Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium: Adobe Premiere: New Project & Orientation

Started a new project

  • Decided to make it a real project – [2011-12-12 (NG) Carol Singing]
  • Prompted for a project path and file name:
    • Path:
      • (scratch area etc. are then, by default, set relative to (within?) this – much nicer than FCP7 )
      • Chose: [I:\_Media\_Projects\2011-12-12 (NG) Carol Singing\030 Projects\Adobe\Premiere]
    • FileName: [Carols 001]
      • This created project-file [Carols 001.prproj]
  • Dialog [New Sequence] then prompted for sequence settings:
    • Choose Sequence preset – to match the recorded footage, namely 720p25
      • Chose XDCAM-EX > 720p > XDCAM EX 720p25
      • Change the [Sequence Name] from default ([Sequence 01]) to [010 Assemblage 001]
  • The main Premiere timeline etc. GUI appeared.
  • At its lower-left was [Media Browser]
    • In this I browsed to the source files, being MXF versions of my EX3 footage, selected those files and [Import]
      • The files then immediately appeared at the upper-left pane.
      • However for 5-10 minutes afterwards, the hard drive light flashed, indicating data-transfer.
        • How come?  What was it doing?  Surely it’s already in the right format?
    • In the upper-left pane, I double-clicked one of the source files.
      • It appeared in the Source preview-window (akin to FCP and Avid)
  • In Source pane:
    • Played intuitively.
      • SpaceBar for Play/Pause
      • Arrow keys for frame-at-a-time
      • Shift-Arrow for a few frames at a time
      • Control-Arrow for Beginning and End.
      • Easy-to-see*grab&slide timeline cursor (blue blob)
  • Tried dragging source (pane) media to Timeline
    • Not as I expected
      • I expected the video and audio to “want” to go in the existing video and audio tracks.  Instead, while I could drag the video component anywhere (including the existing video tracks), the audio component only went to new tracks (that it automatically created).
      • Four audio tracks were created, not the two that I was expecting (given it was only a stereo recording).
      • No audio waveforms displayed (I expect there is a setting somewhere)
  • Found an [Info] tab in the pane at the lower-left of the app.
    • It showed that file [929_3798_01.mxf] contained 3 video channels, of which only vchannel 1 was populated, and 7 audio channels, of which the last four (4-7) achannels were populated.
  • Found [Preferences] under [Edit > Preferences]
    • Discovered cache location was at [C:\Users\David\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Common]
    • There was also an option <<Save Media Cache files next to originals when possible
      • Possibly inappropriate when using straight XDCAM-EX source-files?
        • Don’t want to corrupt the BPAV file structure with “foreign” additions.
      • Should be OK though when using MXF format though I guess.
      • Can [Clean] the cache, under same [Preferences] window.
  • Audio Waveform display
    • In each audio track-header, Twirl the Disclosure-Triangle.  Independently for each audio track.
    • Having done so, it was apparent that two of the audio elements (hence two of the four audio tracks) contained no audio – their waveform displays were simply flat-lines.
  • Effects
    • Extremely intuitive.
      • [Effects] tab in lower-left pane of app GUI
    • Tried e.g. [Effects > Video Effects > Auto Color]
      • Dragged it to item on timeline
      • Saw its effect in the main Timeline preview pane
        • Provided the cursor was somewhere on that item in the timeline.
      • In [Source] preview-pane, selected [Effect Controls] tab
        • [Video Effects] included [Auto Color]
        • Clicking the [fx] button toggles the effect on/off
  • Cuts & Transitions
    • Snapping on/off Toggle-button (looks a bit like [C], meant to be a horseshoe-magnet), left of timeline top-ruler
    • Transitions
      • Basics
        • Ensure handles are present and that the clips are abutted (e.g. have snap enabled)
        • In Effects palette (tab in lower-left pane, [Video Transitions > Dissolve > Cross Dissolve]
      • Iris Transition
        • I fairly frequently use this in another NLE, but with feathered edges.  The settings for this transition in Premiere do not appear to include feathering.  Nothing obvious came up in Google or Help searches.
        • One suggestion, from July 2009, was to instead use Gradient Wipe, which has a Softness control, together with a suitable image for the required shape (e.g. circle).
          • DOH !
  • Text

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.