Book Description
The scalability, performance and Emmy Award-winning workflow of Final Cut Pro 5 make it the first choice of professional editors everywhere. For those clamoring to get in on the action, this best-selling volume uses a series of class-length lessons designed to provide a strong foundation in all aspects of the digital video editing powerhouse. Readers follow the step-by-step instructions to complete the book's hands-on exercises, using the project files on the accompanying DVD. Master teacher Diana Weynand covers everything from basic editing skills to complex topics such as creating transitions and motion effects, real-time color correcting, titling techniques, and more. Previously published as Final Cut Pro HD, this revision has been updated to cover all of Final Cut Pro 5's new features, including higher quality effects, RT Extreme with Dynamic RT, editing multi-camera projects, closer integration with Apple's other creative tools and more.
Customer Reviews:
for final cut pro beginners.......2007-10-18
very useful, pretty easy to read. would they consider publishing a smaller version for all the commands only?
Good tool for learning.......2007-10-18
Book is very comprehensive, covers topics in depth and allows the reader to work through projects. Final Cut is quite a program, and to try to learn about it on your own would be a challange, this book bridges the gap.
Not once could I complete the project tasks in the estimated time given, i.e. 1 hour, I don't know if I am the only one who can't pick it up as quick as the book says, for me personally the concept of completing the book in the time stated is unrealistic, nevertheless I got it eventually and now have a much broader understanding of the program, so in this sense I found it useful and it has fulfilled it's purpose as a learning tool.
Excellent source of information.......2007-10-17
I am new at editing having only used Final Cut Pro for very basic and simple editing. This book is superb for beginners who wish to take their skills up a notch with plenty of tidbits for experimentation. I recommend beginners to have a copy of this book in their library if only for referrence.
great lessons... sytematic, clear........2007-05-09
Excellent lessons... just perfect... sssshhh.. I'll let you in on a little secret... you listening? Give Apple 99 bucks and get 50 one hour lessons! 2 bucks an hour with a pro at the Apple store!
Really good start for learning Final Cut Pro 5........2007-04-08
Anyone aspiring to be an director needs to be a good editor first. You need to understand how the film will be put together so that you can plan your shots, actors, special effects, music etc. Editing is the final part, where everything comes together. The best editing work is only as good as the sum of the components - story, acting, photography, sound effects, music, etc. When all these things come together with great editing, there is the potential for a great property.
Final Cut Pro (FCP) is an industry player in film editing. The price of Final Cut Studio (Final Cut Pro is part of this package) is cheap for professionals and within reach of the serious hobbyist. By serious I mean you don't just by the starter kit and then put it on the shelf. Make no mistake FCP is very functional, and it is entirely probable that you will be fully intimidated by the plethora of options available to you. This is where the "Apple Pro Training Series: Final cut Pro 5" comes in. Don't expect to be the next Tony Scott or Steven Spielberg yet. That can't be done in any book. It will however, give you enough grounding to start experimenting with FCP with confidence.
Do all the chapter exercises in order and don't skip any. I don't recall any errors, which is rare. I can't recommend this book enough.
Book Description
The only Apple-authorized guide to Final Cut Express HD 3.5, this book delivers the techniques you need to make movie magic with DV or HDV footage. Each chapter presents a complete lesson in an aspect of video editing and finishing, with hands-on projects to complete as you go. All the files you need are on the included DVD-ROM. You’ll learn how to make effective edits and adjust them precisely; create polished transitions and sophisticated composites; add audio tracks, titles, and speed and motion effects; then color-correct and finish your video for export to DVD or the Web. Whether you’re a student, a devoted amateur who’s serious about digital video, or a professional who needs a comprehensive editing program for your home computer, you’ll find everything you need to learn Final Cut Express HD 3.5 within the pages of this book. DVD-ROM includes lesson and media files for over 20 hours of training.
Customer Reviews:
Good but not great.......2007-10-14
If you are a beginner as was I, learning Final Cut Express HD can seem very difficult. The Apple Training Series certainly bridges the gulf and provides a painless way via tutorials on many of the skills needed to master FCE. On the other hand, it does not provide insights into all of the features. For example, it does not mention the motion features and how to control scale, rotation, center, or any of the other parameters for motion. Overall it is a good book but not a great one.
So far so good.......2007-08-01
Just at chapter 6 and have found that the program is simple and easy to follow. Did not start with iMovie so I have no experience, which is why I feel the step by step guidance and building a previous learning is great. Good stuff for beginners.
Hands on experience.......2007-06-12
This book is exactly what I needed to figure Final Cut Express out. It has plenty of hands-on tutorials along with a DVD that has the examples to use with the tutorials.
Good Stuff!
Great Learning Product.......2007-06-05
This book is a great tool to get started with more advanced video editing, something that iMovie just can't handle. So if you've outgrown iMovie and have moved into Final Cut Express then this book will certainly give you a step by step learning process that will introduce Final Cut Express HD. The DVD that comes with it is very helpful as well because it contains enough content to be able to actually edit videos and add sounds, etc. Highly recommended.
Excellent book!.......2007-04-24
This book is an awesome tutorial for Final Cut Express! It starts with the easiest concepts and gets one step more complicated in each chapter. The included DVD contains all the project files so you can work along with the examples in the book. I highly recommend it!
Book Description
Rapidly evolving computer and communications technologies have achieved data transmission rates and data storage capacities high enough for digital video. But video involves much more than just pushing bits! Achieving the best possible image quality, accurate color, and smooth motion requires understanding many aspects of image acquisition, coding, processing, and display that are outside the usual realm of computer graphics. At the same time, video system designers are facing new demands to interface with film and computer system that require techniques outside conventional video engineering.
Charles Poynton's 1996 book A Technical Introduction to Digital Video became an industry favorite for its succinct, accurate, and accessible treatment of standard definition television (SDTV). In Digital Video and HDTV, Poynton augments that book with coverage of high definition television (HDTV) and compression systems.
For more information on HDTV Retail markets, go to: http://www.insightmedia.info/newsletters.php#hdtv
With the help of hundreds of high quality technical illustrations, this book presents the following topics:
* Basic concepts of digitization, sampling, quantization, gamma, and filtering
* Principles of color science as applied to image capture and display
* Scanning and coding of SDTV and HDTV
* Video color coding: luma, chroma (4:2:2 component video, 4fSC composite video)
* Analog NTSC and PAL
* Studio systems and interfaces
* Compression technology, including M-JPEG and MPEG-2
* Broadcast standards and consumer video equipment
Customer Reviews:
First Rate Book on Digital Video.......2007-09-22
My favorite book on video. It is the most thorough and careful development of digital video I have seen.
While you won't hear this often, it is a beautifully produced book. It contains very clear illustrations, its equations are clearly presented, and the text is nicely organized.
Quite A Fine Text.......2007-06-15
If only more tech authors could write as clearly and with such consideration for the reader as does Mr. Poynton. The layout of the text and graphics is superb. The attention to content accuracy is highlighted by the many helpful, and sometimes amusing, notes in the margins.
Good Book.......2007-02-16
I think this is a good book for begginers. It's very easy to understand and there not trouble read.
A great book for the algorithms and equations of digital video.......2006-12-25
Poynton presents a comprehensive treatise on digital video and HDTV in 50 chapters and two appendices. Although this is a comprehensive work and some topics are presented in complete detail, other equally important topics are discussed in a few pages. The concepts of color, NTSC and PAL encoding, colorimetry, and other topics of image presentation are strongly emphasized. However, the topics of quantization, digital filtering, general signal processing, and methods of compression are treated more briefly. This is a very good resource for anyone interested in digital TV or the computer display of images. It is probably not a good choice for general engineering study by readers without a good background in digital signal processing. The differences between computer displays and commercial television displays are well presented, provided along with some history of both disciplines and how, with the decreasing restriction on bandwidth, these interests are merging.
Part one of the book stresses digital video basics. This is pretty similar to Poynton's previous book on digital video with the exception that he has added some introductory material on HDTV, but that chapter is only a few pages long.
Part two, "Principles", is a very nondescript title for this section. That is probably because it discusses such a large group of diverse topics as filtering, sampling, visual perception, color science for video, NTSC and PAL, videotape recording, 2-3 pulldown, and deinterlacing. This is the section that is the most mathematical, however, it is still not as complex as most signal processing books you'll encounter.
Part three, "Video Compression", consists of three very short chapters on JPEG, motion-JPEG, and MPEG-2. It's a good overview of the concepts, but don't expect to be able to build a codec based on the information in this section.
Part four, "Studio Standards", also has a very specific subject matter. The standards discussed are 480i, 576i, 1280x720 HDTV, and 1920x1080 HDTV. Scanning, timing, sync structure, and picture structures are discussed in each case.
Part five, the final section, discusses broadcast and studio standards. NTSC, PAL, and digital television broadcast standards are discussed.
If you are the type of person who is interested in the algorithms of digital video more than you are the hardware of digital video systems, you'll probably enjoy this book. The author makes frequent use of illustrations and block diagrams to illustrate what is being presented, and I have gotten a great deal of use from it over the years. If you are looking for a book on digital video systems hardware, might I recommend "Video Demystified" by Keith Jack.
The best video book out there.......2006-10-18
I have several excellent books on video, and I have to say that this book is easily the best. Charles Poynton covers all of the basics in a very understandable and readable fashion. Video is a complicated topic, and one that is not well understood. There are many facets of video that are commonly confused, such as the differences, benefits and drawbacks of interlaced versus progressive scan video, or the difference between pixels and lines of resolution. Digital Video and HDTV Algorithms and Interfaces is very well written, and is a must-read for any serious video professional or hobbyist.
Book Description
If you’re a photography hobbyist, would you like to brighten up that gloomy island vacation photo? Slim down without going on a diet? See whether white or green shutters look best on the house? Expunge the ex-boyfriend from family photos?
If you’re a pro or semi-pro photographer, would you like to make it snow in that ski resort photo? Replace the old logo in the glamour shot of the corporate headquarters with the new one? Grow hair in the CEO’s glaring bald spot? Freshen up the lettuce in that food shot?
You’ve come to the right place. With Photoshop CS2, you have the tools. With Photoshop CS2 For Dummies, you’ll have the know-how. In full color, with all kinds of examples, screen shots, step-by-step explanations, tips, and techniques, this guide takes you from the fundamentals to special power-user tricks! Cross-platform Mac-PC coverage includes:
- The basics of getting around in Photoshop, getting images into and out of Photoshop, choosing the right file formats, and setting your preferences
- Working with Adobe Bridge to organize and manage your images
- Working with tonality, including making easy Auto Repairs, making adjustments with Levels and Curves (and the eyedroppers), and using Shadow/Highlight and the toning tools, Burn and Dodge
- Making color look natural using the color adjustment commands
- Taking advantage of the RAW format for maximum flexibility, including using the Adjust, Detail, Lens, Curve, and Calibrate tabs and the Camera Raw buttons
- Fine-tuning your fixes, including making your selections with tools (four marquee tools, three lasso tools, and the Magic Wand tool)
- Masking for both layer visibility and for protecting parts of your images
- The most common problems in digital photos—red-eye, wrinkles, unwanted objects and people, and noise—and what to do about them
With Photoshop CS2, you can go beyond enhancing your images to create “art.” You have a very powerful painting engine, an extremely complex Brushes palette, and all kinds of painting tools. Photoshop CS2 For Dummies walks you though:
- Compositing (combining images into a piece of artwork) and working with layers, including choosing from the almost two dozen blending modes
- Selecting with Extract which is great for making tough selections, such as flyaway hair and various types of fringe
- Using Vanishing Point to “map” a pattern to angled surfaces
- Creating panoramas with Photomerge
- Creating precision edges with vector paths, including using shape layers and the Custom Shape tool, choosing from more than 300 ready-to-use shapes with the Custom Shape Picker, and using the Pen tool to create paths
- Where to find dozens, or even hundreds, of custom shapes already on your computer – absolutely free
- Dressing up images with layer styles, including using the Styles palette and creating custom layer styles
- Adding text messages and tweaking your text
- Using the extensive painting tools and the Brushes palette
- Using filters, including sharpening to focus the eye using blur filters or the Unsharp Mask and the new Smart Sharpen filter that give incredible control
- Getting fun effects with the Liquify filter
In a special Power Photoshop section, you’ll learn about streamlining your work, including creating a PDF for both onscreen presentation and for printing. You’ll discover how to spiff up your online images by working with Image Ready to slice, optimize, and otherwise juice up your images for the Web and how to create fancy rollover buttons and fun animations,
From basic cropping to complex techniques that can turn good photos into great ones, Photoshop CS2 For Dummies is your guide to exploring all the possibilities that await you in Photoshop CS2.
Download Description
"* An all-new full-color edition, updated for the latest software release and bargain-priced at under $30
* New author Peter Bauer-a highly regarded Photoshop pro-has rewritten the book from scratch in its entirety
* Cross-platform Mac-PC coverage includes program basics, working with camera RAW tools, organizing and managing image files, enhancing images, using channels and masks, painting and drawing, adding masks and special effects, creating Web photo galleries, and streamlining workflow"
Customer Reviews:
Photoshop cs2 for not so dummies.......2007-10-13
This is a very well written book. The author knows his material and how to help others use this program. I would recommend this book.
Not for Dummies.......2007-09-08
I'm sure this is an excellent resource for those who have used Photoshop already. It hits the ground running and assumes a much more significant base of pre-existing knowledge than the other "Dummies" books I've read.
My expectations for these Wiley books is that they write for neophytes, taking a step by step approach to understanding a topic without assuming any knowledge. That's what has made them so effective and so popular.
That is not the case with this book. I consider myself to be of adequate intelligence but I have never used Photoshop and I was counting on this book to introduce the admittedly very complex application in digestible bites. It really doesn't. It appears to assume the reader already has some knowledge of the program and, moreover, has already used it.
One example I'll cite is the book's treatment of the concept of layers, a central concept for how Photoshop works. It is assumed by the writer that the reader already knows what layers are and how the application uses them. It never presents a simple definition of layers. In fact, the author doesn't even mention them until far along in the text. And, at that stage, the concept just jumps at the reader without any introduction or explanation. I think I know what layers are and how they are used, but it really was a work of interpolation on my part rather than helpful explanation by the author.
Again, it's a fine work, but it's not "Photoshop for Dummies," it's really "Intermediate Photoshop."
Photoshop CS2 for Dummies.......2007-01-20
I purchased this book after using my local libraries` copy. It is full of information on the basic operational details and procedures of photoshop CS2. It is written in as plain an English as one could expect.
All the "secret" procedures to do various things are explained, things that would take decades of use if you were to try to figure them out without help.
It does not go into the aesthetics of photo editing at all. It only explains the basic procedures of how the various functions work, but it does this well.
It does nothing with the other graphic arts programs that come with CS2 such as In Design, Illustrator, and others. Photo editing is only a small part of the CS2 program.
If you want instruction on how to improve photos, this is not the book. If you want to learn the functions of how photo editing works within CS2, this book does a superb job in easily understood language.
Good product overview BUT.......2007-01-06
I purchased the subject book in order to edit photos only. The subject CS2 book provides a good overview of CS2 BUT it DOES NOT provide a step-by-step tutorial on how to use all the CS2 tools. I purchased "Photoshop CS2 In Easy Steps" manual ($10) to provide the "how to" part. Between the two publications, a good understanding of CS2 for photo processing was provided. It became clear that CS2 is so robust, and therefore complicated, that a CS2 course would be the next logical step.
A reference book, thats all.......2006-10-21
Luckily, I checked this book out of the library rather than buying it. I say "luckily" because this book isn't worth the money. Here's why...
On the front of the book it says:
Now in FULL COLOR! Loaded with the latest Photoshop tips and techniques"
On the back of the book it says this:
"Wait till you see what you can do with Photoshop CS2"
Photoshop CS2 for Dummies is not about HOW to do it, but about WHAT you can do with it. The cover of this book should have stated that it is a reference book out of fairness, rather than burying that fact in the prelude. Besides, aren't reference books suitable for people who already know what they are doing and have experience using the program?
This book didn't come with a CD or a website to go to for graphics and lessons. Words alone do nothing when you have to get your hands dirty. Would a pilots school be useful to you if you just sat in the classroom all day listening to the teacher on theory but not actually applying it by flying?
The first part (chapters 1-3) was way too basic, if not annoying. If you don't know how to use the mouse or what a menu is, what is color, what is cropping, etc. then you need to go back to Computer 101. 84 pages of material more appropriate for a Windows dummies book, not a Photoshop book.
Part II (chapters 5-9) was not much better. Written in the same "manual-like" style, it lacked techniques and how-to. Its sad when you are reading a computer software book and don't even lift the mouse or use the program while reading.
Part V consists of Chapters 18 to 20. Three chapters of tips and tricks. Total number of pages? Fourteen. Yep, you read that right. Fourteen out of 400 pages. Here's the first paragraph of Chapter 18:
"I have literally thousands of Photoshop tips and tricks to share with you but space here allows for only ten."
What a cop out. Wasn't that what the subtitle of this book was all about? Latest tips and techniques? Further, the tips are very poorly represented and outdated. There are websites that offer more detail and blow by blow description as you apply each step of the tip. Instead, this book shows only the end effect - worthless when there are many steps in between to enforce that the user is doing things right and getting the right results.
Noticed that I didnt discuss Parts III to IV? It was a waste of time.
Reference manuals are suitable for experienced users, not for beginners or people looking to learn from scratch. The best way to learn a creative tool like Photoshop is to experiment and try as everything is a transformation from one rendering to another.
Book Description
Digital Compositing for Film and Video is a hands-on, how-to guide that addresses the problems and difficult choices faced by the professional compositor in real-life situations. This book presents you with tips, tricks and techniques for dealing with the badly shot elements, color artifacts, and mismatched lighting that bedevil compositors. Included in this book is: in-depth, practical methods for bluescreen matte extraction, despill operations, compositing operations, and color correction - the "meat and potatoes" of all digital effects. Written in a completely software independent style, it is totally applicable to any brand of compositing software.
The second edition contains many important additions:
* printed in full color with over 400 color photos and illustrations
* companion DVD with 3.7 gigabytes of test images, including hard to get HiDef video and feature film scans
* new section on working with HiDef video
* new section on digital intermediate, the feature film finishing process of today
* more Adobe Photoshop blending modes and procedures
* new material that reveals the add-mix composite, light wrap, slot gags, and how to defeat banding problems
Customer Reviews:
An Essential Guide and not just for compositors.......2007-07-08
If you've ever been on set and heard the catchphrase "fix it in post" this book is for you.
Not only is the information detailed and thorough, but also extremely readable. Some ironic asides demonstrate Wright has the experience to back up his text. He covers all levels of compositing, from basic luminance keying to green-screen/blue-screen, to color corection and matching foreground and background elements, motion tracking, alpha-channels (to premultiply or not premultiply) and the differences between film and video.
The book is not software specific, and the enclosed exercises and demonstrations can be done on most software with compositing features -- including Photoshop!
Why four stars and not five? The extra money demanded for addional exercises seems to be an unfair gouge. But the book is definitely worth the cover price! Even if you have no immediate aspirations at all to composite something, you'll at least see just how tough it can be.
Producers, Directors and Camera departments (aspiring or experienced) can all learn something here -- and with any luck they'll learn it before they light their next green/blue screen.
Too bad the cover is so damn ugly.
Must have.......2007-06-08
I bought it based on the first Edition and I wasn't wrong.
Its even better.
Nice book.......2007-05-13
This is a very complete and engaging book.
It's generic enough so that you can learn a lot regardless of your software/manual tools;
But it focuses enough on certain programs, that it is still useful for those specific users as well.
It was a gift for a relative, but I spent a few hours reading before giving it away...
A must have for your VFX library.......2007-01-05
If you're new to the effect industry or a seasoned pro this is still the bible for understanding what is happening under the hood of a compositing software. This is not software specific, but be it 'Shake' or 'an other' this will help you truly understand the what, when and why.
This book together with - Ron Brinkman's 'The Art and Science of Digital Compositing' - also available at Amazon, will hold you in good stead throughout your career.
It truly gives you the 'wow' factor.
Excellent book.......2006-12-15
Even advanced compositors will glean juicy bits from Steve Wrights' effort. I've read all the standard texts and this one stands with the best. Clear, friendly prose makes this book a comfortable read; read it two or three times and you'll find that you get a little something out of it on each pass. Whether your work end up in print, video or film, this is a must-have book.
Book Description
Ready to discover not just the how, but also the why behind some of the
most powerful features in Premiere Pro? In Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 Studio
Techniques, author Jacob Rosenberg goes beyond conventional stepby-
step instruction to give you a real-world perspective on editing with
Premiere Pro. Using Jacob’s fi lm footage or your own, you’ll learn to
deliver professional-quality results. Whether you’re looking for advice on
editing, effects, titles, or working with audio, this easy-to-read guide will
help you add more punch to your productions.
• New features in Premiere Pro 2.0: Native HD support, native HDV
editing, 24P/24PA support, DVD authoring from the timeline, expedited
reviewing with Adobe Clip Notesâit’s all here. Find out how Premiere
Pro has been improved, what’s been added, and how to use new
features.
• Working fundamentals: From capturing video to assembling your
project to the new, panel-based user interface, get an under-the-hood
understanding of this powerful application.
• Advanced techniques: Through hands-on lessons, learn the ins
and outs of color correction, color matching, multiple-camera editing,
dynamic photomontages, titling, audio and video effects, sound mixing,
professional workflows for feature films and HD productions, and more.
• Companion DVD: You’ll fi nd extra chapters and bonus reference
material to read, video tutorials to watch, media fi les to use with the
book’s lessons, tryout versions of Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 and Adobe
Audition 2.0, and indispensable plug-ins to install.
Jacob Rosenberg is a Los Angeles–based
independent filmmaker who has directed
nationally broadcast commercials, music
videos for such groups as the Baha Men, and
several short films. Recently, Jacob has worked
as a post-production supervisor on a number
of feature films that used high-definition video
as their digital intermediate format. A current
member of the Adobe Premiere development
team, and the featured instructor for Premiere
Pro on the highly acclaimed Total Training
Instructional DVD series, Jacob continues to
raise the bar by creating new workflows and
educating others about them. From IBC in
Amsterdam to NAB in Las Vegas, Jacob
teaches classes around the world on using
Premiere Pro and other Adobe products.
âWith this book and Adobe
Premiere Pro, you’ll have all the
tools you need to create your own
professional-quality movies and
videos. Jacob shows you how to
think like a filmmaker, get the job
done, and understand the creative
process from start to finish.â
âSteven Warner
Director of Engineering, Adobe Systems Inc.
âJacob has tirelessly advanced the
art of filmmaking with Premiere’s
ever-expanding functionality, and
his book demonstrates the depth
and breadth of his creative artistry
and technical know-how.â
âRob Legato
Film director and Academy-Award-winning
Visual Effects Supervisor for Titanic
Customer Reviews:
Not a book easy to follow.......2007-10-09
Maybe Premiere Pro is too complex for average users, so this book could not cover it all. But I wish the book started by follow one example in steps, the explain in details of some special features in additional chapters.
This book is not organized in a way to teach you how to use the software, rather just some special features, not very complete on all the features, either. But this is the only book about Premiere Pro..
Well worth it, but a little out of date.......2007-10-09
This book is great for the beginner. It will start you out by teaching you the basics of file management and setting up your computer to handle video editing and will lead you through a series of 'projects' to teach you the basics of video editing.
It also includes media with video clips to use in case you don't have any to begin with.
It's great book if you have never done any editing, or if you have never done editing with Premiere. Even one version behind on the software version, it is still a very useful book.
Great Book and Great Guy.......2007-01-10
Jacob Rosenberg's Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 Studio Techniques is great whether you're a Premiere newbie, or a seasoned vet.
I myself fall somewhere between those two, so it worked out perfectly. Jacob writes in a way that makes you feel comfortable - you can easily tell he is an avid user of Premiere Pro (not to be confused with an Avid user...video editing humor, anyone?). From his thorough yet laid back instructions to his various real-world examples, it's clear that he's not just authoring a paint-by-numbers look at some new piece of software. Jacob has been with Premiere from it's early stages of life, and in some cases has even had a hand in its evolution.
I specifically wanted this book for its insight on editing workflows, especially in regards to 24p and 24p HD projects in Premiere Pro. The included companion DVD has chapters devoted entirely to his experience onlining the HD feature documentary, Dust to Glory, with Premiere Pro on a PC...so this book was a no-brainer!
I was even able to contact the author himself and meet face to face to discuss the various intricacies of conforming an offline edit to an online all within Premiere Pro for a feature I'm currently working on. He was/continues to be incredibly helpful, and is truly the most knowledgeable person on Premiere Pro that I've ever had the pleasure to meet.
Bottom line, buy this book if you want insight on Premiere Pro.
Adobe Premiere Pro 2 book opens the door.......2007-01-09
I have been using Premiere since the days of 5.0 - and I think I have been applying only those same skills to each upgrade I purchased -- with maybe adding just a few new tricks. Mr. Rosenberg's clear explanations and teaching have opened up a whole new world of Premiere editing for me, and my newest DVD effort is showing the results "in spades."
The DVD included is just perfect. Adobe should ship this book with the software.
Great resource for Premiere Pro 2.0.......2006-11-08
This is a very concise manual, well written and printed in full color. I think anyone trying to learn Premiere or just wanting a reference for what's new in 2.0 could not make a better choice than this book. Its great to see an author cover everything so thoroughly, and explain things so well.
Book Description
So you have a camcorder and visions of being the next Spielberg. But how do you progress from shooting so-so footage to showing your own finished movie? Digital Video For Dummies, 4th Edition gives you the know-how and the show-how! Find out how to shoot and edit great movies, using iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, or Adobe Premiere Elements to add the finishing touches like special effects and your own soundtrack. With the latest information and lots of illustrations and screen shots, this friendly guide walks you through:
- Getting your computer ready to work with digital video (complete with information about FireWire)
- Choosing a camcorder, including features to look for and features that are useless
- Digitizing old VHS videotapes to preserve memories
- Purchasing other movie making gear, including audio and lighting equipment
- Shooting better video, with tips on lighting, panning, using the zoom, and recording better audio
- Creating your own sound effects such as footsteps, bones breaking, fire, thunder, insects buzzing, and more
- Capturing digital video using iMovie, Windows Movie Marker, or Premiere Elements
- Editing, including understanding timecode, organizing and previewing clips, and assembling clips in Storyboard and Timeline
- Adding transitions, titles, and special effects
- Importing and integrating video from phones and digital cameras
- Using audio rubberbands in iMovie, Premiere Elements, and other editing programs
- Adding narration, importing and working with CD audio, and adding a music soundtrack
Keith Underdahl has extensive professional video production experience developing kiosk and marketing videos for Ages Software. Realizing that you’ll want to polish and premiere your movie, he includes information on:
- More advanced video editing, including animating video clips, improving light and color, compositing video (bluescreen or greenscreen), and more
- 13 categories of video effects, ranging from blur and sharpen to transform
- Working with still photos and graphics
- Sharing your video online using QuickTime (/QT), RealMedia (.RM), or Windows Media Video (.WMV)
- Making tapes or burning DVDs in 9 steps
With a handy cheat sheet of keyboard shortcuts, a chart comparing 10 video editing programs, a glossary, and more, with this guide you’ll soon be saying “Lights, camera, action” and producing your own movie attraction.
Customer Reviews:
Great reference guide for videography.......2007-10-09
Great reference guide for video production especially for beginners. Simple easy to read and apply!
It is the one.......2007-03-22
If you're new to video editing, it is the one for you. It'S a good start
Very useful and reasonably up to date.......2007-03-18
The "Dummies" folks seem to be able to get it right pretty consistently, and they also seem to be willing to update titles with some frequency -- publish a new edition, that means.
When I bought this book, I bought another on the same topic from another publisher and neglected to check the date of publication. Well, it was antique, relatively speaking, so when I picked this one up, suddenly things started to make a lot of sense.
Also, the author seems to be able to cover three editing products without a lot of repetition. This is a good, workmanlike job.
Nice Primer.......2006-04-13
I wish I had bought this book initially.
I was pretty new to digital video. I had lots of questions about transferring, capturing analog, audio, and so far this book has answered them. It would have saved time to buy it first.
I'm using the digital video for a vidcast.
Digital Video Guru Course in a Book.......2004-02-05
"3rd Edition" I would recommend this book to anyone interested in becoming a Video Editing Guru. Now there isn't much fame or glory in such a title, and I'm not implying that after reading the book you will be able to instantly break into the "Pro" video editing business either. But it does give you some useful information on how to digitize those video clips and turn them into a respectable home movie or corporate presentation.
The book is very much based on Apple's "iMovie" and Pinnacle's "Studio 8". You'll skip around a bit because of the 2 different programs it explains, but you're really just getting 2 books in one if you ever decide to dabble in the 'other' program. If you're using a video editing program other than these, you may want to pick a different book.
Well organized and "dumb-ed down" enough for the beginner. The projects and included clips on CD Rom keep it interesting. I learned about many tips that I plan to use all the time in my projects now. Good work Underdahl!
Based on what I've seen in this book, I would definitely check out the Adobe Premiere Dummies book by the same author if I decide to move up to that program. I'm confident that I would not be disappointed.
Book Description
- Presents 50 fast, easy, and powerful effects that creative professionals and amateurs alike can achieve almost instantly with Apple's hot new Final Cut Express video editing software
- Proven step-by-step format, lavishly illustrated with "before" and "after" scenes from professional clips
- Includes masking techniques, creative use of colors and special effects, professional titling and rolling credit techniques, size deceptions, film-grain simulations, and much more
- Features in-depth discussions of features and techniques that help readers make the necessary adjustments for their own videos
- Reasonably priced Final Cut Express software is sophisticated enough for the professional, yet basic enough for the editing beginner or hobbyist
- CD-ROM is packed with all video clips from the book and valuable utilities
Customer Reviews:
50Fast Final Cut Express Techniques.......2006-08-15
Very informative and gave many good ways to work Final Cut.
Easy to use.......2006-07-14
This is a solid book, written simply but not condescendingly. Very helpful!
Uncommonly creative!.......2003-10-08
I just love the techniques in Tim Meehan's book. Even though I've used FCP for about a year, I learned more than a few things from these pages. (Fire-breathing dogs, anyone?) And, I've got to say that the author's creativity (some wacky techniques in here) really added to the enjoyment of learning. I just hope the publisher will create a new edition for FCP4.
Book Description
Tight deadlines and tighter budgets define digital video production today--a fact Adobe has acknowledged and responded to with its completely revamped Windows XP-only Premiere Pro video editing software. By focusing on a single (non-Mac) version of Premiere, Adobe has been able to deliver a product that raises the bar for desktop digital video editing; this approachable, complete volume gets readers beyond the basics. Offering in-depth explanations guaranteed to make the knowledge stick (and in an easygoing style that makes the book fun to read), filmmaker and Premiere whiz
Jacob Rosenberg focuses on the concepts, features, and techniques that are key to mastering Adobe Premiere Pro. If you're a novice user, you'll get the grounding you need to begin capturing, editing, and outputting digital video. And if you're a Premiere veteran, you can go straight to the comprehensive coverage of all that's new: three-point color correction, multiple timelines, a new audio mixer, enhanced media management, and more. The accompanying DVD includes project files, sample footage, Third Party Plug-ins and an hour of video tutorials that help articulate concepts and features that are better suited for video explanations than on a page.
"Jacob's skills and enthusiasm as an editor have been an invaluable resource to the product team throughout the development lifecycle of Premiere Pro. It is no understatement to say that he has been instrumental in charting the course of this application. His knowledge is seemingly without limit, as can be attested to by anyone who has watched him present his master classes at various tradeshows across the globe. I can think of no one better as a guide through the intricacies and depths of Premiere Pro 1.5--the best version of Premiere to date."--Richard Townhill, Group Product Manager, Adobe Video Products
Customer Reviews:
Great Learning tool.......2007-03-14
This book is fabulous for just learning how to operate Adobe Premiere.
Best Ever User Manual.......2006-07-16
Whether its the basics you seek or the advanced "insider" tips you need, this is the manual for you. Although Premiere Pro is much different than 6.5 and previous versions, you will soon find that using it will become second nature. This is the best book for Pro users on the market.
Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 Studio Techniques (Studio Techniques).......2006-07-04
Three stars for "user friendly" and five stars for content. The information is quite detailed but needs a lot of interpretation and rereading to understand. The text doesn't always follow your project and one needs to go to the "Help" menu, often. However, if one preservers, the instructions will allow you to use the Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 program to its fullest potential.
now out of date.......2006-03-26
great book but now behind the times, wish i'd of waited a bit longer till the release of 2.0 and the subsequent book; however, I believe everything covered in this book carries over to the new version of premiere pro.
Somewhat advanced.......2006-03-18
Hello folks-
My level before i bought this book was:
1. very familiar with roxio easy movie creation 7.5
2. somewhat familiar with adobe premier pro 1.5
FIRST-
I WANT TO EXCLAIM THE WONDERFUL TREATMENT I GOT FROM AMAZON. I PAID $14.00 FOR 1 DAY SHIPPING. IT TOOK 2 DAYS. I EMAILED AMAZON AND THEY REFUNDED THE ENTIRE SHIPPING AT NO CHARGE, AT NO QUESTIONS ASKED. AT NO QUIBBLING. THEY MADE ME FEEL LIKE A PHAROAH! THANK YOU AMAZON.
I found the book an excellent deal, but somewhat on the advanced side. I feel the author gave an honest intelligent effort, but id have preferred a little more attention to the basics. I would highly recommend this book to the intermediate (at least) Adobe Premier 1.5 programmer.
I WILL ABSOLUTELY ORDER FROM AMAZON AGAIN.
And no- this is no schill.
rich from Boston.
Book Description
Readers will learn the principles of color theory and video signal analysis, including the differences between film and video color. Beginning with an analysis of common color corrections, the book will introduce the reader to the color corrections possible with an array of digital video software, such as Final Cut Pro, Premiere, Avid, Avid Xpress DV 2.0, After Effects plug-ins, and other nonlinear software. Color correction problems and solutions are presented with tutorials on the companion CDROM to ensure that the reader gains a working knowledge of the techniques.
Color Correction for Digital Video shows you how to use color to improve your storytelling, deliver critical emotional cues, and add impact to your videos. Beginning with a clear, concise description of color and perception theory, this book shows you how to analyze color correction problems and solve them-whatever NLE or plugin you use.
Customer Reviews:
A "How to" book that doesn't explain anything.......2007-10-09
This was one of the most aggravating books I've ever read. The book purports to explain color correction but does not guide you through the process. Instead it gives you directions like "first adjust the black levels, then move on to fine tune the colors..."
Without actually telling you how to perform any of the adjustments the book is describing it's almost worthless. The reader is left with the same questions they had before they read it.
Written for the editor who needs to color correct.......2007-02-23
Great book that I have been looking for. This book was written in a style that I, an offline editor trying to move up to online work, could understand. It deals with how to color correct - not just how to use a specific tool (though it does that also). Well worth the money!
color demystified in an agnostic way.......2007-01-10
This is a fantastic book - required reading for anyone producing video.
Everyone will have tried basic color correction and been confounded by the number of parameters that all seem to do the same thing, yet interact to produce worse results than you started with. This book goes into great detail about how luminance and color influence your image and leads you through excercises to try on your own material, and images provided on the enclosed CD.
Although it is a technical subject, it is written in a very readable way.
It is amazing the changes that happen with quite subtle adjustments. That is the key to everything. Subtlety that creates great results.
The book covers color correction to match other footage, but also correction to create special effects and drama. There are even examples of how to highlight the subject from a confused background.
A, MUST READ book that should be on everyone's shelf.
Color Correction for DV.......2006-08-23
I never get desappointed when I get a new book from DV collection.
This book was an excellent acquisition, it goes into details and shares the experience of the author. It is not only for the video enthusiast but for professionals who work on video as a reference book.
It shows a broad collection of tools that will help us make a better video and also correcting those shots made by consumer DV cameras.
A good overview, but not superb.......2005-03-02
The book does a good job of being an overview for color correcting video - but unfortunately because it avoids anything application specific it fails to show you how to do stuff in your specific NLE. Training dedicated to a specific application & color correction- like my FCP training DVD by Digital Film Tree is much better because it teaches the theory AND the tool - so you cover both angles while this was just the theory. But that may be what you want - or your NLE may not have a book about color correction dedicated to it. If you're a FCP user, there's a book called 'Advanced Finishing Techniques' in the Apple Training Series that I would recommend over this one.
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