and personal growth. My Career Specialist has been very responsive to all of my questions and concerns and has been great at giving me feedback on my resume, cover letters and portfolio website. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to complete the Tech SF Motion Graphics Bootcamp at BAVC and I look forward to strengthening the skills and relationships I have developed through the program. read more

If you are looking quick and concise, yet incredibly detailed and dense multimedia training, this is the place! It really IS the boot camp for the digital production universe. Everything from Photoshop and After Effects, to HTML, Flash and Maya and all aspects of video production, they have it. Staffed with industry professionals, the latest software bundles, and top notch equipment, BAVC is exactly what I needed to update my skillset, and in some ways, retrain myself for different career options. Personally, I have never been able to sit through an entire semester of anything, and who has the time or money to really go back to school these days? I get just as good of an education in four days of boot camp multimedia training than I did in an entire semester at school. Thanks BAVC! read more

I took a couple of classes here (DVD Studio Pro, CSS). The instructors are competent, have sense of humors, and actually interested in teaching. ;-) I would go back and take some more classes if I had more time and money. ;-P BAVC is also a walking distance away from 16th mission BART station. read more

This place was amazing. I went here for some training in Digital Editing with Final Cut Pro and Avid, and I received some of the best instruction ever. Classes move quickly but as long as you are pretty competent with a Mac and a mouse.. you'll be okay. :) I wanted to just focus on my editing skills for my own personal use and for the field I studied in college (TV Broadcasting) and BAVC definitely upped my skill level. The instructors were all friendly and extremely helpful (particularly Sade Huron who by far, was my fave instructor) and even though my computer would constantly use sound, or I myself would get lost during a lesson, I was never made to feel like I was an idiot for these little incidents. You really do get your bang for your buck here, and although it seemed a pretty pricey buck (for me, unless your job is paying for you to go here!) its definitely worth it to brush up on your computer and production skills. As soon as I can go back, I'm ready to take some more classes! read more

The first class I took at BAVC had me floored. It was amazing. My teacher was *wonderful* (Adam Shaening-Pokrasso for After Effects 1). It was $500 for a two day class and although expensive there was so much information and he was so professional that I was excited to go back for the second and third classes. The second class i took at BAVC left me with concerns, which I discussed with the staff and they were very gracious and accommodating. The situation has been rectified and I look forward to taking future classes there. read more

I'm finally ready to give a review after taking a course at BAVC. This review is base on their web development program. Like other reviews has stated, I would only recommend you to go BAVC if you are able to get the TechSF scholarship. The classes here are way too expensive for what they have to off, especially for a "non-profit." I would like to give a deep review of my experience at BAVC so far. I first attended a TechSF orientation to see what they have to offer me. During the orientation, I found out that I would only be a good fit for the program at BAVC or CCSF because I'm over the age of 24. After the orientation was over, I was asking the Outreach Manager about the program at BAVC. Before he answered my question, he responded, "Hey Danny, can I ask how old are you?" First of all, Danny is not my name and my age does not have to do with my question about BAVC. I felt like he was really unprofessional because he only asked for my age out of everyone. After I told him that I was 25, he stated that I should go to CCSF. I'm not sure why he told me that. Maybe it's because I'm too old or too young for BAVC or maybe because he thinks CCSF offers a better program than BAVC, I'm still not sure until this day. When I asked him my question again, he refer me to email BAVC admissions for assistance. Even though I felt a bit discouraged to apply to BAVC after the TechSF orientation, I applied anyways. The admission counselor was very quick at responding to my emails and really helped me through the application process for TechSF. The process was fairly quick, I was accepted to BAVC about a week and half later for the TechSF scholarship. I met with my career advisor about a week after to discuss what my goals were. She mainly just asked me questions about my goals and gave me a bit advice on networking. She was more like a "motivator", which is a good thing. So far I have only taken one class at BAVC. Most of the courses here for web development are two day classes. My instructor was very good and seems like he really like helping his students. He was very clear during his lecture and made sure he was able to answer everyone's question. He also gave me good tips on how to break into the field. I really enjoyed his class and looking forward to seeing him in my next class. So you're wondering why did I give one star even though I enjoyed my first class here at BAVC. This review is based on my current experience and I may update this review in the future. I really feel like BAVC needs to improve their program and learning structure, especially that the city is funding these scholarships for students to attend BAVC. BAVC states that their certificates are recognize by the department of labor. Students need more than just a certificate, they need a good technical skills to break into the web development field. A two day class for each course is really not enough material to prepare students to become a web developer. It's the truth! Not all classes are offer every month, so you may have to wait a few month for the class that you want to take. Also, they should include prerequisites on certain courses. For example, there was a student in my class that didn't know basic JavaScript before attending the jQuery class. I know that most learners and developers would agree with me that you should know basic JavaScript before learning jQuery. I really want to give BAVC a good review, but I want to give potential students my honest opinion and thoughts. Again, I would only recommend BAVC if you get the TechSF scholarship. You can always take a course at a community college, which is a lot cheaper and you would most likely learn a lot more through a semester. read more

BAVC was introduced to me by a friend, who thought learning software would be useful to my creative career. I have never met more helpful, well intentioned, hilarious and articulate instructors that make sure you are awake and paying attention in their small to medium sized classes. All of the staff are super helpful and fairly assessable. There are no rolling their eyes in their head, waiting for you to leave so they can ditch on your high waisted - really bad, plaid pants when the door closes behind you. Everyone is pretty excited and engaged. It was really refreshing. Although their class format was not ideal for me, personally I saw it work really well for many people and re-learned a lot of what I knew already. It definitely helped polish my technical skills. You know how in the Matrix movie, Keanu Reeves walks out into a white background GAP commercial and says, "Whoa... I know kung fu!"? It's kind of like that in the fact that you get a huge Niagara falls of information all at the same time. If you are not naturally technically inclined it can be challenging to learn or grasp technical information in a 2 day intensive class. Fortunately, the instructors are adept enough with dealing with the ADHDs, the go to far aheads and want to know how to write the program balanced with the how to turn computer on people and the technically retarded folks (myself) and make it all work. If you need to learn something hands on and Lynda is abysmally boring and Peachpit is not motivating, I highly recommend BAVC. BAVC has much rockitude beginning with the folks that work there. read more

Take a class here. You will walk away with valuable skills. I have taken: CSS, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Flash. BAVC has the BEST: staff instructors and facilities (PC/Mac, audio and video) Plus, they have different programs for employees and the unemployed that discount the tuition. Check out their website for info and class calendar -- or call today! read more

How to brand and market yourself How to nail the phone and in person interview and communicate effectively How to overcome your networking jitters and How to leverage your newly refurbished LinkedIn profile, resume and portfolio These are all just some amazing skills I gained while I was a part of BAVC's Ready To Hire program. Flashback to January this year, I had just been laid off after a start up I was working for closed. I had lower self esteem and no idea what I was going to do to get back on my career path. That's when Bay Area Video Coalition stepped in and saved my year! Within only 6 months I am now proud to say that I am HIRED--a full time employee at a great job with benefits in the field of work that I was seeking, video production. I entered the program around the same time as a connection of mine I met there while attending the workshops and she also was just hired around the same time as me too! All of these resources at our fingertips FREE plus $295 worth of technical skill learning classes as well. Thank you, Dov Golodner, my career counselor for your clear and helpful direction and guidance, Arya Zarrinkelk for encouraging me to apply and being so supportive the whole way through, and many others at BAVC who helped me along the way to success, Mindy Aronoff, Vince Caminiti, Patty Leeper, Natalie Teter, and many more great staff. If you have any doubt about whether or not the programs at BAVC are effective or not for you, just walk in and feel the warm welcome and instant helpfulness of any of the staff at BAVC. In the end, education is not only what you take from it but also what you make of it for yourself. Take a free workshop for a peek at what you could be learning and applying to your own job search or career path improvement: https://bavc.org/learn/workshops read more

BAVC is great. I took a bunch of classes through the ETP program last year (I think no longer available?? sniff) that have really helped me with several multimedia projects. I have a better understanding of handling a camera, lighting, and post production now. I especially like that the duration of most classes are relatively short - 4 hours, 8 hours, 2 days, 4 days - and offered on the weekend. By far, my favorite classes were the Video Production Bootcamp and After Effects. My only complaint is that it tends to be quite cold in the classrooms so bring a sweater! read more

Didn't get the skills I was expecting for the outrageous class prices. The class was supposed to be 8 hours and was only 7 and the teacher wanted everyone to leave early?! So I took another class with a different teacher and same results. I recommend City College or the Academy of Art for media classes. Sorry BAVC it just didn't work out.:( read more

I've known about BAVC for 15 years. During the last tech boom, several friends trained at BAVC and immediately found relevant, well-paying jobs. When I was laid-off last month and realized I needed some training to get a new job that I would really love, I looked up BAVC and found Tech SF. I filled out the preliminary application and started attending the free career workshops. Yesterday I attended the workshop, Leveraging LinkedIn, and it was very, very helpful. I got great tips about how to use LinkedIn and how to think about my job search. The instructor, Arya, is funny and sincere, and has a breadth of experience that my classmates responded to as well. At least three quarters of the attendees participated by asking or answering a question. I left the session feeling inspired! Thank you BAVC! Su Be read more

Great classes in Photoshop, HTML, video cinematography! read more

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If you're going through techsf and not paying, have at it. If not, don't bother. It's basically a very expensive info dump. You plow through classes at break neck speeds and get nothing out of it. DON'T PAY. There are equally expensive but more valuable programs out there. Don't be a sucker like me. read more

This is review is strictly for their Web Development Certificate program. The certificate program is terrible. 1 or 2 day intense classes is not going to teach you enough to do anything with web software programs let alone teach you enough to get a job in it. There teaching format definitely did not work for me. Basically the classes give you an overview of the programs with no follow up. You will need to study these intensely on your own which you can easily do by ordering books or doing free training classes and resources online. Don't waste your money on these classes. Furthermore, the staff and school gives you no direction and provides little advice on this over $4K certificate program. You will be completely on your own. The teachers are hit and miss. You will be far better off taking classes through one of the community colleges or if you have the money through another school. I regret signing up with this program. A complete waste of money and time. I finished the certificate program with knowing very little about web development other than an overview. Not only I don't feel ready to work in this field, I don't feel I can even utilize many of these programs for my own website without taking additional classes at another school. I cannot warn you enough about how poorly designed the web development certificate program is. read more

I want to give BAVC a good review, really I do. I appreciate what they are trying to offer the community. However, my experience with them so far has been terrible. The registration process is confusing for an employer paying for an employee. The classes a few of us have registered for were canceled at the last minute with no rescheduled date. For weeks I have been trying to get answers about details of the class and the response time and information was very unsatisfactory. Maybe when I finally do get to take a class there I will feel different, but for now, I'm nothing but exasperated with their level of customer service. read more

So, this review is kind of sad, but not because of their excellent work. My close friend Jim committed suicide when I was in 8th grade. Fortunately for me we filmed some goofy skits together the weekend before he died with my family's video camera. The little movie we made was on the near obsolete Hi8 videotape. I hadn't watched this in at least 10 years and wanted to get the movie transferred to DVD. I took it down to BAVC and they gave me all sorts of advice on transferring the video, as well as assuring me that my precious original would be protected until they returned it to me. For only $90, they put my movie onto a disc for me, so now I have a digital backup of my departed friend that I can watch and remember. read more

I took the Hardly Strictly Networking workshop at BAVC and it was fantastic. A lot of times with networking you have an overwhelming amount of questions and frustrations. This workshop is like a friend coming over and shaking you out of your job search funk. It is very direct and has some simple techniques to identify ways to move forward and keep negativity from getting a hold on you. The class size wasn't too small to not get the benefit of other's perspectives and commonality. And it wasn't so large that you felt like you couldn't participate. Arya, the instructor was direct, insightful, and engaging. read more

ok, so i've taken one class there so far with a few more to come in the next few weeks, so i may edit this later.. took the cinema 4d class. overall, i was pleased with the class, but it moved too slow for my tastes (mostly to compensate for the slower learners in class - it's the nature of the thing) and the instructor may have been a great 3d animator/modeler/etc, but he seemed lost at times in the whole teaching aspect. BAVC needs to offer more classes in the advanced sector of motion graphics. intro to C4D and very basic AE classes won't be enough for me to continue to attend. it's great that they work with state programs to basically offer free education to working professionals such as myself. this is infinitely beneficial. read more

The Bay Area Video Coalition has provided me with invaluable support and resources. I first started going to BAVC when I was a student in the Next Generations program. I had studied filmmaking in the past, but felt my audio skills needed to be improved. Thanks to my teacher Ian Davis I learned a tremendous amount about all phases of audio production while developing and polishing original songs and effects. After graduating from the program I was able to land more freelance gigs in creative work I was interested in. Soon after graduating from the Next Generations program the company I worked for filed for bankruptcy and I lost my job. Immediately I contacted BAVC and they were there to help me through my transition. I was accepted into Tech SF, where I was assigned a counselor and registered in several classes and workshops. The workshops ranged from developing networking skills to honing your portfolio and website. I was able to receive tremendous feedback and advice about my progress. The classes were phenomenal as well. Through Tech SF I have been introduced to programming and graphic design, which are skills that are extremely important to have amongst the Bay Area tech industry. More valuable than anything, however, has been my relationship with my Tech SF advisor Arya Zarrinkelk. When I was applying to jobs he helped me solidify my applications and took extra time to read through all my cover letters. As I started getting interviews Arya was there every step of the way, setting time aside to do mock interviews and much needed pep talks. When I landed my new job I called Arya immediately to get advice on how to negotiate my salary. I had never been in that situation because all the jobs I have had in the past were hourly based. I know for a fact I would not have been considered for my current position if it were not for the training, and even more so the support I received from BAVC. I am extremely grateful to BAVC for helping me develop and shape my career. read more

I've heard that in order to be successful, you should surround yourself with people that want you to succeed. I'm grateful for the passionate team at BAVC. Through their classes I've been able to fill some holes in my skill set and have come away with a whole new perspective on my career in video production. read more

I tried Bay Area VC recently...The only reason I gave it a one star was the staff. I did like my teacher though! For the price it just wasn't what I had expected. Then I had to deal with the unpleasant staff which just was not fun. As Yelp would say'Eek! Methinks not.' -G read more

This review if for the free workshops. I have attended Salary Negotiations, Nailing the Phone Interview, Resume Logics, and Hardly Strictly Networking. I have taken away something from each and every workshop. I wish I would've known about these workshops while I was still a a college student and have already shared this resource with professors where I attended college. And I will continue to share this resource with my peers. I would also like to give a shout out to Arya. He had really great advice and lead such an informative and engaging workshop. Not that the other workshops weren't, they were, he just really stood out among them. read more

I'm not sure I can express just how much I love my newfound friend BAVC (and, uncomfortably enough, the state of Kalifouhniah that subsidizes their classes). My instructor kicked major graphic ass (um, non-GRAPHIC graphic ass) and packed a ton of information into two days while still getting me to absorb more than I've ever gotten out of a crash course. I am now a human sponge that likes to suck up keyframes. Great range of print/web software, animation, video and audio courses, totally worth it. read more

The best non-commerical media access and training center in the City. Take the occasional class, get certified or make use of their many services for independent filmmakers. Search for media jobs, buy and sell used equipment, post your resume and more on their web site: www.bavc.org read more