iMovie 2 for Dummies (Paperback)

by Todd Stauffer (Author) "It's tough to think of a better job than film director..." (more)
Key Phrases: first audio clip, sound effects folder, crop markers, Clip Viewer, Power Macintosh, Over Black (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Editing videotape, once upon a time, was outside the range of what home movie buffs could hope to do. Short of buying expensive equipment, your only choice was to queue tape in your camcorder as you recorded segments on a VCR in the sequence you wanted. Now that iMovie 2 is around, Macintosh users have a much better option. iMovie 2 for Dummies explains how late-model Mac, iMac, and iBook computer users can download video from their camcorders to their computers via a FireWire multimedia link, then edit the raw footage for remarkably professional results. Todd Stauffer is a longtime Mac writer, and, in this book, he communicates the fun of making movies on the Mac.

As you would expect, iMovie 2 for Dummies does a super job of explaining how to accomplish tasks in the iMovie 2 environment--look for precise directions on adding titles, overlaying narration, chopping up audio clips, and doing all the other technical work associated with assembling a movie. The Dummies format emphasizes text descriptions of what to do over the illustrations in the Visual QuickStart Guide series--both approaches are effective. Experienced moviemakers will appreciate the discussion of the iMovie interface; novices will like the ideas about how to make movies more appealing and technically clean. --David Wall

Topics covered:

• The iMovie 2 editing program for digital video on computers running Mac OS
• Importing video
• Editing
• Transitions
• Audio
• Special effects
• Video exports

Product Description
For the first time, making and editing your own movies is as easy as plugging in your camera, turning on your iMac and double-clicking the iMovie icon. What the iMac did for Internet access iMovie will do for video editing. iMovie for Dummies not only shows you the ins and outs of using iMovie, it also shows you the techniques and tricks to making professional-looking video. Storyboards, effects, titles, sound, music, manipulating tracks -- these authors cover it all in an engaging and entertaining fashion that will make learning to make movies as much fun as watching them!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 358 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (February 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764507486
• ISBN-13: 978-0764507489
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #178,671 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #8 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Apple > iMovie + iDVD
  #55 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Digital Music > Audio & Video Editing
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Includes a good CD demo, November 21, 2001

By	Bakari Chavanu (Elk Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I have two other iMovie2 books, but I put out the money for this one because not only does it contains quite a few other techniques not found in other books, but because the attached CD comes only with sample movie clips of camera and editing techniques discussed in the book. It also includes among other things shareware and demo software like Adobe After Effects, sound effect utilities, graphic converter, MoviEffects to use with QT movies.

I wouldn't say this is the best iMovie2 book, but the author does a good job outlining, laying out, and explaining editing procedures and techniques. It's not that iMovie2 is a difficult program to learn or use, but it's just that books like these provide insightful strategies that enable you to get more out of the program. I certaintly recommend this book for first time and intermediate users of iMovie2.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I like it, July 23, 2001

By	Eric Flescher "[e-mail]" (Olathe, KS) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I like the way the book is written and it's style. It is informative and comprehensive and details the commands and all the operation from installation to making your movies. Covers all the features and much more including getting edtra plugins, movie management, memory issues and much more. The only part I though confusing is the wording in the section on cropping your movie. Very misleading these operations don't seem to , in part , work the way the books says. While the book has good instructions and visuals, I wished it would have included more screen shots and possibly highlight the commands it mentions in the visuals through arrows or something. I also wished the book covered about doing and creating movies longer then a few minutes. It covers movies but does not say anything about movies of any length other then more you make the nmore room it takes up. I like it . If you have imovie you will find it useful.