Reviewed by Gail H. Schadt, SMUG of La Verne, CA
This book by David Pouge is a must read for anyone using the Apple iMove software. It is excellent!
iMove versions 1.0 through 1.02 are covered by this book. The new Macs come with iMovie Version 2.0 and up. The difference is in more features have been added to iMovie Version 2.0. Given this difference, this book goes a long way in improving ones DV experience.
There are two aspects of this book. One is movie making and the second is the use of the iMovie software.
I have been shooting 8mm film and video for many years. My "library" has been compiled using techniques much at odds with the book and it's referenced Hollywood, TV programming, and TV news techniques.
These techniques are directed toward disguising your home video as a pro video. This includes panning direction, speed, zooming, and opening shot framing. These techniques are directed towards preventing your audience from being made sea sick after being properly oriented to the subject of your shot.
Having assimilated the above, suggestions are given toward shooting special events such as interviews, sporting events, and weddings to name some of them.
The use of the iMovie software is covered in detail including step by step instructions. iMovie is fairly intuitive but has some quirks and limitations. After all, the initial iMovie versions are free and are not meant to compete with Adobe's Premiere or other high level video editing software costing many hundreds of dollars. For example, Apple's Final Cut Pro costs $1000. This does not mean iMovie is a puny light weight and can not generate high quality formatted videos suitable for plotted movies, business videos and training videos.
Apple says iMovie requires Operating System version 9.0.4 or greater. However, this book states that it works with OS version 8.6 running on almost any relatively new Mac. However, a FireWire (also named IEEE-1394, iLink, DV In/Out, or DV Terminal) connection is required to import the digital camcorder format. An analog to digital converter with a FireWire connection can be used to convert analog (older) camcorder output into the required digital format. There are digital camcorders that can accept analog input from an analog camcorder storing it on the digital camcorder's tape for inputting into iMovie. (I wished I had read this book before buying my digital camcorder.)
Another requirement in addition to the above is the computer disk space required for downloading digital movies. One minute of digital video requires approximately 228 MB of disk space. This adds up to approximately 13 GB for a 55 minute movie. However, editing can be done in segments and transferred to camcorder tape to compile the total movie.
While iMovie is intuitive and editing can be accomplished to produce a reasonable video for presentation, the details of iMovie editing covered extensively in this book makes for an easier experience and a more presentable video. More presentable is defined as your audience's constant attention without dozing off or side conversations unrelated to your video.
The editing is described as a five step process. These are 1) trim your video clips (individual shots) to contain the information you want the viewer to see, 2) assemble the clips into the sequence you want to tell your story, 3) add transitions between clips, 4) add titles, 5) add audio (your narration, music and sound effects). Specific instructions are provided by this book. There are transitions, titles, and sound effects available in iMovie. This book gives examples of how to add to these using software available for Macs such as AppleWorks and Adobe's PhotoDeluxe.
Limitations are defined and in some cases work arounds are given. These work arounds are most helpful regarding audio editing which I found to be not so intuitive.
Having completed your movie, the next thing is to download (export) it from the computer for viewing. Options include the camcorder, VCR, web, E-mail, and CD-ROM. Exporting to the camcorder is in digital format. Most VCRs require analog exporting from the camcorder or computer. Exporting to E-mail, web, and CD-ROM is in QuickTime format. iMovie has QuickTime options for E-mail, web, CD-ROM medium, and CD-ROM large. Each of these gives files of different sizes with E-mail being the smallest. A one minute video using the E-mail option requires 3.3 MB of disk space in addition to the video disk space. The same 1 minute of CD-ROM large option requires 260 MB of disk space. Detail steps for exporting are provided by this book.
This is a worth while book for would be iMovie video editors and current editors. If you have iMovie version 1.0 or 1.0.2 and upgrade to the $49 iMovie version 2.0 or higher, lets all hope David Pouge updates this book.
Editor's note: iMovie 2: The Missing Manual is now available from O'Reilly.