iMovie HD 6 and iDVD 6 for Mac OS X

I've been using Quickstart Guides for years and I have always found them to be some of the most straightforward user manuals on the market. Plus I really appreciate Jeff Carlson's sense of humor. The added plus to iMovie HD 6 is that the manual is now in color and this adds to the clarity of what the interface looks like and how the program operates.

Text laid out in dual columns per page with plentiful pictures making concepts easy to understand and very readable. I used this book to create a DVD of my daughter's wedding, and it led me through the process each step of the way. A very good "how-to" guide that contains plenty of tips and the right amount of detail.

Review by Moses Rodriguez, MacCORE.org

The great thing about Apple software is the ease-of-use; you can literally launch a program (like iMovie) and get to work. This program is feature packed and more than capable in getting a stylized look to your video.

Figuring how iMovie works is fairly simple and straightforward. You can get up and running right away and create a DVD to share with family and friends quickly. But, one of the drawbacks of just going gangbusters and cranking out a movie without a help guide is you just may miss a sweet hidden trick or technique and perhaps wind-up doing things the "hard way". You could even run the risk of missing a cool effect or even knowing how a simple feature can make your videos much more special. This is the exact reason is why books like this are written. iMovie HD 6 & iDVD 6 is chock full of tips on almost every page helping you discover these hidden tricks and short cuts.

This guide is broken up in four parts: Shooting, Editing in iMovie HD, Sharing from iMovie HD and iDVD. Each part contains five to seven chapters.

Part One "Shooting" consist of the first five chapters of the book are dedicated to the process involved before you start your computer, covering subjects such as camcorder pros and cons, shooting video, composing your shots, zooming, panning, lighting and audio. Though these topics may not be why you buy the book in the first place I strongly suggest reading them. While it may be too late for you in considering which camcorder to buy it will help you in figuring out your camcorder's strengths and weakness. Even if its just in the area of getting the most from your video camera. These initial chapters will definitely make your end product better and help you in the long run achieve that masterpiece you have been longing for...at least it will help you turn those vacation photos into a movie (complete with music) that you'll be proud to share. Long gone are those painful days of watching someone else's vacation slides in a darkened den, now you can send a DVD via U.S. Postal Service, a video through your email, or if you are apt you can put your entire movie on the web.

The "Editing" section of the book contains the most chapters. Starting off with a basic overview of iMovie, from creating a new project to explaining the interface and tools within the program. Chapter 7 covers the in's-and-out's of importing video, while Chapter 8 is all about editing video. The rest of Part Two deals with audio files, transitions, titles and effects.

Part Three "Sharing from iMovie HD" covers exporting to GarageBand, Quicktime, email, iWeb, Bluetooth and iDVD.

Part Four "iDVD" helps complete your work of art. This part of the procedure is almost more important than all the others. While this is the last step in the process, it actually will be the first thing that is seen when your movie is viewed.

The beauty of working in iMovie is how easy it is to create a movie and the way it seamlessly interacts with iPhoto, iTunes and GarageBand. Importing photos, slideshows, music or even scoring your movie is easy and brilliant in its simplicity. But to get the most from iMovie don't just wing it - get help! Doesn't everyone want a "guide to better results"? With helpful tips and information to achieve great results this is what iMovie HD 6 & iDVD 6 will do for you.

The Visual QuickStart Guide series is an excellent series of books. I appreciate all the screen shots and the simple explanations in the use of the application. It covers all the basics and advanced features of the program in a way that anyone can understand.

With this book you will be up and running in no time. The color picture are a great teaching aid. I have used Jeff Carlsons books before for a number of programs and all have been excellent.