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12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
 SuperlativeApr 23, 2002
By Erika Mitchell
This book gives a broad overview of the field of video. It is intended as a textbook for students in a university video course, however, the information that it contains will be valuable for anyone interested in improving their video skills, especially in professional contexts. Since the book is a textbook, each chapter begins with a list of key terms and definitions, and key concepts are highlighted in the text and repeated at the end of the chapter. Each chapter also contains instructions for a lesson in Zettl's Video Lab on CD (not included). The book covers many topics related to professional video production, including the video production process, the video team, video cameras, lighting, sound, editing, and the studio. I found the language to be very straightforward and highly informative.
10 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Covers a lot of bases with good detailJun 27, 2000
By T
The only way to become comfortable working with studio equipment is to actually use it, but this book will be an excellent guide to tell you how. It explains lighting (one of the most important parts of a video shot!) and audio, how a camera works, and how to get the shots you want. It also explains what makes a good shot, and what makes a bad one, and what a logical sequence would look like.Everything is illustrated with very clear pictures, diagrams and sketches. It is a very visual book, which is essential, because if you are attracted to working with video, it is likely that you are a visually oriented person and would benefit from many pictures and illustrations! This book delivers. It shows as well as it tells. Everything you need to know to make a good production is here in this book. Of course, a teacher actually showing you how to use the equipment is the best way to learn, but this book will help you review and perhaps go more in depth. It is also an excellent reference to learn all of the TV lingo from. I bought it as a textbook for a university course, and it is one of the only course textbooks I've had that I have chosen to keep. If you are starting a career in TV broadcasting, or think you might be interested in the field, I highly recommend this book.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 great book!!Aug 09, 2002
By Christine
i am an electronic media communications major and this book has been used for a number of years in my school's communications program. video basics 3 has everything you need to know and everything is explained in much detail, yet not too complicated. there are great illustrations throughout the book that are very helpful as well.
i bought this book used from my campus bookstore and i gotta wonder, why would someone return this book at the end of the semester? i still have mine and have re-read it through quite a few times, most definately something worth holding on to!
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
so amazing!!!Oct 09, 2001
if you have big dreams of making movies and all that's hollywood, don't buy a thing and just get this book. read it. get through it. and then make all your decisions. you'll be surpised how little you know and be amazed how much level headed and invaluable info you'll have. there's no book like it on the market. it's written for the total beginner without treating him/her like a [....]
6 of 7 found the following review helpful:
How Do You Review The Author of "The Bible"?Jan 05, 2001
By Dana E. Creasy
After nearly 20 years in the business, and an equal amount of time exposed to academe, Herb Zettl is the one name that to me stands head and shoulders above the rest of the field when it comes to writing about production and visual aesthetics. Having used his seminal "Television Production" text in college, I found that many of the ideas and concepts have carried through into this new, shorter textbook, making them much more capable of being absorbed by students early in their career. The changes to the Third Edition, in particular the re-ordering of certain chapters, makes sense. I teach on the community college level, where virtually an entire production sequence is compressed into a single semester course. Having a text like this to serve as an adjunct to my industry knowledge makes the teaching experience valid for both my students and myself. Zettl's focus on aesthetics, coming quite naturally to one whose entire career has been as an aesthetician, really serves my purposes much better than most other books on the market. Too many books concentrate on the technical side of the business, with little regard for the artistic endeavors which one is involved in. Without that, all they're doing is wasting tape. I highly recommend this Third Edition, with its concomitant materials, for any instructors of video production.
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