Lisa Brenneis
1 A great guide to Final Cut Pro
I think that J. Ewing, who wrote the negative review, is on crack (metaphorically J.Ewing, not literally, chill - don't try to sue me for slander. Geez, you need to relax J. Ewing, you need to relax). This book is a definitive guide to Final Cut Pro 4 just as all of Lisa Brenneis' previous version have been for previous versions of FCP. Check out the rest of the amazing reviews for this book. Then, if you too are on crack, listen to J. Ewing. If not, buy this readable, helpful, insightful, and concise guide to FCP 4.
2 Look Elsewhere
Beware, I have been editing on FCP4 for 12 months and this was the book I bought when I first started-I found it totally incomprehensible for a beginner. After a year of relatively sophisticated editing I still find the book virtually useless. Although packed with 700+ pages of writing, Lisa Brenneis somehow manages to turn simple concepts into mush. If you deliberately tried to write the most confusing description of each FCP operation it would be difficult to achieve Brenneis' level of mind-spinning prose. When she does not over-complicate an operation she glosses over the practical steps for implementation. We had a whole class abandon this book last fall. There could be a few very advanced users out there who actually fathom her illustrations and explanations but they would have no need for this monster. I suggest either the "Dummies" book or Apples training series.
3 If you own Final Cut Pro you have to have this book
I love Final Cut Pro (FCP), I have used it for the last 4 years and have found it to be an incredible program but the text that comes in the box is not realy that good, this is true for all three versions of FCP that I have worked with. Lisa Brenneis has done a great job in this version as she has done in others. This text has been a lifesaver for me many times. I could not imagine trying to work in FCP without it. For those who have upgraded from a previous version of FCP I recommend you also update to the current version of Lisa's book I have found that the quickest way to get my head around the many changes FCP has gone through is to read the upgraded text. Lisa has true mastery of FCP and understands how to communicate, which is rare in tech manual writers.
4 Finally a good Final Cut Pro Book!!!
So you just shot all your scenes, now what do you do? If you got an Apple then you should probably also have Final Cut Pro to go along with it, and if you got Final Cut Pro then you should have this book. You want to get right in and start editing your film/video, well look no further, here it is. A thick book filled with so much info your head will spin, but the best part...you ready for this.... It is actually very easy to read and you can start doing editing almost immediately. Capture/Log Store/Compressing/Titles/Input/Output/Transitions/Fade In/Audio - it tells you everything - Great Book for all Final Cut Pro users!
