Editing Techniques Assignment

"We don't make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies" - Walt Disney

This assignment required us to successfully edit together a music video, using professionally shot footage and audio from the hit song "Believer" by Imagine Dragons, using a range of editing techniques that we deemed suitable for us during our editing.

The first technique my partner and I decided to explore was the creation of a MULTI-CAMERA SEQUENCE with audio synchronisation. As all of our footage was prepared for us, all we had to do, was select all files with audio, including the master file of the entire song, then right click to create a multi-camera sequence. We were then given the option to name our sequence, which we called it "Multi Master". By selecting sync to audio, we were able to use Premiere Pro to synchronise all of the clips we selected by the audio that was in them, therefore creating the multi-camera sequence. Then, by pressing play, we could select different cameras we wanted to cut to at specific moments (shown in the screenshots below). So, when the track was played through, the camera would cut to a new image that we had selected, creating a sequence that is completely synchronised with the audio.

Creating a Multi-Camera Source Sequence

Multi-Camera Sequence

We next added a FADE-UP to the start of the piece. We did this because we wanted to ease the video in. So, by using the pen tool, we can add a key-frame at the start of the clip, and another one just a bit further down the line, by using the pen tool on the opacity line. By dragging the first key-frame down, we can alter the opacity level, so its creates a gradual increase in opacity from 0% to 100%, therefore creating a successful 'fade-up' effect.

Fade-Up created with Pen Tool

Another key aspect of editing we explored was MARKERS. They indicate important points in time and help you position and arrange clips. You can use a marker to identify an important action or sound in a sequence or clip. For example, in the song 'Believer' which we have edited, to insert a specific clip on the word "Pain" we used markers on the timeline to be able to put this clip in. By using the (M) key whilst playing the sequence, we insert markers. Another feature of markers that allowed us to line up the clips was the fact that we could actually set markers on individual clips. So, in a clip where Dan, the lead vocalist gets punched in the face, we could set a marker at the exact moment he gets hit, and then line it up with the lyric "Pain" in the actual sequence.

Markers

Lined-Up Markers

Another feature we can explore with markers is adding multiple clips at once. By going into our footage bins and selecting the clips we want, we can then AUTOMATE THESE CLIPS TO THE SEQUENCE. We get the option when automating to sequence to place the selected clips at unnumbered markers (which we have set using the (M) key). We can also choose whether the clips get placed on the sequence in the order we sorted them in the bins, or the order we selected them when automating to sequence. This is a quicker way of adding multiple clips at specifically chosen points in our timeline.

Automating to Sequence

The next feature of Adobe Premiere Pro we explored was different types of transitions between clips. Particularly the DISSOLVE. To create a dissolve, by right clicking in the gap between two clips, we get the option to 'add default transitions'. By doing this, we add a quick dissolve to our clips, which creates a sort of fade in - fade out effect, where the first clip merges into the second, eventually "dissolving" away.

Dissolve

A fun feature to explore when messing around with clips in Premiere Pro is TIME MANIPULATION.  This is as simple as it sounds, and allows us to mess with the idea of the speed of the clip / duration. To do this, by right clicking on our selected clip, we get the option of Clip > Speed/Duration. This allows us to control how fast or slow we want our specific clip to be. The lower the percentage, the slower the clip becomes. We also get the option to reverse the clip, which ends up playing it backwards, which is a really cool feature to play around with, particularly when we were editing clips of the band. We used our time manipulation on the guitarist, as he turns, we slowed the clip down, adding a really nice slow-mo effect.

Time Manipulation

Another interesting feature of Adobe Premiere Pro is the availability of the COLOUR MANIPULATION WORKSPACE, which allows us to change/alter specific colours in a certain clip. For example, we can change the temperature of a specific clip, which changes how orange/blue a clip looks (imitating hot and cold) or by using the COLOUR LUT (Look-up Table) we can differentiate between different colors in the sequence, and create a façade of colours that can change the clip and make it look artificial/fake.

Colour Workspace

Colour LUT

The RIPPLE EDIT TOOL involves moving an edit point and causing the rest of the timeline to move the same amount to compensate. To perform a ripple edit, select the ripple edit tool from the tool panel. Position the mouse at the edit point in the timeline and drag left or right. It closes gaps between each edit, and we used it on clips on track two, like the boxing scenes and the clips of Dan in the chair.

Ripple edit tool

One of the final techniques we needed to use was RENDERING. Video rendering is the process by which a computer processes information from a coded data source and uses that information to produce and display an image. By rendering, we can assure our content remains smooth and fluid when played back. To render the entire timeline, all we had to do was push the [ENTER] key, which rendered our entire sequence. This allows us to fine tune our video, and show a crisper, cleaner image.

Rendering

The last technique we decided to explore was COLOUR CURVES. Curves allow you to apply natural or unnatural adjustments to the brightness and colour of your clips. The traditional curve we explored was an "S-Curve", this allowed us to increase our contrast subtly without changing/compressing the overall brightness/grain of the shot.

Curves

Changing contrast with curves

Premiere Pro and it's wide range of editing structures and techniques allow us to create a smooth and clear music video, exploring techniques which can dramatically alter our footage to make our adaptation of a professional music video look successful and unique.