Non-Fiction Media - Premiere Pro

What is Premiere Pro

Premiere Pro is a non-destructive, non-linear video editing application.

The interface is comprised of a series of windows called "panels" that can be modified to create different "work spaces".

It follows the basic design of most editing software:

Media Browser window: browse all available files on the computer, and preview content before adding to your project.
Project panel: view all of the audio/video/still/title assets that are included in a project.
Source Monitor: preview assets, set in and out points for fine tuning.
Program Monitor: view the edited materials as part of the Sequence which is open in the Timeline.
Sequence: audio and video clips are edited together on separate tracks.
Timeline panel: edit audio/video/still images content into a Sequence.
You can have multiple Sequences in one Project and Timeline windows.

Media files audio/video/still content. Please save and work locally on the Storage drive in the Multimedia Lab.
Clips are assets that point to the original file on the hard drive.
- Changes made to clips in the Premiere project will not affect the original media files - this is the meaning of a non-destructive program.
- This also means that changing the location of the source files may result in Premiere losing track of where to find the contents of the project with a "Media Offline' notice. When moving files from the server, or different computer stations, please keep all materials in a single folder. Reconnect media, or ask a lab aide for help.
Project file: a recipe, or list of instructions for how to put the project together.
In-Points and Out-Points: Designates the beginning and end sections of a clip.
Playhead: Shows the time location of the current frame in any window. Sometimes it is also called the Current-Time Indicator (CTI).

File Management

These steps apply the first time you start a project. For returning to a project, see below.

Create a folder in the Storage drive labeled with your name. Do not use special characters other than dash or underscore.
It is recommended to predesignate folders to organize any source materials that will be used in the project: Video, Audio, Stills, and Premiere_Files
Move ALL of media into the appropriate folder, i.e., move all of your video files into the "Video" folder, audio & music files into the "Audio" folder, etc...

When you are done editing for the day

Save & quit Premiere Pro
Connect to Orca
In the Finder, open another Finder window and navigate to your project folder in the Storagedrive
Copy the entire project folder to Orca. Save into your cubby for individual projects, or save into workspace for group projects.

Starting A New Project

Launch Premiere Pro from the dock.
Select New Project.
Click the Browse button.
Navigate to your project folder in the Storage drive and select the Premiere_Filesfolder. This will keep all the extraneous files that Premiere creates tidy.
Name the project descriptively and click OK.

New Sequence Settings

In the New Sequence dialog click cancel.
Using the Media Browser, navigate to the folder containing the video clips shot with the T5i.
Select that file in the Project panel. Right click and select New Sequence From Clip.
A new Sequence will be added to the Project panel and it will open int the Timeline panel.
Change the sequence name by clicking on the sequence title in the Project panel.

Interface

Windows are called panels in Premiere.

Under the Windows menu you can open various panels.
Many windows have a Panel Menu in the top right corner which can be used to change settings for that window.
Any panel can be expanded to full screen by pressing the ` (tilde) key while the mouse is over that panel. Press the ` key again to return to normal.

Media Browser

The Media Browser is used to browse files on the computer.

When you import an asset Premiere Pro leaves it in its current location, and creates a clip in the Project panel that points to it.
Always transfer files from their file-based media, or server, to a local hard drive (Storage). Then, import them into Premiere Pro projects from the hard disk.

Project

The Project panel shows all of the assets in a project. This includes media files, sequences, titles, sub-clips etc.

You can view and sort assets in either List view or Icon view.
List view displays additional information about each asset.
Icon view provides the Hover Scrub feature to preview footage without having to open it into a new window.

Info

Displays meta data about a selected item.
Displays timecode information for clips under the Playhead in the Timeline.

Timeline

Displays multiple video and audio tracks running in parallel in the open Sequence
Assemble and rearrange sequences in the Timeline panel where clips, transitions, and effects are represented graphically.

Tools

The cursor will change shape when it is over the Timeline.
Tool keyboard shortcuts are in parentheses below.

A. Selection tool (V)

B. Ripple Edit tool (B)

C. Rate Stretch tool (X)

D. Slip tool (Y)

E. Pen tool (P)

F. Hand tool (H)

G. Track Select tool (A)

H. Rolling Edit tool (N)

I. Razor tool (C)

J. Slide tool (U)

K. Zoom tool (Z)

Source Monitor

The Source Monitor plays back individual clips. Set In points and Out points, and specify the clip’s source tracks (audio or video). You can also insert clip markers and add clips to a sequence in the Timeline panel.

Program Monitor

The Program Monitor displays the final editing of the clips in the Timeline panel.

Importing Media

Bins

In the Project panel organize files with folders called Bins.

Go to File > New > Bin.
In the Project panel right-click and select New Bin.
Give the BIn a meaningful name.

There are multiple ways to open bins:

Double-clicking opens a bin in a new window.
Command-clicking (⌘) opens the bins in the current window.
- Click the icon in the top left of the folder with the arrow to go back to the previous level.
Option-clicking open the bin in a new tab.

Importing Media Files

Premiere Pro does not move or copy any files. Files need to be organized before importing.

In Premiere Pro

In the Media Browser navigate to your files in your project folder.
Select and drag the clips into an appropriately named bin in the Project Panel .

Editing

Navigating Clips

The Space Bar can be used to start and stop playback.

The J, K and L keys are shortcuts for playback.

Press L to play forward.
Press K to play stop.
Press J to play backwards.
Pressing L multiple times increases the forwards playback speed.
Pressing J multiple times increases the backwards playback speed.
The I and O keys can be used to set in and out points.

Snapping

The Snap function makes it easier to align clips in the Timeline.

When a clip is moved it snaps to:
- the edge of another clip,
- a marker
- the start or end of the time ruler
- the playhead

To turn Snap on or off go to Sequence > Snap, press the S key or click the magnet icon in the Timeline.

The Playhead ignores the Snap setting. To enable Snap while dragging the Playhead hold down the Shift key.

In and Out Points

Using the Source Monitor

Double click on a clip in the Project panel. Click on the icon and not the name. The clip will open in the Source Monitor.
In the source monitor play the clip and cue it to where you want the in point.
Click the Mark In button or press the I key.
In the monitor play the clip and cue it to where you want the out point.
Click the Mark Out button or press the O key.
Drag the clip to the Program Monitor or to the Timeline.

Using the Project Panel

Select a clip in the Project panel. A thin line will appear at the bottom of the clip.
Drag the Playhead to where you want the in point and press the I key.
Drag the Playhead to where you want the out point and press the O key.
Drag the clip to the Program Monitor or to the Timeline.

Insert vs Overwrite

The two main editing modes are called Insert and Overwrite.

Insert edits will move the clips that are to the right of the Playhead to the right.
Overwrite will overwrite the clips to the right of the Playhead.
- When Overwrite is used on a track with clips it will replace any existing clips.
- When Overwrite is used on an empty track above a clip it will not affect the other tracks.

To make a edit drag a clip from the Source Monitor or Project panel to the Timeline.
Place the clip where the edit should start.
- Overwrite is the default editing mode.
- Hold down the Command key while dragging to switch to Insert mode.

Editing Audio

Gain vs Volume

There are multiple ways to adjust audio levels in Premiere Pro. Premiere uses the term gain to refer to level in the original file. Volume refers to the level adjustments to a clip or track in a sequence.

Adjusting Audio Levels

The levels of audio clips can be adjusted in the Timeline.

Clip Keyframes adjust the level of a clip. The keyframes move with the clip if the clip is moved.
- This what you'll normally use.
Track Keyframes adjust keyframes on the track. If a clip is moved the keyframe stay at their place in the track. They do not move with the clip.
- The Audio Mixer level will follow the Track Keyframes settings.

Creating Keyframes

Click the triangle next to the track name to expand the view of the track.
Click the Show Keyframes button and select Show Clip Volume.
Select the Pen Tool in the tool bar (press the P key on the keyboard.)
Click on the yellow line on top off the waveform to create a Keyframe.
Click and drag to create a Keyframe and change the levels.

Adjusting Keyframes

To adjust Keyframes select the Selection Tool (press the V key on the keyboard.)
Click on the Keyframes to adjust the levels ( up or down) or the place in time (left or right).

Separating Audio and Video

Separate embedded audio and video by right clicking on a clip and choose unlink.
Re-link the same way.
Group clips by clicking and dragging a selection, right click and select group. They will now move together as one clip.

Audio Gain

In the Project panel or Timeline select a clip and go to Clip > Audio Options > Audio Gain....
The Audio Gain dialogue will open. It Displays the clips Peak Amplitude at the bottom of the window and has four options.
- Set Gain to: The gain can be set to a specific value. The value is always updated to the current gain.
- Adjust Gain by: The gain can be adjusted by + or - a specific decibel value.
- Normalize Max Peak to: This raises the max peak of the clip to the value set. For example if the peak is -3dB and it is normalized to -1dB the gain would be adjusted by -2 dB. If multiple clips are selected the clip with the max peak will be adjusted to the set value and all the other clips will be adjusted by the same amount preserving their relative gain differences.
- Normalize All Peaks to: When used with multiple clips, all of the clips will be normalized to the set value.
Select the desired gain changed and set the value.
Click OK

Single Channel Audio

If you have a stereo audio file, or a stereo audio track in a video file, and you only want to use the left or right channel Premiere Pro has multiple ways of accomplishing this.

A common a example would be a stereo file with audio on the left channel and silence on the right channel.

The Fill Left or Fill Right audio effects can be used to duplicate the audio from one channel to another.
Think of the Effects as Fill From Left or Fill From Right.
Example: if the file has narration on the left and silence on the right the Fill Left effect would duplicate the left side audio to the right side.

Select the audio clip in the Timeline.
Open the Effects panel.
Expand the Audio Effects folder.
Drag the Fill Left or Fill Right effect on the clip in the Timeline.
- Fill Left duplicates the left channel onto the right channel.
- Fill Right duplicates the right channel onto the left channel.
Now the audio will playback on both channels. The waveform display in the Timeline will only show audio on one channel.

Breakout to Mono

The Breakout to Mono command creates mono audio master clips from a stereo audio or video clip. The clips reference the original file. No new media is created.

Select a clip in the Project panel.
Go to Clip > Audio Options > Breakout to Mono
Two new clips will be created in the Project panel.
The new clips will have the original file name with either Left or Right added to them.

Dual System Sound

Titles

Image Sequences

Import images with consistent numbering into a single video clip.

Click on the project panel to make it active go to File > Import.
In the file dialogue window that appears, navigate to your folder containing a sequence of still images and click on the first image in the sequence.
Check the box Image Sequence and click Import.
Drag the image sequence clip into the timeline and place the time indicator over the clip so that it is visible in the Program monitor.
With the clip selected, go to the Effects Controls panel, and twirl down the options for Motion.
Watching the changes in the program monitor, adjust the scale and rotation sliders to correct image orientation and framing.

Watch Full Screen

Click on the Program panel to make it active.
Press control and ~ (tilde), this will make the window full screen.
To exit press escape.

Rendering

When making significant changes such as speed adjustments, filters, transitions, movement, Premiere may need to "render" clips in order to playback material at full resolution.

In the timeline grab the yellow edges of the gray work area bar to span over the red portion of the clips to be rendered.
In the Program panel select the resolution drop down menu to be Full.
From the top menu, go to Sequence > Render Entire Work Area.
Wait for the processing window to complete - this may take a while.
Watch full screen: click on the Program panel to make it the active window and press control tilda (~).

Exporting

Using Premiere

Click in the Timeline of the sequence to be exported.
Press the | key to view the entire contents of the timeline, if applicable and use the work area bar to select the portion of the timeline to be exported.
Go to File > Export > Media....
In the bottom left choose what part of the sequence to export:
1. Entire Sequence: exports the entire sequence.
2. Sequence In/Out: Exports the are between any in and out points set in the sequence.
3. Work Area: Exports the Work Area set in the Timeline.
4. Custom: Exports the area set by the triangles above this setting.
For Export Settings chose a Format and a Preset.
Next to Output Name click on the name in orange and name the files and choose a save location.
Click Export to export.

Using Adobe Media Encoder

Adobe Media Encoder allows you to export multiple versions of the same sequence and it allows you to keep working in Premiere while export is encoding.

To use Adobe Media Encoder first follow the steps above.
Click the Queue button and Adobe Media Encoder will open.
Drag a preset onto the name of your sequence to add the preset to the Queue.

For this assignment we recommend using the Quicktime H.264 preset under User Presets and Groups > Quicktime H.264 / 1920x1080 / 29.97fps / 10Mbps

Click the Start Queue button (green play button) to start exporting. A status bar will show the progression.
After the video has finished exporting playback the entire piece to confirm everything exported properly before submitting work for faculty or class screening.