Beginner's Final Cut Pro: Learn to Edit Digital Video

This book started off as a snore fest, but after the first chapter, the author really explains every beginning thing about FCP very nicely. The whole book is laid out with the exact steps you should take when learning the program for the first time.It is a book for the absolute BEGINNER at Final Cut Pro, and that is who it was written for. Great book!

I wanted to work with Final Cut Pro but found all the highly touted books STILL TO DIFFICULT to start out with. My experience was nothing more than being able to work with a simple package like iMovie. I was SAVED by this terrific book. As a teacher myself, I know you have to learn hands-on in a methodical manner; you don't need to learn the "whole ball of wax" the first time around (like other books somewhat force you to do). Michael Rubin knows this and has crafted the perfect book for those ready to take the next step. DON'T HESITATE TO BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE READY FOR THE NEXT STEP! The included DVD gives you all the source material to work and practice with! BRILLIANT!!!

This book will teach you about editing--real editing--and not just how to move shots around with software. It doesn't take too much computer power to edit a project, whether its theatrical movie or your home videos. People have done it in Hollywood for 100 years with basically a razor blade and tape. I use Final Cut Pro to cut everything I ever need to cut. After 20 years of developing and using computers for "nonlinear" editing, I finally have software that is easy and suitably powerful. In many ways it is an easier tool than most "beginning level" consumer products. My very simple methods are results-oriented. I do not want to turn everyone into a professional filmmaker, but I do want people to see how powerful and simple video literacy can be. Remember: this book will make you a fine editor and teach you the basics of FCP, but it is not a comprehensive book about FCP. There is a lot in there that I think is confusing for people starting out. This is a book about how to edit video using FCP, not how to use FCP to do everything ever. In just a few chapters, with the tutorials on the DVD, you'll be cutting any material you could have ever wanted to cut, like a pro (if that is your goal), or just as a comfortable, competant editor (ready to move to more encyclopedia-like volumes of information when you're hungry for it). This book is fun and direct. I look forward to your feedback.

Michael Rubin takes an unconventional approach to teaching a beginning Final Cut Pro user what makes this application tick. The how-to of FCP is presented as lessons with hands-on exercises on the included DVD. Rubin's style is readable and engaging. He never talks down to the aspiring FCP user. He is easy to understand and easy to follow. In the interest of not confusing the novice nonlinear editing student, Rubin has chosen to ignore or gloss over FCP's more advanced or complicated features. Although this is definitely good for beginners, intermediate users might feel cheated. (This is the only reason I rated the book 4 stars instead of 5.) If you are a beginner, you can't go wrong with "Final Cut Pro for Beginners."