You have just purchased a digital video camera and now you are confused on how to work it. Most of the time when you purchase one of these, it isn't months, or even weeks before you need it, it is usually a day or two before the event. It is usually because you have found that your old one is no longer working, or there is something coming up that you want to capture and you are under a deadline.
Now you have this new, complex piece of equipment, and you need to figure out how it works in a hurry. You don't want to spend time drudging through jargon and software editing manuals. Enter The Little Digital Video Book. This little book was written just so you could get up to speed fast. This book contains 240 pages divided into seven chapters.
Chapter 1, "The Basics," start off by hoping that you have not yet purchased your camcorder or editing system, but if you have, not to worry, you will still be able to use what you have. This chapter is divided into two parts: your tools, and your process. Your tools include the camera, recording media, computer, software, and other tools. Next is your process. This goes into preparation, shooting, editing, and finishing.
Chapter 2, "Your Camera," begins with the basics of your camcorder. Not all of the fancy things that it is capable of, but rather the primitive capabilities: turning on/off, rewinding, finding the menu, etc. Once done, you will get your first "Assignment" - a blindfold test. What you have to do here is, with a blindfold on, is show that you can completely work your camera. You will also learn about logging and labeling your tapes and how to work with your timecodes.
Chapter 3, "Shooting," assumes that you are now comfortable with your camera, and are ready to shoot. This chapter goes over terms and concepts that are associated with shooting to edit. As you get more practice, you will better be able to anticipate what you need to do in the field. Here you will learn about how to shoot, building structure in your shots, camera shots, coverage, and framing and design. You will also learn about lighting, sound, and what to shoot. There are more assignments as well.
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