Adobe Premiere Pro

[A Step Above Productions]

Was woundering if anyone has any tricks and tips on Priemre Pro? I own it and have been using it for over a year now. I like it a lot but feel I may be missing out on some tricks. I trained myself on it - so I know I am missing out on a few things.

[patssle]

The great thing I love about Premiere is that you can import entire projects into After Effects. Do all your cuts in Premiere, then just import the project and you won't have to do any video searching in After Effects.

I don't get how the workflow works for people who edit with other NLE programs and have to do tweaking to the projects in After Effects?

[A Step Above Productions]

The great thing I love about Premiere is that you can import entire projects into After Effects. Do all your cuts in Premiere, then just import the project and you won't have to do any video searching in After Effects.

I don't get how the workflow works for people who edit with other NLE programs and have to do tweaking to the projects in After Effects?


Any tips for After Effects? I am lost when it comes to it. I play with it but have no idea what I am doing.

[PHX Shooter]

One thing I just found doing the multi-cam editing is using numbered markers to synch tracks. I was given some video that had no slate and no timecode to work with. I went in and found a spot in the audio (I look for words with sharp, discernable attacks) and set a numbered clip marker at that spot. Doing the same thing with the other track, I set a corresponding numbered marker (the marker numbers need to be the same for this to work). Next step is to select both tracks and either go to Clip>Synchronize or right click and bam, both tracks are now synched at those markers. Pretty slick and fast.
The other cool thing about numbered markers is that I'm also synching slide .jpgs to the video via XML for Webcasting and I can set numbered markers to correspond to the slide number so I can go back through the sequence and grab all the slide timecodes for creating the XML file.

[Necktie Boy]

I like the ability to burn to DVD from the time line...Simple DVD....No menu.....Not really a trick, but a cool feature.
I use Boris FX....You get cool transition and effects that you can control from Premiere. I also picked Graffitti for extra titling.
"Edit Original" from the "Edit Menu" will send the footage to where it was create....Photoshop file goes to Photoshop...Audio goes to Audition....
To move from edit to edit.....Page Up or Down on the keyboard.
I hope that helps

[A Step Above Productions]

I like the ability to burn to DVD from the time line...Simple DVD....No menu.....Not really a trick, but a cool feature.
I use Boris FX....You get cool transition and effects that you can control from Premiere. I also picked Graffitti for extra titling.
"Edit Original" from the "Edit Menu" will send the footage to where it was create....Photoshop file goes to Photoshop...Audio goes to Audition....
To move from edit to edit.....Page Up or Down on the keyboard.
I hope that helps

Those I know - but keep the tips coming

[Necktie Boy]

Sorry,
I guess I don't know any tricks....hehehe..But you had to know that any Adobe product works welll with other Adobe products.

[patssle]

Any tips for After Effects? I am lost when it comes to it. I play with it but have no idea what I am doing.

Honestly, I've found After Effects is one of those programs that takes a long time to learn. I used it off and on for about 4 years just for fun, and didn't get far. Then this past semester at school I really started using it, and I got a lot better in 6 months of serious use. But still not to the point of where I want to be.

I think its a program that you just have to use and learn it over time...its not something that you can pickup in a day at a training session or after a week of use.

[Alaska cameradude]

For After Effects I got the Trish and Chris Meyer books.....I think they have 3. Work through the exercises in those...you'll get a lot better. Do a bunch of the tutorials on Creative Cow. It takes some time to pick up, but it's easier for me than some other programs like Combustion or Shake because it DOES have a timeline based setup kind of like most NLE's have. I use it with Final Cut Pro with no problems at all, After Effects actually plays nice with pretty much any NLE (not as nice as it does with Premiere obviously) but I have a Mac and you couldn't get Premiere on a Mac the last few years. The new edition will work on the Intel Macs though so I may have to take a look at Adobe's production studio. I like their software, I just like Apple's stuff (FCP and Motion) a little more....mostly for ease of use. But knowing me I'll get them both because Adobe is better at some things and After Effects will do some things Motion won't do. If you are on a PC I'd think it would be hard to get more for the money than Adobe's Productions Suite.....you can pretty much do ANYTHING with it!

[John M.]

I like the ability to burn to DVD from the time line...Simple DVD....No menu.....Not really a trick, but a cool feature.

With Premiere Pro 2.0, at least, you can burn DVDs with menus directly from the timeline.

[Tapeape]

If you've just spent forever tweaking an effect (audio or video) on one clip on the timeline, and you need to apply the same effect to another clip, just copy the one you worked on, right click on the other clip, and select "paste attributes."

Lots faster than manually tweaking the effect for each clip.

When I'm editing I like to run 2 audio channels. I pan ch. 1 all the way left, and ch2 all the way right. Then when I'm dropping clips in, I drag to either v1 or v2 depending on what sound input I need.

Oh, and reset your keymap so that E and R are in/out instead of I and O. Puts your hand right near the other commonly used keyboard shortcuts, so you can edit with one hand on the mouse and one on the keyboard.

[bottom_feeder]

remap your I and O?
But then the in and outs aren't above the J K and L keys. How can you edit quickly if your ins and outs aren't right above your jog shuttle?

[Tapeape]

remap your I and O?
But then the in and outs aren't above the J K and L keys. How can you edit quickly if your ins and outs aren't right above your jog shuttle?

I use the mouse as my jog shuttle. It's faster and more accurate than the keyboard, but that's just me ;)

[A Step Above Productions]

remap your I and O?
But then the in and outs aren't above the J K and L keys. How can you edit quickly if your ins and outs aren't right above your jog shuttle?

I use the Shuttle PRo and a mouse for most of my editing - I allmost never use the keyboard.

The past attributes key is the best thing ever – a client of mine showed me that trick and I use it every day.

[newsindc]

I edit with premiere pro in the field on a laptop most of the time in my car. And I like the program. I would like to use the mouse but it just does not work in the car. I found it easy to learn and easy to use. It works well for down and dirty get it on the air fast news.

[Dan R.]

I use a USB optical mouse in the car. Works great using your leg or the center console as a mousepad.

[bottom_feeder]

I use the mouse as my jog shuttle. It's faster and more accurate than the keyboard, but that's just me ;)
In order to get really fast you've got to give up the mouse and use the keyboard short cuts.

[Tom Servo]

In order to get really fast you've got to give up the mouse and use the keyboard short cuts.

yeah, I've heard that. But I've also edited pkgs (my last station's nonlinear for a long time consisted of my personal laptop ;) ) in 8 minutes start to finish, which is fast enough for me ;) They wouldn't have won any NPPA awards, but they made air.

Besides, if I'm moving a clip around on the timeline, (and maybe you can enlighten me here) I really don't see how it's faster to use the kb shortcuts than it is to just grab it with the mouse and put it where it goes.

[bottom_feeder]

Try the U key to enter the slide edit tool and then use the forward and backward arrow keys to move the clip forward or backward in the timeline. Use shift + arrow key to move it 10 frames.
Wow, using your own gear, that's dedication!
Obviously 8 minutes is fast enough in anybodies book.
Even so, I'll bet you could have done it even faster if you had a mastery of the many keyboard short cuts.

[Tapeape]

Try the U key to enter the slide edit tool and then use the forward and backward arrow keys to move the clip forward or backward in the timeline. Use shift + arrow key to move it 10 frames.

Hokay, I'll play with that when I get home. I'm still not mentally seeing how a linear keyboard flow (basically play forward and reverse buttons) is faster than clicking right where you need to be, but that's probably just because I'm not imaginative enough ;)

Wow, using your own gear, that's dedication!

What can I say, I wanted out of there, and escape tapes with lousy edits due to chronic frame slipping on old tape to tapes with well more than 10,000 hours on the heads weren't gonna cut it ;)

[bottom_feeder]

Yeah I can relate to the escape type scenario.
Imagine this for a virtual speed comparison.
You have a keyboard on the screen instead of the real one.
Now imagine trying to type more than just a couple of words by using your mouse to move around the on screen keyboard and find and click on the letters.
You've got only one mouse vs four fingers and an occasional thumb, plus the time spent moving it around the screen.

[patssle]

I just discovered something.

In Premiere, I told a clip on the timeline to "edit origional"...thinking it was a picture file and expecting to open Photoshop. It was actually an AVI file I had outputted from After Effects. What does Premiere do? It opens the actual After Effects project I used to create the AVI. Awesome!

[Tom Servo]

You've got only one mouse vs four fingers and an occasional thumb, plus the time spent moving it around the screen.

OK, I've been trying this, and it's just not as fast. That tells me I'm doing something wrong. Got any links or resources to show me what the fast keyboard guys are doing?

[bottom_feeder]

Just like playing any fine instrument, whether a fine editing instrument or a musical one, practice is the key.
Keyboard shortcuts require time to learn and become ingrained.
You're still going to need to use the mouse, the key to using key board shortcuts is to find the ones that cut the corners on the most click intensive parts of what you're doing, like moving around in the timeline to trim the edits. Use the go to next edit shortcut instead of dragging the time indicator. Using the keyboard shortcuts for the trim tool instead of dragging the ends of the clip in the timeline. You'll have to spend some time learning what shortcuts work best for you and then keep looking for more of them. Eventually you'll find you'll use the mouse less and less and your speed will increase accordingly.

[A Step Above Productions]

I too would love to see a map of the shortcuts

[bottom_feeder]

Here are a few to get you started. I'll post more when I have time.

# Shortcut #1 - {TAB} key
Press the {TAB} key to toggle Premiere's palettes off and on. With the palettes turned off you will have more room on the screen to expand your Project window, Monitor window, and Timeline window. This will also give you an unobstructed view of the Audio Clip window when working with audio wave forms.

# Shortcut #2 - { + } and { - }
The plus key { + } and minus key { - } on the main keyboard (NOT the numeric keypad) will expand and contract the time scale in the Timeline window. HINT: Position the Edit Line before you press plus or minus to keep the clip centered in the Timeline window.

# Shortcut #3 - { \ }
Use the backslash key { \ } to automatically re-size the Timeline window so that you can see all the clips in your edited program.

# Shortcut #4 - { Space Bar }
The { Space Bar } is the largest key on your keyboard. Use it to start and stop playback in the Timeline window, Monitor window or Clip window. In the Timeline window, pressing the { Space Bar } starts playback from the location of the Edit Line. Playback will continue until you press the { Space Bar } again, or the end of the project is reached.

# Shortcut #5 - { Enter }
Press the { Enter } key to playback ONLY the section of the Timeline defined by the yellow Work Area Bar. If there are any video segments or audio segments that require preview files, these will be rendered before playback commences. Playback will automatically stop at the end of the yellow Work Area Bar.

# Shortcut #6 - { Alt } + { Click Yellow Bar }
Hold down the { Alt } key while you click the yellow Work Area Bar. This will automatically expand the yellow Work Area Bar to cover all the clips in the Timeline window. NOTE: If there is a gap anywhere in the Timeline -- even as small as 1 frame -- the yellow Work Area Bar will STOP at the gap. This is an excellent way to troubleshoot your program and check for any accidental gaps in your Timeline. HINT: If you simply double-click on the yellow Work Area Bar, it will be automatically sized to fill the current viewing area of the Timeline window.

# Shortcut #7 - { Alt } + { period } and { Alt } + { comma }
When a clip in the Timeline window is selected (i.e. surrounded by the animated marquee), you can nudge it forwards or backwards one frame at a time by holding the { Alt } key while pressing the { period } or { comma } respectively. If you hold down both the { Alt } key and the { Shift } key, you can nudge the selected clip 5 frames forward at a time with the { period } and 5 frames backward at a time with the {comma}.

# Shortcut #8 - { V } and { Z }
The letter { V } selects the default Selection Tool and the letter { Z } selects the Zoom Tool. With the Zoom Tool { Z } selected, click and drag inside the Timeline area to specify exactly what clips you want to fit into the Timeline window. Then press the letter { V } to return to the default Selection Tool. Once you start using this technique you will really appreciate how easy it is to get just what you want to see in the Timeline window. Just remember, it's eazy with V and Z.

# Shortcut # 9 - { Home } and { End }
When any clip in the Timeline window is selected (i.e. surrounded by the animated marquee), pressing the { Home } key places the Edit Line at the start of the clip and pressing the { End } key places the Edit Line at the end of the clip.

# Shortcut # 10 - { * } on Numeric Keypad
When working in the Timeline window or Monitor window, pressing the asterisk key { * } on the Numeric Keypad will create a Marker in the Timeline window. These markers are extremely useful when combined with Premiere's new Automate to Timeline function. HINT: Press { Shift } + { W } to move forwards from one Timeline marker to the next. Press { Shift } + { Q } to move backwards from one Timeline marker to the previous one.

# Shortcut # 11 - { uparrow } or { downarrow }
When you are on the timeline, hitting the up arrow and down arrow will bring you to the first frame and last frame of your project.

# Shortcut # 12 - { shift } & { ctrl } & either { rightarrow } or { leftarrow }
If you select 'shift'-'ctrl' and either the left arrow or right arrow while on the timeline you will jump to the next juncture between clips to the right or left depending on which arrow key you used. Its a quick way of jumping through the transitions between clips on your timeline..

[Necktie Boy]

And if you don't like the location of the key, you can remap your keyboard. Comma(,) is Insert And for your FCP editors. F9 is insert

[Tapeape]

heh. I'm in the same boat as Tom. I tried the keyboard thing. . .Even tried remapping it to your specs. Maybe it's my style of editing, but it's just slower for me to navigate using only the keyboard. It's just faster for me to click right where I need to go - especially if it's somewhere in the middle of a clip.

Call me stupid or old fashioned, but I'm just more comfortable with one hand on the mouse and one on the keyboard.

Besides, I spent all that money for a wireless laser mouse, and I'm gonna use the thing dammit! ;)

[A Step Above Productions]

For me a combination of the keyboard, mouse and my Shuttle Pro2 works best for me. The keyboard is great but the mouse is great too. A mishmash of all three is for me the fastest.

All the keyboard shortcuts mentioned so far I knew. I was hoping for some new one that would speed up everything.

[bottom_feeder]

I'm not trying to be flip here, but here is an analogy.
When I was first learning how to type using a keyboard I found I could write by hand much faster than I could using the keyboard. After lots of practice I no longer find that to be true.

[A Step Above Productions]

What is the shortcut for a disolve? I know there is one I just don't know where to find it.

[Necktie Boy]

It's "Control+D" Park the marker over the edit. If I remember, you can change the transition if you like. It should already set for a dissolve.

[A Step Above Productions]

It's "Control+D" Park the marker over the edit. If I remember, you can change the transition if you like. It should already set for a dissolve.

Thanks - you just saved me time on a mojor project I am working on.

[The Daywood]

Not a paid endorsement....

One of the other staff members here who does a ton with After Effects and then Premier swears by Creative Cow's Podcast...

Haven't checked it out myself regularly, but it is worth a listen according to him...

[ENG FTP]

Here is a trick. Export your edit using the Adobe MPEG Encoder and then upload that file to our FTP Server. From there we can fiber it to any broadcast network or uplink it to a satellite. Adobe Premiere Pro has the best MPEG options out there. Avid and FCP can not touch it.

Bruce Wilkinson
Satellite Applicaitons ENG FTP
www.engftp.com

[Necktie Boy]

ENG FTP,

Whick MPEG Settings are you using? Since I have reloaded Premiere, I have lost those settings.

Thanks!

[KsPhotog]

Has anyone exported to DVD and had it go through the whole process, then on the last step it says it can't complete and says "DVD Err 224" ?
I get this alot. Yesterday I had to burn a 25 minute DVD 3 times before it worked. It's much worse when I do 2 hour DVD's and it takes 12+ hours only to not work.
It's very frustrating!

[Necktie Boy]

I did a quick search and found this:

According to the Consensus on the adobe users forum, this error message is generated due to the fact that a 3rd party software is running in the background, and therefore interfering with the burn process.. 2 of the main offenders are "Norton anti virus" and Roxio "drag to disc"

I hope that helps.

[KsPhotog]

Thanks, that could be. I usually let it burn and do other things. I'm not watching it the whole time. I'm sure Norton could start running during that process. Thanks!

[BNVN]

Has anyone exported to DVD and had it go through the whole process, then on the last step it says it can't complete and says "DVD Err 224" ?
I get this alot. Yesterday I had to burn a 25 minute DVD 3 times before it worked. It's much worse when I do 2 hour DVD's and it takes 12+ hours only to not work.
It's very frustrating!

Yeah, I have got that error a lot and broke down and picked up a copy of Adobe Encore. I had major issue with Pro2 trying to encode to a Dual Layer DVD so I was able to find a demo copy with a limited license from Adobe's website for Encore2 and it worked for what I need to do. Took a lot of messing around with to get it to work but in the end it did the job.