Digital Books

Anyone would easily think that Adobe premiere pro would be such a hard thing to learn how to do. Thanks to Jeff Schell, that problem is over. With easy excercises, this book is the essential tool to help you understand how to use the problem much better. It teaches you the basic tools, guides, and shortcuts that can help you create your own masterpiece (whatever that may be). The book also includes the disc that helps you step by step to create a simple video. I highly recommend this book for those who definitly want to learn Premiere Pro. It's Good Stuff

A book that I can read and understand without breaking into a sweat.
It solved one of my big problems inside five minutes.
You will not regret buying this book.

I would rate myself at the intermediate level when it comes to editing. I was fairly new to Premiere Pro 2 (was using 6.5 before) when I purchased the book. There were some things I knew already that the book described but I didn't know a lot of the shortcuts. It also taught me a great deal about using all of the Audio features, so that was a huge bonus for me. All in all, I thought the book was great. It was easy to work through and follow. It also allows you to skip around throughout chapters easily.

I have used both of Jeff's books (Pro 1.5and 2.) and find them the best on the market in my opinion. Clear, concise, very easy to understand and a great teaching tool. He makes what could be a difficult task, easy!
Highly recommended!

I have purchased a very large number of computer books over the years in an effort to teach myself the use of various applications. I purchased HOT Premiere Pro 1.5 book and liked it, so when I finally managed to acquire Premiere 2.0 recently I immediately purchased Adobe Premiere Hands-On-Training 2.0 by Jeff Schell. As an educator myself, I have to say that this is without a doubt the best "how to" guide that I have ever used. The exercises are terrific, and the detailed explanations make it possible for even a neophyte such as me to achieve a confidence building understanding. If you are intimidated by the learning curve of this very complex application, fear not, for Mr. Schell breaks each task down into incremental steps that foster understanding. The accompanying CD-ROM provides all the needed resources other than the application itself that are needed to gain a fundamental knowledge of Premiere 2.0. This is one of the good ones!

This is a great way to learn Shake because it guides you step by step. The thing is that you need to know theorical concepts about compositing or have enough experience in another compositing software so you fully understand what he says, because sometimes the terms are not explained, just the way to do it, so if you don't know a lot about this I suggest you to first learn a little about how compositing works.

It is perfect for anybody wanting to learn shake. I bought the book with zero experiance and now i not only understand the program but I can relate nearly every "real" job to certain lessons in the book.

One of the best books in this field.Very comprehensive tutorials that make you understand shake in a minimum of time.

Marco, as always, has created another great Shake book. But as many of you know, Apple has recently stopped support of Shake. But thankfully they also reduced the price to nearly nothing making this powerful software available to everyone. But what do you do if you need support as a user? Check out [...]

This book is really good for someone who wants to start of with shake, gives you nice intro and then takes you all the way up, this book is not only full of tutorials but it also talks about the technical side, the humor makes me feel as if I am talking to the author. Its a good buy at the price and also there is no other material available on shake, I would like to see a part 2 of this book which is for film crew (compositors) who work with real difficult challenges cause each shot is different from the other.

I was impressed from the beginning with the content of this book. It has been a great help in my recent graduate projects. This is one I will keep on the shelf for reference.

This book is simply the best book on post-production audio out there. I have over a decade of experience mixing live sound and some formal training in post production, but Rose gets to the real nuts and bolts of the day-to-day sweetening of sound that I was able to apply his ideas the same day I read a chapter on EQ. I have read so many books on sound where authors get into all the details, but fail to give hands on practical advice. Rose has two unique things going for him in this book: the included CD that gives A/B comparisons of various audio sweetening and processing techniques and the cookbook format at the end of each chapter. Try any one of these "recipes" and you will instantly get results and be able to solve various problems and massively improve your soundtrack.
He gets technical in spots going into the physics of sound, studio design, and other minutia but the non-geeks you can usually skip these sections and side-bars. For those who just want to fix things they can jump to the end of each chapter and use the cookbook/troubleshooting sections. I can't recommend this book enough. If you are serious about filmmaking, you can't be without this book.

Audio Postproduction for Digital Video
By Jay Rose
Review by Pi Ware

Don't listen to the title. It's bigger than the title. The "Digital Video" part of Audio Postproduction for Digital Video restricts the scope of this classic Jay Rose text. Rose's book goes far beyond DV, in fact, it starts with an explanation of what sound is on the molecular level and then takes you not just through audio postproduction for TV, but to techniques specific to movie production, techniques that are entirely independent of the format you originate on. Audio Postproduction for Digital Video is top-notch. It's an excellent, text-book quality manual, a soup-to-nuts guide on how to deal with sound in postproduction.

Jay Rose never gives you solutions that are applicable only to specific Digital Audio Workstations, he arms you with knowledge you can use in any platform or program. The book is an education in sound and, together with the numerous photos and diagrams (and Rose's good sense of humor), it's a liberation from the dry prose of most manuals on postproduction.

Rose teaches you from the ground up what sound is, what good sound is, and how to make bad sound better. He doesn't just stop at good writing, however, he illustrates important points with an audio CD included in the back of the book. Together with the CD, the text guides you through importing audio into the computer, editing dialogue, Do It Yourself Foley and ADR, working with filters, noise reduction techniques, pitch and time changes, the sound mix, and even, if you're so inclined, designing, constructing and wiring your own postproduction audio facility.

Though postproduction changes with every new advance in technology, Audio Postproduction for Digital Video stays current by focusing on strategy, not software. Rose avoids giving specific keystroke instructions in specific programs, but instead explains common solutions to common problems using common tools. As he says in his introduction, "You should be able to use these pages for a long time."

Anyone considering directing a short or feature, anyone who wants to be even nominally involved in the sound design of their film, and, of course, anyone interested in working in audio postproduction, would do extremely well to pick up a copy of this classic Jay Rose text.

This book in fantastic. The author's voice and style make this not only easy to read but a joy to read as well. There are little tips and tidbits in each chapter that will make a good audio guy great and a great audio guy better. I recommend this book to anyone in the audio post world.

I decided to buy this book because I had used the forum on the DV.com website for information before, and Jay Rose's comments there had proven to be spot-on and well-informed.
This book contains a thorough examination of all the factors which contribute to the quality of post-production audio. The level of information includes the spectrum from basic to advanced, but through Mr. Rose's clear explanations the advanced information should not go over the heads of the reader.

...or do they? One of the enticing issues in this story of an old, shabby war veteran and the young photographer with the holes in her jeans and her backpack full of unpaid bills is 'are they people from different planets moving tentatively to understand one another'? The young protagonist thought so as she tries to photograph the old man's unusual face. She approaches this 'homeless person' and he tells her he's got no money to give! she is infuriated...but intrigued at the same time. There is more approach-rebuff until finally they begin to communicate.

I suggest you keep this theme in mind as you read the story. Betty Dobson's style is one I like... you catch The Truth in the details, not by fiat. I really don't think it's fair to Betty to summarize the plot any further, as the surprises you encounter along the path of this confused yet intrigued relationship bring the story home for you. Like Jim Wilsky says...this story leaves you thinking...you are still trying to answer that question I posed at the very beginning, only your understanding has shifted considerably from when you first view the homeless wreck with the unique face the young photographer wants to snap. Subtle, thought-provoking, and downright entertaining. For best results read this one when your head is clear...Betty Dobson makes you use it!!! Five Stars John W. Cassell

Against the austere black and white luminosity of an early morning fog in Nova Scotia, `Baby Angels' plays out like a smart, character-driven neo-noir.

The narrator of the story is a Halifax sparkplug named Janet. Janet is a photographer. She likes to take pictures of `interesting faces.' Janet likes to show the dramatic contours of the faces she photographs by using low-key lighting. Proper low-key lighting techniques create distinct areas of light and shadow in a photograph, which greatly minimizes distracting contrasts that could otherwise reduce the emotional content of the original subject.

I know this because Ms. Dobson uses a similar technique. Her understated, straight-forward prose works like low-key lighting on the tone of this story. She pulls you into the brooding mystery of `Baby Angels,' and brilliantly eschews superfluous details that could otherwise water down and reduce the emotional content of the subtext. Ms. Dobson weaves a spell with the words you read; but there is a lot going on just beneath them, and it is what she does not say that makes this story that much more intriguing.

While searching for a subject to photograph, Janet meets a man so poorly dressed she mistakes him for a vagrant. His name is Morris Sweetapple, and he is not entirely what he seems. A very tragic memory has given Janet something of an identity crisis that she has been attempting to hide from herself for many years, and although she doesn't know it yet, Morris is going to make her confront it.

`Baby Angels' dances right on the edge of being sweet, but Ms. Dobson is not the least bit afraid of taking her dark, cynical characters into the shade created by her low-key lighting approach.

The story is generously salted with interesting banter, and it is full of thoughtful moments that are both quiet and nuanced. `Baby Angels' is a strong yet fragile story. It is underscored by Ms. Dobson's elegant, economical prose, and it is powerfully mysterious.

Each neat, crisp little sentence comes at you like a boxer's left jab. You know she is setting you up, but you will never see that haymaker coming.

It's a knockout. I was floored!

ERO

One of the ways I judge a story or at least rate it, is whether or not it stays with me. After finishing it, do I keep thinking about it and does it just keep staring back at me?

I have a winner when I say goodbye and shut the door on a story, then an hour later I open that door back up and there it still stands. That's a good story to me and that's Baby Angels. I highly recommend this well written, unique and entertaining story.

A magical connection between two unusual souls is wrought over a period of time in this intriguing tale.

Suspenseful and creative, the magic lies in the unanswered questions...those that keep you guessing until the very end and afterwards.

I found myself wanting to know more about the history of the characters, but I also found satisfaction in making up my own backstory for them.

A fascinating read.

Betty Dobson's prose in Baby Angels got in my back door, reaching the far corners of my heart and mind. I didn't realize I was feeling so deeply until I reached the end and wanted more - a masterpiece of imagery and emotion.

This is probably the best book ever written on the subject of waterbaptism. Thorough, complete, liberating.
A minor comment one could make is the confusion with baptism with the Spirit at some points, but the writer's monumental explanation of the sacramental value of believer's baptism makes up for it for sure.
In short the writer is saying that baptism is a expression of saving faith that perfects that same saving faith - with all the wonderful blessings of salvation! (James 2:22)

I came to this book needing questions answered about biblical baptism. I got that and so much more. The author not only deals with the issue in a comprehensive way, but in the wider context of the church and the Holy Spirit, and in doing so deals with many other issues aound confirmation, laying on of hands, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the church. Essential reading for anyone pondering the complexities of such matters.

G. R. Beasely-Murray (B-M) set out to write a book on his full understadning of baptism, and the results are amazing. I would warn you that this book is not easy reading, but is necissary reading for those who are truely interested in God's word. It seems like B-M did not leave any stones unturned in his quest to understand baptism. He brings anthropology, history, literature, theology and many years of knowledge out in this book.

B-M starts with a pre-christian history of baptism and cerimonial washing, including the Baptisms of the essenes, John, and the baptism of Jesus. He then looks at the formation of Christians baptism in the bible (broken down into each book starting with acts). Then he does a topical look at what Christian baptism means and theology about baptism: icluding grace, repentence, and faith which are almost always overlooked in modern discussion of baptism. The book ends with a look at infant baptism.

B-M is thorough in his quest to figure out baptism. He rest his arguments on facts and logical conclussions instead of assumptions (normally a problem with modern theologins). Instead of writing a book to support his denominations theology, he has the courage to challenge it (and other denominations as well).

Although this in not meant to be an "easy reading" book on the vast subject of baptism, "Baptism in the New Testament" is well worth a careful read by the serious Bible student. This scholarly book is written by a Baptist, but as the back cover says (and I agree), "his discussion transcends denominational lines." Baptism is a vital part of the Christian experience, yet it is so often misunderstood, especially when it comes to any possible role baptism has with salvation (specifically, justification). Beasley-Murray concentrates much attention on the historical aspect of the doctrine and shows how baptism has been practiced and believed in the last 20 centuries. I would heartily recommend this book to the person who is serious about his/her study.

I found the author while trying to research Baptist views on baptism, and found Beasley-Murray far different from the faith-only Calvinism I was expecting. Later in a seminar, he spoke of undertaking a project to address the Eschatological Discourse of Mark 13, saying that scholars had for too long "played ducks and drakes" with the passage. Surely the same applies to this subject!

I found many of my own views supported (baptism has a salvific role) and had other views thoroughly changed and elevated by this important book. His understanding of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" was enlightening and convincing, causing me to depart from the dominant view in my fellowship.

Other reviewers have, however, noted the author's inconsistency on some points. Most disturbing was the treatment of infant baptism which was upheld in spite of earlier insistence on the sole suitability for believer's baptism as an application of Scripture on the subject of baptism. In his seminar, the author also attributed salvation to non-baptized, wrongly-baptized among the denominations on the visible activity of the Holy Spirit among them. Could not a similarly false argument be made for non-Christian religions?

In the seminar he also addressed the puzzling matter of why many evangelicals dodge the plain meaning of Scriptures relevant to baptism. He suprised me again by declaring that Baptists of Europe differ from their American counterparts by upholding baptism's role in salvation. Why not in America? He suggests the current standoff goes back to debates with Alexander Campbell and others from the 18th century on who were intent on throwing off denominational entanglements and restoring the NT church. Many evangelical scholars are now acknowledging the error and accepting the truth, even if filtering this down into their churches remains problematic.

Baptism's salvific role should cause no affront to Reformed believers. We see nothing meritorious, and have no pretentions of saving ourselves or adding to the finished cross-work of Jesus. Baptism is salvific along with other required "works" (believing, repentance, confession of Jesus's Lordship, calling on the Name, etc.) only because they are the means of ushering people into relationship with Him. Salvation is found in Jesus, and in the relationship with Him.

Roger C. Palmer's "The Bar Code Book" is the single greatest reference for bar code technology. Supplement its wisdom with individual bar code symbology specifications and you are geared for success.

Craig Senior

I bought this book a while ago. Excellent. You gain the idea how barcode works, how to create an application based on barcode. Very good for professionals in AIDC industry. For best results you need software - I recommend the fonts from Morovia Corporation.

A very good reference book for barcodes. A definite must-have. dvanhorn@cedar.net

Do not stay in your view,go into scientific

The book is an excellent treatment of application of barcodes & 2D symbolnologies. For practical purposes it is best to purchase the software & manual. It is then possible to create ALL of the codes with PC or Mac ( Specify system on ordering). FilmBars Graphics - Symbolnology Labs Software can be ordered from: Cobra Systems

For anyone that uses Camtasia Studio, Daniel Park's Definitive Guide is just that. With an engaging and easy to digest style, Daniel leads you through pretty much every aspect of using this program suite to it's full potential.

Along the way, he also covers the intangible and often overlooked aspects of preperation, planning, and time saving tips and tricks that make it possible to produce a quality poduct with Camtasia.

Daniel Parks' book Camtasia Studio 3 is an excellent resource for those just beginning to learn the application or with a fair amount of knowledge about it. Although he doesn't delve into certain subjects as deeply as I would have liked (e.g., limitations with certain options), at 550+ pages you're still getting a good deal of information.

I've found one or two areas of the book I don't believe I agree with Parks on in how to manipulate the software, but maybe I'm just not reading his instructions in the way he intended.

If you've never used Camtasia but expect to need some of the lesser-used options, I highly recommend you buy this book when you buy the software. Good job, Daniel!

This book is my Camtasia "Bible." It's well-written and has answered a lot of questions I didn't even know I had. Now that Camtasia has moved to Version 4, I wonder if the book will undergo a revision to cover all the great new features.

If I could give 10 stars I would. THis book is the definitive guide to Camtasia and much, much more. The Camtasia part doesn't even start till Chapter 5. You spend the chapters before that learning about the how-to and why of 1) training, 2) marketing and 3) demo presentations. It's a Camtasia book and a How-To-Do-Great-Presentation book in one. And all done in an entertaining by the author's warm personable conversational style.
I wish the author would write more books. About Sony Vegas, about Serious Magic Ultra 2, about search engines. He is so good.

If you are serious about getting a proper understanding of Camtasia, then you definitely need this book. As far as I'm aware, it is the only such book available. Sure you can try using the Help material supplied with Camtasia, but it is difficult to learn well enough that way.

Camtasia Studio is a complex video recording and editing package, and there is a great deal of detail which is difficult to understand at first. Even with this book I'm needing to re-read whole chapters in order to get sufficient understanding of the suitable techniques to apply. The book isn't an easy read, but essential if you are to get maximum value from Camtasia.

The author, Daniel Park, has actually worked for the makers of Camtasia in the past, although he now works as a consultant. This gives him both an insiders and outsiders objective perspective, which allows a reader to get a fuller understanding of all the intricacies. The presentation is well-informed and conversational, although more attention could have been given to the learning needs of a naive user.

The book is a concise compilation of case studies that encompass a myriad of experiences faced by companies and cultures in their pursuit of reaping the benefits of e-commerce. The cases provide a global focus on cultural challenges both geographic and organizational, a sampling of various information technology considerations, and customer interface and acceptance factors.
Two of the cases explore cultural issues in Latin and Asian societies. Their explosive demand for IT outpaced the substantial infrastructure shortfalls. Reliability of telecommunications systems, the lack of electronic payment methods, and weak processing infrastructures are just a few of the areas discussed.
The study of the Texas Instrument implementation and management of an e-commerce enabled enterprise information system clearly describes the paramount concern for the development of a strategic focus within the organization, the need for top management support, and most importantly the development of sound business processes. The significance of business process development is explored often throughout the cases starting with the first chapter where a description of the dynamic evolution of an e-commerce entity is taken from the concept stage all the way through implementation.
Finally, throughout all the cases it is clear that customer focus and direct customer interface during the development and implementation are key success factors in reaping the benefits of an e-commerce endeavor.
The variety of cases maintain your interest and offer a comprehensive collection of experiences that are sure to alleviate most start up and operational issues.

The big boom being over, many are apparently of the opinion that the Internet does not matter--at least on a global level. Cases on Worldwide E-Commerce gives many examples to the contrary. It shows interesting and instructive examples of how organizations are making use of the Internet and networking technologies to help them carve away at markets and improve operations.

"Cases on Worldwide E-Commerce: Theory in Action" is a great read for both practitioners and scholars. Because of the book's unique perspective on this timely topic, my students will find that it is required reading in my next E-Commerce class.

"Cases on Worldwide Electronic Commerce: Theory in Action" is a good read. It is very useful for both scholars and practitioners. I intend to use this book in my next Electronic Commerce class because it gives the latest perspectives on this dynamic topic.

This is a very worthy book that amply describes best practices for achieving a competitive edge in eCommerce. Dr. Raisinghani's book illustrates the methods used by industry to transform strategic plans for eCommerce into viable business operations. While written as an academic text, the book none-the-less offers insight into the practical nature of how different organizations went about leveraging their respective IT investments in order to provide superior customer value, cycle time reductions, and expansion of their operations to a global market. This book is highly beneficial in both the academic and business sectors...very useful and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the growth (or study) of eCommerce.

Engaging snippet, the story is well told, very Texan description in locale and language. It gives the reader a vivid picture as the story unfold. The description of the French Bakery and the dessert make this reader salivate and yearn for the dessert hoping that this fictional bakery store is real and is somewhere in the Dallas metroplex area. The mystery element of the story makes it engaging to find out what is going to happen the leading character. Now I can't wait for the book to be published.

Looks to me that this chocolate armadillo starts with one part cook book, adds in some quirky, yet intriguing characters, a dash of the Dallas metroplex lifestyle, and as it trails off with only a taste from the first couple of chapters, a hint of murder mystery.

As a DFW resident, I recognize the locales, which perhaps draws me in to the book immediately. I "know" several of these characters in that they remind me of real people. Kat is such a narcissistic know-it-all. Suzy is perhaps a bit too sweet, just like the items she bakes. Eloise is eccentric, but loveable. And, in quick reference to the reviewer from London, many of the folks in Dallas are transplants from around the USA and indeed the globe. Not everybody has the "Texan" accent - including many of those who grew up here. (At the same time, the right accent would add a "Texas" touch to the book, so I understand what you are saying).

I'm guessing this book needs to come with a food label because I'm thinking one might get fat reading about all these baked goods! I was certainly hungry when I was reading about the items for sale in the bakery. I hope the book comes with recipes. I want to know how to bake a chocolate armadillo.....

I enjoyed reading part of the story and loved that it's in the cities I know so I can picture it well enough. I can't wait for the book to publish.

I can smell the chocolate while I am reading the beginning of this exciting and mysterious novel - I can't wait to see this book published so I can read the rest!
The love to detail is amazing - both culinary and geographically.

I need MORE PAGES.....I already HATE Kat......and MUST know if she killed her husband for the insurance $$$ to start her French Bakery......Eloise is a hoot......looking forward to more of her....When do we get the next installment?!!!!!!

I really enjoyed this story. Christmas is one of my favorite holiday's and I loved how this story displays the true spirit of Christmas.

A rancher knows hard work, rough times and dedication in trying to make it all come together as he makes his living on the ranch he loves so well. Tommy knows this first hand as he tries desperately to get the little calf that decides to run from the herd. He is Thankful that his neighbors and friends are there to help with taking the rest of the herd to their destination as he follows the stray. He thinks of his family warm in their home, missing them as he is out in the cold trying to bring in the lone calf.

Tommy is surprised when he stumbles across a family in need out in the middle of nowhere and of course he jumps right in trying to help in a trying situation.

This is a must read, Mr. Voss knows how to write a warm tale of what family and dedication is. Christmas on the Mesa is a must read any time of the year. I'm looking forward to more stories from Mr. Voss.

Tory Lynn, author of "My Charming Protector"

Small miracles happen, most are never brought to light. It was more than chance that lead Tommy and Patch into that very clearing on the mesa at that very moment in time. And as with most human kindness that seeks nothing in return the giver is rewarded tenfold as was Tommy Loving. A Christmas story of the highest order, the author captures the true Spirit of the Season. The good thing is I didn't have to wait until the 25th of December to experience it too.
Good job, Mr. Voss.

Mr. Voss put me on that ranch that day. This reader felt the compassion, determination, and down right grit, a family of the like entails. Warm and visual, Mr. Voss hits another homerun when it comes to bringing it alive for the reader.

Ever fall in love with a cow ... calf?

>> The calf busted out of the pinion pines in an explosion of snow, bawling for its mother at the top of its lungs. His tail stuck straight in the air with the top curled around to make a perfect number nine as it ran for all it was worth. <<

Resistance is futile. You're a mamma now.

Any time, in my mind, I can sing, "I'll be hooooommme for Christmas..." and hear the ching, ching, ching of a million bells announcing a sleigh ride in the snow. Or, here's this scene:

>>Instead here he was following this maverick calf through the pinion and cedar trees in the snow and freezing weather.... Wind blew the snow off of the top of the cliff and down the neck of his pile lined denim coat. He turned his coat collar up a little higher, tugged his hat lower on his head, and pulled his knit scarf snug to help keep out the cold.... The trail crested over the rim of the mesa on to the wide open area on top. Snow was drifting around the twisted trunks of the few juniper trees that managed to take root up on the mesa top. <<

That's how a writer puts you into his world. Whatever season, or reason for resistance, you won't have trouble riding with Tommy, then sharing the rewards.

Can appreciation of a journey's end, even in a short story, bring a throat lump and brimming tears? Sure. Here. Now. Why didn't I guess what was coming? This author has a way of creating a character you'll go along with without much contemplation, allowing the surprises to warm your Christmas craving heart in heat of July.

Cool story with warm tides, right when you need `em!

Linda Shelnutt