Tutorial: Edit video with Adobe Premiere Pro
Through these few lines, I will introduce you to the basics of editing on one of the best video editing software, Adobe Premiere Pro. I'll help you understand the workspace, the different tools, and simple organization and editing methods before the final export of your video.
In this section:
1. Prepare your project
Before you jump into the deep end, you need to get ready! Before launching his recipe, a cook prepares his ingredients, well, it's a bit the same with video editing.
Prepare and organize your files first.
Make a general folder with the name of your project. Create it in a specific location that you can easily find, preferably on an external hard drive. Having it on a remote disk will allow you not to saturate your main disk and to properly use all the performance of Adobe Premiere Pro.
Inside this folder, you can create 3 others. The first will be called "Media", which will contain all the native formats of your source files for your future editing (videos, photos, music, etc.). A second that we will call “Project”.
This will contain all your project backups, both automatic and manual. And finally, a last one named “Renderings”, which will contain all the export files as well as the preview files of your project.
This is a crucial step that is far too often overlooked! Preparation is necessary to anchor good habits in your workflow and this will allow you not to disperse to better understand the biggest projects in the future.
2. Create a new project
At first, open the Adobe Premiere Pro software! So far, so good !
To create a new project, representing your "working file" bringing together the media and graphic elements of your video editing, simply click on New project.
A new window will open and all you have to do is determine the programming before creating your file. Preparation, organization!
First, change the name of your file in the first Project name section. This is the name your editing file will have. Example: project-video.prproj.
Just below, change its location. Do you remember the folders we created in the previous step? Now is the time to use them! Choose the location of your "Project" folder.
Below, in the General tab, check the Rendering system selected. Choose "Mercury GPU Acceleration". By making this choice, you opt for the main use of your graphics card and therefore gain in software performance.
In the Scratch Disk tab, check the locations of Captured Audio, and Preview (audio and video) files. You must designate the locations you have created for this purpose. For Captured Audio choose "Media" and for both Preview slots choose "Renders".
3. Understand the workspace
Adobe Premiere Pro is a fairly impressive piece of workspace software when you're not used to it. Do not panic ! I will decrypt for you the correspondence of each window so that you are not lost.
Let's start at the bottom left of your screen. This is the project exploration panel (in blue). It is through this window that you can manage the import of the raw elements of your project, that is to say all the media that will compose it. This is where our famous files come in very handy!
Get into the habit of carefully sorting your media, because the more there are, the more difficult it will be to find your way around.
Let's continue the visit with the window located just to the right of this one! This is the editing table also called timeline (in orange). This is where the editing of your sequences will take place. You can see a clip when you drag raw media to the timeline. This will give you the assignment area of your video in the timeline, its start and end through a colored segment.
This editing window is directly linked to the window located just above: the program monitor (in red). It displays the frame in real time defined by the playhead of the timeline. This image allows you to observe the visual result of your editing in real time.
Finally, the last panel present on this page (top left) is the source monitor (in green). This window is dedicated to shaping your raw media. It lets you trim your video clips and set its parameters before including them in your edit. You can predefine a beginning and an end there in order to select only a part of it.
4. Import your media
To import your source files that will build your video montage, go to the Project Explorer window (bottom left, remember?). There you can read “import media to get started”.
Simply double click on this part and a selection window will open. Find your media files and folders and click import.
Tadaaa! All your media and raw files are now imported. Now is the time to tidy up and sort your files into your project section if you haven't already.
5. Understanding the pasteboard
Let's go to the editing table (bottom right of your screen). It is in this window that you will integrate your video rushes and that you will be able to add text, effects and all kinds of things to make your video.
The timeline is made up of several rows called tracks. If you include a sound in this table, it will land in an audio track. If it is video media, it will land in a video track.
And if your video file also has sound, then it will split into two tracks, audio and video. Simple, right?
Be aware that when two tracks overlap, the top track will always dominate the other, like an overlapping layer system. It is thanks to this system that you will be able to integrate text or titles on your videos without hiding all of your images.
6. Start editing your video
To get started, choose the media you want to integrate into your timeline within the Explore Panel. Double click on it. You will then see it appear in the source monitor, just above.
This is where you can shape your video clip before inserting it.
Cut a video rush:
Determine the entry and exit points of the video (the beginning and the end) using the { and } tools located below the preview window. Once the segment of your media has been carefully defined, we can insert it into your timeline.
Insert media into the timeline:
Your video segment to be inserted appears in your source monitor. Simply drag and drop it from the source panel to the timeline. Easy! The media is then broken down into the corresponding tracks, audio and/or video.
Move tracks in the timeline:
Use the selection tool, in the toolbar to the left of the timeline, then click on the track to be moved. Just drag and drop it where you want to change its location. It can't be simpler than that!
Add text:
To add a title or text blocks to your video, select the text tool from the timeline toolbar. Click on the Program Monitor view screen to place your application area and type your text.
You will see a control panel install in the source monitor window. This is where you can change the body of your text, its size, its font, its weight, its color…etc. It's up to you to modify all these parameters so that they stick to your desires.
Finally, to modify the position of your text on the screen, use the selection tool and move by dragging the text block within the program monitor. Still so simple, right?
Change the sound level of your tracks:
To increase or decrease the sound volume of an audio track, you must double-click on the track in question so that it is displayed in the source monitor. Go to Effect Options then Audio Effects to finally select Level and modify the intensity in Db of your track.
Add an effect:
Click on the Effects tab in the project explorer panel, at the bottom left of your screen. You will find many effects including a folder of effects and transitions. You will find preset effects directly in the “Presets” folder.
To apply one to your video, drag and drop the effect onto the relevant track in the timeline. It will apply there automatically.
7. Tools and Shortcuts
Now I'm going to give you a quick tour of the main tools in Premiere Pro. These are the ones you will need the most for your edits. Most of them are found by default in the software toolbar next to the timeline but I will also give you the associated keyboard shortcuts.
Might as well start saving time now! If you ever want to edit or review these shortcuts, you can find them by clicking Adobe Premiere Pro in the menu bar, then Keyboard Shortcuts.
The Cutter Tool [C]
The tool used to trim your video clips. Thanks to the cutter you can simply segment your rushes directly in your timeline.
The Selection Tool [ V ]
You will use this tool globally to navigate in your workspace and make your parameter changes in all the control panels of the software.
Play / Pause [ Spacebar ]
It is a simple access to play or pause your video in the program monitor or source monitor.
The Spread or Ripple tool [ B ]
It is a tool that allows you to adjust or modify a seam between two tracks on your timeline.
The Zoom tool [ Z ]
This is the tool for enlarging the display of areas of your timeline to gain precision during edits. By pressing [ ⌥ ] or [ Alt ] you can zoom out.
Keyboard shortcuts save you a lot of time when editing, especially when the tasks are long and repetitive. Here are the most used:
Insert plane [ , ]
which allows you to insert a sequence between two others in the timeline without cutting them.
Overwrite a plane [ ; ]
It allows you to insert a sequence by deleting the sequence on which you add it.
Expand timeline to show all shots [ ' ]
Allows you to adjust the display of the timeline to your entire editing.
Enlarge a video/audio track
[⌘]+ [ + ] / decrease [⌘] + [ – ].
Go to a cut directly
[up arrow] and [down arrow] to easily navigate between sections of the timeline.
Magnetism [S]
connects one plane with another like a magnet.
Select only video or only audio
[⌥] + [click on track].
Full-screen mode of working windows
Position the cursor on the window + [ ù ], repeat [ ù ] to exit the mode.
8. Export your edit
Once your movie is ready and your editing is complete, you need to export your project to a format that can be played on the internet or on a media player.
Before exporting, you must finalize the encoding of your files. It's good practice to take this step into consideration now to save time on exporting when dealing with large editing projects.
To do this, you must go to the taskbar and click Sequence > Render In to Out. A progress window will appear and you will only have to wait until the end of the calculation.
Once the encoding of the files is finished, redirect yourself to the task bar at the top of your screen. Click File > Export > Media. You can also use a keyboard shortcut (because we like it) which is [⌘] + [ M ].
A configuration panel appears. In the "Format" drop-down list, choose: H.264. In "Preconfiguration", select the corresponding one. Overall, YouTube 1080p full HD corresponds to the majority of videos intended for the web.
Click on Output name, to change the name of your file and select the desired export location (remember the folders we created together at the beginning) namely “Renders”.
Don't forget to check the “maximum rendering quality” box so as not to lose image quality, then click on Export.
Now all you have to do is wait until your video export is complete! The waiting time may vary depending on the duration, quality and complexity of the elements mounted. You can also import your project to After Effects if you want to add animation effects.
