Premiere Elements 8: The Missing Manual

Book description

Whether you're aiming for YouTube videos or Hollywood-style epics, you need what Premiere Elements can't provide: crystal-clear guidance and real world know-how. This Missing Manual delivers. Packed with great ideas on how to spiff up your footage, this book helps you avoid the dreaded Help! I Never Do Anything With My Video syndrome.

With this book, you'll learn how to use Premiere's two approaches to filmmaking: The quick-and-easy InstantMovie technique, and the classic, handcrafted approach for frame-by-frame editing with fine-tuned transitions, effects, and more. Premiere expert Chris Grover combines a touch of humor with insights, tips, and tricks culled from years of moviemaking experience to help you release your inner Scorsese.

  • Create movies from start to finish with hands-on, step-by-step instructions
  • Use InstantMovie to whip up a video ready for prime time
  • Learn frame-by-frame editing to handcraft your story like the pros do
  • Share your movie by saving it to disc, uploading it, or emailing it
  • Add video effects that dazzle
  • Use keyframes to precisely control cuts, special effects, and sound
  • Tap Premiere's automated tools to analyze, organize, and rate your clips

Publisher resources

View/Submit Errata

Table of contents

  1. A Note Regarding Supplemental Files
  2. The Missing Credits
    1. About the Author
    2. About the Creative Team
    3. Acknowledgements
    4. The Missing Manual Series
  3. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. Why Premiere Elements?
    3. What You Can Do with Premiere Elements
    4. What’s New in Version 8
    5. The Photoshop Elements Connection
    6. The Premiere Pro Connection
    7. The Very Basics
    8. About The Missing Manual Series
      1. Macintosh and Windows
      2. About → These → Arrows
      3. Living Examples
      4. About MissingManuals.com
      5. Safari® Books Online
  4. I. Start a New Project
    1. 1. Set Up a New Project
      1. Start Premiere Elements
      2. A Brief Tour of Premiere Elements
        1. The Monitor Panel
        2. Tasks Panel
        3. My Project Panel
      3. Create a New Project
      4. Save and Back Up a Project
        1. Avoid Disaster with Auto Save
      5. Open an Existing Project
      6. Create an InstantMovie
        1. Edit Your InstantMovie
        2. It’s a Wrap
    2. 2. Import Your Clips
      1. Video Camera Storage Methods
      2. Add Raw Footage
        1. Tour the Capture Panel
          1. Capturing source
          2. Capture settings
          3. Navigation buttons
        2. Import Digital Video Tape Files (DV or HDV)
          1. Import multiple scenes from tape
          2. Manually set up your capture source
        3. Import Webcam Video
        4. Capture Time-Lapse or Stop-Motion Video
          1. Capture previously recorded video as time-lapse video
          2. Capture live video as time-lapse
          3. Capture stop-motion video
        5. Tour the Media Downloader
          1. Source
          2. Save Options
        6. Import from Hard Disk or Memory Camcorder
        7. Import DVD Camcorder Video
        8. Import Video from PC Hard Disk
        9. Import Video from DVD
        10. Import from VHS Videotape or Other Analog Source
    3. 3. Import Sound, Still Pictures, and Animation
      1. Add Sound Clips
        1. Sound Formats
        2. SmartSound and Other Sources for Music
        3. Preview Audio Clips
      2. Record Your Own Sound Effects
        1. Connect a Mic to Your Computer
        2. Test Your Computer Mic
        3. Capture Live Sound
      3. Add Narration
        1. Set Up Your Mic for Narration
        2. Record Narration
      4. Import Sound Files to Your Project
      5. Import Still Pictures
        1. About Frame Size
        2. About Aspect Ratio
        3. Still Image File Formats
        4. Import Still Images
        5. Change the Duration for Stills
        6. Create New Photoshop Still Images
        7. Edit Pictures with Photoshop Elements
      6. Import Animation
        1. Tips for Creating Animations in Other Programs
    4. 4. Organize Your Clips
      1. The Organizer Application
        1. On to the Organizer
        2. Tour the Organizer
        3. Import Media to the Organizer
        4. Import Media from a Camera
        5. Import Media from PC Files and Folders
        6. Change Views in the Organizer
      2. Rank Your Clips with Star Ratings
        1. Apply Star Ratings
        2. Get a Good View
        3. Preview and Rate in Premiere
      3. Apply Keyword Tags to Clips
        1. Create a New Keyword Tag
        2. Remove Keyword Tags
      4. Apply Smart Tags to Clips
        1. Smart-Tag with Auto-Analyzer
        2. Apply Smart Tags During Capture
        3. Apply Smart Tags From the Organizer
        4. Change Smart Tag Options in the Organizer
        5. Apply Smart Tags Automatically
        6. Smart-Tagged Video Groups
        7. Remove Smart Tags
      5. Organize Clips into Albums
        1. Create a New Album
        2. Create a New Album Category
        3. Projects vs. Albums
        4. Create Smart Albums Automatically
        5. Delete a Smart Album
        6. Back Up and Synchronize Albums
      6. Filter Your View Using Star Ratings, Keyword Tags, Smart Tags, and Albums
      7. Manage Your Catalogs
        1. Remove a Catalog
        2. Repair Your Catalog
        3. Optimize Your Catalog
        4. Back Up Your Entire Catalog
  5. II. Create Your Movie
    1. 5. Edit Your Movie
      1. Choose Your Editing Style
        1. The Automated Quick-and-Easy Approach
        2. The Handcrafted Approach
      2. Gather Clips, Pictures, and Animation
        1. Choose Clips by Project
        2. Choose Clips by Album
        3. Deselect a Project or Album Filter
        4. Choose Clips by Tags
        5. Choose Clips by Star Rating
        6. Filter Clips by Media Type
        7. Sort Clips by Date
        8. Display Clip Details
      3. Show the Project View
        1. View Clip Properties in Project View
        2. Customize the Project View
      4. Review and Rough-Trim Your Clips
        1. Review Clips in the Preview Window
        2. Review Clips in the Sceneline
        3. Review Clips in the Timeline
      5. Assemble Your Movie
        1. Assemble Your Movie in the Sceneline
      6. Assemble Your Movie in the Timeline
        1. Customize the Timeline
      7. Final-Trim Clips
        1. Get Guidance from Smart Trim
          1. Adjust Smart Trim options
        2. Group Clips for Protection
        3. Use Markers to Locate Edit Points
    2. 6. Add Transitions
      1. Choose a Stock Transition
      2. Apply a Transition
        1. Apply Transitions in the Sceneline
        2. Swap and Delete Transitions in the Sceneline
      3. Edit Transitions in the Timeline
        1. Add Transitions to Favorites
      4. Edit Transitions in the Tasks Panel
        1. Preview a Transition While Editing
        2. Trim Transitions with the Mini-Timeline
        3. Change Transition Properties
        4. Change a Transition’s Center Point
        5. Customize Iris Transitions
      5. Audio Transitions
      6. Transitions and Slideshows
      7. Types of Transitions
    3. 7. Add Effects and Themes
      1. Choose an Effect
        1. Fixed Versus Standard Effects
        2. Customize a Fixed Effect
        3. Apply and Customize a Standard Effect
        4. Copy and Paste Effects
        5. Apply an Effect to Part of Your Image
        6. Remove an Effect
        7. Disable an Effect
      2. Color-Correct an Image
        1. Apply Image Control Effects
        2. Apply Auto Color-Correction
        3. Edit Auto Color-Correction
        4. Fix Shaky Video
      3. Apply an Audio Effect
      4. Edit Effects in the Timeline
      5. Apply an Effect Preset
        1. Remove an Effect Preset
        2. Save Your Custom Effects as Presets
        3. Use a Third-Party Effect
      6. Timeline Special Effects
        1. Play Your Movie Backward
        2. Change the Speed of Playback
        3. Add a Freeze Frame
        4. Change a Clip’s Frame Size
      7. Adventures in Transparency
        1. Change a Clip’s Transparency
        2. Make Part of a Clip Transparent
        3. Superimpose Part of a Clip Over Another Clip
      8. Premiere Elements’ Themes
        1. Stock Themes
        2. Apply a Theme
        3. Edit a Themed Video
    4. 8. Create Animated Effects
      1. What Is an Animated Effect?
      2. Learn Keyframing
      3. Use Keyframes to Create Your Own Effect
        1. Add Keyframes to Set Effect Properties
        2. Navigate Among Keyframes
        3. Set Effect Properties Independently
        4. Move, Copy, Paste, and Delete Keyframes
      4. Edit Keyframes in the Main Timeline
      5. Control Change Between Keyframes
        1. Adjust Bezier Curves
      6. Animate Clips on the Screen
        1. Create Custom Zooms and Pans
        2. Create an Animated Pan-Zoom Effect
        3. Adjust a Clip’s Motion Path
        4. Create Picture-in-Picture Effects
        5. Animate a Picture-in-Picture
        6. Animate an Effects Mask
        7. Split the Playback Screen
    5. 9. Add Titles
      1. The Rules of Good Titles
      2. Use a Title Template
        1. Edit a Title Template
        2. The Title Toolbar
      3. Create a Still Opening Title
        1. Change Text and Background Colors
        2. Create a Solid-Color Background
        3. Create a Color Gradient
      4. Format Title Text
        1. Place a Title Over a Still Image
        2. Import Still Images for Titles
      5. Mix Artwork and Titles
        1. Export and Import Title Art
    6. 10. Edit Your Sound Track
      1. Design Sound from the Start
      2. Build a Soundtrack
        1. Use Multiple Audio Tracks
        2. Trim and Split Audio Clips
        3. Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear Clips
        4. Remove Unused Tracks
        5. Preview Audio Clips
        6. Preview Layered Audio
        7. Disable (Mute) Timeline Tracks
        8. Fix Poorly Recorded Audio
        9. Remove Noise from Analog Recordings
        10. Separate Audio and Video Tracks
        11. Linked but Not Synced
      3. Adjust Volume and Balance
      4. Add Audio Effects
      5. Add a Music Track
      6. Mix the Audio Track
        1. Mix the Level or Balance
        2. Automate Sound Mixing with SmartMixer
        3. Manual Sound-Mixing with the Audio Mixer
  6. III. Share Your Movie
    1. 11. Choose a Video Format
      1. Video Formats and Premiere Elements
        1. What Comes In
          1. Camcorder aspect ratio
        2. What Goes Out
      2. Why So Many Formats?
        1. Choose a Preset
    2. 12. Upload Videos to YouTube and the Web
      1. Prepare Your Movie for YouTube
        1. After Your YouTube Premiere
      2. Send Your Movie to Photoshop.com
      3. Publish Your Movie to Podbean
      4. Make Your Movies Web-Friendly
      5. Put Video on Your Own Website
    3. 13. Create DVDs and Blu-ray Discs
      1. Menu, Please!
        1. Set Menu Markers
        2. Set Menu Markers Automatically
        3. Create Markers Manually
        4. Add Stop Markers
        5. Delete or Move Markers in the Timeline
      2. Use a Stock Menu
        1. Edit a Stock Menu
        2. Swap Menu Templates
        3. Remove a Menu from a Project
      3. Create a Custom Menu
        1. Create a Menu Background Image
        2. Swap Menu Background Images
        3. Swap Menu Music
      4. Preview Your Movie and Menus
      5. Burn a DVD or Blu-ray Disc
      6. Archive Your Project
    4. 14. Export to an iPod, Cellphone, or Other Device
      1. Export to Devices
        1. Encode Movies for Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPod
        2. Copy Video to an Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPod
        3. Audio Podcast for iPod Playback
        4. Export to Sony PSP (PlayStation Portable)
        5. Save Your Movie to Other Devices
      2. Export to Videotape
        1. Before You Export to Tape
        2. Copy to DV or HDV Tape
      3. Save Movies to Your PC
  7. IV. Appendixes
    1. A. Install Premiere Elements 8
      1. Get Ready for Installation
        1. Hard Drive Maintenance
      2. Install Premiere Elements
        1. Register Premiere Elements 8
    2. B. Get Help for Premiere Elements 8
      1. Help from Adobe
        1. Search Adobe’s Help Files
        2. Print Your Own Help Docs
        3. Adobe TV’s Video Tutorials
      2. Help from Others
        1. Muvipix.com
        2. Lynda.com
        3. Elements Village
    3. C. Premiere Elements 8 Menu by Menu
      1. File Menu
        1. New
          1. Project (Ctrl+N)
          2. Folder (Ctrl+/)
          3. Title (F9)
          4. Photoshop File
        2. Open Project (Ctrl+O)
        3. Open Recent Project
        4. Close (Ctrl+W)
        5. Save (Ctrl+S)
        6. Save As (Ctrl+Shift+S)
        7. Save a Copy (Ctrl+Alt+S)
        8. Revert
        9. Get Media From
        10. Export
        11. Project Archiver
        12. Get Properties For
        13. Interpret Footage
        14. Exit (Ctrl+Q)
      2. Edit Menu
        1. Undo (Ctrl+Z)
        2. Redo (Ctrl+Shift+Z)
        3. Cut (Ctrl+X)
        4. Copy (Ctrl+C)
        5. Paste (Ctrl+V)
        6. Paste Insert (Ctrl+Shift+V)
        7. Paste Attributes (Ctrl+Alt+V)
        8. Clear (Shift+Delete)
        9. Delete and Close Gap (Backspace)
        10. Duplicate (Ctrl+Shift+/)
        11. Select All (Ctrl+A)
        12. Deselect All (Ctrl+Shift+A)
        13. Find (Ctrl+F)
        14. Locate Media
        15. Label
          1. Select Label Group
        16. Edit Original (Ctrl+E)
        17. Keyboard Customization
        18. Project Settings
          1. General
          2. Capture
          3. Video Rendering
        19. Preferences
          1. General
          2. Audio
          3. Audio Hardware
          4. Audio Output Mapping
          5. Auto Save
          6. Capture
          7. Device Control
          8. Label Colors
          9. Label Defaults
          10. Media
          11. Scratch Disks
          12. Stop Motion Capture
          13. Titler
          14. Web Sharing
          15. User Interface
      3. Clip Menu
        1. Rename (Ctrl+H)
        2. Insert
        3. Overlay
        4. Enable
        5. Unlink Audio and Video
        6. Group (Ctrl+G)
        7. Ungroup (Ctrl+Shift+G)
        8. Replace Footage
        9. Set Clip Marker
          1. In
          2. Out
          3. Video In
          4. Video Out
          5. Audio In
          6. Audio Out
          7. Unnumbered
          8. Next Available Numbered
          9. Other Numbered
        10. Go to Clip Marker
        11. Clear Clip Marker
          1. Current (Ctrl+Shift+0)
          2. All Markers (Atl+Shift+0)
          3. In and Out
          4. In
          5. Out
          6. Numbered
        12. Video Options
          1. Frame Hold
          2. Field Options
          3. Frame Blend
          4. Scale to Frame Size
        13. Audio Options
          1. Audio Gain
          2. Render and Replace
        14. Time Stretch (Ctrl+R)
        15. Scene Detect
        16. Beat Detect
        17. Effects Mask
          1. Apply
          2. Edit
          3. Remove
        18. Remove Effects
      4. Timeline Menu
        1. Render Work Area (the Enter key)
        2. Delete Rendered Files
        3. Delete Rendered Files for All Projects
        4. Split Clip (Ctrl+K)
        5. Smart Trim Mode
        6. Smart Trim Options
        7. Zoom In (=)
        8. Zoom Out (–)
        9. Set Beat Marker
        10. Go to Beat Marker
        11. Clear Beat Marker
        12. Set Timeline Marker
          1. Unnumbered
          2. Next Available Numbered
          3. Other Numbered
        13. Go to Timeline Marker
        14. Clear Timeline Marker
          1. Timeline Marker at Current Time Indicator (Ctrl+0)
          2. All Markers (Alt+0)
          3. Numbered
        15. Edit Timeline Marker
        16. Snap (S)
        17. Apply Default Transition
        18. Apply Default Transition Along CTI
        19. Add Tracks
        20. Delete Empty Tracks
      5. Disc Menu
        1. Change to Auto-Play
        2. Generate Menu Marker
        3. Set Menu Marker
        4. Go to Menu Marker
        5. Clear Menu Marker
          1. Marker at Current Time Indicator
          2. All Markers
      6. Title Menu
        1. New Title
        2. Font
        3. Size
        4. Type Alignment
        5. Orientation
        6. Word Wrap
        7. Roll/Crawl Options
        8. Image
          1. Add Image
          2. Insert Image into Text
          3. Restore Image Size
          4. Restore Image Aspect Ratio
        9. Transform
        10. Select
        11. Arrange
        12. Position
        13. Align Objects
        14. Distribute Objects
        15. View
          1. Safe Title Margin
          2. Safe Action Margin
          3. Text Baselines
      7. Window Menu
        1. Restore Workspace
        2. Show Docking Headers
        3. Hide Docking Headers
        4. Available Media
        5. Get Media
        6. Organize
        7. Themes
        8. Effects
        9. Transitions
        10. Titles
        11. Disc Menus
        12. Share
        13. Monitor
        14. Properties
        15. Disc Layout
        16. My Project
        17. Narration
        18. Audio Meters
        19. Audio Mixer
        20. History
        21. Info
        22. Events
      8. Help Menu
        1. Adobe Premiere Elements Help (F1)
        2. Keyboard
        3. How to Use Help
        4. Online Support
        5. About Adobe Premiere Elements
        6. Registration
        7. Deactivate
        8. Updates
      9. The “pre” Menu
        1. Restore
        2. Move
        3. Size
        4. Minimize
        5. Maximize
        6. Close (Alt+4)
    4. D. Elements Organizer Menu by Menu
      1. File Menu
        1. Get Photos and Videos
          1. From Camera or Card Reader
          2. From Scanner
          3. From Files and Folders
          4. By Searching
        2. New
          1. Photoshop Elements Image File
          2. Premiere Elements Video Project
          3. Image from Clipboard
          4. Photomerge Group Shot
          5. Photomerge Faces
          6. Photomerge Scene Cleaner
          7. Photomerge Panorama
          8. Photomerge Exposure
        3. Open Recently Edited File in Editor
        4. Catalog
        5. Burn data CD/DVD
        6. Copy/Move to Removable Disk
        7. Backup Catalog to CD, DVD or Hard Drive
        8. Restore Catalog from CD, DVD or Hard Drive
        9. Duplicate
        10. Reconnect
          1. Missing File
          2. All Missing Files
        11. Watch Folders
        12. Rename
        13. Write Keyword Tag and Properties Info to Photo
        14. Move
        15. Export As New File(s)
        16. Print
        17. Exit
      2. Edit Menu
        1. Undo
        2. Redo
        3. Copy
        4. Select All
        5. Deselect
        6. Delete from Catalog
        7. Rotate 90 Degrees Left
        8. Rotate 90 Degrees Right
        9. Auto Smart Fix
        10. Auto Red Eye Fix
        11. Edit with Photoshop Elements
        12. Edit with Premiere Elements
        13. Edit with Photoshop
        14. Adjust Date and Time
        15. Add Caption
        16. Update Thumbnail
        17. Set as Desktop Wallpaper
        18. Ratings
        19. Visibility
          1. Mark as Hidden/Mark as Visible
          2. Show All Files
          3. Show Only Hidden Files
        20. Place on Map
        21. Remove from Map
        22. Show on Map
        23. Stack
        24. Version Set
        25. Video Scene
        26. Run Auto-Analyzer
        27. Color Settings
        28. Contact Book
        29. Preferences
      3. Find Menu
        1. Set Date Range
        2. Clear Date Range
        3. By Caption or Note
        4. By Filename
        5. All Version Sets
        6. All Stacks
        7. By History
        8. By Media Type
        9. By Details (Metadata)
        10. Items with Unknown Date or Time
        11. By Visual Similarity with Selected Photo(s) and Video(s)
        12. Untagged Items
        13. Unanalyzed Content
        14. Items not in any Album
        15. Find People for Tagging
      4. View Menu
        1. Refresh
        2. Media Types
        3. Hidden Files
        4. Details
        5. Show File Names
        6. Show Grid Lines
        7. Show Borders around Thumbnails
        8. Expand All Stacks
        9. Collapse All Stacks
      5. Window Menu
        1. Show/Hide Task Pane
        2. Show Map
        3. Timeline
        4. Properties
      6. Help Menu
        1. Elements Organizer Help
        2. Key Concepts
        3. Support
          1. Photoshop Elements
          2. Premiere Elements
        4. Video Tutorials
        5. Forum
        6. About Elements Organizer
        7. Patent and Legal Notices
        8. System Info
        9. Updates
        10. Elements Inspiration Browser
      7. The Organizer Window Menu
        1. Restore
        2. Move
        3. Size
        4. Minimize
        5. Maximize
        6. Close (Alt+4)
  8. Index
  9. About the Author
  10. Colophon
  11. Copyright

Product information

  • Title: Premiere Elements 8: The Missing Manual
  • Author(s): Chris Grover
  • Release date: October 2009
  • Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
  • ISBN: 9780596803360