Editing How To

1) On a Mac desktop (ensure you are on a Mac setting due to the login screen looking as the one above. If it’s not, follow these steps: restart the computer, hold down ALT for the duration of the switch on process, a screen should appear which allows you to choose a Macintosh setting out of the three shown on-screen.) Log on with mediab, mediab. 

Using macs gives more space to save folders and install editing programmes, alongside using a shared account so members of the group do not hold the folders on their personal accounts and everyone can access it. 

2) After logging on, the desktop screen will appear. 

3) In finder, click on the Movies sub folder. This is where all of the footage will be copied and stored. Click on New Folder and name it appropriately. 

4) After inserting an SD card or USB, copy the files into your new folder and wait for the data to complete processing. You files will look like this – you can create sub-folders for audio and video, effects and edits. This ensures that the data won’t be lost, and that you won’t have to keep inserting the SD card to edit your footage. 
 In order to insert an SD card safely ensure that the "Lock" switch is pressed down, so that the footage can be copied onto the desktop. Once you've inserted a form of memory into the Mac, the icon for it will appear on your desktop. In order to eject it safely, right click on that icon after you've completed copying your files, and select "Eject..." and wait for a notification to appear telling you that it's ready to be ejected. Not doing this can corrupt files and make you lose important files you need. 

5) In order to open Premier Pro, go to your desktop screen and find this icon on the bottom bar. If you can’t find it, go into Applications and search Adobe Premier Pro and open it there instead. You will be greeted by the start-up screen. 

6) This is the start-up screen. If you’re creating a new project, click on “New Project”, if you’re returning to continue editing something, under the “Open a Recent Item” there is an “Open Project” button.

7) Upon clicking “New Project” this screen will show up. Name your project, and make sure you save the folders in the correct location. 

8) Once you’ve created a new project, you will get this screen. You have to import your footage now. Do this by clicking “File” and “Import” and select the footage from your folder. 

9) Your footage will be here, alongside any audio clips which you can cut and change to fit your piece. This section will show the length of the files and you can drag them to the first viewing window to preview them before you add them into your piece. The footage will also be organised into "bins" - folders for you to place clips in according to the type, or the length, or whatever specification keeps you most organised. 

10) When you drag footage onto your timeline, it looks like this. On the right side is a preview where you can experiment with different lengths of video and add effects without affecting the actual footage, shown on the left. To add a piece of footage to your piece, drag it from the lower left quarter to the lower right, putting it in the right place.

 In this screen are all of the major editing tools. Alongside the audio bank is the cutting tool, handy for shortening clips. The cutting tool can be used in both the upper right preview screen and on the actual footage in the timeline. 

In order to cut footage on the timeline, select a cutting tool and click on the place where you want a transition. This will separate the footage. Right click on the footage you don't want, and move it or delete it with the Delete button on your keyboard. If you've deleted or moved the clip, you may need to move around a large amount of other footage. If there's a blank space left between the altered clip and the rest of the footage afterwards, either click on that blank space and click Backspace on your keyboard. This will remove the black screen and create an instant cut to the next selection of footage. 

 In order to move around large groups of footage, hold down the left mouse button and drag over the footage, and move it accordingly. 

 In order to edit a specific clip of footage, you should right click on the file in the timeline and select the edit you want to add. Another screen will appear where you make specific changes. 

There's a good few rows where you can layer footage and audio here. This is handy for adding effects, layering audio to add background music over dialogue or voice-overs and comparing tracks to see which works best for you. 

11) Here you can see how long your production is overall. 

12) Once you're finished with your product, go back to file and select "Save As..." and ensure that the folder you're saving it in is one you have created in a specific place where you'll be able to easily locate it, and has an appropriate folder name. 

This step should be repeated throughout the duration of your editing, in case Premier Pro crashes and you lose work. After "[Saving] As..." once, simply click "Save" and the file will update all of the changes for you.