iMovie 2: The Missing Manual

For an example of how this book is technically precise in an engaging way, consider how it explains the purpose of the QT Margins check box, which has to do with compensating for a margin-cropping characteristic of televisions. Pogue proposes an equivalent label: "'QT Margins' means 'Assume this movie will be shown as a QuickTime movie, and therefore won't have chopped-off margins.'" The meaning of a fairly cryptic label becomes absolutely obvious.

Further kudos go to the book's designers for their liberal inclusion of illustrations. Where multiple frames are needed to illustrate a point, they're included. Tips and notes serve a valuable purpose, and are likely to introduce even seasoned iMovie editors to features they've missed on their own. --David Wall

Topics covered: Capturing video with a camera, then editing it on the Mac to include appealing transitions, effects, titling, and audio. The process of exporting edited video from the computer (such as for videotape or Web publishing).

Product Description
When it created iMovie in 1999, Apple Computer made digital video editing almost as easy as using a word processor--and even less expensive. Built into most modern Macintosh models is the circuitry needed to record pro-quality video from a digital camcorder, and then send the edited movies back to TV or tape with zero picture-quality loss.

Now Apple takes the revolution to the next level with the dramatically enhanced iMovie 2.0. The new software adds the option of inserting new video over a continuous audio track; removes limitations on the number of raw clips from which to choose scenes; and offers bonuses such as special effects and brightness and contrast adjustments, much greater typographical flexibility in its title- and credit-maker, and a far more useful and complete audio-track editor.

But one thing hasn't changed: iMovie 2, though much more sophisticated than its predecessor, still doesn't come with a single page of printed instructions.

Pogue Press/O'Reilly's iMovie: The Missing Manual, released in May 2000, became an instant bestseller, requiring two reprints in three months and earning rave five-star reviews on Amazom.com. This entertaining guide covers every step of iMovie video production, from choosing and using a digital camcorder to burning the finished work onto CDs. The book's philosophy: Giving someone iMovie without also teaching basic film technique is like giving a map to a teenager without teaching him to drive.

Now author David Pogue is back with an expanded, revised edition, now called iMovie 2: The Missing Manual, rewritten to cover iMovie 2 and nothing but.

Far deeper and more detailed than the meager set of online help screens included with iMovie, the book helps iMovie users realize the software's potential as a breakthrough in the cost, complexity, and difficulty of desktop video production.

With a technical review by Glenn Reid, architect and lead engineer of both iMovie and iMovie 2.

Now, to the book itself. If you need to do something with iMovie, it's in there. That pretty much covers what I need to say in this review, but it doesn't cover everything the book has to offer. Remember back in the 80s when the Mac made desktop publishing a reality, only to unleash a torrent of wretchedly amateurish graphic design? Well, Pogue spends much of the first couple of chapters attempting to prevent that from happening. This book starts off with a very basic primer on video production and how to use your equipment -- assumed to be a typical consumer-grade MiniDV camcorder, but it covers other options as well, particularly video bridges and the like.

The meat of the book discusses iMovie 2's capabilities, including discussions of its weaknesses and how to work around them. Effects, titles, and transitions are discussed in detail, including some useful information on crossfades (never fade straight to black -- instead, you want a black stillframe). Conversion to other formats is also an issue, and a significant part of the book discusses postproduction using QuickTime Pro. Directions are given for converting your work for DVD or VCD as well.

The issue I have with the book is largely its focus on iMovie in MacOS Classic, and the bugs that are present in that version that might not be in the OS X version. Screenshots all come from 9.x, with the only Aqua material being the interface of iMovie itself. I don't mark down for this since the program operates more or less the same, but an inexperienced user may have trouble. (I might note as well that the book works just as well for iMovie 3, which has a superficially different interface but handles more or less identically.)

So, yeah. If you're doing video production on iMovie, this is the book to get, hands down.


Informative, Clearly Organized and Useful   October 22, 2002
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

I bought three books to teach myself how to produce DVDs. The Erica Sadun book is for advanced users and was not helpful to me. The Bob LeVitus "Little iDVD Book" is probably one of the most poorly organized and edited books I've ever come across on any subject.

Pogue's "Missing Manual", on the other hand, is comprehensive, clear and well-organized. I've produced about half a dozen DVDs since reading (and re-reading) Pogue's book and it clearly made a huge difference in what I was able to construct using iDVD.

In my opinion, this is the only book you need to read to learn how to produce movies using iDVD.

Beyond teaching readers to work with iDVD, Pogue also offers loads of helpful suggestions about editing in general. This book is outstanding.


Solved a problem in my first reading   August 11, 2002
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

I love this book! I was ready to give up trying to use iMovie because of a small glitch that was incurring. After browsing thru the book the very first time I opened it, I came across the trouble I was having with iMovie. Mr. Pogue directed me to the correct settings and I am now having a great time editing my DV movies.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone attempting to use iMovie. There is so much more to this program than Apple addresses in the help file. Mr. Pogue's writing is concise but not out of reach for the average Mac user.

I have many books by Mr. Pogue and I would recommend any of them if you are stumped and need a well explained how-to-manuel.


It's OK   June 17, 2002
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

It's OK. It has about the same amount of material as the "iMovie 2 for Macintosh Visual Quickstart Guide" - The missing manual is fatter because it contains additional stories and things that a reader might find amusing, but that are not particular relevant to the topic. The section on movie making basics is very good. For an expanded view see "The Five C's of Cinematography". I thought I would find more information in this book since it is fatter than in the VQG, but it ended up that they are about even in content.


Simple Simon   May 21, 2002
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Can it get any simpler !! ha ha ha ha ha
I found this book to be extremely informative and easy to understand (especially since i am yet to purchace a mac and digital video cammera ).. I will have no hesitation now to go out and purchase a Mac and a Digital cammera .. and feel confident making my first feature film or "Home Movie " LOL