Final Cut Pro: Portable Genius

Reviewed by Wayne LeFevre

Author: John Lynn Wiley Released: October 2008. Pages: 272 $30 USD, $33 CND, £19 UK Requirements: Final Cut Pro. ISBN-10: 0470387602 ISBN-13: 978-0-470-38760-3 Audience: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced   Strengths: Easy to understand and follow. Great tips and tutorials. Portable. Weaknesses: A bit light.

Introduction

 

As I continue to learn more about Final Cut Pro, I am continually amazed at how much more there is to know about Final Cut Pro. At first, this application seems entirely too complicated, which is exactly the reason Apple made iMovie. But as you continue to gain knowledge and insight into exactly what Final Cut Pro can do, the more you see what iMovie lacks in. Getting to know what it can do, can be an enormous task, one that is made a bit simpler with “Final Cut Pro Portable Genius.” by GeniusDV.

 

First, this “Portable Genius” series published by Wiley is simply terrific. Though smaller in size than normal textbooks of this type, it’s perfect for portability and the ability to keep within easy reach without taking up a lot of desk space. The actual size is 9 inches by 6 inches, and printed on really nice, heavyweight paper. The pictures are vibrant, and the sans-serif text is very easy to read.

 

The content covers all of Final Cut Pro from preferences to output. This book is for people of all skill levels. Beginners can learn all facets of Final Cut Pro. Intermediate users can always use refreshers on basic and not-so-basic features, including anything from high-end effects, compositing and complex motion effects. Even advanced users can benefit from this book by using it as a quick reference, as there are quite a few techniques and effects that are explained.

 

• Chapter 1 - What Should My Mac Preference Be?
• Check your Mac OS X preferences, hardware configuration, Final Cut Studio installation options, troubleshooting hardware problems.
• Chapter 2 - What Are the Critical Final Cut Pro Preferences?
• Working with multiple user accounts, user preferences, system settings, audio/video settings, using easy setup.
• Chapter 3 - How Do I Ingest Media Into Final Cut Pro?
• Capturing media, importing media, managing media and storage requirements.
• Chapter 4 - Which Editing Technique Fits My Style?
• Editing workflow, creating a montage, trimming with the Option key.
• Chapter 5 - How Do I Use Final Cut Pro as a Professional Sound and Mixing Tool?
• Mixing audio levels, adjusting levels in the timeline, understanding Soundtrack Pro.
• Chapter 6 - Which Title Tool Should I Use?
• Understanding Alpha channels, Livetype, Boris Title 3D, titles in Photoshop and Improving the quality of graphics and titles.
• Chapter 7 - How Can I Use Final Cut Pro for High-End Effects Compositing?
• Installing Third-Party effects, creating freeze frame effects, slow motion effects, understanding composite modes.
• Chapter 8 - Can I Use Final Cut Pro to Produce Complex Motion Effects?
• Working with motion tab, adding motion with keyframes, copying motion attributes, multiple video layers and Ken Burns effect.
• Chapter 9 - How Man Ways Can I Use Filters?
• Video filters, attributes, saving and configuring favorite filters, duplicating video layers, color correcting.
• Chapter 10 - How Can I Maximize the Output of My Final Cut Pro Product?
• Working with sequence settings, anamorphic media, QuickTime, Compressor, Markers, output to web and tape.

 

I found this a very enjoyable read, as opposed to many other books on applications, especially as complex as Final Cut Pro. Well worth the $18 that Amazon charges.