This highly illustrated, full color book tells you all you need to know to get up and running quickly using Apple's new digital video editing application - Final Cut Express. Rick Young shares his professional insight to ensure you get the most out of all the pro-level tools, offered at a very affordable price by Express. All the essential areas are covered: set-up; capture; editing; multi-channel sound mixing; effects creation and print to video, web or DVD, enhanced throughout by important workflow tips. This is an ideal first read, whatever you want to edit in Final Cut Express, at whatever level, as this powerful package is the answer to all your digital video needs, presenting a complete, easy to use digital laboratory for your movie creation. Rick Young (www.digitalproduction.net) is Director and Founding Member of the UK Final Cut Pro User Group and an Apple Solutions Expert. A freelance television director and editor with many years of broadcast experience, including work for the BBC, Sky, ITN, CNBC and Reuters. Also a Final Cut Pro Consultant, Rick has attended numerous UK and US exhibitions, is a liaison to the US FCP user groups, and author of the best-selling, 'The Easy Guide to Final Cut Pro'.

Software packages are complex. Shouldn't software books make it easier? Simplify your life with The Focal Easy Guide to Final Cut Pro 5! This short, full-color book lives up to its name by paring down the software to its essentials. It covers only the key features and essential workflow to get you up and running in no time. When time is of the essence, less is more. With this book you can start cutting immediately, whatever you edit, whatever the format. This is an ideal introduction whether you are a professional moving over to Final Cut Pro from another package or system, a new user, or just someone who wants to get the best results from Final Cut Pro, fast!

In this highly visual, color book Rick Young covers all the essential areas: the interface, set-up and capture, editing, rendering, effects, audio and output, as well as a unique, invaluable introduction to the power LiveType and Soundtrack add to Final Cut in this upgrade. With this book you can start cutting immediately, whatever you edit, whatever the format. This is an ideal introduction whether you are a professional moving over to Final Cut Pro from another package or system, a new user, or a real-world film maker who wants to get the best results from Final Cut Pro, fast!

Get professional results fast with this full color guide to Cakewalk's popular Sonar software. Trev Wilkins provides you with a working knowledge of all the essential tools and features. This concise book is an ideal starting point for anyone using Sonar for the first time and is suitable for users of both Studio and Producer Editions. All the key areas are covered, including: * set up * recording and editing audio * recording and editing MIDI * using plug-in instruments* using ReWire * the console view and routing * automation * working with video *mixing down and mastering. Updates on new features can be found at www.focaleasyguidetocakewalksonar.com

In this book the author "shares his professional insight to ensure you get the most out of all the tools Adobe's Premiere Pro offers. All the essential areas are covered: set-up, capture, editing, audio, effects and working with Photoshop, After Effects and Encore. Featured are many workflow tips that show how to tap into the full power of Premiere Pro creating you own digital movies."--Back cover

Software programs are complex, the books that explain them shouldn't be. This thoroughly illustrated, full-color guide explains everything you need to know to get up and running quickly with Adobe Encore DVD 2.0 without any extraneous information or complicated, detailed explanations. The author focuses solely on the key features you will need to start producing and mastering professional-quality DVDs immediately in order to avoid overloading you with too many details. Learn best practices for planning your project, importing video and audio assests, creating professional-looking menus, and adding custom project elements. Abundant illustrations, screenshots, and concise, results-driven text makes this the ultimate guide to getting up and running quickly with Encore DVD. The Focal Easy Guide Series: * Start working with new software immediately regardless of your level * Achieve professional results, learn practical skills from industry experts * Focused, user-friendly coverage of the key tools you need to know

A comprehensive introduction to the basics of image-editing using Adobe's best-selling Photoshop

Software programs are complex, the books that explain them shouldn't be. This thoroughly illustrated, full-color guide explains everything you need to know to get up and running quickly with Combustion. Get a jump-start learning the major features or the software without bogging you down with unnecessary detail. The author shares his professional insight and extensive training experience to ensure you'll get the most out of all the professional paint, animation, editing and 3D compositing tools Combustion offers. Also featured are many workflow tips which show how to tap into the full power of Combustion 4 in your effects and motion graphics work. For useful tips and tutorials, visit the book's companion site at www.focalpress.com/companions/0240520106

If you need to get to grips fast with creating interactive graphics and animation in Flash - then look no further! Whether you are a new user or a professional, this highly visual book is all you need to get up and running with the latest powerful upgrade - Macromedia Flash 8. Birgitta Hosea breaks down the software into its main components and offers simple, visual step-by-step instructions to explain the fundamental practical techniques you need to create finished projects. The accessible style and structure lets you dip in and out when working on a project, or work straight through to explore more of the program's capabilities and develop your skills. Written by a designer for designers The Focal Easy Guide to Macromedia Flash 8 offers a thorough coverage of the basic features of Flash, without going into in-depth coding with ActionScript. Birgitta Hosea is a motion graphics artist and Course Director of the London Animation Studio at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Her experience ranges from designing moving branding to art directing pop promos and short films. A Volume in The Focal Easy Guide Series. The Focal Easy Guide series: . Starting working with new software immediately regardless of your level . Achieve professional results, learn practical skills from industry experts . Focused, user-friendly coverage of the key tools you need to know

If you want to become a resourceful creative artist then look no further! This quick reference to After Effects will show you how to open, install and get up-and-running to a professional level with Adobe's motion graphics and visual effects software package. Curtis Sponsler guides you through some of the common stumbling blocks that frustrate novice and many intermediate designers. Clear and concise full color examples will help you to quickly learn the key features, interface and functional techniques used within the production workspace. By putting these key skills into practice you will discover how to build on and extrapolate concepts, enabling you to solve common production design problems straight away! You can then move on to build simple compositions and progress into the advanced feature-set of After Effects. As you work through each section you will grasp an ever-increasing array of tools and capabilities to discover a program that will well and truly change your working life! Associated Website: www.focalpress.com/companions/024051968X