I have Windows media 9 by example, Editing aesthetics and craft and the phot shop one as well as spots book.. The editing aesthetics and craft are very very enlightening. It seems very interesting and I look forward to more reading.. Im going to need an entire weekend to digest it though.. Yes they are all great books,.. CMP seems to be top notch from what I recieved so far.. I think I am going to invest into the After Effects books as well.. Thanks for the input Dave.. Fred

Start with Motion Graphics vol. one, then move onto AE in production. Motion Graphics vol. two, while INSANELY informative, is a lot more straight-forward trouble shooting, and very light on the tutorials.

David.

Update on the windows media nine by example.. This book looks like alot of info I dont need .. Setting up servers etc.. My initial consideration was to create possibly interactive training DVD's using the Media 9 codec.. Does anyone else have an idea?? Am i on the right path or is there a better software for creating an interactive training DVD???

Thanks David, since I'm planning to learn AE (*very* first steps) you already answered THE question I was asking myself after checking out all of the AE books made by the authors...
I know pretty much about Photoshop, do you think the learning curve will be a very long one?

"Update on the windows media nine by example.. This book looks like alot of info I dont need .. Setting up servers etc.. My initial consideration was to create possibly interactive training DVD's using the Media 9 codec.. Does anyone else have an idea?? Am i on the right path or is there a better software for creating an interactive training DVD???"

The new Macromedia Director thats coming out soon makes it possible to do a training DVD rather easily from what I hear but I am sure it is gonna cost big time $$$$

Thanks David, since I'm planning to learn AE (*very* first steps) you already answered THE question I was asking myself after checking out all of the AE books made by the authors...
I know pretty much about Photoshop, do you think the learning curve will be a very long one?

Actually, I was very surprised by how similar the two programs are. There *is* a learning curve with AE (as there is with all worthwhile programs... except for maybe Acid & Particle Illusion!), and I found it steep, but then, I'd never really tinkered with Photoshop, and I avoided Premiere like the plague. So it was all new to me.

That being said, each of the tutorials in Motion Graphics 1 & AE in Production takes a few hours, and they take you through each step without sounding condescending. After understanding most of the conventions (which should make since, as you come from using Photoshop), it becomes a simple matter of learning how to achieve whatever you want, instead of hoping for happy accidents!

David.

If you like the BOOK, you'll LOVE the video....
Richard Harrington just completed his Photoshop for NLE DVD, complete with many tricks and techniques not shown in the book. We'll post an announcement in the next week or so, scheduled to be shipping on Feb 15th. So far, we're on schedule.

Another approach is doing online tutorials. Which may be static or interactive. There are many QUALITY outfits that offer various levels of self-help where you can go either the pay as you need for just specific lessons or take the whole course.

The advantage of this method is you learn at your own pace, you can repeat the lessons as many times as you want, when you want and you're seeing HOW to use the application right on your computer.

Many sites teach Photoshop other popular software this way. I looked into this myself and found many sites offering courses on Flash (what I'm knee deep into now, but the book method I got to get away from this computer some time), Visual Basic, other computer related topics.

I've started my new site which will follow the same path for learning Vegas... all in Flash. Coming soon. Well sort of soon, that's a relative term. :-)

Just so its clear, Flash can be (with Action Script) FAR MORE than the typical gee-whiz cute graphics. Sure, you got to have a little of that, that's the fun part. BUT... there's much more you can do on the serious side, which is where I'm focusing. Well as serious as I ever get anyway. Life is too short to be too serious. So I'm going to have a Poser character do some of the teaching. I mean you all want do see a virtual version of me, don't ya?

After reading so many posts about this book, I ordered it online. Should get it soon.
Concerning online tutorials, check out on Wacom site (graphic boards), they got a few that are very interesting.

Futz, you'll be glad you bought it. We'll also be doing a VASST tour for Photoshop for NLE users with Rich Harrington for those that prefer the direct method of learning.
Lotsa information out there, no doubt! Problem is weeding out what doesn't work for you particularly, and what does work for you specifically.

Hooooly!!!
Just read 35 pages and I already feel like I know twice as much as I used to know !!!
Doesn't necessarily makes me a better editor "de facto" but hell is it good for "general humour" !
And I still haven't look at the DVD...

Hey BB,

There is a smiliar site (and subscription model) for learning Visual Stuido in the development world.

http://www.learnvisualstudio.net

Started out as one guy who new VS very well. Now I think he does this full time.

Whoa Fred. Get theeself to TheMap and put yourself on the map. I'm down the road in Kansas City but that's an anomaly and I really call Lawrence home. I'll meet you at the Brewery sometime...probably seen you there many a time without knowing it :-)