Adobe Premiere Elements 7 Notes:
presented by Abigail Rudner :: February 16, 2009
Why Premiere Elements?
Premiere Elements makes it easy for you to assemble elements such as videos images sound and text into a movie or a slideshows with transitions and sound.
You can export your project to DVD and Blue Ray and create menus to run the Media. You can also save the file on your hard drive, or export it to the web, to youtube, ipods and Microsoft Zune.
Getting media into your project
There are four basic methods for adding media to your projects: capturing from tape or live sources, importing files from other types of storage, adding from the Organizer, or recording narrations from a microphone.
When you add media files to your project, they are added to both the Project view and the Organizer. Each file is represented by a thumbnail, called a clip. Clips, whether they contain audio, video, or still images, are the building blocks of your movies. To get new media into your project, click Organize in the Tasks panel, and then click Get Media. Use any of the following options to add media:
DV Camcorder Captures video from a DV camcorder connected by FireWire (IEEE 1394) or USB. This option opens the Capture window.
HDV Camcorder Captures video from an HDV camcorder connected by FireWire (IEEE 1394). This option opens the Capture window.
DVD (Camcorder or PC DVD Drive) Imports video from your DVD drive, or a DVD in a camcorder connected by USB. You can import AVCHD from a DVD Camcorder. This option opens the Adobe Premiere Elements – Media Downloader window.
AVCHD Imports video from an AVCHD DVD camcorder or AVCHD camcorder that records to a hard disk or
memory card connected by USB. This option opens the Adobe Premiere Elements - Media Downloader window.
Digital Still Camera Imports video or photos from a still camera connected by USB. This option opens the Adobe
Premiere Elements - Media Downloader window.
Mobile Phones And Players Imports video and photos from a mobile phone, MP3 player, or other portable device
connected by USB. This option opens the Adobe Premiere Elements - Media Downloader window.
Webcam Or WDM Device Captures video from a webcam or WDM-compatible capture device. This option opens
the Capture window.
PC Files And Folders Imports video files, photos, and audio files from your PC’s hard drive.
There are four basic methods for adding media to your projects: capturing from tape or live sources, importing files from other types of storage, adding from the Organizer, or recording narrations from a microphone. When you add media files to your project, they are added to both the Project view and the Organizer. Each file is
represented by a thumbnail, called a clip. Clips, whether they contain audio, video,or still images, are the building blocks of your movies.
To get new media into your project, click Organize in the Tasks panel, and then click Get Media. Use any of the following options to add media:
DV Camcorder Captures video from a DV camcorder connected by FireWire (IEEE 1394) or USB. This option opens the Capture window.
HDV Camcorder Captures video from an HDV camcorder connected by FireWire (IEEE 1394). This option opens the Capture window.
DVD (Camcorder or PC DVD Drive) Imports video from your DVD drive, or a DVD in a camcorder connected by USB. You can import AVCHD from a DVD Camcorder. This option opens the Adobe Premiere Elements - Media Downloader window.
AVCHD Imports video from an AVCHD DVD camcorder or AVCHD camcorder that records to a hard disk or memory card connected by USB. This option opens the Adobe Premiere Elements - Media Downloader window.
Digital Still Camera Imports video or photos from a still camera connected by USB. This option opens the Adobe Premiere Elements - Media Downloader window.
Mobile Phones And Players Imports video and photos from a mobile phone, MP3 player, or other portable device connected by USB. This option opens the Adobe Premiere Elements - Media Downloader window.
Webcam Or WDM Device Captures video from a webcam or WDM-compatible capture device. This option opens the Capture window.
PC Files And Folders Imports video files, photos, and audio files from your PC’s
hard drive.
Add files using the Media Downloader
Many types of devices other than DV camcorders record and store video and still-image files. Using the Media Downloader, you can import files from tapeless camcorders and mobile devices, and from removable media, such as DVDs, memory cards, and multimedia cards. These files are copied to the hard drive location you specify and added to the Organizer and Project view.
Always make sure that the footage you add to a project matches the project preset.
A. Show/hide image files
B. Show/hide video files
C. Show/hide audio files
1 Do one of the following:
• Place the DVD into your computer’s DVD drive.
• Connect the digital camera, mobile phone, or other device to your computer using the USB 2.0 port.
Note: Be sure to install any drivers required by your device. Consult the manual.
2 In the Tasks panel, click Organize, and then click Get Media.
3 Click the device from which you want to import:
• DVD
• Tapeless Camcorder
• Digital Still Camera
• Mobile Phone And Players
• Webcam
4 In the Adobe Premiere Elements - Media Downloader dialog box, click Advanced Dialog.
5 Choose the drive or device from the Get Media From pop-up menu.
Thumbnails of all importable files appear in the dialog box.
6 To specify a location for the saved files, do one of the following:
• To save files to the default Adobe folder in the My Videos folder, leave the location as it appears in the dialog box.
• To specify a different location, click Browse and choose a folder or click Make New Folder to create and name a new folder.
• To create one or more subfolders for grouping files by criteria, click the triangle next to the Create Subfolder(s) field, and choose one of the options from the pop-up menu for naming the subfolder.
7 For the Show options, click Images , Video , Audio , or all of the buttons.
8 Select files to add to the Project view. A check mark below the file’s thumbnail indicates that the file is selected. By default, all files are selected. Click an option to remove the check mark and exclude a file. You can also select or deselect all files by using the Check All button or the UnCheck All button.
9 If you are using metadata, you can select Preserve Current Filename In XMP.
10 Click the triangle next to Apply Metadata, select a template, and fill in the Author and Copyright fields.
11 Click Get Media. You can click Cancel in the Progress dialog box at any time to stop the process.
Add files from your hard drive
• In the Tasks panel, click Organize, click Get Media, and then click PC And Folders. Locate and select the files that
you want, and click Open. To add an entire folder, select it and click Add Folder.
• Drag files or folders from a desktop panel to the Project view.
Note: You can also use the Organizer to access files that are stored on your hard drive, if you’ve added them to the Organizer from either Adobe Premiere Elements or Adobe Photoshop Elements.
Add numbered still-image files as a single clip
1 Make sure that each still-image filename has the correct filename extension, and that all filenames in the sequence
contain an equal number of digits before the extension—for example, file000.bmp, file001.bmp, and so forth.
2 Do one of the following:
• In the Tasks panel, click Organize, and click Get Media; then click PC Files And Folders.
• Choose File > Get Media From > PC Files And Folders.
3 Locate and select the first numbered still image in the sequence. From the Files Of Type menu, select Numbered
Stills, and click Open.
Adobe Premiere Elements interprets all of the numbered files as a single sequence.
Set duration for imported still images
When you add a still image, you can assign a specific duration to it, which specifies how much time the image occupies in the Timeline. You can set a default duration for all still images that you add, and you can change their duration in
the Timeline. The frame rate of your project determines the amount of time that a certain number of frames occupies. For example, for NTSC, if you are working in a 29.97 frame-per-second (fps) project and you enter 30 frames as the duration, each
still image that you add to the Timeline has a duration of about one second. For PAL, if you are working in a 25 fps project and you enter 25 frames as the duration, each still image that you add to the Timeline has a duration of one
second.
Change the default duration for still images
1 Do one of the following:
• Choose Edit > Preferences > General.
• Right-click in the Project view of the Tasks panel and choose Still Image Duration.
2 For Still Image Default Duration, specify the number of frames you want as a default duration.
Note: Changing the default duration of still images does not affect the duration of still images that are already in the Timeline or Sceneline, or in the Project view. To apply the new default length to all still images in your project, delete them from Project view and re-import them into your project.
Set a unique duration for a still image
Do one of the following:
• Position the Selection tool over either end of the image, and drag.
• Select the clip and choose Clip > Time Stretch. Enter a new duration and click OK.
Capturing video
Capturing involves recording video and audio directly to a hard drive from a DV or HDV camcorder, webcam, or other WDM (Windows Driver Model) device. Adobe Premiere Elements automatically detects the attached capture device
and sets all capture settings accordingly. The Capture panel provides controls that let you remotely control your device, making it easy to play, capture, pause, and stop the video on your device.
Getting ready to capture
What you need to capture video
Before you capture video, make sure that your system is set up appropriately for working with digital video by following these general guidelines:
Important: For an up-to-date list of system requirements, as well as assistance with error messages, see the Support Knowledgebase at www.adobe.com/support.
DV or HDV camcorder, webcam, or WDM device Check your camcorder documentation if you are unsure whether it is digital or analog.
Note: If you have an analog source (such as VHS recorder), you need to convert it to digital video first, and then import it to Adobe Premiere Elements.
Computer connections and cables To connect to your DV or HDV camcorder, your computer must have one of the following:
• IEEE 1394 port and cable (also known as FireWire or i.LINK)
• USB 2.0 port with a USB Video Class 1.0 driver installed (also called USB 2.0)
Whenever possible, use IEEE 1394. Not all camcorders work with USB. Many computers include onboard IEEE 1394 cards. If your computer does not include one, you can purchase and install one yourself.
Hard disk space Five minutes of DV-AVI video occupies about 1 GB of hard disk space. Allow enough space, not only for the source footage you will capture, but also for the preview files and final rendered movie and DVD or Blu-ray folders, should you choose to make these. A minimum of 4.5 GB is recommended. Periodically defragment your hard disk. Writing to a fragmented disk can cause disruptions in your hard disk’s write speed, causing you to lose, or drop,
frames as you capture. You can use the defragmentation utility included with Windows.
Note: Before capturing, make certain that you have enough hard disk space for the length of footage you will capture.
Before capture, the Capture panel shows the amount of free disk space remaining. During capture, it shows the duration
of footage that can be captured using the remaining free space.
External hard disks Capturing to an external hard disk is not recommended. If you must use an external hard disk, make sure the cables can handle the drive’s data rates and rotational speeds, and use large capacity UDMA 133 IDE/SATA drives dedicated to video only.
Connect your camcorder to your computer
1 Do one of the following, depending on the capture device you are using:
DV camcorder Connect your DV camcorder to your computer’s IEEE 1394 port using an IEEE 1394 cable. Some
camcorders may work with a USB 2.0 port using a USB cable; however, IEEE 1394 is recommended. If your camcorder
has both an IEEE 1394 port and a USB port, use the IEEE 1394 port for video capture.
Note: Do not connect a camcorder to both the IEEE 1394 and USB 2.0 ports at the same time.
HDV camcorder Connect your HDV camcorder to your computer’s IEEE 1394 port using an IEEE 1394 cable. You
cannot capture HDV using USB ports.
Webcam or WDM device Connect your webcam or other WDM device to your computer’s USB port using a USB
cable. You can capture video or still images from webcams using USB 1.0 ports.
Analog device Connect your analog device to an AV DV converter or digital camcorder using analog jacks and plugs.
Connect the AV DV converter or digital camcorder to your computer’s IEEE 1394 port using an IEEE 1394 cable.
Note: If your computer does not have a built-in IEEE 1394 or USB 2.0 port, or if your camcorder does not include the
appropriate cable, you can purchase one at a computer, camera, or consumer electronics store.
2 If required by your camera, use the power adapter to activate the IEEE 1394 port.
Prepare a project for video capture
Before you capture digital video, you need to create a project with a preset that matches the format (DV or HDV), television standard (NTSC or PAL), and frame aspect ratio (standard 4:3 or widescreen 16:9) that you’ll use to shoot your footage.
1 Do one of the following:
• From the Welcome Screen, click New Project.
• Choose File > New > Project.
2 In the New Project dialog box, type a name for your project, and then click Change Settings.
3 Select a preset (expand the preset folders to see all presets), and then click Save As Default.
Note: The Hard Disk, Flash Memory Camcorder presets use reverse field order. Make sure to choose these presets if your
footage uses upper field first.
4 Click OK to start a new project.
Create a new project:
1 Do one of the following:
• From the Welcome screen, click New Project.
• If Adobe Premiere Elements is open, choose File > New > Project.
2 (Optional) To change the settings used, click Change Settings and do either of the following:
• To change the preset used, select a different preset, and click OK.
• To create a custom preset, click New Preset, specify settings in the Custom Presets dialog box, and click Save. In the Name Preset dialog box, type a name and description, and click OK.
3 In the New Project dialog box, specify a name and location for the project, and click OK.
Open a project
You can open only one project at a time. To ensure that Adobe Premiere Elements can open an existing project, make sure that both the project file (.prel) and the source files used in it are accessible on your computer.
❖ Do one of the following:
• From the Welcome screen, click Open Project, and then click the project name. (If the project isn’t listed, click Open, select the project file, and click Open.)
• If Adobe Premiere Elements is open, choose File
> Open Project or Open Recent Project; then select the project file, and click Open.
• In Windows®, double-click the project file.
Interface:
The Adobe Premiere Elements workspace is optimized for the four major phases of a project: organizing footage (video, stills, and audio), editing a movie, creating menus for DVDs and Blu-ray Discs, and sharing movies. You can easily change from one task to the other by choosing different task-based buttons in the Tasks panel.
As you change tasks, the workspace displays the appropriate panels and panel views. You can also customize the workspace to meet your specific needs by adding and arranging panels.
Drop zones are areas in the workspace onto which you can drop or move panels. As you drag a panel, underlying drop
zones become outlined. The highlighted drop zone shows where the panel will be inserted into the workspace.
Dragging a panel to a drop zone at any of the edges of a panel results in docking.
Note: To see the names of panels in the workspace, choose Window > Show Docking Headers.
Panel overviews
Adobe Premiere Elements includes three main panels: Tasks panel, Monitor panel, and My Project panel (Timeline
and Sceneline). For all your basic tasks, you use these three panels.
Tasks panel overview
The Tasks panel appears by default for all workspaces. It is the central location for adding and organizing media;
finding, applying, and adjusting effects and transitions; creating DVD and Blu-ray Disc menus, and sharing your
finished projects. It is organized into four main task workspaces: Organize, Edit, Disc Menus, and Share. Within each
workspace are all the tools you need to accomplish tasks.
Edit workspace
When you’re ready to arrange or edit your media, click Edit in the Tasks panel. The Edit workspace lets you add movie themes and templates to your movies, apply effects and transitions, and create and add titles. In addition, the Properties view appears within the Tasks panel when you choose Window > Properties or when you edit effects or transitions. From the Edit workspace, you can access the following:
Project
Lets you view, sort, and select media that you have added to your project. You can view media in List view or Icon view. This view provides useful information about the clips in your project, such as whether the clip is currently
being used in the Sceneline or Timeline, the media type, frame rate, and duration.
Themes Displays InstantMovie themes that instantly and dramatically enhance your movies. Themes make it easy to create professional-looking movies because they automatically edit your clips and apply effects, transitions, overlays, title and closing-credit sequences, intros, intro videos, sound effects, and more. You can apply all the options in a theme, or choose the options you want.
Effects
Shows effects and presets you can use in your movie. You can search for an effect by typing its name into the search field. To see only specific types of effects, choose an option from the first menu: Video Effects, Audio Effects, Presets, My Presets, or Favorites. You can also view specific categories by choosing a category, such as Adjust or Channel, from the second menu (Show All is the default). To edit an effect before applying it, select it and click Edit Effects to open Properties view.
Transitions
Shows transitions you can use in your movie. You can search for a transition by typing its name into the search field. To see only specific types of transitions, choose an option from the first menu: Video Transitions, Audio Transitions, or Favorites. You can also view specific categories by choosing a category, such as 3D or Slide, from the second menu (Show All is the default). To edit a transition before applying it, select it and click Edit Transitions to open Properties view.
Titles
Shows preformatted titles you can use in your movie. You can search for a title by typing its name into the search field. To see only specific types of titles, choose an option from the first menu: Entertainment, General, Happy Birthday, and so on. And then, if you want to narrow the choices more, choose a specific theme, such as Blue Notes or Ladybug Picnic, from the second menu (Show All is the default).
Disc Menus workspace
When you’re ready to add menus to your movie for DVD or Blu-ray Disc, click Disc Menus in the Tasks panel. From this workspace, you can access your media and the menu templates.
Note: When you click Disc Menus in the Tasks panel, the Monitor panel switches to the Disc Layout view. Use Disc Layout view to drag and drop templates and media to personalize your menus. From the Disc Menus workspace, you can access the following:
Project
Lets you view, sort, and select media that you have added to your project. You can view media in List view or Icon view. This view provides useful information about the clips in your project, such as whether the clip is currently being used in the Sceneline or Timeline, the media type, frame rate, and duration.
Templates Lets you preview and choose preformatted templates you can use for menus. To see only specific types of templates, choose an option from the first menu: Entertainment, General, Happy Birthday, and so on. If you want to narrow the choices more, choose a specific theme, such as Blue Notes or Popcorn, from the second menu (Show All is the default).
Share workspace
When you’re ready to burn a disc, or save your movie for viewing online or on a mobile phone, PC, videotape, or other device, click Share in the Tasks panel. This workspace provides all the tools necessary to save your file for sharing with
others. Use Quick share to create and reuse preset sharing options, making sharing quick and easy. For example, if you frequently share projects by burning them to DVD, set up your optimal settings for burning a DVD, and save those
settings as a Quick share. The next time you want to burn a project to DVD, use the Quick share preset you created instead of setting all the DVD options again.
Monitor panel overview
You use the Monitor panel when performing many tasks in Adobe Premiere Elements. For example, you can preview your files and movies, trim and split clips, apply effects, create titles, and position images and text by viewing safe zones, along with many other tasks. The Monitor panel is available in every workspace. While you’re working with menus, the Monitor panel switches to the Disc Layout panel, which makes it easy to drag and drop images and layout menus. While you’re creating titles, the Monitor panel displays text tools so that you can easily create and edit text.
Timeline and Sceneline overview
The Timeline and Sceneline let you assemble your media into the desired order and edit clips. You use the Monitor panel to preview the clips you’ve arranged in either the Timeline or Sceneline. The Sceneline allows you quickly to arrange your media, adding titles, transitions and effects. The Timeline helps you trim, layer, and synchronize your media. You can switch back and forth between these two panels at any time.
Note: If you choose to show panel headers (Window > Show Docking Headers), the name of this panel is My Project. The
Timeline and Sceneline are different views of this panel.
Info panel overview
The Info panel (Window > Info) displays information about a selected item in the Project view of the Tasks panel or the Timeline or Sceneline. For clips, the Info panel displays information such as duration, in point, out point, and the location of the cursor. The information displayed may vary depending on factors such as the media type and the current panel. For example, the Info panel displays different sets of information for an empty space in the Timeline, a rectangle in the Title panel, and a clip in the Tasks panel. In the Info panel, the Video entry indicates the frame rate, frame size, dimensions, and pixel aspect ratio; the Audio entry indicates the sample rate, bit depth, and channels.
Basic video editing:
The process of editing clips includes previewing and trimming them to eliminate unnecessary material. It also includes revising clip properties such as speed, direction, and duration. You can also edit media clips generated by other
programs in their original applications, from within Adobe Premiere Elements.
Trimming clips
When you build a movie, you rarely use an entire clip. To define the frames you want to use, set In and Out points. The In point is the first frame of the clip you want to use; the Out point is the last frame of the clip you want to use. Setting In and Out points does not delete frames from the hard drive; instead, it isolates the portion you want included in the movie. In and Out points act like a window over the clip, showing only the frames from the In point to the Out point.
You can move In and Out points as needed to regain any frames you might have trimmed.
You can trim frames from either end of a clip. To trim frames from the middle of a clip, first split the clip (which creates two instances of the original clip), and then trim the unwanted frames from the end of the first new clip or the beginning of the second.
You can trim a clip in the Preview window, the Monitor panel’s mini-timeline, or the Timeline. You can retrieve frames from source clips (those not yet placed in the Timeline) using the Preview window. You can retrieve frames from clips that are in the Timeline using the Timeline.
Trim a clip from the Sceneline
When using the Sceneline, you can trim clips directly in the mini-timeline in the Monitor panel. Trimming clips in the Monitor panel trims only the instance of the clip that appears in the Sceneline, not the original clip.
Trim a clip in the Monitor panel
1 Select a clip in the Sceneline.
The clip appears in the Monitor panel, with a clip representation containing the clip’s filename in the mini-timeline.
2 Do one of the following:
• To trim the clip from the beginning, drag the In point handle
(on the left of the clip representation) to the right.
• To trim the clip from the end, drag the Out point handle (on the right of the clip representation) to the left.
The Monitor panel shows the frame at the location where you dragged the handle.
Remove frames from the middle of a clip
You may want to retain material at the beginning and end of a clip for your movie, but remove material from its middle. You can split the clip right before the unwanted section begins, creating two clips; then you can trim the unwanted material from the beginning of the second clip.
1 In the Sceneline, select the clip containing unwanted material.
The clip appears in the Monitor panel, with a clip representation containing its filename in the mini-timeline.
2 Drag the current-time indicator in the Monitor panel to the frame where the unwanted material begins.
3 In the Monitor panel, click the Split Clip button .
Two clip representations replace the original in both the mini-timeline and the Sceneline.
4 Select the representation of the second clip in the mini-timeline.
Note: You can also select the first clip and edit it as follows by setting a new Out point.
5 Drag the In point handle of the clip representation to the right until it is past the unwanted material.
In the mini-timeline, drag the In point handle to trim frames from the beginning of a clip.
The unwanted material is removed from the beginning of the second clip (or end of the first clip, if you chose to edit that clip), and the gap created between the first and second clips is automatically closed.
Retrieve frames in the Monitor panel
1 Select a clip in the Sceneline.
The filename for the clip, and its In and Out points becomes visible in the mini-timeline of the Monitor panel.
2 In the mini-timeline of the Monitor panel, do one of the following:
• To retrieve frames at the beginning of the clip, drag the In point handle
to the left.
• To retrieve frames at the end of the clip, drag the Out point handle
to the right.
Zoom in and out of the Monitor panel mini-timeline
When using the Sceneline, a mini-timeline is visible in the Monitor panel. You can change the zoom level to display the mini-timeline in more or less detail. Just above the mini-timeline is a thin zoom control. The zoom control controls both the zoom level of the mini-timeline and the portion of the mini-timeline you view. When the zoom control is fully extended, you can see the entire mini-timeline. Using the zoom control does not affect the zoom level of the displayed clip or movie.
Drag the claw at either end of the zoom control toward the center of the Monitor panel to zoom in, or toward the edge to zoom out.
• To zoom in, drag the claw at either end of the zoom control toward the center.
• To zoom out, drag the claw at either end of the zoom control out toward the edge of the mini-timeline.
To view a different area of the mini-timeline, drag the middle of the zoom control to scroll the mini-timeline right or
left. When zoomed in, you may not see the slider shift position, but you will see the mini-timeline scroll as you drag
right or left.
Trim in the Timeline
You can remove or regain trimmed frames from either end of a clip by dragging the clip’s edge in the Timeline. To help you locate the precise frame you want, the Monitor panel displays the frame at the changing In or Out point of the clip as you drag. If another clip is adjacent to the edge you’re trimming, the Monitor panel displays the frames of both clips side by side. The frame on the left (the Out point) is earlier in time, and the frame on the right (the In point) is later in time. Subsequent clips, as well as blocks of empty space, in the Timeline shift as you drag the clip’s edge. A tool tip displays the number of frames you are trimming as you trim them. This window displays a negative value if you drag the clip’s edge toward the beginning of the movie, and a positive number if you drag toward the end of the movie. You can tell whether you have trimmed a clip by looking for a small gray triangle in the top corner at either end of the clip in the Timeline. The triangle indicates you have not trimmed that edge.
Trim clips in the Timeline
1 In the Timeline, click the Selection tool.
To trim only one clip of a linked pair, Alt-select the combined clip to temporarily unlink them. Select them again to move them as a unit.
2 Position the pointer over the edge of the clip you want to trim until the correct icon appears:
• Trim-In icon to trim the beginning of a clip.
• Trim-Out icon to trim the end of a clip.
3 Drag the edge to the desired frame. The Monitor panel displays the frames as you drag, also showing the frame from the adjacent clip (if any). Subsequent clips in the track shift in time to compensate for the edit, but their durations remain unchanged.
Note: You cannot drag the In point of a clip to the left past the edge of an adjacent clip.
Remove frames from the middle of a clip in the Timeline
You can retain content at the beginning and end of a clip for your movie and remove content from its middle. Split the
clip before the unwanted section begins, and then trim the unwanted material from the beginning of the second clip resulting from the split.
1 In the Timeline, drag the current-time indicator to the frame where the unwanted section of a clip begins.
The frame appears in the Monitor panel.
2 In the Monitor panel, click the Split Clip button.
This splits the clip at the point selected.
3 Click the Selection tool.
4 Double-click the clip to the right of the split. This opens the clip in the Preview window.
Note: You can also open the clip to the left and make the following edits by setting a new Out point.
5 In the Preview window, drag the current-time indicator to the frame just after the last frame of unwanted material.
6 Click the Set In Point button. This trims the unwanted material from the beginning of the second clip and shortens the clip in the Timeline, leaving a gap between it and the clip before.
7 Right-click in the gap in the Timeline, and then click Delete And Close Gap.
Retrieve frames in the Timeline
1 In the Timeline, click the Selection tool.
2 Position the pointer over the edge of the clip you want to trim until the correct icon appears:
• Trim-In icon
to retrieve frames from the beginning of a clip.
• Trim-Out icon to retrieve frames from the end of a clip.
3 Drag the edge to the desired frame.
Note: To change the In or Out point of only the video or only the audio of a linked clip, press Alt as you drag. You do not
need to hold down the Alt key once you start to drag.
Trim in the Preview window
You can preview any clip and set new In and Out points for it before adding it to the Timeline or Sceneline. You might, for example, preview your clips to determine their quality and trim unusable parts before arranging them. You can preview and trim clips in the Preview window. Trimming a clip in the Preview window sets its In and Out points for all subsequent instances placed in the Timeline or Sceneline. It does not change the In and Out points of clip instances that are already in the Timeline or Sceneline. If you want all instances of the clip to use the same In and Out points, set them before placing the clip in the Timeline or Sceneline.
Preview a clip in the Preview window
1 In the Tasks panel, click Edit; then click Project to open Project view.
2 Double-click a clip in Project view and do any of the following in the Preview window:
• To play the clip, click the Play button.
• To step back or forward one frame, click the Step Back button or the Step Forward button.
• To step back or forward five frames, Shift-click the Step Back button or the Step Forward button.
Trim a clip in the Preview window
You can trim a clip in the Preview window before placing it in the Timeline or Sceneline. Trimming in the Preview window does not affect instances of the clip that are already in the Timeline or Sceneline. Once a clip is in a movie, you can reopen it in the Preview window to change its In and Out points for subsequent instances, either regaining frames previously trimmed or trimming additional frames.
1 In the Tasks panel, click Edit; then click Project to open Project view.
2 Double-click a clip in Project view.
3 To trim the clip, do any of the following in the Preview window:
• To set a new In point, either drag the In point handle
or drag the current-time indicator to the desired location, and click the Set In button.
• To set a new Out point, either drag the Out point handle
or drag the current-time indicator to the desired location, and click the Set Out button.
4 Click the Close button in the Preview window.
Subsequent instances of the clip dragged from Project view to the Timeline or Sceneline will assume the In and Out points of the trimmed clip.
Retrieve frames in the Preview window
1 In the Tasks panel, click Edit; then click Project to open Project view.
2 Double-click the video clip in Project view.
3 In the Preview window, do one of the following:
• Move the current-time indicator to the frame you want as the first frame of the clip, even if it’s to the left of the current In point. Click the Set In Point button.
• Move the current-time indicator to the frame you want as the last frame of the clip, even if it’s to the right of the current Out point. Click the Set Out Point button.
• Drag the In point or Out point handle to the frame you want.
Zoom in and out in the Preview window
When previewing a clip in the Preview window, you can zoom in or out of its mini-timeline to expand or contract its increments. Zooming in on the mini-timeline helps you see changes happening over small spans of time, even over the duration of a single frame. Zooming out helps you see changes happening over longer spans.
• To zoom in, drag the claw at either end of the zoom control toward the center.
• To zoom out, drag the claw at either end of the zoom control out toward the edge of the mini-timeline.
To view a different area of the mini-timeline, drag the middle of the zoom control to scroll the mini-timeline right or left. When zoomed in, you may not see the slider shift position, but you will see the mini-timeline scroll as you drag right or left.
Split clips
You might want to apply different effects to different parts of a clip; for example, to speed up the first part but leave the second part at normal speed. To do this, you cut a clip into separate pieces, and then apply effects and transitions to those pieces. You can split a clip in a movie by using the Split Clip tool in the Monitor panel.
It cuts one or more selected clips at the current-time indicator.
Splitting a clip divides it into two parts, creating a new and separate instance of the original clip. If the clip is linked to another clip, a new instance of the linked clip is created as well. The two resulting clips, when combined, represent the original clip. The resulting clips are full versions of the original clip, but with the In or Out points changed to match the location marked by the tool. You can select and delete these clips.
Transitions:
Transitions let you add effects to phase out one clip and phase in the next, and then preview the transition before applying it. You can customize audio and video transitions as gradual fades or have one clip replace another.
Transition basics
Using transitions, you can phase out one clip while phasing in the next or you can stylize the beginning or end of a single clip.
A transition can be as subtle as a cross dissolve, or emphatic, such as a page turn or spinning pinwheel. You generally place transitions on a cut between two clips, creating a double-sided transition. However, you can also apply a transition to just the beginning or end of a clip, creating a single-sided transition, such as a fade to black.
Page Peel transition between two clips (left), and Cross Dissolve transition at end of clip (right).
When a transition shifts from one clip to the next, it overlaps frames from both clips. The overlapped frames can either be frames previously trimmed from the clips (frames just past the In or Out point at the cut), or existing frames repeated on either side of the cut. It’s important to remember that when you trim a clip, you don’t delete frames; instead, the resulting In and Out points frame a window over the original clip. A transition uses the trimmed frames to create the transition effect, or, if the clips don’t have trimmed frames, the transition repeats frames.
Transition uses trimmed frames to shift to the next scene.
A. First clip with trimmed frames at end
B. Movie containing both clips and transition
C. Second clip with trimmed frames at beginning
Transition repeats frames for clips without trimmed frames.
A. First clip showing last frame repeated B. Movie containing both clips and transition
C. Second clip showing first frame repeated.
Applying transitions to clips
Previewing transitions
Available transitions are accessed in the Transitions view of the Tasks panel (click Edit; then Transitions). They are organized into two main folders: Video Transitions and Audio Transitions. You can narrow a search for transitions by choosing a transition type, such as Dissolve, from the Category menu. You can also search for a transition by typing its name in the search box.
If you use a transition frequently, you can right-click it and choose Add To Favorites. You can then quickly find all your frequently used transitions in the Favorites folder.
Video transitions have animated thumbnail previews that show how they affect clips. Select a transition to set its thumbnail in motion. You can preview an animated thumbnail transition in the Transition view without having to apply it to a clip.
Adobe Premiere Elements includes two audio transitions in the Crossfade category: Constant Power and Constant Gain. Though both provide fades, they differ slightly. Constant Power creates a smoother-sounding fade, while Constant Gain, though mathematically linear, often sounds abrupt.
1 In the Tasks panel, click Edit, and then click Transitions.
2 Click a thumbnail to set it in motion.
Apply transitions in the Sceneline
The Sceneline contains transition drop zones, making it easy to apply transitions between all clips.
Apply a double-sided transition in the Sceneline
1 In the Tasks panel, click Edit, and then click Transitions.
2 In Transition view, select Video Transitions, and then select the category containing the transition you want to apply.
3 Drag the transition from the Tasks panel onto a rectangle between two clips in the Sceneline. An icon of the transition fills the rectangle.
Note: You can also right-click the Transition icon between any two clips and choose a transition directly from the Sceneline.
4 Double-click the rectangle to preview the transition.
Apply a single-sided transition in the Sceneline
1 In the Tasks panel, click Edit, and then click Transitions .
2 From the menus in the Transitions view, select Video Transitions, and then select the category containing the
transition you want to apply.
3 Do one of the following:
• If the clip has no clip adjacent to one side of it, drag the transition to the transition rectangle on that side of the clip.
Applying transitions
• If the clip is adjacent to another clip, drag the transition to the desired edge of the clip. In the Transitions view, click
the Edit Transition button, and then from the Alignment menu, select either Start At Cut, or End At Cut.
Apply transitions in the Timeline
When applying transitions to the Timeline, you can choose from different alignment options, such as Start At Cut or
Center At Cut.
Apply a double-sided transition in the Timeline
To apply a transition between two clips in the Timeline the clips must be on the same track, with no space between them.
If a double-sided transition must use repeated frames (rather than trimmed frames), the transition icon contains additional diagonal lines. The lines span the area where it has used the repeated frames.
1 In the Tasks panel, click Edit, and then click Transition s .
2 From the menus in the Transitions view, select Video Transitions, and then select the category containing the transition you want to apply.
3 Drag the transition from the Tasks panel to the cut between two clips in the Timeline, and release the mouse button when one of the following alignment icons appears:
Start At Cut Aligns the beginning of the transition to the beginning of the second clip.
Center At Cut Centers the transition over the cut.
End At Cut Aligns the end of the transition to the end of the first clip.
Pressing Ctrl while dragging a transition allows you to select Start At Cut, Center At Cut, or End At Cut by slowly dragging the transition left and right over the cut.
Apply a single-sided transition in the Timeline
When you create a single-sided transition, whatever is below the transition in the Timeline appears in the transparent portion of the transition. For example, If you want the clip to transition to black, it must be on Track 1 or have no clips beneath it. If the clip is on a track above another clip, the clip on the lower track appears in the transition, so the transition will appear to be double-sided.
1 In the Tasks panel, click Edit, and then click Transitions.
2 From the menus in the Transition view, select Video Transitions, and then select the category containing the transition you want to apply.
3 Do one of the following:
• If the clip has no adjacent clip to one side of it, drag the transition to the edge of the clip.
• If the clip is adjacent to another clip, Ctrl-drag the transition to the edge of the desired clip. Single-sided transition with clip beneath it (left), and single-sided transition with nothing beneath it (right).
Preview applied transitions
You can preview transitions you’ve applied from either the Properties view or the Monitor panel. The Properties view provides a preview area where you can display thumbnails of the actual clips or the default thumbnails (the letters A and B). All adjustments to transitions are performed in the Properties view, so if you plan to adjust it as you preview it, use the Properties view.
Preview in the Monitor panel
In the Timeline, move the current-time indicator to the left of the transition, and then click the Play button in the Monitor panel.
Note: To preview a particular frame of the transition in the Monitor panel, drag the current-time indicator to the desired frame.
View transitions in the Sceneline and Timeline
In the Sceneline, a transition appears as a rectangle between two clips. In the Timeline, a transition appears just above the cut between two clips, or just above the In or Out point of a single clip.
About effects
After you’ve assembled a movie (arranging, deleting, and trimming clips), you can add polish to it by applying effects to clips. For example, an effect can alter the exposure or color of footage, manipulate sound, distort images, or add an artistic feel. All effects are preset to default settings so you can see the results of the effect as soon as you apply it. You can change these settings when you apply an effect to suit your needs.
You can also use effects to rotate and animate a clip, or adjust its size and position within the frame. Adobe Premiere Elements also includes several preset effects that you can use to quickly alter your footage. Most effects have adjustable properties; however, some effects, such as Black & White, do not. When you apply themes or create an InstantMovie project, Adobe Premiere Elements automatically applies effects to your clips.
Find an effect
Available effects are listed in the Effects view, and are organized into two main folders: Video Effects and Audio Effects. Effect presets (preconfigured effects) are stored in the Presets folder. If you create your own effect presets, they are stored in the My Presets folder. You can also add a Favorites folder to store your favorite or most frequently used effects. Within each folder, effects are grouped by type in nested folders. For example, the Blur And Sharpen folder contains effects that alter the clarity or focus of an image, such as Fast Blur and Sharpen.
• Click Edit in the Tasks panel, then click Effects, and do one of the following:
• In the search box, type the name of the effect that you are looking for. The list displays all effects with names that match the letters and spaces you type. (Clear the text box to see all of the effect folders.)
• Choose an effect type from the first menu (Video, Audio, Favorites, and so on), and then choose an effect category from the second menu (Adjust, Blur Sharpen, and so on) to view its contents.
Applying and removing effects
Apply and preview effects
When you apply an effect to a clip, it is set to default values and is active for the duration of the clip. After you apply
an effect, you can adjust its properties by clicking the Edit Effect button in the Effects view. You can make an effect
start and stop at specific times, or adjust the values of the effect over time by using keyframes.
You can apply multiple effects to a clip, and you can apply the same effect numerous times to the same clip with
different settings. Keep in mind, however, that the more effects you add, the more time it takes to render the final
movie. If you decide an effect is not suitable for your project, you can easily delete it in the Effects view.
Apply and preview a video effect
1 Click Edit in the Tasks panel, and then click Effec ts to open the Effects view.
2 Select the effect you want to apply. To locate an effect, choose Video Effects from the first menu at the top of the
panel, and then choose an effect category from the second menu; or type the effect name in the search box.
3 Select a clip in the Timeline or Sceneline, and do one of the following:
• Click the Apply button at the bottom of the Tasks panel.
• Drag the effect to the clip in the Timeline or the Monitor panel.
4 Click the Play button in the Monitor panel to preview the clip with the effect applied.
5 To adjust the effect settings, click the Edit Effects button at the bottom of the Effects view, and make adjustments as desired.
Apply an audio effect
1 Click Edit in the Tasks panel, and then click Effec ts to open the Effects view.
2 Select the effect you want to apply. To locate an effect, choose Audio Effects from the menu at the top of the panel,
or type the effect name in the search box.
3 Select a clip in the Timeline, and do one of the following:
• Click the Apply button at the bottom of the Tasks panel.
• Drag the audio effect to the clip’s soundtrack in the Timeline.
4 To preview the audio effect, click the Edit Effects button at the bottom of the Tasks panel, expand the effect, and
then click the Play Only The Audio For This Clip button in the lower-left corner of the panel. To play audio as
a continuous loop, click the Toggle Looping Audio Playback button before you click Play Audio For This Clip.
5 To adjust the effect settings, expand the effect in the Properties view, and make adjustments as desired.
Adjust volume and mix audio in the Audio Mixer
Use the Audio Mixer to adjust audio balance and volume for different tracks in your project. You can adjust the balance and level of audio contained within your video clips, and within soundtrack and narration audio. For example, you may want to increase the volume of the narration and decrease the volume of the soundtrack at different points for emphasis or so that quiet voices can be heard above the music.
You can adjust settings while listening to audio tracks and viewing video tracks. Each track in the Audio Mixer corresponds to an audio track in the Timeline or Sceneline, and is named accordingly. As you make adjustments, keyframes are added to the track.
Adding and mixing audio
Ideally, you should mix the volume for one track from beginning to end before moving on to the next track. Same for mixing balance.
1 (Optional) Choose Edit > Preferences > Audio, and set a value between 1 and 2000 milliseconds for Minimal Time Interval Thinning to limit keyframes to intervals larger than that value. If you don’t want to hear audio while you scrub audio, deselect Play Audio While Scrubbing.
2 In the Timeline or Sceneline, click the Mix Audio button or choose Window > Audio Mixer.
Note: To hide or display tracks, choose Show/Hide Tracks from the Audio Mixer panel menu; then specify which tracks you want displayed.
3 In the Monitor window, drag the current-time indicator to where you want to start mixing audio.
4 Click Play in the Monitor window and adjust the controls in the Audio mixer to automatically add keyframes to the track:
• To adjust balance for a track, turn (drag) the Balance control left or right.
• To increase the volume for a track, drag the Level control up or down.
Adjust volume in the Timeline
You can adjust clip volume directly on an audio track in the Timeline. By dragging the Volume graph up or down, you can, for example, make the volume of a clip match that of its neighbors, or mute it entirely.
Note: You can also raise and lower volume with keyframes.
1 To resize an audio track in the Timeline for better visibility, position the pointer between two tracks in the track header area so that the Height Adjustment icon appears, and then drag up or down.
2 In the Timeline, select Volume in the upper left corner of the clip. Then, select Volume > Clip Volume.
Volume menu
3 Position the pointer over the Volume graph: the yellow line running horizontally across the audio track of the clip. The pointer changes to the white double-arrow icon.
4 Drag up or down to adjust the level uniformly. Drag any existing keyframes to move them. As you drag, the decibel level is displayed. A positive number indicates an increase in volume; a negative number indicates a decrease.
Designing titles
Previewing titles on a TV monitor
If your intended audience will view your finished program on a TV, preview the program on a TV monitor as you work. Elements that appear satisfactory on a computer screen may be unacceptable when viewed on a TV because computer monitors and TV monitors display images differently. The outer edges of the image may be cropped, colors may bleed, and horizontal details may appear to flicker. However, once you are aware of a problem, it’s easy to take steps to correct it.
Title and Safe Action margins
The Safe Title and Safe Action margins in the Monitor panel designate the title’s visible safe zones. These margins are displayed by default when the Monitor is in title-editing mode. Safe zones are useful when editing for broadcast and videotape. Most consumer TV sets use a process called overscan, which cuts off a portion of the outer edges of the picture, allowing the center of the picture to be enlarged. The amount of overscan is not consistent across TVs, so to ensure that titles and important actions fit within the area that most TVs display, keep text within the safe title margins and all other important elements within the safe action margins.
Specify text settings
You can change text properties for menu titles and buttons, including font, size, style, and color.
1 At the bottom of the Disc Layout panel, click the thumbnail of the menu you want to change.
2 Select a menu title or button text.
3 Do any of the following in the Properties panel:
• Choose a font from the Change Text Font menu. (You may have to select the triangle next to Text to see the text
attribute options.)
• Choose a text style from the Change Font Style menu, or click the Bold, Italic, or Underline icons. You can click
more than one icon.
• Choose a text size from the Change Text Size menu.
• Click the Change Text Color button and choose a color from the Adobe Color Picker.
4 To apply the text settings to similar text items in all menus, click Apply To All Scene Buttons, Apply To All Text Buttons, or Apply To All Marker Buttons.
About superimposing and transparency
Superimposing describes the process of overlaying and combining multiple images. Video clips are completely opaque by default, but superimposing them requires transparency. When you make clips on upper video tracks transparent, they reveal clips on the tracks below.
In Adobe Premiere Elements, you can quickly and easily make entire clips transparent by using the Opacity effect. In addition, you can apply any combination of opacity, masks, mattes, and keying to modify a file’s alpha channel, which
defines the transparent areas in a clip. More advanced keying effects let you make specific colors or shapes transparent.
Titles you create in Adobe Premiere Elements automatically include an alpha channel. You can also import files with predefined transparent areas.
Applications such as Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and Adobe Illustrator® can save transparency. Not only will the file have an alpha channel, but it will also conform to your project settings.
Adobe Premiere Elements uses the following transparency terms:
Alpha channel A channel that defines transparent areas for a clip. This invisible channel exists in addition to the visible
Red, Blue, and Green (RGB) color channels.
Opacity A setting that determines how opaque or transparent a clip is. (For example, 75% opacity equals 25%
transparency.)
Lowering opacity of upper video clip (left) reveals lower video clip (center), combining the two images (right)
Mask Sometimes used as another word for alpha channel; also describes the process of modifying an alpha channel.
Separated Red, Green, and Blue color channels (left); the alpha channel or mask (center), and all channels viewed togeth er (right)
Matte A file or channel that defines the transparent areas of a clip. The matte determines the level of transparency in the resulting image.
In Adobe Premiere Elements, you use mattes in conjunction with the
Track Matte Key.
Sharing to the web
Adobe Premiere Elements enables you to export your movie in formats suitable for delivery through the Internet. Using the Share view of the Tasks panel, you can upload your video directly to the web. Adobe Premiere Elements
provides a preset for Adobe Flash Video (.flv) format, which is commonly used to embed video into web pages and web applications.
The Flash Video For Web preset covers the requirements of most servers and the bandwidth and player options available to most viewers. Using the provided preset is the quickest way to export your movie. You can also customize the settings to match a specific situation. Remember, however, to make sure that the data rate of your movie is appropriate for the intended playback medium.
Share a movie on YouTube
Adobe Premiere Elements makes it simple to quickly upload your movies directly to YouTube. You can set up an account and specify quality settings the first time you upload to YouTube, and then save your settings as a Quick Share preset for one-click sharing in the future.
1 Click Share in the Tasks panel, and then click Online.
2 Choose YouTube from the list at the top. Adobe Premiere Elements uses the Flash Video For Web preset for all YouTube files.
3 Choose a quality level from the Quality menu, and then click Next.
4 Log in to YouTube. If this is your first time uploading to YouTube, click Sign Up Now and register. Then log in.
5 Click Next.
6 Enter the required information about your project: Title, Description, Tags, and Category; and choose a language.
Then click Next.
7 Choose whether you want to allow the public to view your project, and then click Share.
8 When the share is complete, the location appears in the Share workspace and you can choose View My Video to open YouTube and watch your video, or Tell Friends to send an email about your new posting.
9 Do one of the following:
• To save your workflow as a Quick Share preset, click Save Workflow, enter a name and description, and then click Save.
• To return to the main Share workspace without saving a Quick Share preset, click Finish.
Share a movie on your own website
You can share your movies directly to your personal website via FTP directly from Share view. Once you set up the standard settings, such as your FTP server name, port, directory, and so on, you can save the settings as a Quick Share preset and upload future movies with the click of a button.
1 Click Share in the Tasks panel, and then click Online.
2 Choose My Website from the list at the top of Online view.
3 Choose a preset. NTSC Flash Video 7 uses the Sorenson Spark video codec at the specified bitrate (either 256k or
400k); NTSC Flash Video 8 uses the On2 VP6 video codec at the specified bitrate (either 400k or 700k).
4 Choose a Quality setting.
5 Fill in the following options (options with * are required):
Server* Specifies the FTP server on which your website resides.
Port Specifies the port on which your website resides. The port is determined by your ISP or whomever is hosting your
FTP server.
Directory Specifies the directory on the server to which you want to upload the file.
FileName* Specifies the name of the uploaded file.
User Specifies you user ID for FTP access to the server.
Password Specifies your password for FTP access to the server.
6 Click Next.
Adobe Premiere Elements encodes the file and uploads it to the specified server in the specified directory.
7 To check that video has been uploaded, either navigate to the server and directory to which you uploaded the file,
and locate the file; or open the website and see if the video has been uploaded.
Supported video formats
• Adobe Flash® (.swf)
• AVI Movie (.avi)
• AVCHD (.m2ts, .mts, .m2t)
• DV Stream (.dv)
• Filmstrip (.flm)
• MPEG Movie (.mpeg, .vob, .mod, .ac3, .mpe, .mpg, .mpd, .m2v, .mpa, .mp2, .m2a, .mpv, .m2p, .m2t, .m1v, .mp4,
.m4v, .m4a, .aac, 3gp, .avc, .264)
• QuickTime Movie (.mov, .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .m4a, .m4v)
• TOD (.tod)
• Windows Media (.wmv, .asf)
Note: To import video from mobile phones (.3gp and .mp4), you must have the most recent version of QuickTime
installed on your computer.
Supported still-image formats
• Adobe Illustrator® Art (.ai)
• Adobe Photoshop® (.psd)
• Adobe Premiere Elements title (.prtl)
• Bitmap (.bmp, .dib, .rle)
• Compuserve GIF® (.gif)
• Encapsulated PostScript® (.eps)
• Fireworks (.wbm)
• Icon (.ico)
• JPEG®, JPEG 2000 (.jpg, .jpe, .jpeg, .jfif)
• Macintosh® PICT (.pct, .pic, .pict)
• PCX (.pcx)
• Pixar Picture (.pxr)
• Portable Network Graphic (.png)
• RAW (.raw, .raf, .crw, .cr2, .mrw, .nef, .orf, .dng)
• TIFF® (.tif, .tiff)
• Truevision Targa® (.tga, .icb, .vst, .vda)
Supported audio formats
• Advanced Audio Coding (.aac)
• Dolby® AC-3 (.ac3)
• Macintosh® Audio AIFF (.aif, .aiff)
• MP3® Audio (.mp3)
• MPEG® Audio (.mpeg, .mpg, .mpa, .mpe, .m2a)
• QuickTime (.mov, .m4a)
• Windows Media (.wma)
• Windows WAVE (.wav)
Note: Dolby AC-3 is imported as a stand-alone .ac3 file or as part
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