The Camcorder User's Video
Handbook by Peter Davison
This review was written by Anne Vincent and originally appeared in Film
& Video Maker magazine.
I've read many video books and they seem to fall into three categories:
those written by professional writers with little practical hands-on knowledge
of the subject; those written by stills photographers who don't seem to
understand the difference between still pictures and moving images;
and those written by professional broadcasters who will never understand
the limitations of budget and limited equipment available to the average
amateur.
This book is different since its author, Peter Davison, is himself a keen
amateur enthusiast and no airy-fairy armchair theorist. I've never met him
but have heard him on audio-cassette many,many times - especially when he
produced and edited high-quality multi-mixed sound magazines for the
International Tape and Cine Society (ITACS) of which I am secretary.
Members might remember Peter wrote the script for last year's winner Time
and Time Again.
The book itself is large (25 chapters) and heavily illustrated with photographs
and diagrams. And one chapter, Computers in Video is written by
Terry Mendoza.
I was particularly impressed with the detailed chapters on camerawork,
microphones, and laying proper soundtracks. Unlike other books that cover
these vital subjects in very generalised terms, this book really tells you
how - exactly how; and the technical jargon is thoroughly explained in good
English.
Of the craft of turning footage into movies, it covers movie grammar in great
detail, and there are several chapters on producing worthwhile documentaries,
from serious 'journalism' to holiday travelogues, dramatised documentaries
- even 'pop' videos and sales promos - and there's a fascinating chapter
on how to spark off originality.
Fiction movies are also covered in depth, from planning, scripting, producing
and directing, through to off-line and on-line editing. And this must be
the first book to include a chapter on the benefits of joining a club and
The Film and Video Institute!
The blurb on the cover says it's a comprehensive manual to all aspects
of video photography and editing. It is.
The Camcorder User's Video Handbook by Peter Davison (ISBN 1 85283 402 1)
£12.99
published by Boxtree Ltd , Broadwall House, 21 Broadwall, London SE1 9PL
I like to think that my continued nagging of Peter - to share his knowledge
more widely - was the catalyst that got this book written. I am delighted
that the book has done so well. An initial print-run quickly sold out and
it has now been reprinted. It is on the booklist of recommended reading for
members of the video section of the Royal Photographic Society. - Terry
Mendoza
