While the last version of iMovie gave moviemakers the ability to capture and edit widescreen High Definition Video (HDV) from the new generation of camcorders, iMovie 6 is all about the ease of moviemaking itself. iMovie 6 includes five professionally designed themes with backgrounds, motion graphics, titles, and effects that act as building blocks for your projects. You can preview transitions and stunning new video effects--such as time-lapse video--in real time using the full screen. Or edit audio and add sound effects with a new built-in sound studio. For presenting your movie, Magic iDVD offers easy-to-use themes, including new widescreen options.
Whether you're a professional or an amateur moviemaker, this is amazing stuff. But if you want to learn the full capabilities of these applications, Apple documentation won't make the cut. Instead, iMovie 6 & iDVD: The Missing Manual is the ideal third-party authority that covers all of these changes through an objective lens. This witty and entertaining guide from celebrated author David Pogue details every step of iMovie 6 and iDVD production. The book shows you how to:
From choosing and using a digital camcorder to burning the finished work onto DVDs, posting it online, or downloading it to an iPod, iMovie 6 & iDVD: The Missing Manual zooms right in on the details in a clear, concise, and understandable manner. The book also provides a firm grounding in basic film technique so that the quality of your video won't rely entirely on magic.
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
Review of "iMovie 6 & IDVD: The Missing Manual", September 22, 2008
By
Allan M. Bloom (Blacksburg, VA USA)
iMovie 6 & IDVD: The Missing Manual is not what I consider David
Pogue's best work. It is a bit off the mark, spending a great deal of
time on issues related to camcorders to the detriment of the applications.
I would prefer a manual, missing or otherwise, that would apply David's
considerable knowledge and communication ability to the topic.
Lots of information, August 4, 2008
By
Susan Brennecke (Clayton, CA United States)
This book contains a lot of detail about creating DVDs. Many full-color screen shots. I purchased it to help in creating a DVD of my daughter's wedding. One thing it didn't explain in detail though was how to synchronized clips from multiple cameras onto a single audio track. It briefly discusses the subject, but doesn't go into detail about how to sync the clips based on audio or video cues.
Overall though, a very well-written book.
iMovie 6 & iDVD: The missing Manual, October 3, 2007
By
Techsmith (Australia)
Having Missing Manuals 3 to 5 It is again most difficult to find what's new in Apples Version 6 amongst all the older information contained in the previously published "Manuals". If one was purchasing it for the first time it does a reasonable job.
Great Step by Step Guide, June 27, 2007
By
Jennifer Bamberg (Austin, Texas USA)
This book is a thoroughly attentive-to-detail manual that is true to it's name/concept: The manual that *should* have come in the box! It clearly walks you through every step, big and small as well as including sections on how to improve your filming, editing, and a concise Quicktime how-to.
I recommend reading the entire book before starting an iMovie/iDVD project but if you just can't wait (I couldn't-- I read as I went), I recommend reading Appendix B (pg. 461) which is "Troubleshooting" early on . It includes *many* crucial tips from being sure to format your external HD to Mac OS Extended (if saving on an ext. HD) to switching the factory-setting 12-bit audio on your digital video camera to 16-bit to common 'glitches' while importing, working with or exporting footage.
The other great benefit of this book is it explains the various little 'tricks' for more complicated tasks or for things that are hinky and need a little fiddling to work. One ex.: You use the new iMovie 6 themes w/in iMovie (Pass Through, especially, is slick/professional-looking!) and are trying to use a *trimmed* clip w/in the theme. iMovie doesn't understand starting it where you trimmed because it keeps the trimmed portion of the clip hidden but still there so the undesirable portion of your clip is shown in the intro theme instead. This book explains in detail how to save it to Quicktime and re-import the new *permanently* trimmed clip to use w/ no problems in your themed intro!
This book also spells out the key differences in iMovie 6 vs. previous versions. I HIGHLY recommend this book if you are looking to edit home movie footage (or other) using iMovie (& iDVD) and don't have your own personal Mac Genius in your household. :-)
This book saved my life... in a roundabout way, May 14, 2007
By
Nicholas R. Hartman (Apple Valley, CA)
I recently purchased a Mac and edited my first film - a short documentary - on iMovie.
I had never used iMovie before and a good friend recommended this book and I couldn't have been more pleased. I haven't encountered a problem yet that this book hasn't addressed.
Well-written, simple and practical.
A great resource. Worth your time and money.
