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The book does a great job of offering an overview of digital video, including things like using still photos, what type of equipment would you need, and how to set-up a shoot. Only complaint is that the author occasionally states opinions as fact example: wide screen is better than standard, when in reality, it is an artistic choice, and it is how you use the space provided that makes something like widescreen better or worse.
Notably, a beautiful full-color insert offers a look at Star Wars. Exploring Digital Video provides well-organized and reliable information. This book is quite appealing, with distinct photos and graphics, lucid text, and clear-cut chapters. And the DVD-ROM that comes free with the book contains surprising and useful free offers and specials and a feature on The Philadelphia Eagles. A must-have.
And this is all just the beginning. It discusses how one of the scenes from Star Wars was created. It also discusses bluescreen technology, capturing video and audio, scriptwriting, storyboarding and so on. This book covers so many areas of digital video that I'm sure it will have what you need. You get to hear about digital video from experts in the field through watching the DVD and reading the book. This particular insert is about Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) which is part of Lucas Film LTD.
Although all of the inserts are interesting and informative, the best was the piece about Star Wars.
It goes on to discuss how to edit, render and output film for the internet, television, or for multimedia presentations.Other than just being a great source of information this book also has a lot of fun extras that will keep you interested.
As if this weren't enough already, this book comes with a DVD/DVD-ROM with interviews with the Eagles Television Network and a number of tutorials.
It talks about topics such as purchasing video cameras and includes technical specs and quality.
It's really cool to hear how they created something and made it look so amazing on film.
At the end of each chapter there is a quick question formatted review to make sure that you understood and remembered the important aspects of the chapter.
There are also various inserts with profiles and interviews of some of the professionals in the field.
For those unfamiliar with the ETN, it is the Emmy award winning network of the Philadelphia Eagles.
For such a low price it is one of the best literary investments you can make if you want to learn about digital video.
Until I read this book, the causes were unclear; the author demonstrates the correct way to prepare a photograph for digital video in a way that I could understand and will remember. Finally. Each chapter is well laid out with great illustrations and nicely sized titles for each section and lesson. Other times, I've been lucky and able to successfully place a photo without any distortion. Meyers and Snow re pioneers in the DV field. It also enhances its content by making good use of sidebars, to add relevant information.
The DVD included with the book contains tutorials which do an excellent job of taking the viewer step-by-step through cropping a photograph vertically and horizontally, so it is properly proportioned for video. A book that makes a difficult subject easy to understand - creating and working with digital video (DV). Though math and computations are a turn-off to many, she successfully covers the meaning of pixel values without confusion. Each chapter ends with an very useful set of questions and exercises, which furthers the reader's comprehension.Lesson 6 was a highlight for me because I often incorporate photographs into my videos. This sometimes results in a badly distorted photo, forcing me to omit some great photos because of that distortion. The reader therefore has a visual and a written source for future reference at any time.As a bonus, the author interviews Fred Meyers and Ben Snow, the makers of the Star Wars movies from George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).
She interviews several other DV professionals as well, adding their vast experience to the subject.The DVD also includes discounts from major retailers, saving readers money on computer and electronics products.This book is a keeper-excellent for the both the beginner and the experienced hobbyist.
The book is great. All you have to do is open it up and glance through it to see that it will be helpful.The Companion DVD is even better with step by step tutorials. The DVD also offers discounts with retailers on equipment, stock video and a great DVD duplication offer from Action Duplication in West Conshohocken, PA (800-847-3827).
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