Family History DVD
Merle Volding and Becky
Volding McLaughlin
[The
title of this review and book is very deceptive. It is only a book. No software is included, neither CD or DVD. The software describred in the book must be
purchased separately: Pinnacle Studio
Version 9.0 or higher for the PC, or iMovie 2 for the Apple Macintosh. –Ed.]
After
reading the book, I believe that the authors have succeeded admirably in
accomplishing their objectives. With the
help of this book, people will be encouraged to share their family histories by
creating professional looking DVD’s. The
book is an inspiration to many people who want to document their family history
using the benefits of a computer, but are afraid to work through all the computer
jargon and pitfalls.
Most
people know a computer can be critical for creating pictorial stories, but
becoming familiar with the software and computer peculiarities in a reasonable
time creates a significant impediment to getting started. The “Family History DVD” book takes away all
the mystery and by one easy step after another, takes the novice to a
successful conclusion of what could be a difficult project.
Even
those familiar with the software will be find this book helpful in bringing to
life their family history on a DVD. I
have a good feel for the frustrations you can experience, since I have created
a number of DVD’s and VCD’s of family outings and special events. With both Roxio and Pinnacle software I found
that there were many non-intuitive steps that had to be overcome to complete
the project. After reading this book I
know that I could have done a better job on my projects in a much shorter time.
I
found Section 1 to be an interesting
starting point. It is an excellent
tutorial designed to encourage people to be organized using the benefits of a
computer. At first I thought it was too
elementary to take all that space, but this was an important foundation for
those people who are just starting out.
I particularly liked the discussion on file folders. Without this discipline, the story creator
could get bogged down in organizing and finding the key materials that will be needed
to complete the story.
The
details of entering photos, videos, music, sound and completing the burning of
the DVD throughout the rest of the book are very well documented by pictures
and text. They take all the mystery out
of creating the story. Everybody should
feel confident they can create their own story using these steps.
Many
people starting out to create their own family history will need to create
digital images from their old photos.
The authors clearly show in detail how to scan photographs and how to
create the digital files.
Once
the basics of computer use and files are explained in detailed pictures and
well placed explanations, the authors move on to the actual use of Pinnacle
Studio 9 software. The graphics and
supporting text make it easy for novice users to see and understand the details
of the opening window for the Pinnacle software. Next the authors proceed to show in detail
how to insert videos and digital photos into the story.
The
details of producing your story are carefully laid out in the following
sections. The authors explain the use of
the storyboard and album areas of the Pinnacle screen in well placed text and
pictures. Selecting digital photos and
inserting them in the story line is explained in similar fashion. The authors provide detailed explanations
that make it easy to watch the story unfold in full computer screen mode, edit
content, change the length of time for each photo and edit video clips. Next, adding titles and other text to the
story as well as transitions between photos is made easy by the detailed
explanations. Detailed explanations are
provided to add sound effects, record voice-over and music. When the story is
complete the process of recording your own DVD or VCD is clearly explained.
The
one detail I found lacking is the chaptering of story elements on a lengthy DVD
presentation, to make it easy to play selected sections. Additional information on this subject would
have been helpful. However, it’s likely
that after the story creator has completed a family DVD, he would have enough
familiarity and confidence with the software to continue to pick up additional
skills to make even more professional looking DVD’s.
This
is an excellent book for anyone who wants to document family histories, special
events or just have fun creating your own stories. It will appeal especially to someone who may
be a little intimidated by computers, but still wants to create a story. People more familiar with computers will
find the book a welcome companion to help them use Pinnacle Studio 9 without
having to struggle up the learning curve on their own. The book ends appropriately with:
…And
The Oscar For The Best Director Goes To…
You! ...of course!
Family
History DVD
Brown Books Publishing Group (February 1, 2004)
Merle
Volding and Becky Volding McLaughlin
Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 10.8 x 0.7 inches
167
Glossy Pages, well illustrated
$29.95 ($19.77 for Mac on Amazon.com 2/22/06)
http://www.familyhistoryondvd.com/index.html