Required Reading at DVinfo.net

Jay Stebbins · June 14th, 2006, 05:54 AM

This forum has been a tremendous resource. On another thread I joked that you guys could get away with charging tuition. Which would suck.

However, for the person, making a honest effort in trying to learn. Is there a list of books. Or even recommended courses one could take on-line or in Boston?

I am doing a project inspired by Sunrise Earth on the HD channel and hokie kiteboarding movies. I have decided upon the HVX-200 and use Macs.

I have a plethora of nature and landscape photography books. It is the better understanding of video and the associated codecs and the things that I don't know I need to know. If you know what I mean.

A little off topic but this crew is fantastic,
Thanks again,
Jay

Robert Lane · June 14th, 2006, 07:54 AM

Jay,

Inside the latest issue of Videomaker mag is an ad for a company (which might actually be Videomaker themselves, can't remember) that has produced a small collection of "how-to" videos for the pro-sumer/pro about video production. Everything from lighting setups, color information and even some tips on how to acheive certain looks in-camera.

On the Mac side, take a look at the Apple Pro Training series of books; this is how I taught myself FCP, DVDSP etc. There's literally everything you need to learn, just pick which ones are most appropriate for your needs.

Two caveats about self-help training:

Currently there is no book on Motion 2, just Motion (v1). Apple does have online tutorials for V2 so you can fill in the blanks with those.

There is another series of DIY videos on the video industry from DMTS. While the content is full of useful information the tutorials themselves are painful to watch; after 10 minutes of listening to 2 different "hosts" I was daydreaming about other things. It's very boring, droning instruction and doesn't engage the viewer enough or keep the attention level high enough for retention. That's my personal take on that series.

The good thing is, besides the plethora of info here on the forum DIY training options are bountiful and you'll find the method best suited to your learning style.

Barry Green · June 14th, 2006, 05:18 PM

At the risk of being blatantly self-promoting, let me just say that my "The HVX Book" is coming out in a couple of weeks, and for a hands-on seminar you can attend the HD BootCamp series of HVX200 in-depth training (www.hdbootcamp.com). Next one is at the end of July in Los Angeles (unless you're in New Zealand; we're doing a series of mini-bootcamp-style seminars throughout NZ June 28-July 7).

Jon Fairhurst · June 14th, 2006, 05:39 PM

Blatant self promotion is excellent, when it's on-topic. (Your book and seminars couldn't be more on-topic. :) )

Jay Stebbins · June 14th, 2006, 06:15 PM

Barry,

Is your book done yet?

I am near Boston. But I will certainly attend a Bootcamp anywhere on mainland. Hawaii is a long flight...

Thanks,
Jay

Leslie Dopkiss · June 14th, 2006, 06:46 PM

And I'm pretty dangerous right now, having extremely limited information. I've set up a computer (onboard audio only right now), bought Production Studio 2, have my trusty mini dvd camcorder (old sony trv25), my canon digital camera, picked out a subject for a year-long documentary to start in August. I have always focused on the visual part of any video I've made, and my head is swimming with all the information on capturing and editing audio, mixing, dubbing, post production, microphones,etc. It is nothing professional that I'm doing now, but maybe someday... Anyway, my first question would be about audio - what hardware for my computer. I have been told that an external usb audio device instead of an audio pci card would be an excellent choice. What is this? And why? I'm trying to get the hardware set up decently so that it doesn't become the problem as I go through learning the NLE and taking advantage of all the great info on this forum.

Thanks!

Jon Fairhurst · June 14th, 2006, 07:40 PM

Hi Leslie,

I recommend posting a new topic in the audio "Now Here This" section. This is not the correct section, and it doesn't follow the flow of this thread.

The best bet for sweeping questions like this is to tell people what you are trying to achieve and what your budget is, and then to ask for suggestions.

People here love to make suggestions - and most of the suggestions are quite good.

Leslie Dopkiss · June 15th, 2006, 04:33 AM

Thanks Jon, I'll do that after work today!

Leslie

Barry Green · June 15th, 2006, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Stebbins

Barry,

Is your book done yet?

Yes, it's at the printer now. I expect it back in a couple of weeks.

Quote:

I am near Boston. But I will certainly attend a Bootcamp anywhere on mainland. Hawaii is a long flight...

It sure is, especially now that I'm an east-coaster! :)

Hawaii got delayed until October. We are working with a film school in Hawaii to put that together. So the next BootCamp is on the mainland, it's in Los Angeles on July 29th.

Mike Schrengohst · June 15th, 2006, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Stebbins

This forum has been a tremendous resource. On another thread I joked that you guys could get away with charging tuition. Which would suck.

However, for the person, making a honest effort in trying to learn. Is there a list of books. Or even recommended courses one could take on-line or in Boston?

I am doing a project inspired by Sunrise Earth on the HD channel and hokie kiteboarding movies. I have decided upon the HVX-200 and use Macs.

I have a plethora of nature and landscape photography books. It is the better understanding of video and the associated codecs and the things that I don't know I need to know. If you know what I mean.

A little off topic but this crew is fantastic,
Thanks again,
Jay

Test, Test, Test get some good P2 shot at different settings before heading off. Play with the Cine-Gammas
and the shutter speeds. A good Matte Box and set of grads will help. A real tripod for steady shots is a must. How are you planning on delivering your shows??

Jay Stebbins · June 15th, 2006, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Schrengohst

A good Matte Box and set of grads will help. A real tripod for steady shots is a must. How are you planning on delivering your shows??

I have been looking at the matt boxes. Trying to decide which one. I was also reading a argument between the use of Grads and waiting until FCP. I plan on getting grads and a good polarizer.

Any suggestions on the brand of matte box and a good tripod recommendation would be huge. As a newbie it is very tough to guess what I really need. I do know the bleeding will not stop anytime soon....

Fortunately I will be shooting landscape on a regular basis for a year. And delivery will be DVD and eventually HD-DVD. This will give me time to take some FCP classes over the winter. I will also shoot some kiteboarding videos as a hobby and those would be for the internet and home showing.

I would just hate to shot all summer and fall to find out I was using the wrong format the whole time.

In another section of this forum I found a section <link>http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?f=36 </link> on books and tutorials. But it is more of people asking what is good and very few people recommending what one should read.

With a ton of effort I think I can be really good at this about four or five years from now...

I have:
1) An idea
2) Some information
3) 15" Powerbook 1.5 & Powermac Dual 2.7
4) FCP 5.1

I will be buying this coming week:
1) a very cool HVX-200
2) One 8GB P2 (Curios to see the development of the cineporter)
3) Various filters

Then:
1) recommended tripod
2) Matte box
3) Varizoom controls as I have an exceptionally tall tripod that will support camera for arial shots. This will wait till later...

Oh yes, because I have taken so much from this forum, I plan on making my purchases from one of the sponsors.

I am following Roberts advice and picking up some of the apple books. If a Bootcamp come along I can attend I certainly wil make the journey. I might take a FCP class in Boston this winter.

Thanks for any advice,
Jay

June 14th, 2006, 05:54 AM	#1
Jay Stebbins Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Nantucket MA Posts: 82	Required Reading This forum has been a tremendous resource. On another thread I joked that you guys could get away with charging tuition. Which would suck. However, for the person, making a honest effort in trying to learn. Is there a list of books. Or even recommended courses one could take on-line or in Boston? I am doing a project inspired by Sunrise Earth on the HD channel and hokie kiteboarding movies. I have decided upon the HVX-200 and use Macs. I have a plethora of nature and landscape photography books. It is the better understanding of video and the associated codecs and the things that I don't know I need to know. If you know what I mean. A little off topic but this crew is fantastic, Thanks again, Jay

June 14th, 2006, 07:54 AM	#2
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,825 Images: 15	Teaching tools Jay, Inside the latest issue of Videomaker mag is an ad for a company (which might actually be Videomaker themselves, can't remember) that has produced a small collection of "how-to" videos for the pro-sumer/pro about video production. Everything from lighting setups, color information and even some tips on how to acheive certain looks in-camera. On the Mac side, take a look at the Apple Pro Training series of books; this is how I taught myself FCP, DVDSP etc. There's literally everything you need to learn, just pick which ones are most appropriate for your needs. Two caveats about self-help training: Currently there is no book on Motion 2, just Motion (v1). Apple does have online tutorials for V2 so you can fill in the blanks with those. There is another series of DIY videos on the video industry from DMTS. While the content is full of useful information the tutorials themselves are painful to watch; after 10 minutes of listening to 2 different "hosts" I was daydreaming about other things. It's very boring, droning instruction and doesn't engage the viewer enough or keep the attention level high enough for retention. That's my personal take on that series. The good thing is, besides the plethora of info here on the forum DIY training options are bountiful and you'll find the method best suited to your learning style.

June 14th, 2006, 05:39 PM	#4
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	Blatant self promotion is excellent, when it's on-topic. (Your book and seminars couldn't be more on-topic. :) ) __________________ Jon Fairhurst

June 14th, 2006, 06:46 PM	#6
Leslie Dopkiss Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 39	Audio: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing ... And I'm pretty dangerous right now, having extremely limited information. I've set up a computer (onboard audio only right now), bought Production Studio 2, have my trusty mini dvd camcorder (old sony trv25), my canon digital camera, picked out a subject for a year-long documentary to start in August. I have always focused on the visual part of any video I've made, and my head is swimming with all the information on capturing and editing audio, mixing, dubbing, post production, microphones,etc. It is nothing professional that I'm doing now, but maybe someday... Anyway, my first question would be about audio - what hardware for my computer. I have been told that an external usb audio device instead of an audio pci card would be an excellent choice. What is this? And why? I'm trying to get the hardware set up decently so that it doesn't become the problem as I go through learning the NLE and taking advantage of all the great info on this forum. Thanks!

June 14th, 2006, 07:40 PM	#7
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	Hi Leslie, I recommend posting a new topic in the audio "Now Here This" section. This is not the correct section, and it doesn't follow the flow of this thread. The best bet for sweeping questions like this is to tell people what you are trying to achieve and what your budget is, and then to ask for suggestions. People here love to make suggestions - and most of the suggestions are quite good. __________________ Jon Fairhurst

June 14th, 2006, 05:18 PM	#3
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	At the risk of being blatantly self-promoting, let me just say that my "The HVX Book" is coming out in a couple of weeks, and for a hands-on seminar you can attend the HD BootCamp series of HVX200 in-depth training (www.hdbootcamp.com). Next one is at the end of July in Los Angeles (unless you're in New Zealand; we're doing a series of mini-bootcamp-style seminars throughout NZ June 28-July 7).

June 14th, 2006, 06:15 PM	#5
Jay Stebbins Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Nantucket MA Posts: 82	Barry, Is your book done yet? I am near Boston. But I will certainly attend a Bootcamp anywhere on mainland. Hawaii is a long flight... Thanks, Jay

June 15th, 2006, 04:33 AM	#8
Leslie Dopkiss Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 39	audio Thanks Jon, I'll do that after work today! Leslie