Premiere To Go.
Authors: Dennis Chominsky
Venue:  (2000)

From the Book:PREFACE: IntroductionIt's amazing to walk down the street and see just how many people have video cameras. From tourists creating memories of their trip to a proud new parent capturing his child's precious moments (usually the first fifteen years of non-stop archives), people are capturing more events on video than ever before. For those who choose to enter into the world of television and multimedia, advances in technology have produced an explosion of video opportunities that were not possible even a decade ago.Whether you are gathering your videos for personal reasons or pursuing a career in the video industry, producing the best quality movies is no longer a task just for the specialists. A new revolution in digital software has resulted in a world where hundreds of thousands of people are looking for a way to put together the best possible video to communicate their story. Programs like Adobe Premiere have made editing for these individuals a much more pleasurable experience. Premiere is simple to use. There is virtually no learning curve, yet it is powerful enough to cut broadcast quality movies on it. Adobe Premiere is the leading video editing software on the market today. It comes packaged with all the tools you need to get started editing your raw footage right away. No other package lets you work with so many different types of source materials and output to just about any type of media, whether it be analog tape or digital computer files. There are so many types of productions that you can edit in Premiere, it would take a series of volumes to cover all of the topics that I would like to include in this book. This book covers some ofthebasic (but important) features and concepts of Premiere, but also takes many of these aspects and puts them into real-life editing situations. From tips to try to warnings to avoid, this book contains information that every user will find beneficial. Take the time to do some experimenting on your own. The ideas presented in this book are only examples. Take them and turn them into a masterpiece video of your own. Don't expect George Lucas to be knocking down your door after your first project, but remember, keep trying out new ideas. Push the envelope in Premiere. You'll be surprised at what it can do.Who Should Read This BookThis book is written for people who have some video basics and background. This is not an intro to video 101, although some of the topics covered are for beginners to Premiere. Those of you who have edited before and are ready to bring your skill up to the next level will get the most out of this book. This book is intended for users who: Are in a Hurryproducers and editors who want and need information fast. Already Know the Basicsthis is not an Introduction to Premiere book. Expect Real Insightthe examples are from real projects. The Tips, Tricks, and Warnings will really give you the perspective you are looking for in a book. Want To Improve The Quality of Their Workserious individuals who take pride in developing new projects while learning every step of the way.Throughout the course of this book I will introduce different types of features people are integrating into their video productions today. It would be great to fill up a book with the best and wildest projects that have ever been edited, but if they don't warrant any practical use for you, then I have wasted your time.How This Book Is WrittenThis book is laid out in a way that focuses on some very specific topics within Premiere. You can utilize this book as a quick reference, jump-right-in-and-get-the-answer-you-need type of book. There are a few sections that do apply a bit more of a basic overtone. The reason for this is that with a program as powerful and dynamic as Premiere, with the ability to incorporate so many different media types, you need to understand how to put together and use these examples and understand how to produce a complete package, from start to finish. By analyzing the examples in this book and formulating your own versions when creating your projects, you will begin to expand the capabilities you can offer to your clients and pick from a multitude of tools to incorporate into your next Premiere movie. Each chapter contains a variety of icons indicating points of interest that will help you while developing your applications. These icons include Notes, Tips, and Warnings.Notes contain related information that will make understanding the point being discussed more clear. Tips are suggestions that can save you time and energy while developing your program. Some tips contain recommendations about other topics that will help develop your skills.These are cautions. I highly recommend you read them to make yourself aware of possible problems or pitfalls you may encounter while programming.What You Will NeedI will assume that if you are flipping through the pages of this book, you are interested in using Premiere or are already editing in Premiere. My recommendation to get the best out of this book is to own or have access to a copy of Premiere 5.1 so that you can walk through the procedures step by step while working in front of your computer. Most topics cover material that applies to other versions (even in other editing packages). The first, and most obvious, thing you will need is a computer. Whether you work on Macintosh or Windows, just about all of the features apply to both platforms. Keep in mind that your original Premiere movies are cross-platform. Whichever system you choose, load it up with as much memory as possible. This will make your editing time more enjoyable, leaving you more time to be creative and not waiting for your computer to process information. The last thing you will need is a video capture board. Without this, you will not be able to digitize or output any footage to tape. There are so many brands out there, most of them being able to produce broadcast quality images. Check the specs on each board and each manufacturer. Some have different input connections, some can output only certain qualities, and others need a computer system loaded with enough stuff that you can also fly the space shuttle. Look around and get the best board for your types of projects. Going Beyond the BookOne thing that makes this book unique is that you can take it beyond the text and images printed on this page. If you need to contact me regarding the topics covered in this book or have suggestions and ideas that you would like to see in the next version, let me know. I have discovered while writing this book that the more you learn about a program, the more you still have to go. If you want to ask a question or show off some of the neat things you have created using Premiere, e-mail me at dennis@pfsnewmedia.com Outlook Toward the FutureI have been in the video editing industry a long time. I used to do it the old-fashioned way. Never again. The advancements with computer-based nonlinear editing systems have convinced me to continue along this route. With the emergence of HDTV and interactive television just around the corner, many new opportunities will arise for video producers and editors. If you're looking for a challenging career that demands both a creative touch with a technical insight, video is the industry for you. With the promise of 500 plus channels, we're all going to need some interesting content to fill these slots. Keep editing.Expanding the Applications As Premier makes editing easier, more people will begin adopting its power and performance. Its flexibility allows for such a wide array of users to begin editing whatever type of content is needed. There will definitely be more: Video for the Webincluding integration with animations, interactivity, and high-performance digital media capabilities. Corporate Presentationa shift from the over-indulged talking head presentation to something with more impact. DVD Home Movieshigh quality imagery and breath-taking sound make DVDs such a better product than its analog cronies. Enhanced CDall music CDs released from the record companies will have video clips, interactive games, bios, and possibly even concert footage clips to go along with the music tracks. Kiosksthe trend for information kiosks will be popping up everywhere, in schools, in restaurants, and maybe even on sidewalk corners.All of these things exist right now in some fashion but will continue to increase at a rapid growth rate as Adobe Premiere introduces more features and easier ways for producers and editors to put these types of applications together.To Sum It UpThis book tells it like it is. Real-life examples. Real-life applications. With the way technology makes editing clean and simple, more people will be using Premiere because of its flexibility that will suit their specific needs when producing movies. The great part about Premiere is its versatility. It's hard to stop at the basics. More and more, producers are pushing the limits of the software technologically and creatively, putting together some of the most amazing video programs ever produced. Once again, I encourage you to read this book, use it as a stepping stone, and then let your creativity take it one step further. Remember, your only limitations are the ones you let stand in your way. Don't let bells and whistle overshadow your message. Keep it interesting. The ACM Portal is published by the Association for Computing Machinery. Copyright © 2010 ACM, Inc. Terms of Usage Privacy Policy Code of Ethics Contact Us Useful downloads: Adobe Acrobat QuickTime Windows Media Player Real Player