Customer Reviews
Quality resource for novice or serious film-maker alike - By: C. M. Perkins, 01 Oct 2005 
I had got a lot out of Tom Ang's Digital Photographer's Handbook so thought this would be a pretty good introduction to digital video. It's great.
Typically lavish DK productionin terms of colour photography throughout. I wondered how Tom would communicate moving image techniques using still pictures, but he does a great jobin his explanations & using sequences of photographs.
As a complete novice I was looking for something to add a professional touch to my camera work & this book has been great. There are more advanced sections I have skipped over, which I may have a need forin future or will be more relevant to the serious film-maker. For example: setting up a workroom, using additional mics & lights & the section on 'Advanced Video Production'.
The introduction to digital video I found surprisingly useful, especially the explanation of interlacing to solve a problem I hadin editing with stills captured from video vibrating on a TV screen (save the still as de-interlaced).
The book then goes on with chapters on camera & sound techniques (great for ideas on framing, composition, zoom achieving a 'film look'), understanding light & editing. The chapter on projects covers all the most likely uses an amateur may have: new baby, birthday party, natural history, holiday, carnivals & parades, wedding, promoting a cause, portrait of a place, sporting event, family video album & promoting a business.
Each chapter has really useful sections on quick fixes such as problems with sound, colour correction, exposure control, etc & Tom covers permits & access, location problems, copyright & rights.
Despite the fact that technology moves so fast material on specific bits of equipment is out of date almost as soon as it's been written, this is a great guide to the principles of effective digital film making. As a total novice I found it an exceptionally good starting point & I'm sure more experienced users will also find it valuable.
