Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Express 4 [Paperback]

Diana Weynand (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321534670 | ISBN-13: 978-0321534675 | Publication Date: December 21, 2007

The only Apple-certified guide to Final Cut Express 4, this book delivers the techniques you need to make movie magic with DV, HDV, or AVCHD 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, you’ll find everything you need to learn Final Cut Express 4 within the pages of this book. DVD-ROM includes lesson and media files for over 20 hours of training.

Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press (December 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321534670
• ISBN-13: 978-0321534675
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,085 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > Computers & Technology > Apple > Final Cut
  • #30 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Cinematography
  • #59 in Books > Computers & Technology > Operating Systems > MacOS

More About the Author

Diana Weynand is an award-winning producer, director, editor, and co-founder of Weynand Training International (www.weynand.com), an Apple Authorized Training Center and a leader in training and curriculum development for emerging technologies. Diana was supervising editor for The Barbara Walters Special, director and co-producer of the Emmy nominated PBS series, Cinematic Eye, and online editor for Real World. She is the author of four best-selling books on Final Cut Pro (including Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro for Avid Editors and Final Cut Express HD), and the co-author of Secrets of Videoblogging and How Video Works. A well-known columnist, she also writes on High Definition production.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable Guide, February 15, 2008

By 

David A. Caplan "dave659" (Greenwich, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Express 4 (Paperback)

When I upgraded from my old PowerBook to a new MacBook I was dismayed to find that a new version of iMovie came with Leopard. After reading disparaging reviews of iMovie '08, I decided to upgrade to Final Cut Express even though my video editing needs are rather modest. After installing the software and seeing that the PDF user manual was over 1100 pages, I knew I wouldn't have the patience to go through it all and I wanted to order something simpler. With FCE4 being quite new, the only choice immediately available was Diana Weynand's book and I ordered it. Now that I've gone through the entire book, I can enthusiastically recommend it. At first I was dismissive of the DVD that came with it, thinking that it would just contain video demonstrations of various editing operations. It turns out, however, that the DVD contains the material for methodical exercises that take you through various lessons so that the book is really an instruction course, not just a guide. Going through the lessons with the book and DVD is actually fun even though I may never use some of the advanced functions FCE4 offers. I believe that for relative beginners like me this book is indispensable. I confess that I will now go through it again to clear up some of the material I didn't quite understand or have forgotten. Also, there are some questions Weynand's book left unanswered for me, but having the background I gained by studying the whole book made it easier for me to turn to the actual user's manual that came with the software. I'm very excited about FCE4, and I owe a lot to this book.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Training From The Bottom Up, February 5, 2008

By 

Stella L "." (.) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Express 4 (Paperback)

This training book covers it all. The enclosed CD also includes the lesson clips as well as advanced training. The book examples and screens match exactly with the software.

This is not a book to learn Final Cut Express in a couple of hours. Each of the 15 lessons takes 30-90 minutes but well worth it.

57 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Copyright 2008, but content somewhat outdated, April 20, 2008

By 

No Rules, Just Right (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Express 4 (Paperback)

I received this book yesterday and so far I've only gotten through the first three chapters. But I have already found a few outdated statements. A few examples:
1) "HDV video formats record on tape....AVCHD formats, however, record directly onto disks or hard drives." No mention of memory cards or hybrid options.
2) Lesson Review question (page 30): "What kind of cable do you use to connect your camera to your computer?" Answer: "A FireWire cable."
No mention of USB; in fact, the entire section in chapter 2 covering connecting the camera to the computer only addresses FireWire.
3) The book says after launching the first time FCE looks for any FireWire devices and displays an error message if none are found. This didn't happen, at least not in my case, which makes sense since many newer camcorders don't have firewire.
4) When I opened the first project file (provided on the book's DVD) as instructed, FCE displayed a notice that the file was from an earlier version and asked whether or not to update it. The book doesn't even address this alert, leaving the user to wonder whether or not to select "Yes" or "No" to update the project file. Not updating all the files to version 4 (which they really should have done) is one matter; not even addressing the update prompt is even worse.

None of this is detrimental to my learning experience, however it is evident this is old material merely updated for the 2008 edition, and they missed a few parts during the updating process.

So far the book is VERY basic. I'm a long-time Windows user who just received my first mac about a week ago, and it is simplistic, even for me.

UPDATE: I've progressed through the first 12 chapters, and I'm beginning to realize this book is great for walking (crawling, actually) the user through using the software with the project files included on the book's own DVD, but not so great for real-life applications. For example, I've scanned through the remainder of the book and realized it doesn't eplain how to handle existing video files in different formats (AVI's, for example). FCE can do it, but this book doesn't cover it. I've quit reading the book and started reading the FCE4 User Manual instead. So far, it seems far more applicable to what I need to know; unfortunately, the FCE4 electronic user guide is over 1000 pages long --- more pages than I care to print.

If I could change my rating on this book, I would. It was a waste of money and time. Even for the basic material that is covered, the progression is at a snails pace; it could be much more concise and efficient. Even better, it could cover more useful territory by addressing real-life applications in addition to sterile made-to-order projects.

UPDATE 2:I decided to finish the book and have progressed to the "Appendix", the additional chapters available only on DVD. It is so cumbersome trying to learn this way - read a line, switch to FCE4 to perform the step, re-activate the Preview window to read the next step, reactivate FCD4 to perform it, back and forth, back and forth. See, this is why I actually BOUGHT A BOOK. So I wouldn't have to do this. There are plenty of tutorials on line. I paid money for a book for a reason - to spare myself such inconvenience.

One more thing: The last two chapters used terminology I hadn't seen before (keyframes, for example), with no explanation. However those chapters kept referencing the Appendix. I found explanations for those terms in the Appendix. It seems the Appendix chapters should be completed chronologically before the last chapter, making their absence from the book even more annoying.

P.S. Word to the wise: I sent an email inquiry to the author several days ago. Although I've yet to receive a response (and doubt I ever will), I have begun to receive spam emails from her company.