Final Cut Express for Mac OS X: Visual QuickStart Guide by best-selling author Lisa Brenneis is the first book on the market to cover Final Cut Express ($299), Apple's new consumer digital video editing application. The powerful Mac-only application is virtually identical to Final Cut ProÑlacking only a selection of key high-end features. Apple is targeting small business users, educators, students, and advanced hobbyists who want to move beyond the limited video editing capabilities of iMovie, but who don't need all of Final Cut Pro's high-end features. With Final Cut Express, users get a full-featured DV editing package with professional-level editing, compositing, and real-time effects at a price they can afford.

Available in March, Final Cut Express for Mac OS X: Visual QuickStart Guide introduces video enthusiasts to the comprehensive set of tools available in Final Cut Express. The Visual QuickStart series' step-by-step instructions lead readers through the basics and quickly into more advanced video editing projects. Brenneis uses concise language and tons of screenshots to show readers how to edit video, work with hundreds of effects and transitions, and master the programÕs compositing, titling, and audio tools as well as how to output their finished work, whether it's to DVD or the Web. Brenneis and author Jeff Carlson have also created a booklet with Final Cut Express tips, available for free download at www.peachpit.com.