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Total Training for Final Cut Pro 5:The Essentials
Review Date: December 15, 2006
Reviewed By: Kari Ann Morgan
Product Reviewed: Total Training for Final Cut Pro 5: The Essentials
Okay, so you've just finished shooting your film, and now it's time for editing. Editors sing the praises of Final Cut Pro, but it's a complex software with the capacity to do awesome things. You know some basics, but want to take full advantage of the software and all its abilities. Where do you turn? Total Training for Final Cut Pro 5: The Essentials.
Clocking in at almost 12 hours on two DVD ROMs, host Brian Maffitt walks you all the through the basics of FCP, showing the various features of the software. If you have little to no experience with FCP, this Total Training is… well… a total training, complete from beginning to end. If you have a decent working knowledge of FCP and want to really know how to make the most of the software, this will increase your knowledge.
Understandability
TTFCP5:TE includes an example project that is designed to be run on FCP while you're going through the training. It's a kind of virtual version of the “follow along in your book” exercises that we used to do as kids in school. As Brian shows you the various features and abilities of FCP, you can click from the training to the sample project and back again as needed throughout the training sessions. This is extremely helpful. Because there is such a large amount of complex information to learn and process, I was concerned about how hard it was going to be to retain said information. But because you're doing the editing yourself as you're being instructed, the memory retention is significantly improved.
For those with smaller, slower computers, you should still be able to run both Total Training and the SD sample projects on FCP at the same time. (Obviously, the included lesson on editing HDV with its associated footage would be an exception.) On one of our slower Macs--a G4 dual 450 with a gig of RAM--I was able to run the training and work on the project in FCP simultaneously without stuttering issues. (Older machines with less RAM may start yielding pops and audio glitches when running both TT and FCP at the same time.)
Depth of Information
The fact that the training is a total of 12 hours long should give you an idea of the huge amount of information covered. That's more information than many quarter-long classes on the program at a local community college. FCP is a complex software in and of itself; so it needs this time to flesh out the basics. If you know nothing about video editing, you can pop this in and start learning how to effectively use FCP. But even if you're well-versed in the ways of FCP, there are still a lot of little things you'll be able to learn to improve your craft even further. (And of course, for advanced users, Total Training will undoubtedly be releasing an Advanced course in the near future to teach you even more.)
The sections are sub-divided into lessons that are about 5-7 minutes each. There are around 10-14 lessons in each section. The lessons are “bite sized” so that you can sit down and watch several of them at a time, take a break, and then come back and pick up right where you left off. More experienced users can skip lessons or sections that cover information they are already familiar with. It is also easy to go back and review material that you may be rusty on or might not have understood the first time around.
Attention Captivation
Mr. Maffitt is absolutely great as an instructor. He talks at a pace that is steady, understandable, and easy to follow, and he covers the information in a way that is interesting and thorough, but not overwhelming. His presentation and instructional manner is very pleasant, both knowledgeable and conversational, and he is great about giving you enough information, but not so much that it's an overload.
Reusability
This is definitely something that you'll come back to time and again. The sheer volume of information makes it an invaluable tool in learning how to make the most use of the vast capabilities of FCP. And because FCP is so complex, chances are good that you'll keep coming back to this to brush up and keep your knowledge current. Plus, the sections and lessons are structured in such a way that reviewing material is extremely easy.
Value vs. Cost
Although $230 might seem like a lot of money, you basically get your own video editing professor! You can work at your own pace and review or skip material as needed. And while some might argue that you could get the same information from one of those Bible-sized instruction guides for a lot cheaper, I disagree. Let's be honest… how many of us actually read those 5 lb. instructional tomes? While I'm sure that they're full of valuable information, they're just no real match for the hands-on learning offered by Total Training. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then I think that 12 hours worth of informative video instruction is worth at least a couple hundred of those books (not to mention that it's much more interesting!). Not only that, but with as much stuff as FCP is truly capable of, $230 is not a bad price to pay for to lay down a really solid editing foundation with the product.
Final Comments
Whether you're just starting to learn how to edit on FCP or even if you're already familiar with its capabilities, you can learn from what Total Training for Final Cut Pro 5: The Essentials has to offer. The training flows smoothly and is easy to follow as Brian Maffitt walks you through the ins and outs of FCP. The sample project that you work on greatly improves your ability to remember what you're learning, while the organization of the lessons and sections makes it a snap to navigate.
Because of the huge amount of information available and the great way it's presented, this training package is a must-have for anyone wanting to start to learn or improve their knowledge of FCP. It's a great investment that you'll be able to keep using for a long time to come!
View original at www.mircofilmmaker.com
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