MiT - Premiere Elements

Starting a Project

Collect Source Media

Before starting a project in Premiere Elements collect and organize any materials that will be used in the project: audio, still images, and video clips.

1. Create a folder with your name on the desktop.
2. Inside your folder, create folders for audio, stills, and video, and place files accordingly.

New Project

1. Launch Premiere Elements from the dock at the bottom of the screen.
2. From the top menu, go to File > Save Project As.
3. Name the project descriptively (with your name), and choose to save into your project folder on the desktop.

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Importing Content

Import Video Clips from a Folder

Import clips into Elements from files that were already copied from a memory card.

1. In Elements, at the top left of the screen click the Add Media tab.
2. From the list, select Files and Folders.
3. In the file dialog box click the triangle on the top right to expand the window. Find your project folder, and navigate to the video folder.
   • From the video folder select each video clip as it appears as a .MTS file or .MOV. To select all press command A.
4. Click Import to add clips to the project.
5. Video clips will appear in the Project Assets Tab.

Import Video Clips Directly from a Card Reader

Import clips directly from the memory card reader, available at every station in the Multimedia Lab, or when using the Computer Center checkout a card reader from Media Loan down the hall.

1. With the camera powered off, remove the memory card and insert it into a card reader.
2. From the top left of the screen click the Add Media tab.
3. From the list, select Videos from Flip or Cameras.
4. In the Video Importer window, click the yellow folder icon next to the Save In location, navigate to your project folder, and select choose.
5. Preview video clips by selecting them and press play in the Preview window.
6. Un-check the box next to clips you do not want to use.
7. Click Get Media to import clips. This will duplicate the media files from the memory card to your project folder, and import the files into the Project Assets Tab.
8. After importing is completed, eject the memory card by dragging it to the trash, and then place it back in the camera.
9. Initialize the memory card before returning equipment to Media Loan.

Project Settings

When creating a new project Premiere Elements will automatically adjust the project settings to match the first type of video content that is imported. Project settings cannot be changed after starting a project.

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Basic Editing

Trimming Source Clips in the Preview Monitor

Remove unwanted footage from source clips.

1. Double click on a video clip in the Project Assets Tab
2. A preview window appears of the video with playback controls and handles for setting in and out points.
3. Adjust the handles or place the playhead and press I to set an in point, or O to set the out point.

*The in and out points can always be adjusted to reveal the full length of the clip.

Insert Edit

Shifts other clips in the timeline out of the way-

• Click and drag a clip from the project assets tab into a video track in the timeline.
• Release the mouse when an icon with a right pointing arrow appears.
• Other audio/video clips will move forward or backward out of the way.

Overlay Edit

Covers up one clip with another-

• Click and drag clips over other clip into the timeline by pressing and holding the command key.
• Release the mouse when a centered arrow icon appears.

Split Clips

Split a clip into separate pieces-

• Position the current time indicator (playhead) over a clip where it will be cut.
• Bring the cursor over the clip and click on the split clip button (looks like scissors).
• The clip is now separated into two pieces, that can be re-grown by edge editing.

Snapping

When moving clips in the timeline this will align to other objects (playhead, other clips, markers, etc) and prevent gaps.

• From the top menu Timeline > Snap, or press S.

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Playback & Rendering

• To get a rough preview of content press the Play button in the Monitor panel, or press the Spacebar.
• When red lines appear in the timeline over footage, or playback is slow/jerky, grab the Work Area Bar near the start of the timeline and span it over all content. From the top menu, Timeline > Render Work Areaand all content will be processed, or rendered, for improved playback.
• Press the Full Screen button on the top right to view content fully. Press esc to exit.

Adding Titles

Included in Premiere Elements are overly themed titles through the Action Bar. It is recommended to create your own titles through the top menu,.Please spell check content in a text editor.

1. Place the playhead in the timeline where you would like to add a title.
2. From the top menu bar go to Text > New Text > Default Text. A title editing overlay will appear in the project window.
3. Click in the text field to edit content.
4. In the right hand adjustments screen change formatting properties just like a text editor.
5. Click on the Shapes tab to adjust color and create shapes. Click on the Arrow mode button to adjust positioning on screen.
6. Keep all text content within the inner-most guide frame to ensure content will remain visible on any viewing device.
7. To apply changes click anywhere outside the text window and then click on the timeline.
8. The title will appear as a purple video clip in the timeline. Drag this over another clip to have it superimposed, or have it over black.
9. Adjust the duration by dragging on either side of clip to shorten or lengthen.
10. Make adjustments by double clicking on the title clip in the timeline to re-edit.

Scrolling Credits

1. Create a title.
2. Use return to make sure each line of text fits horizontally on screen.
3. From the top menu, Text > New Text > Roll/Crawl.
4. In the dialog that appears change the type to a roll and click OK to apply changes.

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Adding Transitions

Apply transitions in the finishing stages of editing. Transitions must be shorter than the clip length.

1. In the Action Bar at the bottom of the screen click on Transitions.
2. Click and drag a transition over a clip, release the mouse when a color overlay appears.
3. A Transition Adjustment window will open over the clip to set duration, and the placement. Click Done to confirm settings.
4. To re-edit the transition double click on the icon in the timeline.
5. Delete a transition by selecting it and pressing the delete key.

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Exporting a File

1. In the top right area of the screen click on the Publish and Share panel.
2. Select to share to Computer.
3. Select the AVCHD format from the list.
4. In the Preset menu choose:
   1. Vimeo HD if the video is HD
   2. Vimeo SD if the video SD ( the picture is square)
5. In File Name field give this a descriptive title - with your name.
6. In the Save In field, click Browse and select your folder.
7. To select a portion of the video to export span the Work Area bar over the portion to be exported and check the box, Share Work Area Bar Only.
8. Click Save on the bottom right. It may take a few minutes to process the exported file.
9. After exporting is completed, quit Premiere Elements and preview the entire video in Quicktime player before submitting to a faculty for evaluation.

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