Adobe Premiere Pro

Four main Sub-windows

1.Project Window (Project Panel)

• Purpose: The Project Window serves as your media management hub, where all assets
you’ve imported into your project are stored and organized. It acts as a library for your
video files, audio clips, images, graphics, and sequences.

• Key Features:

o Media Organization: You can import media (videos, audio, and images) directly
into this panel. Premiere lets you categorize and group files into folders called
“bins” for better organization.

o Metadata Display: Each asset displays important information like file name,
format, resolution, frame rate, and duration. This information can help you
decide which assets to use based on their technical details.

o Search and Filters: The search bar and filter options let you locate specific
assets quickly. You can also sort files based on various parameters, such as
name or file type.

o Creating Sequences: Right-clicking on a clip allows you to create a sequence

that automatically matches the clip’s settings, ensuring your timeline settings
align with your footage.

2. Source Window (Source Monitor)

• Purpose: The Source Window is primarily for previewing and preparing clips before
adding them to your timeline. It’s a non-destructive way to view, trim, and set In/Out
points for your footage.

• Key Features:

o Previewing Clips: When you double-click a clip in the Project Window, it opens
in the Source Window. Here, you can view the clip to decide which portions to
include in your timeline.

o Setting In and Out Points: Use the In (I) and Out (O) keys to mark where you
want your clip to start and end. This is essential for trimming footage before
adding it to the sequence.

o Basic Clip Adjustments: The Source Window allows basic adjustments, like
adjusting playback speed or adding effects to pre-processed clips before they
enter the timeline.
 o Overlay Drag Options: You can drag only video, only audio, or both to the
timeline, depending on what you need from the selected clip. This flexibility can
be useful if you want just the audio or video portion of a clip.

3. Sequence Window (Timeline Panel)

• Purpose: The Sequence Window, commonly referred to as the Timeline Panel, is the
workspace where you assemble and arrange your video project. This is where the actual
editing process takes place.

• Key Features:

o Tracks: The Timeline is divided into multiple video and audio tracks. You can
layer video and audio clips across these tracks to create complex edits, effects,
and transitions. Higher video tracks overlay lower ones visually, making layering
effects easier.

o Editing Tools: The Timeline Panel provides tools like the Razor Tool (for cutting
clips), Selection Tool (for moving clips), and Track Select Tool (to move all clips
forward or backward).

o Transitions and Effects: You can add effects and transitions between clips on
the timeline to smooth out cuts or create visual transitions. Effects are added
directly to clips and customized in the Effect Controls.

o Timeline Markers: Markers help in organizing and adding notes to specific parts
of the timeline, which is particularly useful for collaboration or syncing sound.

4. Program Window (Program Monitor)

• Purpose: The Program Window acts as a final preview for your edited sequence,
allowing you to see the project as it will appear upon export. Any edits made in the
Timeline Panel are reflected here in real-time.

• Key Features:

o Playback Controls: Basic playback controls (play, pause, fast forward, rewind)
help you preview the current edit.

o Display Resolution: The Program Monitor allows you to change the playback
resolution, which can help improve performance on complex projects.

o Comparison View: This feature lets you compare two points within your
sequence, ideal for color correction or matching two shots.

Each of these windows plays a unique role in the editing process. Together, they give you control
over every aspect of video creation—from organizing files and previewing clips to editing and
previewing the final result. Knowing how to use these windows effectively is essential for a
streamlined workflow in Adobe Premiere Pro.
Video editing workflow

In Adobe Premiere Pro, the video editing workflow can be structured around the four main sub-
windows: Project Window, Source Window, Sequence (Timeline) Window, and Program
Window.

1. Importing and Organizing Media in the Project Window

2. Reviewing and Preparing Clips in the Source Window
3. Building and Refining the Sequence in the Timeline (Sequence Window)
4. Previewing the Edited Sequence in the Program Window

1. Importing and Organizing Media in the Project Window

The Project Window is your starting point for any video editing project, as it’s where all your
media files and assets are imported and organized.

o Start by importing your media files into the Project Window. You can do this by
going to File > Import or by dragging files directly into the Project Window.

o Organize files into bins (folders) for better management. For example, you might
create separate bins for video footage, audio files, graphics, and images.

o Once organized, you can double-click on any clip to open it in the Source
Window for preview and selection.

2. Reviewing and Preparing Clips in the Source Window

The Source Window is used for previewing and preparing clips before adding them to the
timeline. This step helps you select only the best parts of each clip to include in your sequence.

o Double-click a clip in the Project Window to open it in the Source Window. Here,
you can watch the clip and identify sections you want to include.

o Use In (I) and Out (O) points to select specific segments of the clip. For example,
you might only want to include a 5-second section of a 1-minute clip.

o Once you’ve set the In and Out points, drag the selected portion into the
Timeline Window to start building your sequence. You can drag only the video,
only the audio, or both, depending on what you need.

o Repeat this process for each clip you want to add, giving you control over which
parts of each video and audio clip are used.

3. Building and Refining the Sequence in the Timeline (Sequence Window)

The Timeline Window, also known as the Sequence Window, is where the main editing
happens. Here, you arrange clips, adjust their duration, add transitions, and apply
effects.
 o Drag clips from the Source Window (or directly from the Project Window) into the
Timeline to build your sequence in the desired order.

o Use tools like the Selection Tool (V) to move clips, the Razor Tool (C) to cut
clips, and the Track Select Tool (A) to shift all clips forward or backward in the
timeline.

o Stack multiple layers of video and audio tracks to overlay clips, add music, and
incorporate sound effects.

o Add transitions (like cross-dissolves) between clips for smoother transitions or

effects (like color correction) to improve visual quality. These can be found in the
Effects Panel and are dragged directly onto clips on the timeline.

4. Previewing the Edited Sequence in the Program Window

The Program Window is where you watch your edited sequence in real-time. It lets you review
your project and make adjustments as needed before finalizing.

o As you make changes in the Timeline, watch the edits play back in the Program
Window. This is a live view of your current sequence, so every cut, effect, and
transition will display here.

o Use playback controls to view your sequence from start to finish, and make note
of any parts that may need refinement (like timing adjustments or smoother
transitions).

o Adjust playback resolution if your computer struggles with real-time playback,

especially for complex effects or high-resolution footage. Lowering the preview
resolution won’t affect final export quality.

Final Steps: Exporting the Video

• Once you’re satisfied with the sequence in the Program Window, you’re ready to
export.

o Go to File > Export > Media to open the export settings.

o In the Export Settings, choose the desired format, resolution, and quality
settings. H.264 is a popular format for web use, as it produces high-quality video
with manageable file sizes.

o Click Export to render and save your video.

 The Tools panel
1. Selection tool.
2. Track Selection tool
3. Ripple Edit tool
4. Rolling Edit tool
5. Rate Stretch tool
6. Razor tool
7. Slip tool
8. Slide tool
9. Pen tool
10. Hand tool
11. Zoom tool

Selection Tool

• Function: Used for selecting, moving, and trimming clips on the timeline.

• Usage: Click on a clip to select it, drag it to move it around, or adjust its duration by
dragging the ends.

Track Selection Tool

• Function: Selects all clips on a track from a given point forward or backward.

• Usage: Click at a point to select all clips to the right (or left if using backward selection)
on one track. Hold Shift to select clips on all tracks.

C. Ripple Edit Tool

• Function: Trims a clip and shifts all following clips to fill the gap, keeping the sequence
continuous.

• Usage: Click and drag the edge of a clip to trim it, automatically moving the adjacent
clips to close the gap.

D. Rolling Edit Tool

• Function: Adjusts the end of one clip and the beginning of the next simultaneously
without changing the overall sequence length.

• Usage: Click and drag between two clips to adjust the cut point between them, affecting
only those two clips.

E. Rate Stretch Tool

• Function: Changes the speed of a clip to fit a specific duration.

• Usage: Drag the end of a clip to speed it up (shorten) or slow it down (lengthen) to match
the desired time.

F. Razor Tool

• Function: Cuts or splits a clip at the clicked point.

• Usage: Click on a clip in the timeline to split it into two separate clips.
G. Slip Tool

• Function: Changes the in and out points of a clip without moving it on the timeline or
changing its duration.

• Usage: Click and drag to adjust the internal content of the clip while keeping its position
and length fixed.

H. Slide Tool

• Function: Moves a clip along the timeline, adjusting the in and out points of the
neighboring clips to maintain the sequence length.

• Usage: Click and drag a clip to slide it forward or backward while keeping its content
and length intact, adjusting neighbouring clips.

I. Pen Tool

• Function: Adds keyframes to control audio and video parameters, like volume or
opacity.

• Usage: Click on a clip’s line (audio volume or opacity) to add keyframes, which you can
move to create gradual adjustments over time.

J. Hand Tool

• Function: Moves the visible area of the timeline without affecting clips.

• Usage: Click and drag to navigate through a long timeline, helpful when working on
extended projects.

K. Zoom Tool

• Function: Adjusts the zoom level of the timeline to see clips in more detail or to get an
overview.

• Usage: Click to zoom in on the timeline, or hold Alt (Option on Mac) and click to zoom
out. Useful for precise edits or wide views.

Source (master) clip:

▪ The clip is originally imported into the Project panel. It is listed in the Project panel only
once by default.

▪ If you delete a source clip from the Project panel, all of its instances are also deleted.

Clip Instance:

▪ It is a dependent reference to a source clip, used in a sequence. Each time you add a
clip to a sequence, you create another instance of the clip.
 ▪ A clip instance uses the name and source file reference used by its source clip.

▪ While clip instances are not listed in the Project panel, they are differentiated in the
Source Monitor menu if you open instances there.

▪ The Source Monitor menu lists instances by name, sequence name, and In point.

Subclip:

▪ A section of a master clip that references the master clip‘s media file. Use sub clips to
organize and manage your projects, especially when you need to use only sections of
long master clips.

Duplicate clip:

▪ An independent copy of a source clip, which you create manually using the Edit >
Duplicate command.

▪ You can also create a duplicate clip by importing the same file more than once.

▪ Unlike a clip instance, a duplicate clip maintains its own reference to the original clip‘s
source file on disk and exists as an additional clip in the Project panel.

▪ A duplicate clip is not deleted when you delete its original from the Project panel.

▪ Master and duplicate clips can be renamed independently.