Digital Video Pocket Guide

by Derrick Story

The Digital Video Pocket Guide is concise, easy to use, and is overflowing with the techniques you'll need to know to create great movies. This book is organized, like the popular Digital Photography Pocket Guide, into three chapters: "What Is It?", "How Does It Work?", and "How Do I...Tips, Tricks, and Techniques". Its compact size, organization, and detailed illustrations make it easy to find the information you need. In the first...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0596005237
• ISBN13: 9780596005238
• Release Date: August 2003
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 4.3" x 7.2"

Customer Reviews

brief succinct how-to guide about production; check also Digital Video Hacks

I recently reviewed this and the more recent Oreilly book, Digital Video Hacks, with contributions from the author. Hacks is much more up-to-date and contains lots of things from the Pocket Guide. But a lot of the troubleshooting tips from Pocket Guide are about using cameras and mikes, not stuff likely to go out of date. Here is what I wrote specifically about Pocket Guide: For readers looking for more information about the shooting process itself, the cheaper and more succinct 2003 Digital Video Pocket Guide by Derrick Story covers that information superbly. Story's book goes into more detail about equipment to buy as well as how to resolve lighting and sound problems. There's only so much you can say in 112 pages, but 30 of those pages are devoted to solving practical shooting problems (i.e., the walking interview, dealing with wind , etc.) Another 30 pages consists of reference material and tables about basic camera concepts (i.e., how aperture relates to depth of field). Also, this book in particular has a high percentage of color photographs, which (like those in Digital Video Hacks) make it easier to understand what the writer is getting at. Some of the information from Digital Video Pocket Guide is duplicated in Digital Video Hacks, but lately I've found myself referring more often to the Pocket Guide than the Video Hacks book.

A great start to using your digital video camera...

So... You got a new digital video camera for Christmas, and you want to be the next Spielberg? Unless you've had experience in how to shoot good video, you'll end up with a lot of home movies in digital format that don't look any better than anyone else's home movies. To remedy that, get a copy of Digital Video Pocket Guide by Derrick Story (O'Reilly). In 113 pages, you'll learn the essentials of how your camera works, basic editing and shooting techniques, and tips on how to improve your video quality. While this shouldn't be the only video guide you get, it will be more than enough to get you started on the way to making movies that people will enjoy watching.

DV Pocket Guide offers great tips for better videography

Digital videography is challenging and this useful pocket guidebook makes taking videos more exciting and fun. By following many of the suggestions and tips throughout this small reference book you will find it helpful when preparing for your next home movies. This is one of the few books dedicated to digital video. Most current publications like magazines keep you up to date with the latest gear but this book is more in-depth on the art of video productions. The author Derrick Story has written many books and provided photographs for countless others. The pocket guide is a series of small books that includes titles like digital photography, Macintosh Troubleshooting, Extreme Programming and over 200 other pocket guide titles. As a video producer I found this book very easy to read and understand and felt this reference book would offer any level of videographer benefits from this information. The book is broken into 3 chapters and one reference guide. The first chapter starts with "What is it". This chapter covers the camcorder basics and may other more advanced concepts including time-code, analog line-in, aperture, image sensor, interlaced video and progressive scan. I was quite surprised that these subjects were covered since these are new features found on the newest camcorders and the average videographer may not be familiar with the concepts. It is nice to read about some of the newest features and how they can benefit the end user. This first chapter is very comprehensive going well beyond the camcorders instruction manual.The second chapter covers the physical camera and its features, how does it work explain concepts and techniques for today's digital video shooting. The section on time-code and logging was invaluable. The third section is how do I...Tips, Tricks and Techniques offers 12 very helpful and modern information on what the average shooter may encounter. One concept that often overlooked in the wave of new technology is the fundamentals. The art of storytelling is true regardless of the latest and greatest camcorders and accessories. The author emphasizes the camcorder is just the tool that allows the individual to create and visualize your message. I found myself revisiting several techniques that I have used in my video business on a recent trip to Baltimore for the US Open table tennis championships. I took my camcorder and candidly interviewed several players and officials. When taping my subjects I utilized the walking interview tips in the final section. The ability to change background offered variety to many of the candid comments. I also used the technique of entrances and exits. This allows the subject to enter the frame follows them for a period of time and then let them exit the frame. This clean shooting transition is a bridge commonly used in movies and TV shows. Overall this book is very useful and I found several of

Excellent Intro!

Book Review: "Digital Video Pocket Guide" by John Suda "Digital Video Pocket Guide", by Derrick Story, is another in the series of "Pocket Guides" from O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. Like the others, it is a well-written, comprehensive introduction to a technical/aesthetic area. This is a small, pocket-size book of 113 pages, including index, published on bright, glossy paper which provides brightness and contrast for its included photographs and makes it easier on the eyes for reading. I have been contemplating investigating digital video myself for some time and found this little volume to be a near perfect introduction for a couple of reasons. First, the substantive material contains about everything one needs to get a start in digital video, from buying a camera, to learning and understanding its controls and features, to using the equipment, and tips on how to get some quality production from the camera. The second reason is the unusual (for a computer book) author's "voice". Story's style is casual, friendly, clear, simple, encouraging, and even soothing, Imagine attending a 2 or 3 hour presentation by an informed camera salesperson who knows how to produce videos, who has the personality and presentation of Mr. Rogers. It's the substantive material which is most important however. Story walks the reader through the entire movie-making process, from start to finish. Even technical concepts like "black the tape", "bumping", and "zebra patterns" are made simple and easy to follow. The book has three parts encompassing explanation of the equipment, how to use it, and how to produce some quality product. There is an appendix of a handful of quick reference tables pertaining to color temperature charts, types of microphones, and other incidental matters. The best sections deal with learning how to shoot scenes including how to light a scene, and how to prevent wind from ruining your audio. There is a nice 10-step movie production checklist which details all one needs to start and complete a beginner's video project. For a small volume on a technical topic, this is an unusual good read.

Great guide for video camera users

This book claims to be a handy pocket guide for anyone who uses a digital video camera. I would disagree with this claim in one resepect and that is that it caters for the amatuer and pro alike. I found this guide to be well and truely aimed at the amatuer or entry level user - and this is not a bad thing.I think it is definately a fine resource for anyone with a digital video camera and will improve and assist a huge number of camcorder users to produce better videos. It contains heaps of very valuable tips and tricks to improve shooting in a wide range of situations. I found the pro-tips sidebars to be quite a good way to introduce slightly more advanced techniques and this will help readers to explore slightly more advanced techniques. The photographs are first rate and illustrate the discussed procedures very well. The manuals that are provided with camcorders are generally pretty dry and most people only give them a cursory once over, this book is nicely written and well illustrated and interesting enough to encourage people to read it end to end. And if you do I can't see how you'll fail to improve your video shooting.I would definatley recommend this book for everyone who wants to pick up some basic tips, tricks and tools to improve their everyday video shooting.byDamian Heffernan