Shooting Digital Video [Paperback]

Jon Fauer ASC ASC (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0240804643 | ISBN-13: 978-0240804644 | Publication Date: July 2, 2001 | Edition: 1

Digital video is a revolutionary force in filmmaking today, and Shooting Digital Video provides a much-needed guide to selecting the right equipment for the job and using it to produce professional-level work. An excellent resource for those interested in shooting documentaries, news, shorts, home videos, corporate videos, or even low-budget features, Shooting Digital Video offers complete technological coverage - from editing to compression for the web. From acquiring and maintaining the necessary equipment to shooting and lighting your DV, this book will show both the professional and the amateur how to do it with style.

Written by a professional filmmaker and author of six other camera-related titles, this handbook offers the expert's view of this innovative process. Providing the necessary information and advice to make a masterful looking digital video, this text covers the practical, theoretical, and technical aspects of the process. Beyond an in-depth look at digital video cameras and equipment, some other topics covered are editing, DV to film transfers, image stabilization, transferring stills to computer, touching up your pictures, lenses and filters, audio and audio accessories, and suppliers. As an added value, the companion website features sample videos, freeware and shareware of editing and compression software, and other technical updates.

Advice for the professional as well as the amateur on how to shoot DV with style
Includes technical information on equipment selection, use, maintenance, and accessories
Companion website features tutorials, discussion on and links to various software programs

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rich with illustrations and examples, this book is a must-have for serious videographers working with the digital video format. It covers everything from inserting a tape, to tripods, to lighting, all in a user-friendly format. It has valuable sections about equipment selection and maintenance." - Don Smith, Videomaker

"Of all the new books on the subject, Fauer's is one of the most accessible. It was written for beginners as well as "die-hard film fanatics," and is an attempt to reach "a more diverse audience than just the ranks of professional cinematographers". - Ray Zone, American Cinematographer

"This eminently useful volume is rounded out with an appendix that includes a list of suppliers by name and address, tape-to-film facilities, Web resources and helpful publications". - Ray Zone, American Cinematographer

"Shooting Digital Video is a delight for a whole bunch of reasons. First of all, unlike many technical books, it is written in a conversational style that makes it quite enjoyable. It's rare that a book on a technical subject gets an actual laugh out of me...My bet is you will find it well worth the purchase price too." - Zale Dalen, volksmovie.com

From the Publisher

Written by a professional filmmaker and author of six other camera-related titles, this handbook offers the expert's view of this innovative process. Providing the necessary information and advice to make a masterful looking digital video, this text covers the practical, theoretical, and technical aspects of the process. Beyond an in-depth look at digital video cameras and equipment, some other topics covered are editing, DV to film transfers, image stabilization, transferring stills to computer, touching up your pictures, lenses and filters, audio and audio accessories, and suppliers. As an added value, the companion website features sample videos, freeware and shareware of editing and compression software, and other technical updates.

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (July 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240804643
• ISBN-13: 978-0240804644
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,092,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Wrong Title , bad book, January 23, 2005

By 

Tom Hartman (Kirkland, WA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shooting Digital Video (Paperback)

This book is a waste of money. You would be much better off doing a google search on equipment. Much of the technical detail on cameras is out of date and there is no information about how to shoot digital video, kind of a surprise based on the title. It is filled with endless close up photos of equipment which you don't own with explanations of how to use cameras that you don't own. It looks like the a pay back book from manufactures of the name brands that he writes technical manuals for. Skip this book and hope that he wrote the manual for the camera you do decide to buy at least then you would not have wasted the $25 bucks.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guide to choosing and using a DV Camcorder, July 14, 2001

By 

"rmkorte" (Long Island, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shooting Digital Video (Paperback)

SHOOTING DIGITAL VIDEO is another great technical book from Jon Fauer, whose cinematography textbooks have become industry standards. This one is about how to choose a DV camcorder and then use it. It should be most helpful to students, advanced home users, independent filmmakers and videographers who want a thorough and carefully researched introduction to digital video and what equipment to use.

The book begins with a five-minute quick start guide to shooting on DV, using three scenarios as examples: a corporate event, a graduation and a student project.

Next, Fauer explains and compares the different digital formats: DV, Mini DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, DigiBeta, and so on, along with basic theory. It's easy to read and not tedious.

The how-to section uses Sony's PD100a as an example of how to use a typical camcorder. In his usual informative and profusely illustrated (lots of photos) style, Fauer goes over each detail and function as if he were explaining it to a good friend. Lots of this information isn't in the official manuals that come with the cameras, and this is easier and more fun to read.

The middle section explains audio, simple editing, advanced editing, distribution and blowing up DV to film for theatrical release.

The book then discusses accessories and techniques, lenses, light and lighting, filters and matteboxes, tripods and heads, monitors and decks, rain covers, underwater housings, helmets, aerials, cases and shipping. There is a chapter with an overview of most of the DV camcorders currently available to help the reader choose the right one for the right job. Finally, a great appendix gives names and contacts of all the vendors and suppliers you could ever want to know about.

A terrific book on how to choose a DV camcorder and get started using it.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, August 9, 2002

By 

bob (Boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shooting Digital Video (Paperback)

I'm a big fan of Jon's books on Arri film cameras. I' m deeply disappointed by this book, which proves again that filmmakers don't necessarily make for qualified video experts.

I found the book to be full of erroneous errors of fact and ill informed conjecture, particulary the discussions about color space, sampling and compression. Many of the explanations were just plain wrong or wrapped up in vague summaries that create more confusion than solutions.

Jon's discussion of the "film look" reveals a bit of film snobbery cloaked in outright misinformation. He dimisses aspects of psycho-optic theory that indeed contibute to the "film look" yet he claims exposure latitude as the one and only factor involved. Simply not true.

And by the way, countless non-linear editors are using Firewire Drives, contrary to the numerous reminders in the book not to use them.