October 24, 2013 - Autodesk Smoke Essentials - a new e-book from industry-renowned writer, director and colorist Alexis Van Hurkman and Wiley Publishing - is now available for purchase on Amazon and Wiley. The e-book gives artists and editors a practical new resource for learning the fundamentals of Autodesk Smoke - the powerful software application that combines a familiar track-based editing environment with robust features for digital compositing, color correcting and effects.

By providing basic lessons, step-by-step instructions and accompanying video materials, Autodesk Smoke Essentials illustrates how users can streamline effects-intensive projects by editing, compositing and finishing within a single environment. Every chapter begins with a topic introduction, explains methods used and breaks down why those methods are being used, and concludes with open-ended projects to encourage learning. Readers can also access a hands-on learning experience with downloadable project files from " The Place Where You Live" - a narrative live-action short film created by Van Hurkman using Smoke.

Autodesk Smoke Essentials offers instruction on many aspects of Smoke including:

- The Smoke interface inside and out, including all key tools
- Managing media with the MediaHub and Media Library
- Editing and trimming clips in a timeline to assemble and polish an edit
- Creating transitions, adding dissolves and using Timewarp
- Building basic composites using the Axis effect
- Using ConnectFX and Action Node for advanced compositing
- Working with audio clips
- Adding and mixing audio, music, and sound effects
- Techniques for color correction and styling titles and credits

For more information about the e-book and pricing, visit Amazon ($39.99) and Wiley ($32.99). You can also get a behind-the-scenes look at Van Hurkman's work on "The Place Where You Live" in these IBC 2013 and Amsterdam SuperMeet videos.


About Alexis Van Hurkman

Alexis is a writer, director and colorist based in New York. He completes color correction for a wide variety of broadcast programming, narrative and documentary features and shorts, spots, and experimental subjects. His credits include programs that have aired on The History Channel, The Learning Channel, BBC Four and WNET; features and shorts that have played at the Telluride, Sundance, Tribeca, Hamptons and Amsterdam film festivals, among many others; and video art pieces exhibited at the NYC Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), the Whitney Museum of American Art and San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. He's also penned such titles as the popular Color Correction Handbook: Professional Techniques for Video and Cinema and more. A complete list of titles is available here: http://www.amazon.com/Alexis-Van-Hurkman/e/B001IODHRA.

katie@razpr.com