Customer Reviews

Avid Editing: A Guide for Beginning and Intermediate Users (Book & CD-ROM)

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

One of the most confounding experiences of my film school education was learning nonlinear video editing with an Avid. Although I'd already spent years using Moviolas, Steenbecks, and linear video systems, getting the hang of the Avid sometimes stressed me to the point of desperation. One of the reasons was the lack of well-written, informed, and timely books designed specifically for beginners.
But now there's relief. Boston University editing instructor Sam Kauffmann has taken the dearth of adequate texts for Avid beginners into his own hands and written on of the clearest, most focused books about Avid editing and digital video editing in general, Avid Editing: A Guide for Beginning and Intermediate Users.
Most texts about digital nonlinear editing attempt to cover too much ground, packing information about cameras, computers, aesthetics, and the entire postproduction process into one volume. Kauffmann succeeds so well because he stays on target. There is little mention of aesthetics or editing theory; rather the book sticks to information important for learning the Avid. Avid specific tools, menus, and shortcuts are clearly defined with examples of their real-world uses. Kauffmann does include some information about the production and postproduction process, but only where it applies directly to understanding the tools and methods of nonlinear editing with an Avid.
Early on in the book, Kauffmann states that it is "a textbook, workbook, and user manual all rolled into one." I would agree. This volume is not only useful for students, but also for experienced editors who may not completely understand the technical processes that occur during Avid editing. If you are about to rent an Avid suite to edit a project, reading this book could very well save you considerable time and money. Using this book to reacquaint yourself with the Avid editing process will mover your project along with less of the questions and issues that plague editors who only occasionally work on an Avid. It could also help you understand the jargon technical postproduction people throw around that might confuse you. Kauffmann explains diverse terms like ABVB, Unity MediaNet, Pixel Aspect Ratio, and SDI with such clarity that you won't be intimidated by technical language the next time you walk into a post house.
The book covers the Avid Media Composer, Xpress, and Film Composer systems on Macintosh and Windows NT platforms. Like many computer texts, Kauffmann's book delves into the myriad menus, dialog boxes, controls, and tools that you'll run into during a typical workday on an Avid. Technical manuals aren't the most entertaining reads, but Kauffmann keeps it interesting. After a few introductory chapters, he explains the process of editing - from digitizing to advanced editing techniques, adding titles, and effects, and finishing. To make the relationship between the book and the user's experience clearer, Kauffmann includes a CD-ROM with sample projects. Kauffmann's experience as an editing instructor is apparent throughout the book. He doesn't cover any topic longer than the typical attention span can handle, yet his writing is clear and knowledgeable. Anybody who plans to learn how to use an Avid should take a look at this book. It will make the experience far less exhausting than it was for all of us who preceded it.

For once, a book about technology that does not reduce itself to techno-babble. Kauffmann's Avid Editing provides readers with a straightforward, insightful peek into the world of digital editing without the typical user manual pretensions. Readers with little or no experience in the realm of digital editing will be able to pick up the book and learn the basics quickly and easily. Not only does Kauffmann capture such a complex, intricate topic with simple, understandable language, he has assembled a CD filled with unedited footage that accompanies the book. In doing this, he provides the means for someone to actually start editing in the digital world, not just read about it. Kauffmann's Avid Editing takes readers through every step of digital editing, from digitizing to trimming to exporting projects. Whether used by beginners or as a reference guide for seasoned editors, this book is comprehensive and easy to use.

Now in a completely updated and expanded second edition, Avid Editing: A Guide For Beginning And Intermediate Users by Sam Kauffmann (Boston University College of Communication) is a straightforward "how-to" guide regarding nonlinear editing on the Avid Xpress DV, Avid Media Composer, and Avid Xpress softwares on the Windows and Macintosh platforms. An excellent primer for newcomers to the software, covering the basics of editing, trimming, handling sound, and a great deal more, Avid Editing now features new chapters on 16: 9 Widescreen Editing, and Script Integration. Very highly recommended for students of film and video editing, Avid Editing is enhanced with an accompanying DVD of video and audio clips, as well as a shooting script upon which to practice editing projects.

Undoubtably the best book for the beginning Avid editor. A clear, easy to follow comprehensive look at the basics fo avid editing that is perfect for the beginner.

Being a new user to the AVID editing system, I found this book to be a very helpful guide to not only the computer interface of the editor, but to the techniques that every AVID editor needs to master.

If you are a beginner, or if you are an experienced editor, this publication will guide you through many of the techniques I use every day to edit: trimming, navigating through bins, digitizing, and layering. I would recommend, though, that the serious reader have access to an AVID to try out the techniques outlined!

Overall, this book (and its tutorials) would be a great help to any aspiring (or current) AVID user!

What impresses me most about Avid Editing: A Guide For Beginning And Intermediate Users, is its instructional design. What Sam Kauffmann has managed to accomplish in this new edition is the creation of a comprehensive program with which to gain proficiency in the operation of a complex filmmaking tool. It is neither an overly broad text on the post production process nor a dry "missing manual". It is an interesting, well-guided tour through the creative process of editing using the professionalÕs most prevalent interface.

The bookÕs progression is wonderful. It logically leads the editor through the process of organizing, digitizing, script notes, editing, effects, sound work, and much more. Features of the software are described in practcal terms, not technical. It demonstrates the various tools' applicablity in real world editing scenarios, describing not just what the tool does but why and where itÕs useful. Its chapters on film are especially valuable even for those whose work will never be printed on celluloid.

Part of the bookÕs charm is KauffmannÕs sense of humor. ItÕs freqently in evidence and makes the book an enjoyable readÑsomething very rare in this type of text.

This edition is all new and broader in scope from the first edition. It deals extensively with Avid XpressDV but includes and explains features in other Avid models so users gain knowledge of the range of tools available to them.

The included DVD contains practice footage and scripts so even those students without their own materials on hand can get right to work.

Book is easy to follow, but when it says beginning, it means it! Not much for effects and not much is for the xpress. great overview and learning tool...also great references on the basics!

Sam Kauffmann wrote this book with clarity and precision. Each step required to perform almost any function on the Avid is clearly explained. He goes one step further though and creates a checklist of each step after these descriptions. These checklists are a wonderful reference when even an experienced Avid user's mind goes temporarily blank!

Along with the descriptions, it also contains helpful illustrations of the Avid user's computer interface. The book is thorough, and the smooth writing is user friendly. The book was a very helpful learning tool and is sure to be an excellent reference in the future.

I would recommend the book to any aspiring editor--those who have yet to learn the Avid and those who already have.

Dear Readers: There is a new edition of this book (3rd Edition) available that covers the latest versions of Avid's software, including Xpress Pro HD. It also includes information about editing 24p, HD, HDV projects. I hope you find it useful. Best, Sam Kauffmann

I was a Media 100 editor for many years and my company switched to the Avid on Jan. 9, 2006. I didn't take any training but, I bought a training DVD set and 3 books. This book was the best, by far. It is presented by an editor who explains what you really need to know to get going and how to work around maintaining sync, etc. It was great. In less than a month, I completed 2 projects without a problem. I'm using Media Composer Adrenaline on a Mac.
:)