Digital Editing With Final Cut Pro 4: Professional Post Production Technique

Rating:
Summary: Digital Editing With Final Cut Pro 4:
Review: For anyone who wants to learn editing, not just how to manipulate a computer editing system (Final Cut Pro version 4), this book is a "must have." Written by two editor-director-producer-teachers committed to helping others make good films, it shows the reader the reasons to make an edit as well as the keyboard strokes required to execute it. I've read many manuals and editing theory books over the years and this book combines the two in readily accessible manner that gives the reader a strong start toward becoming an editor.
The book's 322 pages contain numerous, supportive photos and illustrations and a short glossary. Best of all, the book comes with a DVD containing a 45 minute tutorial for Mac or PC and 5 gigabytes of footage for cutting a dramatic scene on a Mac OS X with Final Cut Pro 4 software. The book describes how to cut the scene from start to finish, not choosing the exact edits or pushing the buttons for aspiring editors, but enabling them to do so. When done with the book and cutting the scene, the reader will have solid, practical editing experience along with a finished scene to show for their efforts.


Rating:
Summary: Excellent editing book
Review: First, full disclosure: The authors and I DON'T share the same publisher ;-).

Much more than a traditional Final Cut Pro guide, Digital Editing is written from the perspective of a filmmaker rather of a technician. It does something extremely rare for a book about editing -- it's a page-turner.

I like the tone and the "real filmmaker" angle of working with the editing package. I especially found the information relating to traditional analog editing fascinating and important. It gives the book a sense of tried-and-true experience lacking in other FCP books.

Also, a simple but very important aspect was the lined-script example. I haven't seen this in other FCP books and thought it was great. This type of information brings a comprehensive structure to the process of filmmaking. Editing doesn't happen in a vacuum, as many editing books seem to assume, but instead starts in pre-production when shooting decisions are made.

Wonderful read.

Dan Rahmel
Author: "Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking"


Rating:
Summary: More than just a Final Cut Pro book!
Review: First, full disclosure: The authors and I share the same publisher.

That being said, Bruce Mamer (with Jason Wallace) has written a terrific book about editing, disguised as a book about Final Cut Pro 4. Don't get me wrong -- it's also a great book about how to use that wonderful non-linear editing program. It's better than the manual or any other book I've seen on the topic! But, sprinkled throughout the discourse on how to get the most out of the Final Cut Pro program is a well-thought out primer on the basics of editing, which is worth the price of the book alone.

In addition to the text, the book also includes a DVD with a tutorial and footage that you can use to try your hand at putting together a dramatic scene.

Whether shooting on video or film, this book will get you from the first day of editing to your final release print or master tape. And, even though I've used Final Cut Pro for years and cut tons of videos (and one feature) on it, the book provided a plethora of tips that even surprised an old hand like myself.

If you want to master the basics of editing -- and learn about Final Cut Pro 4 in the process -- buy this book. You'll use it for years.

John Gaspard
Co-author: "Digital Filmmaking 101"