Editing with Premiere

It's best to plan your shots BEFORE you film.  Here is a link to key cuts that you should plan ahead of time:

Premiere Configuration:

1. Put ALL of your editing files into a folder on D drive. D drive is a local drive. Premiere will likely default to your home folder on the server. You need to make sure that Premiere only uses D drive.

2. Put ALL mp3 files onto D drive. Yes it will work to run them from your home drive, however, if anyone else needs to edit or view your file, it won't work. 

3. Don't edit from your USB drive. Copy all files for editing into your D drive folder.

4. Edit at 720p or (better) at 1080p.  You should also always shoot at 1080p.  The cards you have been given should work consistently at 1080p.

Editing with Premiere:

1. Common short cuts:

   1. [V]  Select Tool

   2. [C]  Cut Tool

   3. [Ctrl] key while dragging a clip into the middle of a timeline: Ripple insert

2. When you are editing, the videos that appear in Premiere's timeline are what are know as 'reference' video files. This means that they reference the files, but don't actually make changes to them. Your editing files are tiny. Your video files are huge. Your editing files simply store in and out points as well as other details about your video files. This means that you are doing non-destructive editing (where your original files are still in tact after you complete the editing). 

Sound and Audio Normalizing:

1. Remember that sound is 30 to 50% of your film

2. Listen to each clip carefully (ideally with speakers) and use the audio level meters.  Your audio should be just below the yellow (in the  -18 to -6 Db level)

   1. can you distinctively hear all conversation?  (if not, adjust)

   2. Are your voice levels similar throughout? (adjust accordingly - louder talking/yelling should be louder)

   3. Does your music overpower your voice?  (lower music volume)

   4. Does the background "noise" transition naturally from shot to shot?  *this is often overlooked

   5. Do your sound effects work convincingly and are they lined up perfectly?  (make adjustments - including levels)

   6. Is music used to add emotion to your film?

   7. Are all of your music and sound effect clips "Creative Commons" or "Open Source" and documented?

Colour Grading:

Once you have completed your draft, use colour grading on your clips to more effectively set the mood of your film.

1. Find a free "LUTs" file that you can use.

2. Work through the basics of colour grading in Adobe Premiere

3. You can also colour grade yourself and then create a LUTs which can be applied to your other clips

Exporting your Files:

1. Go to Files -> Export -> Media

2. If the default file type is set to .avi, change it to H264

3. For Zoomfest select HD 1080p 29.97 (unless you shot in 720p)

4. For school projects select Youtube 1080p Full HD (you may need to scroll down)

5. Change the file name and check the folder you are saving to! (click on 'Sequence 01.mp4) which is next to "Output Name:"

6. Click the "Export" button on the bottom

7. Wait patiently.

Troubleshooting:

1. iPhone Stuttering playback issue: