Apple MacBook Pro Laptop Computer

All students at Compass College of Cinematic Arts are required to have an Apple MacBook Pro (MBP) laptop computer.  This computer will be used on a daily basis in most classes, especially those with a technical basis.  Because the film/digital media industry is predominantly Mac-based, Compass is an exclusively Mac-based program.  PC laptops are not an acceptable substitute.  Please note that Compass students are eligible for academic discounts at the Apple Store for Education. You can also purchased factory-refurbished MacBook Pro's from the Apple online store.  These refurbished machines come with a one-year factory warranty, and are often a great way to save some money.  Click this link if you are interested in refurbished MacBook Pro laptops.

Important Note: Apple just released new MacBook Pro models on June 11, 2012.

The new machines are available with either 13" or 15" screen and a new top-of-the-line 15" model featuring the beautiful, ultra-high resolution Retina Display. These new models are considerably slimmer, lighter, and faster than the models they replaced.  New 13" MBP models start at $1099, while 15" MBP models start at $1699, with the 15" Retina Display machines starting at $1999.  The 15" Retina Display machine will be great for editors and VFX artists because of the huge number of pixels on the screen.

Older MacBook Pro laptops came in 3 screen sizes - 13", 15" and 17". The 17" has the highest resolution screen of the older machines and is the model to have if editing and computer graphics are one of your primary interests. However, the 17" is the most expensive model, is much heavier and is a quite a bit less portable, so if you are predominantly interested in writing, producing or directing, the 13" or 15" models might be a better choice. Historically, the majority of CCCA students buy the 15" model.

If editing and graphics are a major focus, we would also recommend getting the anti-glare screen option instead of the glossy screen. Reflections are a major distraction when editing and creating graphics, but not as much of an issue for general use.  Note that the brand new machines have a completely different glossy display which has less reflections.

Once you select the screen size you want, the other main considerations are processor speed, hard drive size, and amount of RAM memory. You should choose the fastest processor that fits your budget, and likewise the largest hard drive. You can never have enough hard disk space or speed!

Apple charges quite a lot for their RAM upgrades, and there are much less expensive 3rd party sources for RAM (We highly recommend Other World Computing), so we would suggest purchasing the MacBook Pro with the least amount of RAM offered, and upgrading it after your purchase with an Other World Computing RAM kit (very easy to install).

We would also recommend purchasing a separate external hard drive of at least 500GB with FireWire 800 connectivity. Other World Computing is also an excellent source for those at very reasonable prices. Over the course of your time at Compass, you will accumulate a significant amount of footage, audio, software, documents, reference material, and more. Again, you can never have enough disk space. An 8Gb or 16Gb Flash drive for sharing files with classmates and instructors is also very useful.

13" MacBook Pro (2012 model - minimum specs) - Approx. $1099

• 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor
• 4GB 1600MHz RAM Memory
• 500GB 5400-rpm Hard Drive
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• Built-in battery (7 hours)

You may choose to upgrade your computer's specs, depending on how serious you will be about editing and speed. Consider that this is a long-term investment, which you will use for many years after finishing school. Some of the options are screen size, glossy/non-glossy screen (most prefer non-glossy), RAM (the more the better for advanced graphics and visual effects work (Photoshop and After Effects), but 4GB will work fine for most applications), and hard drive (250 GB is good; you may want to get an external FireWire 800 drive for large projects, but it will not be needed at the beginning).

HD Digital Video Camera

A high-quality HD digital video camera is not required, but is very highly recommended.  Students will begin shooting projects in the first couple of weeks at CCCA and will shoot stills or video constantly throughout their time at Compass.

CCCA does not supply any cameras or lenses for individual student use, other than our RED digital cinema camera package which is used primarily for classroom instruction.  The RED camera may be available for use on student project films on a case-by-case basis, however, students must be certified by their Cinematography instructor before being allowed to use the RED camera.

For students purchasing cameras, we find that various models of Canon DSLR cameras are the most commonly used by current and former Compass students by far. These Canon DSLRs offer a great combination of high quality video recording, still photo shooting, interchangeable lenses, work great in low light, are light weight and compact, and are fairly inexpensive. All the Canon DSLRs have basically the same video recording circuitry, so the main differences are in construction quality, still photo quality and a few feature differences. Any of these cameras are hard to beat for the indie filmmaker.

The Canon DSLR models currently available:

• T2i - approx. $500-700 depending on lenses and options
• T3i - approx. $700-900 depending on lenses and options
• T4i - approx. $950-1200 depending on lenses and options
• 60D - approx. $1,200-1500 depending on lenses and options
• 7D - approx. $1,800-2200 depending on lenses and options
• 5DMk2. - approx. $3,000 depending on lenses and options
• 5DMk3. - approx. $4,000 depending on lenses and options

There are many packages available combining camera bodies and different lenses, and they can use the complete range of Canon's excellent still-photo lenses. In the Grand Rapids area, Norman Camera on 28th Street carries them, another good source for these cameras at good prices is B&H Photo in New York City. Amazon is also a popular place to find these cameras.

Any student who does not have their own camera will need to partner with someone that does for any assignments that require shooting.  Again, it is highly recommended that each student have their own camera available.

Required Software

CCCA teaches editing in the first semester Post Production I course using Adobe Premiere Pro CS6.  In the second semester Post Production II course, you learn Adobe Photoshop and some Adobe After Effects.  The most cost effective way to get all these programs is by subscribing to the Adobe Creative Cloud (monthly subscription required) for Students and Teachers which gives you access to all Adobe software, including Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Audition, SpeedGrade and more. The Adobe Creative Cloud CS6 bundle is currently available to students on a monthly subscription for $30/month from Adobe and is required for all CCCA students. Click Here for more information on Adobe Creative Cloud.

You must also have either Apple iWork or Microsoft Office for Macintosh on your MacBook Pro.  You will need to work with Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on a regular basis, so these are required.

For Screenwriting, we also recommend that you have a copy of Final Draft screenwriting software (Note: You can also use Celtx as a free alternative, but Final Draft has more features and is an industry standard.

NOTE: Because models often change during the spring and summer, we recommend waiting until close to the beginning of the school year before purchasing a MacBook Pro, a camera, or any software to insure that you are getting the latest model or version.  Feel free to contact CCCA anytime with your equipment or software questions.