With its fast, interactive editing features, elegant interface, nimble animation compositing tools, and competitive price Final Cut Pro is an affordable alternative for those investing in a first-rate video editing system. Yet despite the huge surge in Final Cut Pro users in the past two years, there is still only one book available in the market. Aimed at intermediate-to-professional video producers, editors, and ardent hobbyists, Final Cut Pro 2 for Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide provides in-depth coverage of Apple's updated video editing and effects software. Step-by-step instructions lead readers through Final Cut Pro's complex architecture and into more advanced video editing tasks. All the new features of Final Cut Pro 2 are covered in detail, including its new sound capabilities, faster rendering, and complex integration with Apple's QuickTime software.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
The strength of Final Cut Pro, Apple's topnotch digital-video editing application, lies in its ease of use. It makes sense, then, that one of the best books on Final Cut is also one of the easiest to read and use. Over 600 pages of step-by-step instruction, the Final Cut Pro 2 for Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide can build the skill set of almost any user looking to edit with Final Cut Pro.
No CD-ROM with accompanying materials is included. Instead, the materials that come with Final Cut are used to strengthen and enhance the lessons and concepts in Apple's own manuals. Beginning with an overview of system requirements and configurations, Brenneis plunges into the Final Cut interface and the first steps in setting up and using the application.
The chapters are structured as if a real project were in production: importing video, preparing the clips, editing, adding transitions, and rendering for final output. Tips and tricks are sprinkled like gold nuggets throughout the book, offering insight on how an experienced professional might take advantage of a particular feature.
Lisa Brenneis is no stranger to editing or writing--her first book on Final Cut Pro was a huge success and became a yardstick against which others were judged. With the release of Final Cut Pro 2, she has updated and enhanced her book to cover the new features. Look for her newest title, on the third revision of FCP, soon: Final Cut Pro 3 for Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide.
Like all books in the series, Final Cut Pro 2 for Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide is concise, complete, and easy on the eyes: it's laid out in a clear two-column format with countless screen shots. Books in this series are designed to get the professional user up and running fast, and this installment reaches that goal. For anyone teaching or learning Final Cut Pro, this is an invaluable book. --Mike Caputo
From the Back Cover
Final Cut Pro 2, the newest release of Apple's professional video editing package, combines editing, compositing, and effects programs all in one product. This upgrade offers new real-time editing architecture and new media management tools, support for virtually all professional video formats, added feature enhancements, and a suite of animation, graphics, audio and compression software applications.
Final Cut Pro 2 for Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide introduces video producers to the comprehensive set of tools available in Final Cut Pro. Step-by-step instructions lead readers through the basics and quickly into more advanced projects in video editing. All the important features of Apple's newest application are covered in detail=--the easy-to-use interface, plug-and-play capability, integration with QuickTime software, as well as a host of other features and tools that enhance workflow and productivity.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Recommended to all FCP users.,
By snowleopard (Oregon) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Final Cut Pro 2 for Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide (Paperback)
Most everyone I know that uses Final Cut Pro owns this book, and reads it far more frequently than the Apple FCP manual itself. That alone is enough to recommend it to any FCP user. Let's get out of the way what this book is, and what it isn't. What it is, is a well written, clear and concise how to book on setting up and using Final Cut Pro. It covers what's most critical (such as logging and capturing, and basic editing and transitions) in excellent detail. And it skims over other areas that most users aren't going to get into very quickly (image stabilization, video filters, etc.). What the book is not, is a "Classroom in a Book" style book, where a new user can just read it from front to back and follow the book while running through exercises. The other thing it is not is a replacement for the Apple FCP manual. Using this book as a reference can sometimes be frustrating as a result. But I use that criticism lightly, as that isn't the real aim of this book. Many people that get into FCP find the Apple FCP manual itself very dry, and daunting. Those are the people who this book is best suited for. Not the total beginner (though a beginner will soon get into it) and not for the most advanced user looking for detailed references.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great value for the money,
By
This review is from: Final Cut Pro 2 for Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide (Paperback)
First off, it's good to point out that the title includes the words 'QuickPro', not 'Quickstart', What this means is, unlike other quickstart books, the book doesn't assume you're a dummy. It instead assumes you have some non-linear editing experience. It's intended at getting an experienced editor up to speed with Final Cut Pro. Coming from AVID and Premiere, this book was great for me. Having said that, it could be possible for a beginner to learn Final Cut Pro using this book, possible, but not the book's intention.The book doesn't have tutorials, but you can still follow along on your computer, or, because they're lots of screen captures you can read it away from the computer and simply imagine you're at the computer. The writing is clear and concise, and the topics are organized well. And the book is cheap!! Recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Look like a pro FAST!,
By Elvis Rene (San Rafael, CA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Final Cut Pro 2 for Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide (Paperback)
After cutting on film for many years I took the leap to digital editing with Final Cut Pro. I was lost until a friend showed me this book. This is not like other computer manuals written by antisocial engineers, it is easy to read, clear and concise. Even though it is a technical subject it never got too geeky for me.I'll be sure to get the version 3 book as soon as it comes out.
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