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Final Cut Pro 4 on the Spot: Time-Saving Tips & Shortcuts from the Pros (Dv Expert Series) | 
 enlarge | Authors: Richard Harrington, Abba Shapiro
Publisher: CMP Books
Category: Book
List Price: $27.95
Buy New: $4.86
You Save: $23.09 (83%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 1053191
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 236
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 7.3 x 0.6
ISBN: 1578202310
Dewey Decimal Number: 778.5930285536
EAN: 9781578202317
ASIN: 1578202310
Publication Date: November 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
This volume aims to deliver immediate solutions to the reader. Packed with over 300 techniques, it get readers up to speed by letting them learn what they need to know, when they need to know it. All the essential methods that professionals use to get the job done are detailed and illustrated. Experienced users should find the book sufficiently comprehensive to orient themselves to version 4 of the application and novices should find it a useful reference filled with techniques to improve their efficiency and creativity.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Unispiring Series of Books that Just Doesn't Make You Want to Learn March 10, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I purchased this used for a buck. It's of course, for an older version of the program that is Final Cut Pro, now in version 6. From the Black and White cover to the dull interior, It's not even worth keeping around for reference sake.
 The Big Leap After Baby Steps February 16, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Even the authors are quick to say in the Introduction of this book, that it is not intended for the beginner user of Final Cut Pro, but for the one who is already comfortable with non-linear editing... the intermediate or veteran editor. Harrington and Shapiro have 20+ years of combined editing experience, 40 years of combined Apple usage, have read every tech document on the Web, every version of the program's manuals from start to finish, attended all Apple FCP certification courses, hung out with all the usual Final Cut Pro geeks, as well has have made friends with Apple's own Final Cut Pro Team. Along the way, they have picked up a gazillion handy tips and shortcuts that save editors time and hassle. They know that the average user is too busy working or living their daily lives, to uncover all of these gems, and so they have combined the cream of the crop, the best of the best into this book, for reference on the fly. It is designed to help "unlearn" the bad habits most users have picked up through experience. You know how some programs have a "Tip of The Day" that pops up, every time you launch the program or their website? Well, this book is akin to a mini bible of Final Cut Pro "Tips of The Day." And it's small and light enough to be carted around by the person with the mobile setup, keep it handy but out of the way in your normal setup, or who otherwise wants to carry it around for mini tip lessons in your spare time. 350 tips, to be exact. It's like having someone from Apple's Final Cut Pro department come to your house/facility, being available for personal house calls for specific tasks.
I myself, am a beginner with Final Cut. I'm primarily a musician (former film student with 8mm and 16mm experience, but have never edited on a digital system), seeking to create my own music videos, short films, and other content, and that's pretty much the extent of my plans for Final Cut Pro. I bought the book anyway, because I also have supplemental materials specifically designed for beginners, such as the wonderful "Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro 4" by Diana Weynand (also avaialble for other versions of FCP, and released as a handy beginners tutorial, by Apple). Weynand's book is what I consider the Beginner's Steak, with everything one needs in order to start making sense of the program and editing right away, plus get a well-rounded level of experience with more detailed tasks... where "Final Cut Pro 4 on the Spot" is what I consider the Steak Sauce for ALL users... enhancing the experience, whenever you need it. Whether you want your steak well done or medium rare, before putting the sauce on, is entirely up to you, how fast you learn, or what your personal needs are. You may only like a little sauce on your steak, or a heaping river of sauces, but the point is, that the sauce is available. In more plain terms, everyone goes at a different pace in learning programs such as this, and even some people who can cut together something in Final Cut, may have missed or forgotten little bits of details along the way. However, this book is written and constructed in such a way that it can be used however YOU want it to be used, and as little or often as you need it. It makes no sense to try and read it start to finish, as it's not so much of a book that needs to be read, but instead *referred* to. You thumb through it for new ideas to spice up your productions, or go directly to specific chapters or tips when you come to a specific "stumper" while editing. There's plenty of troubleshooting tips and fixes here, along with the plentiful "Hey, this is a neat trick to speed things up/make it look better" sort of tip.
Hammond and Shapiro's book, at least to me, is a great tool to have around in the beginners stage as a "just in case," because it clearly has answers to questions I already know I'm going to need to do, such as working with audio quickly, color correction, better transitions, and I'm very big on using shortcut keys, instead of moving the mouse around to click every menu option. Depending on the project, I may need more or less information about how to do certain tasks more efficiently... why not already have the information accessible on my bookshelf? I plan to share this with friends who have editing experience already (but unfortunately have been too busy to show me anything). I hear them run across little roadblocks all the time, but even though they either figure them out or find another way around them, I've spotted things in this book, that would have saved them much time.
The book consists of 15 chapters, and within each are a collection of tips, in alphabetical order, pertaining to that chapter. It is written in such a way that you can easily hop around, as you need to and when you want to. There's plenty of both black and white as well as color photographs FOR EVERY SINGLE EXAMPLE/TIP (!), and probably 99% of the book is written in casual verbiage, easy to understand. Some tips are only brief paragraphs with pictures or even just a sentence or two, and the more involved ones are written out step-by-step. You can't go wrong with this thing. Only on occasion, does some terminology pop up that I'm not yet familiar with, but again, I imagine I'll either learn what those things are from a beginner book, or will eventually figure it out in context - and may only need to know - after I've already had a little bit of experience. And still, even that's not a big deal... the authors are showing you visually and telling you what you need to do, and what the end result will be. And that's the most important thing... so you can take it or leave it. As I've learned from using various audio programs, I don't always have to know what the terminology means, but just like that I get the results I want.
Anyway, if you already use or plan on using Final Cut Pro with any frequency at all, even if just occasionally, you would be wise to have this book in your library. Experienced users will certainly enjoy all the handy tips from people who know the program inside and out. Beginners, on the other hand, can keep it handy for when you either feel more comfortable with the program, find yourselves stumped on specific tasks or during the process of learning how to the use the program, want to see if there's a way you can cut down on some of the tasks that have way more steps involved.
Everyone wants speed, efficiency and tricks, but a program with as much to offer as Final Cut Pro... there are simply no "Instant Final Cut Pro!" resources that are going to tell you every single thing you will ever need to know to do every single thing you will ever need or want to know, without an investment of time. It's not like having a new DVD player or MP3 player, where you've mastered most of the functions in 5 minutes. Those looking for The Miracle, to learn Final Cut in a day and who expects to make top-notch quality videos in 48 hours, are only deluding themselves, with this or any other book. Editing, unto itself, is an artform. However, after you've at least used a beginners book to show basics, or something more advanced such as having taken classes, or learned all you can through experience and trial and error, this book is the icing on top of the cake.
Try the click inside feature July 21, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
In response to H. Laurent's review... correct this is NOT a book for begineers. There's a whole bunch on the market, so we wanted to be different. If you click on the Look Inside feature, you can read sample pages, an index, and most importantly the back cover. We wrote this book for frustrated pros, and its labeled User Level: Intermediate - Advanced.
The book was written for expereinced editors who have hit the wall and want to know high end information fast. For those pros who have clients breathign down their neck, we wanted a fast solution. Hopefully H. Laurent will find the book useful as his expereicne grows.
If you are brand new, I suggest you start with the excellent hands on books from Apple or the Editing Essentials by the wise Tom Wolsky. FCP On th Spots will then fill you in on much more when you are ready for it.
Good luck and have fun with FCP....
 Not for beginners July 19, 2005
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Indeed this book gives tons of small tips and I saw many tricks. It is fun, fast and easy to read. However, this book is a list of tricks in alphabetical order and it does not help me to learn how to use Final Cut Pro. I'm at the beginner stage and this book is not appropriate for my needs. When I will be able to use the program, I may come back to this book.
Laurent - Switzerland
Finally, a book that gives more than the basics! April 10, 2005
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Wow! I've been working on FCP for over three years and thought I had a pretty good handle on it, but I learned so much from this book. Every other editing book I've bought feels like a basic intro to editing. This book actually gives more advanced tips and some great ideas for working with effects. And the presentation is lighthearted and easy to read through. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who already has experience with Final Cut Pro.
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