The NewTek TriCaster Certified Operator Exam is an opportunity to test your skills at creating a live production, using TriCaster. Your Certification gives producers and directors confidence that your skills meet the demands of today's fast-paced production environment.
Benefits
Obtaining TriCaster Operator certification gives you many benefits and sets you apart from the pack. Certified Operators are in high demand by those producing live events. If you have your own business, certification tells your clients and customers that they'll get a high-quality production, with you at the controls.
Benefits of certification include:
Get hired for better jobs, by proving you know your stuff
Differentiate yourself in the job pool
Generate more customer interest in your business and services
Be recognized by industry professionals
Become qualified to teach TriCaster skills to others
If you are a producer, you want to know your operators can handle any task. Be sure to ask for "NewTek Certified Operators" in your job postings.
Benefits of hiring Certified Operators include:
Certified Operators have the competencies you need to get the job done
Certified Operators take an exam created by NewTek that is specifically designed to test operational knowledge
Produce live events with confidence, knowing you've got a quality production team at your disposal
Use the Certification to benchmark your employee and candidate's skills
Certified operators can be found all over the United States. Search for a Certified Operator near your next live production.
Cost & Scheduling
The TriCaster Certification exam costs $150.
Candidates must bring a valid picture ID to the testing center and must have an email account that can be accessed via a web browser on the day of the test.
Same-day scheduling is possible, but please contact us to check availability before just dropping in.
We prefer to have at least one week's notice before the desired testing date to schedule exams.
Payment can be made by credit card over the phone, but it is preferable to simply bring payment in person on the day of the test.
Cash, debit cards, credit cards and personal checks are acceptable forms of payment.
Rules
You may not bring any personal materials with you into the testing area, and you will be required to leave cell phones, Blackberries, computers, backpacks, iPads, etc. outside the testing room.
You may not talk with anyone or get any help with the exam during testing.
The contents of the exam remain NewTek property, and you may not divulge the questions or answer choices to anyone.
What should I bring to the exam?
You'll need to bring a government or school-issued photo ID and an acceptable form of payment to the testing center. You'll also need an email account that you can check from a web browser.
Can I use study materials or a calculator during the exam?
No study materials are permitted during the exam. You will be required to leave your cell phone, laptops, backpacks, etc. outside the testing room during the exam. You may not talk with anyone or get any help with the exam during testing. There are no questions requiring calculation on the exam.
What is the exam like?
The exam is a 75-question multiple choice and multiple response exam. The time limit is 90 minutes and the passing score is 70% (53 questions correct). The test items are drawn randomly from a large bank of questions which are divided into nine skills and knowledge areas. For some questions, a description of the initial conditions for the question, and often an image, appears above the question. Read each question carefully, then pick the best response from among those given. None of these are "trick questions", but the available responses are not meant to describe the complete behavior of TriCaster, only to test your knowledge of how TriCaster and a qualified operator work together to produce the best live production. To get the highest possible score, pick the best available answer.
What happens if I pass?
Within a few days, you'll receive an email with an official, personalized, printable certificate as a PDF attachment. This certificate is suitable to display proudly, and attests to your knowledge of TriCaster operation. Additionally, if you choose, your name and contact information will be added to the searchable Certified Operator Directory on the NewTek website, so potential employers and customers can easily find you and verify your certification.
What happens if I don't pass?
Often, this indicates a need for further study and practice with TriCaster to attain a level of proficiency required to pass the exam. Don't be discouraged; some don't pass the test the first time. Instead, use this as motivation for further study and practice. You must wait one week before attempting a retest. The retest is the same price as taking the exam the first time.
Who should take the exam
If you've been working in live event production for years and have some experience with TriCaster, you may be ready to take the exam today. If your experience is more limited, but you've been through a school or training program that included significant experience operating TriCaster, you may also be ready to take the exam. Review the exam topics below and assess your level of knowledge in each of the areas and decide for yourself if you're ready.
About the exam
The NewTek TriCaster Certified Operator Exam is a 75-question multiple choice and multiple response exam. The time limit is 90 minutes and the minimum passing score is 70% (53 questions correct). The test items are drawn randomly from a large bank of questions which are divided into nine skills and knowledge areas. For some questions, a description of the initial conditions for the question, and often an image, appears above the question. Read each question carefully, then pick the best response from those given. None of these are "trick questions," but the available responses are not meant to describe the complete behavior of TriCaster, only to test your knowledge of how TriCaster and a qualified operator work together to produce the best live production. To get the highest possible score, pick the best available answer.
The nine areas cover a wide range of skills and knowledge of TriCaster operation in many types of live events. Being a "NewTek Certified Operator" means being ready to take on challenging productions; therefore, the exam is aimed at TriCaster 850 EXTREME. While many of the skills tested are applicable to all TriCaster models, the exam is primarily focused on TriCaster 850 EXTREME using a Control Surface. Where there are differences between TriCaster 850 EXTREME and other TriCaster models, the question specifies which model is referenced. Operators preparing for the exam should study the operation of TriCaster 850 EXTREME with the Control Surface to achieve the highest possible score.
The nine skills and knowledge areas and the percent of questions from each are given in this table:
1) Physical set-up and general video knowledge (13%, 10 questions)
video cabling and signal flow-path
proc amp adjustments and white balancing
media drives
waveform monitor and vectorscope
genlocking and latency
video sources and signal types
video resolution and framerate
2) Software set-up (7%, 5 questions)
software and hardware add-ons
interface preferences and configuration
registration
updating and restoring
getting help
monitor set-up
3) Working with sessions (11%, 8 questions)
making new, renaming, and deleting
back-up and restore
record formats and setting
session directory structure
framegrabbing
time code
4) Transferring, loading, and creating media (11%, 8 questions)
populating playlists with playable formats
importing, exporting, and storage scheme
using preset bins
editing Title template pages
transcoding media
5) Networking and streaming to the web (9%, 7 questions)
A Practice Exam is provided to give you an idea of what the format of the actual exam is like, along with a sampling of the types of questions asked. The Practice Exam is not intended to assess your ability to pass the actual Certification Exam, only to give you a sense of the format and questions provided. Numerous industry acronyms are used in the exam. Read the list of acronyms.
Exam Outcomes
If you pass
The passing score for the exam is 70% (53 questions correct). If you pass, you will join the ranks of the elite force of live event producers. Within a few days, you'll get a congratulations email with an official, personalized, printable certificate as a PDF attachment. This certificate is suitable for framing and displaying proudly, and it attests to your knowledge and experience with TriCaster operation.
Additionally, if you choose, your name and contact information will be added to the searchable Certified Operator Directory on the NewTek website so potential employers can find you easily and verify your certification. TriCaster Certification expires after two years. The Certification Exam is periodically updated to reflect the latest shipping version of the software and hardware.
If you don’t pass
Often, this indicates a need for further study and practice with TriCaster operation, in order to attain a level of proficiency required to pass the exam. Don't be discouraged; some do not pass the test the first time. Instead, use this as motivation for further study and practice. You must wait one week before attempting a retest. The retest is the same price as taking the exam the first time.
If you are ready to join the ranks of the elite force of live event producers then please contact us to schedule your training and/or testing.
Two locations to serve you:
Amitrace - Suwanee
1110 Satellite Blvd. NW, Suite 304
Suwanee, GA 30024
Amitrace - Atlanta
1199 Huff Rd., Suite 113
Atlanta, GA 30318
