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Summary: Roadmap for Starting New Business
Review: "Desktop Video Studio Bible: Producing Video, DVD, and Websites for Profit" by George Avgerakis provides a roadmap for setting up and operating your own desktop video studio, covering both the powerful new tools and radical new business models created by digital technology.
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Summary: Check your experience at the cover
Review: 'Desktop Video Studio Bible' should be re-titled 'The Complete Idiots Guide to starting out in video production and taking it to the limit!'George Avergakis has achieved what many have previously tried, but failed. George has created a technological how-to guide that reads as if you were sitting down and shooting the breeze with a good friend over a cup of joe. Well, a couple cups anyway (after all the book is 386 pages excluding the Epilogue and Index). I have personally been in the video production business for 15 years. As a seasoned professional, I thought I had seen it all, done it all. Well, I must admit, my copy of 'Desktop Video Studio Bible' is already dog-eared, highlighted and given a prominent home right next to my computer monitor (for quick and easy access). One of my many responsibilities at B&H Photo-Video includes managing our booths for the many different video trade shows that we participate in every year. Many of the trade show attendees that I meet rely on my experience to help them solve some of their every day studio problems. Well, George has opened a whole new door for me to access with exciting ideas and solutions. My hat is off to you George on a job well done and for helping to make my job that much easier. James MacFadden
Trade Show Coordinator/Technical Writer
B&H Photo-Video, Inc.
Rating:
Summary: Business Manual
Review: A great book that gives you the important information you need to run your own production company! I don't know of another title that actually tells you how to get the work that will support your financial needs. After all, you have to have work coming in the door or else...
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Summary: father to son
Review: As a father of a languishing college graduate. I had a look at this book and bought it right away. Right up front the book specific directions on how to get your first job in the media production. It tells you how to make calls for an intern position, how to keep notes of your calls, even a script for you to read to prospective employers. I don't know much about business, but I do know how to get off your behind and get a job - and this book tells that much like it is. What a shame they don't teach this stuff in college. Later I read some of the technical chapters. I found them very easy to understand. The writer shows you what kind of computer to buy first - even if you don't have enough money to get a full studio setup - and how to make money with that equipment. Again, he puts the words right in your mouth and tells you where to find clients to buy your work. He doesn't recommend buying a complete studio first (thanks - as a Dad, I'm the one who'll be paying for it), but recommends getting the work contract first and then buying the gear to fit the contract. Then he shows yow exactly what gear to buy and how to set it up. Finally, there's some really good advice for making sure you don't get ripped off. When you finish your contract and go to get paid. There's sample contracts too. good legal backup, even information on what to do if you have to chase your client for unpaid bills. This is one complete guide for getting into business for yourself, even if you want to be a plumber! Mothers and Dads take note - if your child can't get to first base in the job world, this is the best holiday gift you can give.
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Summary: George is inspiring, passionate and practical.
Review: As a reader just finishing the final pages of 'Desktop Video Studio Bible', I must say I totally enjoyed it. This is an excellent guideline to starting and maintaining a business. I'll keep this as a reference for years. My wife and I have recently started a media production business on the side as presently we both work for a large computer company. I have been in the engineering related field for over 20 years. We got started in this media business at home doing simple home movies and transferring video tape. Slowly the word spread at work and among friends and before too long we saw a nucleus for a potential business. This spring we presented a surprise 40th birthday video produced by our company at a party hosting about 80 people. It was a great success and was a rush and now we are hooked. Maybe this was a peripheral effect of the "Really Big Thing"? Read this book to find out about the "Really Big Thing".
Rating:
Summary: George is inspiring, passionate and practical.
Review: As a reader just finishing the final pages of 'Desktop Video Studio Bible', I must say I totally enjoyed it. This is an excellent guideline to starting and maintaining a business. I'll keep this as a reference for years. My wife and I have recently started a media production business on the side as presently we both work for a large computer company. I have been in the engineering related field for over 20 years. We got started in this media business at home doing simple home movies and transferring video tape. Slowly the word spread at work and among friends and before too long we saw a nucleus for a potential business. This spring we presented a surprise 40th birthday video produced by our company at a party hosting about 80 people. It was a great success and was a rush and now we are hooked. Maybe this was a peripheral effect of the "Really Big Thing"? Read this book to find out about the "Really Big Thing".
Rating:
Summary: Great advice for media pros and beginners
Review: Even though I have over 16 years experience in the video industry, this book has given me the tools, advice and motivation that I'll need to finally realize my dream of owning my own media creation business. Not only is the book extremely informative, it has a very readable and enjoyable writing style that made me feel as if the author were speaking directly to me. If you have even the slightest interest in getting involved in digital video production and/or web production, you need this book!
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Summary: Great a Great Overview Book, Lacks Detail.
Review: First of all let me say, this is from the perspective of web site design as this book is supposed to cover Video, and Web Site production. This book is a great overview book for multiple industries and is a very easy read. However, it lacks the detail I was expecting in regards to how he actually runs his company. First of all he talks about how to get your first job, basically all common sense that you should already know if you've worked in the business world more a few weeks. Then he talks about actually starting the business and dealing with clients, a few helpful hints here that could be summorized in 5 pages instead of the 70 pages or so these two sections fill mostly with just common sense information again. Next he talks about budgetung and bidding for contracts, which could be helpful for a video studio but not much here for web site companies as he fails to go into any detail on project management and actually tracking progress and time spent. The following chapter is about legal issues, a good read that will get you up to speed in legal matters pretty quick. Chapter 8 leads you into how to actually setup your web site studio and what equipment to buy. Very, very vague, mainly just covers audio equipment, not much information on web design at all. The final chapter is about managing your crew, subcontracting, and getting paid. A pretty good, interesting chapter to read. In summary, this book is a pretty good overview of how to prepare to get your first client, but it is mainly common sense. It would have been better labeled "Desktop Video Studio Overview: Helpful Suggestions of How To Get Started In the Video, and DVD Industry" and leave out the web sites part as web sites are just an afterthought in the book.
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Summary: I will read anything George Avgerakis writes
Review: George Avgerakis was one of the first people I came across in my career. A decade ago, he understood the value of videography and how digital media production would revolutionize an industry belabored by high cost production and exclusivity attainable by only a select few. With the release of the Desktop Studio Bible, he imparts his knowledge to readers, videographers, entreprenuers, and dreamers of all ages and levels. I was lucky enough to get trained by him personally, but finally now the masses can benefit from his wisdom. This is a great book, and I would recommend it to any student of communications and any one who ever looked at a video camera and thought, "What if?...." The best part about George Avgerakis is that he knows so much, and he knows how to share that information so that anyone could understand it. His humor and experience is apparent throughout the book. This book is a must-read. The book is especially recommended for communications professors to include in their courses if they really want to help their students be prepared for the real world.
Rating:
Summary: I will read anything George Avgerakis writes
Review: George Avgerakis was one of the first people I came across in my career. A decade ago, he understood the value of videography and how digital media production would revolutionize an industry belabored by high cost production and exclusivity attainable by only a select few. With the release of the Desktop Studio Bible, he imparts his knowledge to readers, videographers, entreprenuers, and dreamers of all ages and levels. I was lucky enough to get trained by him personally, but finally now the masses can benefit from his wisdom. This is a great book, and I would recommend it to any student of communications and any one who ever looked at a video camera and thought, "What if?...." The best part about George Avgerakis is that he knows so much, and he knows how to share that information so that anyone could understand it. His humor and experience is apparent throughout the book. This book is a must-read. The book is especially recommended for communications professors to include in their courses if they really want to help their students be prepared for the real world.
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