One makes cinematographers out of the masses; the other gives the masses a medium on which to distribute their masterworks--and that's just the beginning of what Apple's iMovie 4 and iDVD 4 are capable of. This task-based guide is the key to using them effectively and creatively. In friendly Visual QuickStart fashion, this volume uses step-by-step instructions and loads of illustrations to get you up to speed quickly in the process of making movies with iMovie 4 and creating Hollywood-quality DVDs on which to share them (as well as photos, music, and more). You'll find all the basics covered here--from shooting and capturing footage, viewing clips, and working in the iMovie timeline to dragging and dropping iMovies into new iDVD projects and adding GarageBand-created songs to your newly created DVDs. You'll also find detailed explanations of all of the programs' niftiest new features, including iDVD's more than 20 new themes (from Wedding to Drive In!) and iMovie's in-timeline editing capabilities.

Jeff Carlson is the Managing Editor of the weekly electronic newsletter TidBITS.