Diversity and Dissent in Education- 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:

Sequence: where audio and video clips are edited together on tracks.
Timeline panel: where you will edit the content in a Sequence.
Project panel: where you can view all of the assets you have brought into a project.
Source Monitor: where you can view assets and set in and out points before bringing them into a Sequence.
Program Monitor: where you see the video that has been placed into the Sequence which is open in the Timeline.
You can have multiple Sequences in one Project and Timeline window.
Media Browser window: which gives you Finder like access to your media, allowing you to easily preview and import media from any source.
Media files are the actual information that you filmed in the camera. They are stored on your folder on the Storage drive.
Clips are like pointers or representations that symbolize the information.
This means that you can change the length of a clip in your timeline without altering the media. You can also cut a clip into several pieces and use them in different parts of your film. The media files will not be modified.
This also means that you must preserve the relationship between the clip and the media. Premiere Pro has to be able to find the media that goes with your clip. If for some reason you change the location of the media, Premiere Pro will not be able to to locate it, and the clip will go blank and say "Media offline". It's possible to reconnect it if you've labeled things correctly--ask a lab aide for help.
Project file: contains all the information about the clips you've logged and transferred, and the work you've done in the timeline. It is like a Recipe that tells Premiere Pro what ingredients you used and how you put them together.
In-Points and Out-Points: These set the beginning and end of the part of a clip that will be used.
Playhead: Shows the location of the current frame in any windows time ruler. Sometimes it is also called the Current-Time Indicator (CTI).

File Organization

It is important to organize your media and project files.

Misplaced files will slow you down when you most need to work quickly.
Misplaced files will devour countless hours of your life.
It is really pretty easy to keep everything organized if you follow these simple steps:

File Management

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

Create a folder in Storage on your computer. Name it something you will remember. Do not use special characters other than dash or underscore.
Create 4 (or more) subfolders for your media files, and for Premiere's needs. Label them: Video, Audio, Stills, and Premiere_Files
Move ALL of your media from flash cards, other servers, cameras, recorders, whatever, into the appropriate folder, i.e., move all of your video files into the "Video" folder, audio & music files into the "Audio" folder, etc.
After you have consolidated all of your files in to these folders, you should now disconnect or eject all servers & memory cards. This will prevent you from inadvertently trying to work directly from a troublesome source.

When you are done editing for the day

Save & quit Premiere Pro
Connect to your share on Orca, another server or an external hard rive.
In the Finder, find your project folder in Storage
Move your project folder to your server storage share
Your project folder is now safely stored and ready to use on your next editing session.

To work with an existing project

Once you have created a project, stored all of your assets in a folder and then stored that folder on a network share, the next time you want to use that project is easy-peasy.

Connect to your network share (Orca, etc)
Drag your project folder to the Storage drive on your local computer
Disconnect from the network share once the transfer is complete
Double click on your project file
Rinse & repeat!

Starting A New Project

General

Video Display Format: Timecode
Audio Display Format: Milliseconds
Capture: This setting is only applies if you are capturing from DV or HDV tape. When using file based video this can be ignored.
Scratch Disks: Here is where we get to use the Premiere_Files folder that we created earlier.
Captured Video should get set to the "Video" folder inside your project folder.
Captured Audio should get set to the "Audio" folder inside your project folder.
Video Previews should be set to "Premiere_Files". You do not need to know anything about these files. Putting them in "Premiere_Files" just keeps them organized out of your way.
Audio Previews should also be set to "Premiere_Files".

Location

Click the Browse button.
Navigate to the project folder you created earlier.
Give your project an awesome name & hit Okay!

New Sequence Settings

It is easier to import your files into Premiere before creating a new sequence.

Importing your video files into the project

Pick a file which represents the majority of your files (in terms of dimensions, frame rate, compression etc).
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 to something meaningful by clicking on the sequence name 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. Panel menu pp.jpg
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.
Unlike the Import dialog box, the Media Browser can be left open, and docked, like any other panel.
The Media Browser gives you quick access to all your assets while you edit.
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 to a local hard disk. Then, import them into Premiere Pro projects from the hard disk.

Project Panel

The Project panel shows all of the assets in your 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. You can customize the information it displays to meet the needs of your project.
Icon view has the Hover Scrub feature to preview footage without having to open it into a new window.

Info

Displays several 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 for the open Sequence
You assemble and rearrange sequences in the Timeline panel where clips, transitions, and effects are represented graphically.

Tools

This panel is for selecting which tool to use in the Timeline.
The mouse pointer will change shape when it is over the Timeline.
Tool keyboard shortcuts are in parentheses below.

A. Selection tool (V). The default tool, used to select clips in the Timeline.

B. Ripple Edit tool (B). Adjust an edit point and move other clips in the timeline to compensate.

C. Rate Stretch tool (X). Change the duration of a clip while simultaneously changing the speed to compensate.

D. Slip tool (Y). Move a clip's in and out points by the same amount simultaneously, so the rest of the timeline is not affected.

E. Pen tool (P). Create control (anchor) points for keyframing.

F. Hand tool (H). Drag the timeline view left and right.

G. Track Select tool (A). Select all clips on a track from a given point, or select multiple tracks.

H. Rolling Edit tool (N). Adjust an edit point between two clips without affecting the rest of the timeline.

I. Razor tool (C). Cut a clip (or multiple clips) into two clips.

J. Slide tool (U). Move a clip's in and out points by the same amount simultaneously, so the rest of the timeline is not affected.

K. Zoom tool (Z). Click in the timeline to magnify the view, or drag and select a rectangular area to zoom into.

Source Monitor

The Source Monitor plays back individual clips. In the Source Monitor, you prepare clips that you want to add to a sequence.
You 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 a Timeline panel.

Program Monitor

The Program Monitor plays back the sequence of clips that you are assembling.
It’s your view of the active sequence in a Timeline panel.

Importing Media

Bins

In the Project panel you can create folders called Bins to organize files.
Bins can hold media clips, sequences and other 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 pervious 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 the Finder

Inside your folder on Storage you should have created folders for different types of files; Video, Audio, Stills.
Copy any media files into the appropriate folders.

For the Vixia Cameras copy the entire AVCHD folder. Inside the Video folder create a new folder with a unique and descriptive name for the content and then copy the AVCHD folder there.
For example: Storage/GRUB Project/Video/Interview 4-1-2012/AVCHD

In Premiere Pro

In the Media Browser navigate to your files in your project folder.
When an AVCHD folder is opened the view should switch to AVCHDmode and automatically display the video files.
Select and drag the clips into an appropriately named bin in the Project Panel .

Editing

Playback

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.

Snap

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.

Editing Basics

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 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.

Removing Audio

Bring your desired clip into in the Timeline
Right-click on clip
Select Unlink
Reselect just the audio portion of your clip in the Timeline
Hit Delete on the keyboard

Creating Keyframes

Click the Wrench icon in the top left of the Timelines panel and select Show Audio Keyframes.
Click the Wrench icon in the top left of the Timelines panel and select Expand All tracks.
Right-click on the clip and select Show Clip Keyframes > Volume> Level.
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).

Opacity

Opacity controls the transparency of a clip. Clips default to 100% opacity (completely visible). As the opacity is reduced the clip becomes more transparent and the track below becomes more visible.

Timeline Panel Adjustments

Time Display Settings is the Wrench icon in the top left of the Timelines panel

Expand the view of a track, if necessary, by clicking the Wrench icon and select Expand All tracks

If necessary, click the Wrench icon and select Show Video Keyframes
- Note: If no keyframes exist on the track, the rubber band appears as a straight horizontal line across the entire track.
Select the Selection tool, and drag the opacity control rubber band up or down or select the Pen tool, and drag the opacity control rubber band up or down.
- The opacity value and current time appear as a tool tip as you drag.
To animate the Opacity effect over time, first set keyframes. Select the Pen tool. Click on the opacity control rubber band with the Pen tool wherever you want to set a keyframe. Then drag each keyframe up or down to set its value. For example, to fade a clip in, create a keyframe at the beginning of the clip and another a few seconds later. Drag the first down to the bottom of the clip at 0 opacity. Drag the second up to 100%.

Effects Controls Panel Adjustments

With the Selection tool double click a clip in the Timeline to open in in the Source Monitor.
In the Source Monitor clock on the Effects Control panel. Click the triangle to the left of Opacity to expand the view.
In the Effects Control panel or Timeline panel move the playhead to you want to add a keyframe.
Click the Add/Remove Keyfram button to add a keyframe.
While the playhead is over the keyframe adjust the value of the keyframe by clicking on the Opacity value and sliding the mouse left or right.

Exporting

Using Premiere

Click in the Timeline of the sequence you want to export.
Go to File > Export > Media....
In the bottom left choose what part of the sequence to export:

- - Entire Sequence: exports the entire sequence.
  - Sequence In/Out: Exports the are between any in and out points set in the sequence.
  - Work Area: Exports the Work Area set in the Timeline.
  - Custom: Exports the area set by the triangles above this setting.

4. For Export Settings chose a Format and a Preset.

5. Next to Output Name click on the name in orange and name the files and choose a save location.

6. 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 complete steps 1-3 from 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.
Click the Start Queue button (green play button) to start the exporting.