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Encyclopedia of Visual Effects

by Ric Getter

March 2008

Perhaps the only thing more amazing than the world that visual effects artists create for us is the overwhelmingly complex and fast-changing world in which they work. Even though the craft is far younger, the techniques, terminology and best practices in a computer graphics (CG) shop can be every bit as intricate (if not more so) than a Hollywood back lot. In the Encyclopedia of Visual Effects, Damian Allen and Brian Connor have amassed a broad handbook of knowledge for special effects professionals. Part of the Apple Pro Training series, it offers a wealth of information for anyone wanting to expand their skill in this rapidly expanding field.

The book begins with three introductory chapters offering a general overview of the fundamental elements of compositing: 3D effects, keying and motion tracking. Here, youÕll find some excellent tips on workflow as well as some common pitfalls to avoid, as revealed by two voices of significant experience. The bulk of this well-written and copiously illustrated book comprises the encyclopedia itself, covering topics from alpha channels to the Z depth pass. Some topics are simply definitions and cross-references, but most will include in-depth tutorials with detailed, step-by-step instructions. Even though the authors provide some coverage of Motion and After Effects, their tool of choice is AppleÕs Shake, a node-based tool very different from the timeline approach of the other programs.

Even though the Encyclopedia is rich in compositing theory, youÕll really need to use Shake or a similar tool to put the techniques in practice. The DVD-ROM included with the book has demo versions of all three programs, as well as files for the tutorial projects. To help you get up to speed, an appendix titled ÒShake in a DayÓ offers up a crash course for anyone so motivated (or well caffeinated). YouÕll probably want to defer to the Pro Training volume on Shake 4 for a more thorough education.

Interspersed throughout the book are brief, first-person ÒcameosÓ with narratives of how some of the techniques were applied in real life (at least real, computer-generated life). As an artist and creative director, Allen brings years of commercial experience to the book. As a compositor for Industrial Light and Magic, Connor has had a hand in nearly all of the shopÕs major films since the late 1990s.

Encyclopedia of Visual Effects is an exceptional book for an exceptional audience. With its delicate balance of depth and scope, it is an essential volume for the compositorÕs bookshelf.

Encyclopedia of Visual Effects by Damian Allen and Brian Connor; $59.99, Peachpit Press ; 590 pgs. ISBN 0-321-30334-2

iPod & iTunes for Dummies (4th edition)

One of the best things that can be said about AppleÕs iTunes and iPod is that they really donÕt need a 400-page user guide. In fact, downloading an episode of Scrubs is probably simpler than trying to figure out how to set your VCR to record it. Even though this popular series from Wiley made a name for itself by condensing and simplifying complex subjects into a single volume, the fourth edition of iPod & iTunes for Dummies takes a somewhat different route, growing into one of the most comprehensive books weÕve seen on AppleÕs market-dominating music and video players.

Starting out with an overview of the expanding iPod genealogy (five generations and counting) and some useful tips on preserving your battery life, the book takes you through the basics of setting up your iPod and iTunes to work together to store and manage your music and video collections. It offers some detailed instructions installing and setting up your iPod and iTunes on both Windows and Macs (which should make you fairly happy you chose the Mac). From that point on, the only mentions and illustrates the Windows version when there are significant differences. Even though AppleÕs FairPlay Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology is comparatively simple and straightforward (just ask anyone with a Microsoft Zune), there are a few gotchaÕs that you need to be aware of. These are covered quite clearly in chapters about the ins and outs of what you can and canÕt do in terms of file sharing and keeping your purchased music collection safe via backups.

iPod & iTunes for Dummies is at its best when it delves into some of the more advanced topics that talk about encoding options and how to fine-tune the sound of your music using the iTunes/iPod equalization options. There are also some good suggestions of for a variety of third-party applications and utilities (even though it missed one of the best -- ProsoftÕs TuneTech).

Its detailed and thorough approach to the subject matter may make some parts iPod & iTunes for Dummies a bit overwhelming to the absolute newcomer. A section in the first chapter where the authors try to sort out the USB and FireWire capabilities of the various generations could be a bit mind-numbing. But skipping about through the book (as one often tends to do with this series), assisted by the ample cross-references the authors provide will make this a most useful addition to the serious iPodderÕs bookshelf.

iPod & iTunes for Dummies by Tony Bove and Cheryl Rhodes; $21.99, Wiley ; 418 pgs. ISBN 0-470-04894-8

The Hamster Revolution

It may not be getting as much media attention, but buried under that mountain of spam that arrives each day is growing number of legitimate e-mails. And, unlike spam, these usually need to be read, replied to, acted on, stored and, possibly even worse, retrieved. As your inbox influx grows, you can quickly get to the point where the harder you work, the less you achieve; you begin to feel like a hamster running on a wheel. That little analogy is the basis of the narrative conceit of The Hamster Revolution by Mike Song, Vicki Halsey and Tim Burress.

Harold, the HR director of a sizable financial enterprise succumbs so profoundly to the inundation of e-mail that he turns into one of the fuzzy little creatures. A consultant comes to his rescue and gives him some coaching on how to cope with this technological blessing cum curse.

Okay, assuming you can survive the saccharine simile (which happily gets toned down after the first couple of chapters), youÕll learn some absolutely great techniques for dealing with the e-mails you receive as well as making the ones you create far more useful to their recipients. The authorsÕ allegorical style borrows a bit from Spencer JohnsonÕs management classic Who Moved My Cheese?, but their approach is quite unique. Revolution is targeted at the corporate user (and preferably one who is in a position to influence othersÕ e-mail practices), but the methods suggested should be useful to just about anyone. With a number of mnemonic tools and visual devices, the ideas are presented in a way that would be simple and clear enough for even upper management to understand and appreciate. Nobody works in a complete vacuum (your opinion of your current workplace notwithstanding) and reducing an e-mal glut really needs to be a group effort. The Hamster Revolution offers a number of ideas on how to disseminate and evangelize the tools throughout an organization.

Despite the fact that the focus of the book is e-mail, some of the tools that are presented give you ways to organize your business documents and files that can spread beyond your mail program to your Documents folder and even filing cabinets. When they get down to specifics, these techniques are explained in a way thatÕs obviously Windows-centric, but they will work just as easily, if not more so, on a Mac (and the Finder has color-coded labeling, Windows doesnÕt).

Revolution is short (125 pages) and easy to read. The authors are clearly well versed at practicing what they preach. In spite of its rather overt cuteness, the hamster analogy and dialog-based format do help to get some abstract ideas across in a clear, memorable and occasionally entertaining way. Once youÕve read it, youÕll probably want to spread the word to your colleagues. But itÕs a safe bet that it wonÕt be in a long and rambling e-mail.

The Hamster Revolution by Mike Song, Vicki Halsey and Tim Burress; $19.95, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. ; 125 pgs. ISBN 1-57675-437-5