Adobe Premiere Pro: A few efficiency tips, assembling your clips

Today, I'm doing something a little different. I'm creating a guide that is not only something I wanted to share with you, but also as something that I can reference myself.

Recently, I've been jumping back into editing. Although it is something that I love doing, post-production is also something that I can go months without doing. However, with the new wave of projects I'm working on, I'm finally able to jump back into editing software, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects.

I've been an Adobe user since I began working with their software back in college. When I began photography as a hobby, I started with the basics in Photoshop and Illustrator. Through that, I was introduced to many of their related programs.

From a video editing perspective, I was "classically trained" in Final Cut Pro. This was when the software was a fantastic and powerful editing too. Not the stripped down Final Cut Pro X that was released a few years later.

However, when I was working from my dorm, I had no access to Final Cut. My solution was to test out the alternatives. I found Adobe Premiere Pro to be a very effective editing tool for the jobs that I needed done.

After graduation, Premiere Pro became my primary tool for video editing. It wasn't until I started diving deeper into local video projects that I was able to heavily utilize this tool. Unfortunately, there came a time that I had to step away from post-production.

Which brings me to my point. When I haven't used certain software in a while, I tend to just forget all of the shortcuts and tricks that make my job a little easier. I've decided to go back and refresh myself on some of the basic shortcuts, not only for me but also for any new or amnesic users.

Let's start with the basics. I'm sure I'll touch base on some more advanced techniques in the future. For now, let's look at the simplest commands and organizational methods associated with assembling video clips in Premiere Pro.

Storyboard those clips:

For any project that requires organizing a variety of clips into a coherent story (through the power of editing), it might be beneficial to separate those clips into a storyboard WITHIN Premiere Pro.

How? Basically, if you look on the bottom left of your screen, you'll see all the clips for your session. There is also the option to create Bins (Folders) for your clips in order to better organize them.

Editing clips in the Source Monitor

In terms of organization and pre-Timeline actions, I just wanted to provide a quick rundown on some of the commands available for editing in the Source Monitor. These are the ones that I discovered to help with my efficiency.

Key	Command Name	Description
I	Mark In/Set In Point	Mark the beginning of your clip selection in source
O	Mark Out/Set Out Point	Mark the end of your clip selection in source
Shift +I	Go to In	Move to In marker in source
Shift+O	Go to Out	Move to Out marker in source
.	Overlay Selection	Replaces current position on Timeline with Source Monitor selection
,	Insert Selection	Inserts Source Monitor selection into the current place in the Timeline

With these tools, you can make selections from the Source Monitor. These selections can help to trim down a particular clip without any editing in the Timeline.

These buttons associated with the shortcuts are available right below the Source Monitor.

Once you have your selection, you have your Insert and Overlay tools to place your selection into the Timeline.

Assembly for screen real estate!

And in case you couldn't tell from the previous screenshot, there are various ways to assemble your workspace. If you happen to be working on a small display and can't quite cram the Source Monitor in with the Program Monitor, there is also a very nifty Assembly tab at the top, which will toggle the layout to only display the Assembly monitor, freeing up some space for any preliminary clip management and trimming before jumping into the Timeline.

So, those are just a few items I learned with clip and time management in Adobe Premiere Pro. Of course, some of these could also apply to any nonlinear editing tools, so hopefully this information can be a learning experience for all just jumping into editing or needing some productivity tips.

As I learn (or relearn) more, I'm hoping to return with some more items in the future. Thanks you for stopping by!

Until next time!

Cheers!

Steven

Observations and Changes

Well, it's unfortunate that August has been plagued with so many technical issues, because I had some really big plans. The end of July rolling into the next month saw the breakdown of many devices that were necessary for productivity. Not to mention I had to put everything aside just to dedicate the time towards getting those problems worked out.

Now, it's the beginning of September and it seems that most of the bugs have been worked out of the system...keyword: most. I also have a new job on the way, which means that my schedule will be drastically adjusting to adhere this change. I'm not sure how this will affect the time I normally dedicate to film work. I may have to cut back for the time being, returning to local volunteer film work when I am able to work with my new job on scheduling this time.

Although I might be taking a break, that doesn't necessarily mean that I will not stay active in the film community. I will continue writing in the meantime, working towards my goal of developing an original short film. Unfortunately, it may not begin production until early 2014, but the extra time will work in the film's favor.  I don't want to rush things and run into issues with the writing or filming, so this short hiatus might be more beneficial than hurtful. Check back for more updates, as I add new content to my website and associated accounts (links available on website).

In the meantime, I will continue with non-narrative video work and photography (it helps to keep me sharp in the technical department). Cheers!

Back to the Drawing...errr...Storyboard

Once again, it's time to get productive. While I have some downtime between the wrap of my 48 Hour Film Project and the start of fall videography jobs, I figured I would get some screenwriting and pre-production pumped out. While I'm not entirely sold on which story idea will get developed into a shooting script, I plan on working out the details of over half a dozen ideas that I have compiled, in hopes that the strongest script will stand out. From that point on...well...one step at a time.

I previously said that I would have a short film ready for production by August. Obviously, that's not going to happen. Between work, job transitioning, and freelance gigs, it seems as though time is limited to whatever I can scrounge up, especially in the next couple of weeks. For the time being, bear with me and know that I am working hard to bring something to life.

Itching to do this again.

Also, if you have any ideas that you would like assistance in bringing to life or would like to assist me in my own work, feel free to contact me. All of my contact information is at www.secroner.com, along with any updates on projects. And, as always, keep checking back here for a more in-depth look at any project updates. Cheers!