Landen also provides a "bonus" chapter, "Guide to Making Money with Web Video." Available as a pdf, it will be updated as the medium evolves. A good idea, since every day, something's new in the video publishing biz.

Lest you think of this as a textbook, dry as dust and thick as mud, let me reassure you—it is not. One of the first things I noticed, aside from its "THUD!" factor, was how easy on the eyes it was to read. I realize that typesetting and design layout are rarely mentioned in reviews, but typesetter/designer Rick Altman (thanked in Landen's acknowledgements), has to be acknowledged here for helping make Secrets of Producing and Selling Successful Videos inviting where it could easily have appeared intimidating.

From the overview on, the tone is conversational. Landen mixes instruction and advice with some interesting case histories and stories. He offers numerous examples of success and also presents real-life experiences where things didn't turn out quite as well as planned, some of these being his own. He also provides interesting and instructional case studies, such as the stories behind Veggie Tales and Fred Levine's classic kids' video Road Construction Ahead.

Landen does offer this bit of caution: "Believe me, this is NOT a get-rich-quick business. For many it's not even a ‘get-a-decent-living -slowly' business. Anyone who tells you that you'll make a million dollars in this or any other business is not telling you the whole truth. This is a business—and every business involves risk."

Steve Yankee's Background
Steve Yankee has spent nearly 30 years helping businesses build their profits through results-oriented communications and sales promotions. His 50+ books, videotapes and booklets, along with many newspaper and magazine articles and columns have also helped thousands of businesses learn new advertising and marketing skills to prosper and succeed.

Steve was VP/Creative Director for two large advertising and marketing agencies (Sefton Associates and the J.I.Scott Company), and also co-founded his own agency (Martin Windsor & Associates, Inc.), serving as Senior Creative Director for five years before leaving for new challenges. His experience includes creating effective advertising and promotions programs and sales tools for regional manufacturers to Fortune 500 companies, including General Motors, Amway, American Seating Company, Dow Chemical, ARAMCO, Federal-Mogul, Terryberry, W.R. Grace, Herman Miller, Steelcase, International Paper Company, the State of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, Michigan State University, Lear/Siegler, KPMG, OMC, Jayco, Biomet, Kellogg's, and former U.S. President Gerald R. Ford.