best FCP book

Tony_Reyes

Tony_Reyes

Well-known member
Does anyone know of the best/latest FCP 5 book?

I'm relatively new to Final Cut and was looking for something good to refer to and learn with.

Thanks in advance,
Tony
 
One of the best books to learn a great deal with is Jerry Hofmann "On Final Cut..." I have book4... he might be on Studio or 5. Anyway... it takes you step by step thru a short film. But along the way there are some amazing tips and process learning.

Once you get thru that, I'd suggest some of the Apple Training series books.

CaptM
 
I went from knowing nothing to being pretty comfortable in FCP with just the Apple Training Series. They are not reference books though. You definitly need to take the time to sit down and work through them (I actually took a week off from work for just that).

Chris
 
nice, i like the idea of reading about going through a short film A LOT captain mench.

blaine, i'm assuming thats your preference. can you tell me anything about it?
 
i got the apple training one from a place called collegetextbookbuyers.com for around $20. it was like new and the cd was still sealed. great book. it is step by step project based and hands on so no boring reading....
 
Tony_Reyes said:
nice, i like the idea of reading about going through a short film A LOT captain mench.

blaine, i'm assuming thats your preference. can you tell me anything about it?
Click to expand...
cheezweezl said:
i got the apple training one from a place called collegetextbookbuyers.com for around $20. it was like new and the cd was still sealed. great book. it is step by step project based and hands on so no boring reading....
Click to expand...
Much as cheezweezl said, its' a step by step lesson book. There is a DVD that has all the
media that goes with the lessons. You go through the book a lesson at a time. Generally speaking, each lesson builds on the one before it. It takes you through all the aspects of editing. By the time you've finished the 25 or so lessons (each lesson takes approximately 1hour) you should be able to sit down and do a bang up job of editing. Of course, the cutting of a project is an art in itself and takes experience to master. The book covers a TON of stuff.

I really like the Apple Pro Training Series. Of course, the Cap'n is a mensch. :) If he recommends a book, you can bet it's good. :thumbsup:
 
I have gone through a lot of FCP tutorials. Many of them teach tricks and tips, but give no realy grasp of the mechnics behind those tricks. Even when I'm not teaching a "certification" class, but a "seminar", I still use the Apple Pro Training Seriese books. IMHO I have yet to see anything else on the market teach you the basic tools you really need to know in order to get everything you can out of FCP. Once you've done the book, and espectially the Advanced book, you can start to figure out those tips and tricks on your own.

It's just my personal educational phylosophy that it's better to teach the basic tools and inspire folks to build their own tricks, rather than teach them canned tricks that limit what they can expand on.

Not that the other tutorials are not good, I just haven't seen one as good as the Apple Pro Training Sereies. Not to mention all the footage you work with in these lessons are from actual projects. The American Indian footage is from a loop playing in a kiosk at the Smithsonian American Indian Museum. Much of it was originally shot in HD. It's fantastic looking footage.

Let's put it this way, if I ask you to quickly in a nut shell tell me what "ripple, roll, slip, slide" are, and you can't real quick off the top of your head, you're spending WAY TOO MUCH TIME editing your projects.

The compositing lessons in the begining of the Advanced book rock. It's lessons on color correction can't be beat! I highly recommend these books!
 
I'll agree with BenB... Jerry's series was begun before the advent of the Suite... today's editor is much different than even 4 years ago or 2 years ago.

Professional production companies are realizing the power of this suite and editors are being asked to do more than ripple roll slip and slide. They need to know all the full tools of their trade... you NEED to have a firm grasp of color correction. You can't rely on a colorist anymore. You NEED to have a grasp of compositing... you NEED to have a handle on motion effects.

Those are the folks being hired. You want to start out in this business? You better have lots of tools.

Apple Pro Training series is great for that.

Just my 3 cents.

CaptM
 
i'm convinced, i just picked up a copy of FCP 5 by Diana Weynard part of the Apple Pro Training series and can't wait to get it going.
 
Once you're done with Diana's book, you'll be amazed at how well you know FCP. But when you move on and do the Advanced Color Correction And Effects book, you'll be totally blown away!

And if you do the first book cover to cover, and think you really know it all, and can pass the chapter test questions easily (if not do the book a second time), go take the end user exam! This first book is the only Apple test you don't have to attend a class to take.

And yes, it will help you tons if you go applying for editing jobs!
 
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