First Look: Adobe Premiere Pro
Not supported on Macs? No Windows 2000? No more A/B editing? The most significant upgrade since 1991? This seems like quite an interesting debut. Nothing like a bit of controversy to stir the pot. Time to make way for Premiere Pro.
Introducing powerful color correction options; sub frame audio editing, Nested timelines, new motion controls, YUV video processing, new DV codec, AAF export, 5.1 surround sound mixing, AC-3 export…and that’s just getting started. After looking at all the goodies jam packed into this release, it quickly becomes apparent that Premiere Pro is headed in the right direction. [an error occurred while processing this directive]Let’s jump right to the centerpiece: A completely redesigned timeline. After all, Premiere Pro is about professional editing. The new timeline features are simply exquisite.
Timeline
One of the most neglected aspects of several major NLE’s, the Timeline, is one area where Premiere was not going to miss the target. Unfortunately, detailing all the major improvements and subtle refinements in the new timeline is definitely an article in and of itself. I’ll give you the meat and potatoes. But when it comes to the editing experience, you may need to wait for a test drive before any major epiphany can be expected.
First off, no more A/B editing in Premiere. Premiere now employs a singletrack model similar to programs such as Avid and Final Cut Pro. The singletrack model may require some adjustment for some, but after working with the application, even the most devout A/B editors eventually warm up to the new behaviors. (I’ve come across some REALLY stubborn ones too!) New modifiers, keys like ctrl and alt that modify the regular behavior of a tool, have been incorporated. These modifiers open up a whole new world of editing. When using these modifiers, Premiere provides graphical and intuitive feedback of exactly what is happening and what will occur as edits are performed. Icons, arrows and other indications make it very easy to determine if a clip is going to be lifted, extracted, inserted or overlaid. See Figure 3.1
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| Figure 3.1. Click image for larger view |
First and foremost, remember that the default edits are very similar to 6.5. Regular drag and drop assemble editing is the default. You don’t have to use the new modifiers if you really don’t want to. However these modifier functions are well thought out and extremely powerful.
To switch to insert editing, simply press the control key while dragging and your clip will be inserted (causing a ripple effect in the timeline). You can even add an additional modifier key, (CTRL+ALT) to insert and extract (ripple delete) at the same time. It’s a bit beyond the scope of this article to elaborate much further. . . just play with it, you’ll like it. If you have any questions, you know where to find me. After you’ve had a chance to play, you’ll find the real trick is deciding when and where to use the new tools. Once they’re incorporated into your workflow, you’ll be amazed how much faster the editing experience is compared to 6.5 (and other antique NLE’s)
New copy and paste behaviors are robust as well. Select specific clips on the timeline, copy and paste. Simple as that. Grouping behaviors have also been added to help control clips on the timeline. You can even copy and paste keyframes in the effects control window, or directly on the timeline.
Of course, as always, it’s still extremely simple and intuitive to perform 3 and 4 point edits inside of Premiere. Hot text, similar to After Effects has been added. This can be used to navigate with timecode or to adjust tons of parameters in your editing workflow. Simply click the text and drag left or right with your mouse. Simply put, working in the timeline is better than clockwork, true precision. You really need to get your hands on this software and play before you can truly appreciate the new timeline functionalities.
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