I haven't taken the Dick Smith course, but I have seen some of the material and it is VERY in depth. From prosthetics to pnuematics, it has it all....(I know I used two "p" words, that was just what came to mind). I don't know if you have ever worked with foam latex (or even if the effects community is still using it since going to urethane foam), but what I have learned is that you never cook it in the same oven you cook food....the food will never taste the same and each time you start up the oven, you get an awful burning rubber smell....

I found out the hard way.