Video Nation
Book Review

Video Nation
Author: Jefferson Graham
Publisher: Peachpit Press
Price: $29.95 US print edition, $13.95 Ebook
ISBN-13: 978-0321832870
239 Pages

Video Nation is a down to earth handbook for improving the production quality of your videos, without breaking the bank. Author Jefferson Graham knows what he is talking about because he has over 300 productions under his belt as producer, director, videographer, and talent. Many times he is wearing all these hats just like you may be doing when you start. He’s been there and is very generous in sharing what he has learned, the hard way, so you don’t have to.

Jefferson’s main gig is Talking Tech on USAToday.com where he interviews lots of interesting people who work in front of a camera and in the background. If you would like to see some of his work, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/talkingtech/index

He includes 30 links to video clips that further illustrate the teaching points in the book. This icon, in his book, indicates there is more material online

Both the detailed table of contents and the index allow you to truly use this as a handbook, to pin point exactly the information you need to create better video (and audio). Jefferson starts with iPhones and Flip-type cameras and works up to Digital SLRs.

You don’t have a viewable product until post production is complete.  The author recommends configurations for Windows and Mac hardware and video editing software starting at $300, providing details on what you really need in order to do heavy duty editing. To get the most out of this book, read it through from cover to cover. Then as you are doing your preproduction planning, zero in on the topics needed.

Do your part in increasing the quality of those YouTube, Facebook, and local Web site videos by picking up Video Nation and use these practical tips in your next video production.

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