Digital Video For Dummies

Cover......Page 1
Contents at a Glance......Page 12
Table of Contents......Page 14
Why This Book?......Page 22
Foolish Assumptions......Page 23
Part I: Getting Ready for Digital Video......Page 24
Part VI: Appendixes......Page 25
Where to Go From Here......Page 26
Part I: Getting Ready for Digital Video......Page 28
What Is Digital Video?......Page 30
Comparing analog and digital video......Page 31
Warming up to FireWire......Page 32
Comparing editing methods......Page 34
Editing a short video project......Page 35
Performing Hollywood magic at the click of a mouse......Page 37
Exporting a movie......Page 41
Playing your movie......Page 43
Resolving the Mac- versus- PC Debate Once and for All......Page 46
Upgrading Your Computer......Page 48
Buying a new Mac......Page 49
Upgrading ye olde Mac......Page 50
Choosing Mac video software......Page 53
Buying a new PC......Page 54
Upgrading your PC for digital video......Page 56
Choosing Windows video software......Page 59
Optimizing Windows for video work......Page 60
Selecting capture cards......Page 63
Selecting external video converters......Page 64
Working with video monitors......Page 65
Using a multimedia controller......Page 67
Choosing a Camcorder......Page 70
The mechanics of video recording......Page 71
Broadcast formats......Page 72
Interlacing versus progressive scan......Page 74
The many aspects of aspect ratios......Page 75
Color......Page 76
Picking a Camera Format......Page 77
Digital8......Page 78
Other digital formats......Page 79
Choosing a Camera with the Right Features......Page 80
Accessorizing Your Camcorder......Page 83
Choosing a microphone......Page 84
Shedding Some Light on the Scene......Page 86
Stabilizing Your Video Image......Page 87
Part II: Gathering Footage......Page 90
Planning a Video Production......Page 92
Evaluating Lighting......Page 94
Bouncing light......Page 96
Diffusing light......Page 98
Dealing with backlighting......Page 99
Controlling Focus and Exposure......Page 101
Setting Up Your Camcorder......Page 102
Shooting Video......Page 103
Panning effectively......Page 104
Avoiding timecode breaks......Page 105
Recording Sound......Page 107
Managing ambient noise......Page 108
Creating your own sound effects......Page 109
Basic checklist......Page 111
Advanced checklist......Page 112
Preparing for Digital Video Capture......Page 114
Making room for video files......Page 117
Connecting a digital camcorder to your computer......Page 118
Capturing video in Pinnacle Studio......Page 120
Capturing video in Apple iMovie......Page 127
Frames drop out during capture......Page 129
Capture stops unexpectedly......Page 130
Preparing for Analog Video Capture......Page 132
Setting up capture hardware......Page 133
Capturing Video......Page 136
Adjusting video- capture settings in Studio......Page 137
Capturing your video......Page 139
Understanding Audio......Page 142
Recording Audio......Page 143
Recording audio with your Macintosh......Page 144
Recording voice- over tracks in Pinnacle Studio......Page 146
Working with CD Audio......Page 148
Importing CD audio in iMovie......Page 149
Importing CD audio in Studio......Page 150
Working with MP3 Audio......Page 151
Ripping MP3 files on a Mac......Page 152
Ripping MP3 files in Windows......Page 153
Part III: Editing Your Movie......Page 156
Starting a New Project......Page 158
Working with Clips......Page 160
Organizing clips......Page 161
Previewing clips......Page 163
Trimming out the unwanted parts......Page 164
Visualizing your project with storyboards......Page 167
Using the timeline......Page 169
Trimming clips in the timeline......Page 173
Removing clips from the timeline......Page 176
Adjusting playback speed......Page 177
Adjusting image qualities in Pinnacle Studio......Page 180
Modifying light and color in Apple iMovie......Page 182
Using Fades and Transitions Between Clips......Page 184
Choosing the best transition......Page 185
Adding a transition to the timeline......Page 188
Adjusting transitions......Page 189
Creating titles for your movies......Page 192
Making effective titles......Page 193
Editing titles......Page 196
Changing backgrounds......Page 200
Creating Titles in iMovie......Page 202
Changing the Length of Titles......Page 204
Using Audio in a Project......Page 206
Understanding audio tracks......Page 207
Adding audio to the timeline......Page 208
Adjusting volume......Page 209
Working with sound effects......Page 213
Adding a Soundtrack to Your Project......Page 215
Adding music from a CD......Page 216
Generating background music with SmartSound......Page 217
Using Video Effects in iMovie......Page 218
Reviewing iMovie¡¯s effects......Page 219
Customizing effects......Page 222
Using Video Effects in Studio......Page 223
Stepping Up to More Advanced Editing......Page 225
Using Still Graphics in Movies......Page 230
Adjusting the image size......Page 231
Using pictures in Apple iMovie......Page 233
Using pictures in Pinnacle Studio......Page 237
Freezing Frames from Video......Page 240
Previewing Your Movie......Page 244
Casting a critical eye on your project......Page 245
Previewing on an external monitor......Page 246
Exporting the Movie......Page 247
Choosing AVI settings......Page 250
Setting MPEG settings......Page 253
Part IV: Sharing Your Video......Page 256
14: Putting Your Movies on the Internet......Page 258
Streaming your video......Page 259
Comparing player programs......Page 260
Making QuickTime movies with iMovie......Page 264
Exporting Internet movies from Studio......Page 269
Putting Your Movie on the Web......Page 272
Creating a ( very) simple Web page......Page 273
Prepping Your Movie for TV Playback......Page 276
Setting Up Your Hardware......Page 277
Exporting the Movie......Page 279
Exporting to tape in Apple iMovie......Page 280
Exporting to tape in Pinnacle Studio......Page 282
Understanding DVD Basics......Page 288
Comprehending DVD standards......Page 289
Creating a menu......Page 293
Previewing your menu......Page 297
Burning DVDs......Page 298
Part V: The Part of Tens......Page 304
Beam Me Up, Scotty!......Page 306
Seeing Stars......Page 308
Forcing a Perspective......Page 309
Making Your Own Sound Effects......Page 311
Filtering Your Video......Page 312
Working with Assistants......Page 313
To Zoom or Not to Zoom?......Page 314
Dealing with the Elements......Page 315
Understanding compositing......Page 317
Shooting video against a blue screen......Page 319
Compositing video tracks......Page 321
Tripods and Other Stabilization Devices......Page 324
Monopods......Page 325
Lighting......Page 326
DVD- R Drives......Page 327
Microphones......Page 328
MiniDisc Recorders......Page 329
Multimedia Controllers......Page 330
Video Converters......Page 331
Graphical Video Background Elements......Page 333
Video Decks......Page 334
19: Comparing Ten Video-Editing Programs......Page 336
Reviewing the Basics......Page 337
Importing Media......Page 338
Editing Your Movies......Page 340
Exporting Your Movies......Page 344
Part VI: Appendixes......Page 346
System Requirements......Page 348
Using the CD with Microsoft Windows......Page 349
Using the CD with Mac OS......Page 350
Pinnacle Studio......Page 351
Troubleshooting......Page 352
Appendix B: Glossary......Page 354
Installing and Upgrading iMovie......Page 362
Enhancing iMovie with Plug- ins......Page 364
Updating Studio......Page 366
Using Hollywood FX Plug- ins for Pinnacle Studio......Page 368
Why Isn’t Movie Maker Featured in This Book?......Page 370
Upgrading Windows Movie Maker......Page 371
Getting Acquainted with Windows Movie Maker......Page 372
Index......Page 374