EDITING WORKSHOP

 Editing Workshop.

On the 8th of February, as a class we attended an editing workshop with Matt. This was in order to familiarise ourselves with the software (Adobe Premier Pro) as we will be using it to edit our final sequences. 

He showed us what he was doing on a large screen, then we went away in partners and played around with the different functions on the clips that we filmed in our camera workshops. 

The first thing we learned was about the different video sections. Shown on the right is the project panel (bottom left of the screen), containing the specific audio/video files uploaded (or footage). Within the project panel, folders (or 'bins') can be made, one of which being the 'Rushes' folder, which is a term in the filmmaking industry for the raw, unedited footage - this is similar to 'dailies' but these are shot on the day. Above it, the 'Log bin' can be seen; this is where the editor can copy and paste footage they want to specifically use in order to keep edited footage separate to the raw for future ease in access. 

The next section is the 'timeline' (bottom right of the screen). Here, one can actually edit the footage using the different tools. The ones we learned to use was the 'cutting tool' (shortcut 'c' on the keyboard) used to place cuts in the footage, and the 'arrow' (shortcut 'v' on the keyboard) used to return to the mouse. To undo any changes made, the editor can use command/control Z depending on the platform. The tools are also shown through their symbols to the left of the timeline.

The third section was the monitor (top left of the screen) - Matt told us that there is no specific name to it as it is named by the function it is carrying out. For example, in the image to the right, it was showing the 'source monitor'. Here, the editor can playback footage, and mark where they want the clip to start and end by using in and out points (shortcut 'i' for in or 'o' for out). Then, they can move the edited footage to the timeline by dragging it from the source and dropping it in there. 

The last section we learned about was the 'video screen' (top right of the screen). Ultimately, this playbacks the edited footage so that the editor can actually see the product of their work and notice anything they want to change or mistakes. A common mistake made when putting footage on the timeline, for example, is overlapping any clips of video or audio; Premiere Pro prioritises and plays the files furthest up, closest to the top and bottom, which could be an issue should you accidentally place it over files before it or after. To avoid this, the editor can use the '+' or '-' shortcuts to zoom in and out on the timeline, allowing for precise editing, or to get a clearer overview. 

Finally, and possibly most importantly, we learned the importance of saving our work as we go on (shortcut command/control 'S'). This is because computers are not always reliable and hours of work could be lost should there be any technical issues; having a recent point in editing restored ensures an easier process of recovery as not as much work needs to be done.