Any help for a non-reader?
 

Guys I am very new at this but have this burning to learn as much as I can. Thing is, my attention span is little to none when it comes to reading. Maybe I didn't get that gene or missed those days at school but I tend to grasp a subject 100% better by someone showing me or just watching how someone does something.
What I am attempting to accomplish is fairly simple. I would like to learn how to shoot or not to shoot short commercial type promotions for business'. Are there any video's along the same lines as "Marketing Video Magazine" by Hal Landem? I purchased this and was able to gain a little knowledge from it, but I'm still hungry for more. I have been shooting and producing a few things but have really been without any direction to this point.

Any help or advise is always welcomed.

Thanks,
Barry

This is a really tough question especially since reading isn't your
thing. The best bit of advice I can give you is just to do it and
practice that craft. Some books have a lot of diagrams etc. as well,
that might help to read it?

Perhaps if you watch commercials a little closer, you could take notes on how they do things. Then, try to recreate them yourself. This might help you learn to do them on your own.

Thanks for the replies. I have been doing what I can to read as much as possible. I have been struggling with it. I guess I should have tried a little harder while in school. :)

I know how you feel Barry, I absolutely HATE reading, after about 10-15 minutes I get headaches and my mind just starts to wander. I can continue to read, but the words just go in and out, they don't stick. I am more of the person who can pick stuff up VERy quicly by watching someone do it and then try to do it myself. I wish there were more people out there making videos for editing shooting and lighting and things like that.

Film a book while someone turns the pages...then you can "watch it" instead of read it. ;)

Or how about this...get yourself a volunteer actor/actress/spokesperson/model/brother/sister, and have them read instructional materials aloud while you film them...your job being to follow along with what they're reading, doing as they say, impromptu, or attempting to make it visually interesting in some way. That way you learn and get experience at the same time. Do whatever it takes to make it fun and not a chore.

Hi Jason,
I am sorry to hear you are in the same boat but I can offer a little help. I have been using the Total Training video's for almost all Adobe products. Only trouble being, for instance, I purchased PhotoShop 7.0 and if you don't go back to earlier versions to start learning how to use it because they (Total Training) don't go back but only shows you what the addictions are. I guess if they started over everytime they may not make as good a product.