iMovie HD & IDVD 5: The Missing Manual

By David Pogue

The latest versions of iMovie HD and iDVD 5 are, by far, the most robust moviemaking applications available to consumers today. But whether you're a professional or an amateur moviemaker eager to take advantage of the full capabilities of these applications, don't count on Apple documentation to make the cut. You need iMovie HD & iDVD 5: The Missing Manual, the objective authority on iMovie HD and iDVD 5. Even if you own a previous version of iMovie, the new feature-rich iMovie HD may well be impossible to resist. This video editing program now enables users to capture and edit widescreen High Definition Video (HDV) from the new generation of HDV camcorders, along with standard DV and the MPEG-4 video format. iMovie HD also includes "Magic iMovie" for making finished movies automatically. The feature does everything in one step--imports video into separate clips and adds titles, transitions, and music. The finished video is then ready for iDVD 5, which now includes 15 new themes with animated drop zones that can display video clips across DVD menus, just like the latest Hollywood DVDs. This witty and entertaining guide from celebrated author David Pogue not only details every step of iMovie HD video production--from choosing and using a digital camcorder to burning the finished work onto DVDs--but provides a firm grounding in basic film technique so that the quality of a video won't rely entirely on magic. iMovie HD & iDVD 5: The Missing Manual includes expert techniques and tricks for: Capturing quality footage (including tips on composition, lighting, and even special-event filming) Building your movie track, incorporating transitions and special effects, and adding narration, music, and sound Working with picture files and QuickTime movies Reaching your intended audience by exporting to tape, transferring iMovie to QuickTime, burning QuickTime-Movie CDs, and putting movies on the Web (and even on your cell phone ) Using iDVD 5 to stylize and burn your DVD creation iMovie HD & iDVD 5: The Missing Manual--it's your moviemaking-made-easy guide.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0596100337
• ISBN13: 9780596100339
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 2.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Just Buy It!

Very informative AND entertaining! If you feel you are even the least bit interested in breaking into digital film making this book is fantastic. I have been using iMovie for several years now and have a camcorder. However, I thought this book might help me kick things up a notch. It certainly will. I have only gotten through the first fifty pages, but I've already learned enough justify this purchase. When I first received this rather intimidating 450+ page book I thought I would use it mainly for reference. Well, that was before I started reading it. Now I find it hard put down. It is very well written and arranged by areas of interest. This book is great for everyone, from beginner to expert. It will undoubtedly prove to be a very valuable reference book in the future, but for now it's a great read.

Definitive reference book

If you're a heavy user of iMovieHD and iDVD, this book is a must. Most questions that users have about both software can be found in this manual (though he doesn't read like a boring manual). Pogue not only provides all the how-tos for learning the software, he also helps you troubleshoot problems that will crop in movie and DVD productions. There's hardly no aspect of either software that I didn't find covered in this book.

BEST MONEY EVER SPENT!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought this book because I was tring to make a Digital Yearbook for my son's school. After spending months putting together all of these different photos and drawings I went to make the DVD and got a multiplex error. I was sick. All that time and I wasn't going to be able to make it. I bought this book and read Chapter 11, Back to the Camcorder. I plugged in my Digital Video Camera and shared the Imovie file back to the camcorder. Then imported it back into a new Imovie, everything was flatten (all effects and title slides). I was able to make the yearbook, I was so happy!!!!!!!!!! If you are new to IDVD and IMOVIE you have to purchase this book!

Excellent technical and content coverage

This is an excellent guide to both of these applications. What I find particularly appealing is that the book doesn't just concentrate on the tech. It also teaches you about how to shoot good video and edit it well. So you can learn both the technique and the technology from a single source. That's the way it should be, and it's what makes this book so different from the rest. Of course all of the basics are covered. The graphics are possibly a little overused. But that's ok for a walkthrough book. The use color throughout certainly adds to the appeal. The writing is solid. It's not so funny as to be distracting or too clinical as to be dry.