Class on Demand Report Card

News, Views, and Information from COD | August 2009

In this Class on Demand Report Card get Cash 4 Clunkers!

COD Makes a Digital Sapphire
We started delivering our "Complete Training for GenArts Sapphire" this month as a digital download. Todd Prives has done a phenomenal job of describing the many facets of the Sapphire plug-in. For Final Cut and After Effects users who have yet to take advantage of everything Sapphire has to offer this training is an excellent way to be using the full potential of the software in no time. For those of you who ordered the DVD version the gold disk is at the replicator and we will ship those out in two weeks.

Meet Class on Demand on Either Coast
Next month we will be attending two industry events. We will have a booth (# 514) at the WEVA show, September 14-17 in Orlando, and DV Expo (booth # 315) September 22-24 in Pasadena. Once again, we’ll have our famous “show specials” and look forward to welcoming you to our exhibit. We really enjoy having customers coming up and saying “I got your training and love it!” Following his standing-room-only master class last year at DV Expo, Paul has been asked to give more classes on the business and techniques of compelling corporate interviews at both events. Get there early if you want a seat.

We’re Upgrading our OS
In anticipation of the arrival of Windows 7 in October, Dan Gookin will be back in the studio in September to record Class on Demand’s Windows 7 Made Easy. Immediately following Dan, Tom Wolsky will be back to record Basic Training for Leopard and Snow Leopard. Our award-winning OS training has been very successful thanks in part to agreements with major distributors to bundle a copy with every Mac or PC that they ship. We’ll let you know when the new titles are ready.

'Cash 4 Clunkers' Competition
By the time you read this Report Card you’ll have witnessed one of the most successful government stimulus programs ever devised. When the $3 billion is exhausted, roughly 600,000 vehicles will have been swapped for more fuel-efficient models, based on statistics released from the government so far. We think the program should be extended to other old products worthy of the “clunker” title so we’re offering our own program. You’ll get 50% off any of our training when you “trade in” your old training program. Like the government program, the old training must be taken out of circulation but we don’t want it and we don’t want you to incur the expense of sending it to us.

We’re holding a competition to find the most innovative “decommissioning” of old training programs. So dig out that ancient Total Training Adobe Photoshop 1.0 tutorial on VHS or any other training product and take a photo or shoot a video of the creative way you’re finding a practical or fun use for the old product. We’ll judge the best submission and share it in the next Report Card. The winner will receive $250 of Class on Demand Training of their choice. Send your photo or video to contest@classondemand.net.

Paul Holtz Fires Back

Know your HS Codes because if you don’t it could cost you. The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding Systems generally referred to as "Harmonized System" or simply "HS," is a multipurpose international product nomenclature developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO). It comprises about 5,000 commodity groups, each identified by a six digit code, arranged in a legal and logical structure, and supported by well-defined rules to achieve uniform classification. The system is used by more than 200 countries and economies as a basis for their customs tariffs and for the collection of international trade statistics. More than 98 percent of the merchandise in international trade is classified in terms of the HS. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) was enacted by Congress and made effective on January 1, 1989, The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) publishes and maintains the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) and provides technical information on its structure and modification.

For those of you that export video or audio programming on DVD, CD or even VHS tapes or for dealers who import products from overseas you are legally required to include on the packing slip or shipping bill of lading the correct code. For Class on Demand products, for instance, this is the code and description.

8523.40.40

For reproducing representations of instructions, data, sound, and image, recorded in a machine readable binary form, and capable of being manipulated or providing interactivity to a user, by means of an automatic data processing machine; proprietary format recorded discs

The excellent news for our international customers is that there is no import duty to be paid when buying a product from us.

The person I spoke to at the USITC told me that it is a requirement to include the correct code and that you run the risk of exports being held up in the country in which they are received and likewise products you are importing may be held by US customs officials. The result may be excess import duty (rest assured they would never under tax you) and possibly a fine. In some cases you will need to hire a local clearing agent and furnish them with product details and the correct classification in order to retrieve shipments.

If you’re like us and use the USPS, UPS or FedEx for your international shipments you should start to include your HS code on the international weigh-bill documents. UPS now makes you check a box that says you are liable as the shipper for any additional charges or return shipments if your shipment is not admitted by customs in the country of destination. One way around this is to get your customer to provide an account number or credit card for the shipment but be on the safe side and include your HS code. Check with the HTS website at http://hts.usitc.gov/ to find your specific code. If you’re producing video or audio recordings it will start with 8523 XX. You can also contact the USITC at (202) 205 2595. We also found this independent resource that offers a 14 day free trial to their import and export information http://www.customhouseguide.com

Featured Instructor | David Lombardi
Home town: Pittsburgh, PA
College Attended: University of Cincinnati, College of Design Architecture Art and Planning
Pets: A Pair of Whippets (dogs)
Favorite food: "I don't understand the question"
Favorite musical artist: Pixies
Favorite city in the world: Vancouver, BC
Likes: Travel with my wife, Trying new restaurants, a "good" science fiction movie
Dislikes: People who block the jetway when their gate hasn't been called, undocumented software bugs, "bad" science fiction movies

David's Tip | The Trick is to Click
Right-click on any input field/tool parameter to access animation, links to other tools, and even presets.

Coming Soon from Class on Demand and David Lombardi

Complete Training for eyeon Fusion 6
This training will give you the solid foundation needed to quickly and easily get started with eyeon's Fusion 6. It includes lessons on masking, keying and using the particle generator.