Digital Video For Dummies

by Keith Underdahl

CD-ROM includes trial versions of the editing software covered in the book as well as other digital video tools and sample files

Genres: Nonfiction, Photography, Ebooks

408 pages, Paperback

First published October 12, 1999

Reviews

[Nadia Giordana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep it within reach, use it all the time.

[Ben Kellermann]

So you have a camcorder and visions of being the next Spielberg. But how do you progress from shooting so-so footage to showing your own finished movie? Digital Video For Dummies, 4th Edition gives you the know-how and the show-how! Find out how to shoot and edit great movies, using iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, or Adobe Premiere Elements to add the finishing touches like special effects and your own soundtrack. With the latest information and lots of illustrations and screen shots, this friendly guide walks you through:

Getting your computer ready to work with digital video (complete with information about FireWire)
Choosing a camcorder, including features to look for and features that are useless
Digitizing old VHS videotapes to preserve memories
Purchasing other movie making gear, including audio and lighting equipment
Shooting better video, with tips on lighting, panning, using the zoom, and recording better audio
Creating your own sound effects such as footsteps, bones breaking, fire, thunder, insects buzzing, and more
Capturing digital video using iMovie, Windows Movie Marker, or Premiere Elements
Editing, including understanding timecode, organizing and previewing clips, and assembling clips in Storyboard and Timeline
Adding transitions, titles, and special effects
Importing and integrating video from phones and digital cameras
Using audio rubberbands in iMovie, Premiere Elements, and other editing programs
Adding narration, importing and working with CD audio, and adding a music soundtrack

Keith Underdahl has extensive professional video production experience developing kiosk and marketing videos for Ages Software. Realizing that you’ll want to polish and premiere your movie, he includes information on:

More advanced video editing, including animating video clips, improving light and color, compositing video (bluescreen or greenscreen), and more
13 categories of video effects, ranging from blur and sharpen to transform
Working with still photos and graphics
Sharing your video online using QuickTime (/QT), RealMedia (.RM), or Windows Media Video (.WMV)
Making tapes or burning DVDs in 9 steps

With a handy cheat sheet of keyboard shortcuts, a chart comparing 10 video editing programs, a glossary, and more, with this guide you’ll soon be saying “Lights, camera, action” and producing your own movie attraction.

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