Behind the Seen : Walter Murch on Feature Film Editing, Final Cut Pro, and the Future of Cinema

Rating:
Summary: Very interesting look at the process
Review: As always, Walter Murch is a facinating individual to observe. I see this book as a companion to The Conversations and In The Blink of an Eye because it has less information on Murch's creative insights while editing, but a great deal of info on ups and downs of post production. This book is very intimate - detailing emails, journals, comments on deaths in the crew's family, weddings, frustrations, triumphs, etc. I expected this book to be a commercial for Apple, but while it knocks Avid in support of FCP, Apple and Steve Jobs come off as completely useless for most of the process. Digital film tree, Sean Cullen, and Walter Murch seem to have willed FCP to the next level when it's maker had little faith. Hopefully, their insights will trickle down to suburban film dreamers through future copies of final cut pro. This book also reminded me that all of this new digital technology is simply a tool, the results of which are not in 'film looks' and whatnot, but in the creativity and experience of the user. A great read with facinating details.

Rating:
Summary: A work of art
Review: This book is a work of art. Wonderfully well-written, gorgeous layout and typeography and great pictures. Koppelman is a great writer - he really is able to get inside of Murch's world. The world is a better place because Walter Murch is a part of it. If you want a master's inside look at the film world get this book.

Rating:
Summary: Heroic Early Adopters Unite!
Review: This book is Lord of the Rings with Walter Murch as Frodo. Too much of the book is focused on the INCREDIBLY HEROIC undertaking that was using FCP 3 on Cold Mountain. The author goes a little over the top with his love fest for Digital Film Tree. I thought this was going to be an in depth look at how Walter (lord of the edit) uses FCP. As well as in depth info about the editing of Cold Mountain and his editing process. Everyone has technical problems of their own. It isn't that much fun reading about Walter Murch's technical problems. I'm more interested in the creative side. There are too many books like this that focus too heavily on the tools and the technical problems. Though it is fun reading Steve Job's emails. For that it deserves 4 stars. Besides I can't bring myself to disrespect Walter with 3 stars.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This is really a great book. I bought the book to learn more about FCP, but in fact your opened to the whole world of film-making. It feels like you go through the movie with Walter and his team. I really did enjoy the book, and I'm now inspired to learn and experiment in film editing.

Rating:
Summary: A milestone in cinema editing
Review: When Walter Murch decided to use Final Cut for a major motion picture like Cold Mountain, film editing would never be the same again. This book documents that incredible story. How Murch went against the advise of Apple and how a team was assembled that allowed Murch to create cinematic history. The book reads like an adventure story and contains all of Murch's emails as he made history, to give a very personal, up close view of the project. Buy this book - really is a fantastic read.