23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Avid Made Easy - The Independent, May 01 by Greg Gilpatrick, January 24, 2002
By A Customer
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.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simple and Understandable: No Techno-babble Here., May 18, 2000
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.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended for students of film and video editing, June 13, 2003
This review is from: Avid Editing, Second Edition: A Guide for Beginning and Intermediate Users (Paperback)
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.
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