In an age where there are so many heated debates and headlines focusing on the issues of illegal downloading and piracy, filmmakers and musicians have been quietly embracing and taking advantage of the digital revolution. Today’s young independent filmmakers are honing their craft and creating visually exhilarating movies with inexpensive high-quality digital video cameras and affordable audio/video editing software, such as Vegas, on just about any consumer-level desktop or laptop.
These same tools are also available to any musician who wants to expand their visibility and level the playing field against artists who are signed to major record labels by creating professional-quality promotional videos and making them accessible as streaming videos on the Internet.
This book is a must-have tool for those who want to take full advantage of what Vegas, the most powerful and intuitive version of any digital audio/video editing software, has to offer. I’ve been using Vegas since its first version, and it’s enabled me to create promotional videos of our band, Quiet Riot, by compiling live Jumbotron footage from a series of live shows and then digitizing them and editing it all in a few easy steps on my laptop while on the road. I’ve even been able to create my own instructional bass DVD with just my digital video camera and Vegas.
Even though Vegas has an extremely easy learning curve, I wouldn’t have been able to create such professional-quality footage in such a short amount of time without the help of my Digital Guru, Douglas Spotted Eagle. Any time I have a question on how to improve my project, I phone Douglas, and he’s always kind enough to take time from his busy schedule to answer my questions and give me insight into Vegas that goes beyond what the manual has to offer. I’ve learned more about Vegas in a five-minute phone conversation with Douglas than I have in a week’s worth of reading the manual.
If you’ve had the opportunity to catch Douglas in action on one of the V.A.S.S.T. Tour seminars, then you’ve already experienced his ability to clearly explain step-by-step all the great features Vegas has to offer and to inspire you to take your creative vision to the extreme.
This book is the next best thing to having Douglas’ phone number on your speed dial.
—Rudy Sarzo
Bassist
Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Ronnie James Dio, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Ozzy Osbourne