I have no Clue

[gomez1]

I am new at video editing. Can someone be help-ful and guide me throught the first steps of video editing. I have adobe premiere 1.5.
When you transfer the movie from your dv-camcorder to your pc hard-drive.What is the next step?And after I am finished editing,What do I do next?Help Help.

[lordsmurf]

WinDV to transfer, not Premiere.

Import video in Premiere. Edit as needed. If you're not sure what to do, go buy a book on it. Adobe Premiere for Dummies or the Adobe Premiere Bible or any number of others.

Export to MPEG. Adobe uses MainConcept engine. So look for guides on using MC. Never deinterlace if making video for viewing on tv.

Import MPEG into authoring software. Author disc. Again, find guide on software you use.

Burn in whatever you like to burn with.

Watch DVD.

[daamon]

Hi gomez1,

Welcome to the forums.

You need to decide what you want to achieve or, if you have, then let us know. Most people aim to get their camcorder footage on to (S)VCD or DVD. Is this your objective too?

For a good set of basic tutorials on Premiere Pro, go to www.wrigleyvideo.com/videotutorial

What I will say up front is that the world of video requires a lot of: time, patience, reading, experimenting, frustration, reading and, finally, satisfaction.

Also, buy yourself a rewriteable CD and / or DVD disc - you will make mistakes and this will save you wasting discs.

[gomez1]

Thanks for the replies.

I want to accomplish getting my camcorder footage to a DVD, plus be able to edit in Adobe Premiere.
The reason being is because I record weddings/parties part-time. True! this takes alot of time and patience. I know how to work Photoshop.
Now I want to learn how to edit movies.

[edDV]

Thanks for the replies.

I want to accomplish getting my camcorder footage to a DVD, plus be able to edit in Adobe Premiere.
The reason being is because I record weddings/parties part-time. True! this takes alot of time and patience. I know how to work Photoshop.
Now I want to learn how to edit movies.

wrigley video is good, but you will need more.

Invest in this DVD training series. They are excellent. Premiere is about as difficult to master as Photoshop.
http://www.totaltraining.com/prod/adobe/premierepro15.asp?mscsid=

You can always resell them on Ebay later for about 70% or buy there used.

[daamon]

Hi gomez1,

This recent post of mine will give you a high-level idea of each step involved, and some typical tools.

www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1380897#1380897

There is more detailed info out there, but I don't want to swamp you (scare you) just as you're starting out.

There is more than 101 ways to skin a cat, so this is not the "only" way, or the "best" way - just my way.

I like to use a specific dedicated tool for each step - it may take a little longer, and may be a bit more complicated, but I like the excellent results I get. Others may want it to be quicker, simpler or not worry as much about the quality and use one of the "all-in-one" tools (there's a category for these in the "Tools" section).

You have to decide what you want to do and then get stuck in.

I would recommend getting familiar with your editing first, as this is the first step. Then, as you're getting comfortable with that, look ahead and start learning the next step.

Good luck...

[thegeeman]

If like you say, 'you have no clue' then definitely get yourself an 'easier' encoding/editing program. I'm serious. Learn some of the basics on more 'simple' programs; read the guides; read them again and then progress to Premier.

Anyone disagree?

[edDV]

If like you say, 'you have no clue' then definitely get yourself an 'easier' encoding/editing program. I'm serious. Learn some of the basics on more 'simple' programs; read the guides; read them again and then progress to Premier.

Anyone disagree?

If he is serious.
If he wants to do this as a profession.
If he is proficient in Photoshop at "gets paid" level,

Then he is trainable.
Pay the bucks and follow the link above.

Premiere Pro training here is asking too much.

[thegeeman]

If he is serious.
If he wants to do this as a profession.
If he is proficient in Photoshop at "gets paid" level,

Then he is trainable.
Pay the bucks and follow the link above.


edDV:-'Pay the bucks and follow the link above': You want money now?Do you take a cheque???

Seriously though, i agree that everybody is trainable and i take my hat off to him if he is proficient with Photoshop because that is not an easy program to master. What i was inferring is that it is a HUGE leap to go into video editing when you openly admit that you do NOT have a clue on the subject and then have your very first encoding/editing program as Adobe Premiere!!!!!

Well done with Photoshop; Let me just say that your knowledge of Photoshop will help you leaps and bounds with menu design/creation for DVD's-excellent!

There are many useful 'starter'/beginner/intermediate programs that are NOT just one click programs and something like TMPGenc Plus (fairly straightforward and enough settings to progress in knowledge without it appearing daunting) maybe somewhat more suited for a beginner-maybe. Each to ones own!!!! And if yours is Premiere Pro then great.

I am merely offering some friendly advice and I would suggest you just take some time out to know some of the basics of what dvd is; the different file extensions; compliant video/audio etc etc. Start off with links at top of page on left. Then get to know the premise of encoding etc and how this then fits into things. This wont take up a great deal of your time but it is well worth having some of that knowledge-trust me.

I have only being doing this for 2 yrs and very much a newbie compared to alot of these guys on this site. If you ever have a problem then post on forum. I'll help as best as i can as i am still learning all the time.

[edDV]

If he is serious.
If he wants to do this as a profession.
If he is proficient in Photoshop at "gets paid" level,

Then he is trainable.
Pay the bucks and follow the link above.


edDV:-'Pay the bucks and follow the link above': You want money now?Do you take a cheque???

Seriously though, ...

I was addressing his specific situation.
- He wants for go into the wedding video business
- He is familiar with Adobe through Photoshop
- He has aready purchased Pemeiere Pro 1.5 for ~ US$699.00

and I assume he wants to get going soon.

I recommended he buy this training set (~$180 Ebay, $250 list)
http://www.totaltraining.com/prod/adobe/premierepro15.asp?mscsid=

Then he can learn the software and start earning money.

and after he can resell the training DVDs on Ebay for about $120-140.

He will save literally years of learning from scratch with "free" software.

[ozymango]

I would recommend getting familiar with your editing first, as this is the first step. Then, as you're getting comfortable with that, look ahead and start learning the next step.

Good luck...

Author, author! I like your posts, daamon.

Gomez1, welcome and have fun (I use Premiere and am always learning something new it can do) and while I second what EdDV said about the training stuff if you've got the $$$, if not then frankly I think you can learn a lot just by playing. Yes, it's a difficult program to master, but is it really necessary for you to master it, in order to do good work? I don't think so -- about 99% of the stuff you'll most likely be doing (as a wedding videographer) you can do with really pretty easy-to-use features in Premiere (like cutting from A to B, fading video and/or audio, etc.). Yes, there's all sorts of cool stuff you can do afterwards but I'd get my editing chops down first.

And frankly a lot of a good video comes from your own "eye" and knowing how to compose a shot, knowing where to cut, feeling the "rhythm" of the scene ... yeah, you can "salvage" stuff in the editing room but I've always found it easier to do your best to get clean, simple footage and then do clean, simple edits. But hey, everbody develops his or her own style, so like daamon writes, start small, play around, try some stuff.

I'm not that big into training videos or computer training simply because my brain doesn't learn all that fast that way, I need to "play" with things (and make a lot of mistakes!) before things start to gel. Especially when first starting out.

Assuming that you are sorta starting out (in editing, anyway), do you already have some camera experience, is all of this new, do you enjoy making home movies, is this a one-man job? Just asking to see what your situation is so we can offer more relevant help depending on your needs and issues.

Oh, and what thegeeman said about it being helpful to learn all sorts of stuff about video that may seem somewhat unrelated and/or overwhelming at the moment -- this is great advice, because it helps you get more of a "global" perspective on the whole shebang and it can save you a lot of grief later on, not having to re-do something because you got it right the first time.

Good luck and importantly, have fun!

[harley2ride]

I too have used adobe photoshop for quite some time. I then picked up adobe premiere 6.5 for video editing. After numerous tutorials, guides, etc. and having problems with editing my movies, I switched to vegas video 4.0. Much easier learning vegas for me, even with my photoshop experience. I use photoshop to restore damaged photos, adjust colors, etc, and have done hundreds of photos. Premiere is tough to learn.... But it is good software. Maybe when I have more time to play with it, I will revisit it again, but for now, I do my editing with vegas.

[ozymango]

I too have used adobe photoshop for quite some time ... After numerous tutorials, guides, etc. and having problems with editing my movies, I switched to vegas video 4.0. Much easier learning vegas for me, even with my photoshop experience.

Harley2ride, you make a very good point here -- it's easy for us to think we have to use or learn to use something just because we have it. I love Premiere but I also use Photoshop and frankly I think there's a world of difference (in my own head) when it comes to working with images in Photoshop (still images) and Premire or other video programs (moving images), just because some of the "tools" look the same doesn't mean we necessarily use them in the same way.

So, gomez1, if you're still reading this , if you're enjoying playing around with Premiere I hope we're helping, but if you feel you must use Premiere just because you bought a copy, I say it's perfectly fine to try other stuff and see if'n it might be a more "comfortable" tool for you. It's all about making your work a pleasure, not a chore. And there's always eBay to auction off that software you aren't using!

[pepegot1]

I dump the DV to my DVD recorder (JVC). Then use TempGenc DVD Author to create an mpg file which can be edited with VideoRedo, if necessary. Now create the new VOB files and burn with TDA. No need for the computer to capture, as the DVD recorder does that.

[julitomg]

At filmmaking school the teachers used to tell us something that with the years has made a lot of sense to me: "You need to learn how to walk before trying to run..", I understand perfectly edtv´s opinion but thegeeman has a good point, I mean; Premiere Pro is quite a serious tool for someone with such little understanding of the whole proccess(no offense). I started my own "learning" with Premiere 4.2 years ago, then 5.1, 6.0, 6.5 and I´m not even sure if I´m prepared to take the Pro step(well, actually $ is also a consideration)
If gomez1 can get a simpler video editing program, it´s easier to master the basics and give him a more solid ground, so when he finally uses Premiere, it´ll be not only easier but more fun to discover the possibilities that program offers him. I haven used it but maybe Premiere Elements is a good choice??Ulead videoStudio? Pinnacle Studio??, the ideal should be some freeware with timeline editing just to grasp the parts of the process, even if limited effectswise or without too many tools; does anyone know of something like that?, well just an idea, so he doesn´t spend more in software...

[gomez1]

WOW! THANKS FOR THE REPLIES.
Don't scare me now.

For now I just wan't to learn the basics (chooping, adding photo slides, etc). Eventually I will get creative, as I did with Photoshop.
I started using photoshop this year in march.Basically I just learn by printing a stack of tutorials and messing around. It was a pain in the ass at first but now it's ok.I dont consider my self a pro, but what counts is how creative you can get. I do weddings/parties part-time on the weekends with my old-man. Not bad for a part-time job.

Usually I never pay for any of my programs, as I did not pay for Adobe premiere pro 1.5, Pinnicle studio, and Photoshop. I have purchased a training tutorial from ebay and printing a stack of tutorials.
I just needed some basic information.
As to how to start,file types,what program to burn with, etc.

No cheques ese!

You are in breach of the forum rules and are being issued with a formal warning. If you would have bought the software like you were supposed to do, you would have had the manuals that came with it, and therefore not had to ask stupid questions about how to use basic features. Read the forum rules, no warez. This includes illegal
copies of software.

If I've missed something here, PM me to clarify your situation.

/ Moderator lordsmurf