Most Helpful Customer Reviews
46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best choice to get started., July 19, 2002
This review is from: The Little Digital Video Book (Paperback)
It took me a while to find a good book to get started with digital video, after I bought myself a Mini DV camcorder. What I was looking for was sound advice on how to shoot as well as about basic post production techniques, the stuff you do after shooting, editing, how and where to store and organize your footage, and most important, to end up with a finished product--a nice to watch video to show to the public. Something else I was looking for was a book that is "lightweight" and that keeps things simple. There is plenty of time to get more fancy, but for starters I wanted to get a small video project done and have it on a Video CD, DVD or a VHS cassette. This book shows exactly that! You'll learn the basics of digital video. The main idea is to get a little (manageable) project done in a clean and orderly way. I consider the author a highly competent and experienced teacher when it comes to the subject of digital video. If you are in the same situation as I was (having a FireWire and DV capable Macintosh computer and a Mini DV camcorder, plus having not too much time to learn the essential basic techniques of digital video shooting and editing with all the necessary bells and whistles) then this definitely is the book to buy. In fact it is the best and most practical book to read first. Start simple, then attack the more sophisticated stuff. A must have book!
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36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
RUBIN DOES IT AGAIN!, November 30, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: The Little Digital Video Book (Paperback)
Michael Rubin - video guru extraordinaire - was one of the very first Evangelists of digital nonlinear editing. Well over a decade ago, he was one of George Lucas's emissaries to the Hollywood studios for Lucas' groundbreaking EditDroid project, and preached the virtues of this then-revolutionary approach to editing TV shows and feature films. A pioneer in more ways than one, Rubin also wrote the very first book on the subject - "Nonlinear: A Field Guide to Digital Video and Film Editing" (now in a new 4th edition). I know all this because chancing across that gem was one of the catalysts that helped catapult me (and others) into a career as a professional video editor. "Nonlinear" rocks. But his latest work, "The Little Digital Video Book", is brilliant in an entirely different way. Yes, all the techniques are here - starting with the finer points of operating a DV camcorder ... maintaining continuous timecode on the tape (crucial!) ... a simple, practical scheme for organizing your source and master tapes ... "Rubin's Rules of Editing" ... and tons more. The book is also liberally illustrated with real examples lifted from actual home video situations - shots of his infant son, the neighbors, trips to the zoo, etc. Rubin calls his approach "results-oriented" video, and it's true ... He isn't kidding when he says you can put together a totally cool, blow-your-friends-and-family's-socks-off video in as little as 3 to 4 hours. [It's awesome to see the reaction from friends and family when the footage you shot so nonchalantly this morning becomes a polished video, ready for screening after lunch!] Later on, after having a number of simpler projects ("video sketches") under your belt, you're free to branch out, of course. But by building a solid foundation of shooting and editing habits early on, you'll soon have the background and self-confidence to tackle more complex productions, if you desire. And therein lies Rubin's real genius: his witty, unassuming, first-person style makes for a completely painless education for the DV and "home movie" enthusiast. Yet he unobtrusively weaves in priceless nuggets of professional wisdom and insight that serve the reader well now and later on. And moreover, he accomplishes all of this in a way that's FUN. [This blend of charm and substance is typical of Rubin: even though it's unintimidating and approachable in its own right, his "Nonlinear" book is used as an introductory text at colleges and universities around the country.] Speaking of which, Rubin also runs a great web site for both DV enthusiasts and professionals. Check out the "Consumer DV" section of the "Nonlinear4" site (nonlinear4.com) for supplemental materials, a great assortment of links to other resources, and more. Suffice it to say that with his latest book, Michael Rubin is no longer just a mentor and friend to Hollywood film editors, but now to the growing legions of home DV enthusiasts as well. They'd do well to learn from the Master. Rubin rocks.
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect 1st or 10th digital video book!, November 18, 2002
This review is from: The Little Digital Video Book (Paperback)
If you own a camcorder, buy this book. Like any introductory resource, this is not a 100% reference. Advanced sound and lighting, for example, call for a more advanced text. However, as with still photography and film, the 'basics' are 90% of what you need for good results, and this book provides the basics in a clear and concise form. The 50 pages on shooting are themselves worth the price of the book. Before I begin any video project, I do a quick review of these fifty pages to be sure I haven't forgotten any of the rules, not to mention the dozens of Rubin's tips and tricks. After the shooting section, the rest of the book is a bonus. In fact, the editing section is a good practical reference. Clearly a Mac user, the author does his best to not make that obvious, other than his reference to certain software which is Mac only. I have and have read five other video, digital video, and video production books with advanced techniques and practices. Each has some value. However, this book is the one I go back to for a refresher time after time. Like I said at the beginning...buy this book!
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