Adobe Software

Adobe CS6

Adobe is, or can be a professional software collection that is used to edit videos and combine different clips together using a timeline that allows the editor to see their whole creation.


It is important that the user understands the main functions and actions involved in the adobe programmes because there are a lot of complicated components needed in order to fully create a film.


The Adobe programme collection is made up out of different applications that can be necessary to making a movie. Some of these are:

Adobe: After Effects

Used for effects to the project such as motion graphics, visual effects, and other features that can alter the visual aspects of the chosen clips.





Adobe: Photoshop


This system is used on individual images or frames for areas such as advertising, movies and film, and other professional careers or hobbies. Photoshop uses different tools to alter, distort, or add different visual objects to the image to make it look more appealing or more suited to its context and/or audience.

Adobe: Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is an art software that allows the editor to use a large range of art styles for their production. This can be used for forming both 3D and 2D effects and objects and the editor can also use colours, paint brushes, fonts, and other creative widgets to create logos, fonts, professional style illustrations, and other tools to be used for web pages, videos, and even interactive screens.

Adobe: Audition

Adobe Audition is used for the sounds such as music, sound effects, and ambience to help with the moulding of the movie. The programme contains a collection of different sounds and sound alteration methods to allow different noises to be inserted into their movie. There is also a tool called the ‘sound panel’ that allows the editor to mix different music together along with mixing different sounds together to alter them and change the effect they have on the audience to suit it’s genre or purpose. Adobe Audition is used after the rest of the necessary production stages has been carried out and it allows the film to have a smoother finish with polished music.

Adobe: Prelude

Adobe Prelude is used to insert any necessary components that allow the video to be heard and/heard specifically is the area of the film that is needed in order for it to be functioning properly outside of the programme. This will involve the parts such as the notes, data, tags, and other areas to do with the virtual components. It can also be used to take clips out of videos and allows the editor to make short videos based off of them such as trailers and other videos that will feature the original.

Adobe: SpeedGrade

This programme is normally needed as a last stage during the editors’ project. The software is used to add some extra colours, or filters to the film to make it look more aesthetically pleasing for the audience as they watch it. The visual effects that are available can also change the moods that each shot have, for example, darker shaded filters will give a darker atmosphere in the movie and a lighter filter will give a more positive effect.





These programmes allow multiple programmes to be imported and exported between them rather using manual systems such as hard drives or saving methods, or transferring them through internet based systems.


Each one has a set of specific tools that allows the user to go into more detail in their projects to make them seem smoother and more professional for their target audience.





Adobe Premiere Tutorial Video Summary






Starting a Project






The first action needed to start a movie is to create a new project and name it. Naming the project is important so that the editor will be able to find it and acquire it more easily if she/he has multiple files saved on their computer.













Layout


The main screen’s set up can have four boxes; the project timeline, the effects sections, the sequence box (movie preview), and the effects control box. This layout is interactive so it can be altered to suit the editor’s preferences. To change the layout, there is an option box that allows the user to change how their screen looks and this is called the ‘workspace’ tab.











The action needed to properly start the film production process is to import the images or clips that the editor wants to put in. This is done by importing media into the project panel (in the bottom left). In this tab, there can be individual subjects put into it or whole folders which allow multiple attachments to be stored on the programme.





Frame rate


There is an option to change the frame rate of each sequence. Each movie will need a different frame rate depending on what the footage is used as or how long it is since it can greatly impact the rendering time once the project is fully or partially completed.





Lengthening


Underneath the sequence bar where the chosen video is shown there is a bar that allows the video to be lengthened or made longer to make it easier for the editor to choose what parts of the clips go into the movie. After this has been done it allows the user to drag the chosen footage into the timeline so it can then be edited further.





Sequence editing


There is a button underneath the chosen media which allows the sound and video to be separated from each other. Either of the chosen sections can be then dragged onto the timeline and inserted on top of or underneath the previous footage.


A tool called the ‘razor tool’ can be used to trim the scenes and create cuts throughout the footage and lets them be dragged across the timeline as different sections without deleting any inserted footage/





Transitions


A transitions bar can open up in the project bar which will show all the available effects and transitions. There are different folders that contain different types of transitions such as the ‘3D Motions’, ‘Dissolve’, ‘Slide’, ‘Wipe’, and ‘Zoom’. These allow the sequences to look smoother for the audience since sudden cutting will look unprofessional. Once a transition is selected it can then be dragged into the timeline to where it will be most suitable.





Titles


Titles can be added to the sequences by pressing the ‘new title’ button which will insert the chosen words into the sequences once the words have been chosen.


In the area that allows the editing of the title there is a toolbar that means that the text size can be made larger or smaller, shorter or wider, how distorted it is, and what colours the editor wants it to be. Different letters or words can be altered if they are selected and highlighted.





Filters and colours


Different sequences can be altered by effects from the effects section. One effect can change the lighting of the chosen video to ‘correct’ it if has the wrong lighting at the time of filming. There is also the function to make the video more or less blurred to five a creepy or disorientated effect, the blurriness can also be reduced or increased as the video progresses to act as a transition. This effect also lets the editor changes the brightness, saturation, and the contrast of the shots.








Layers


The timeline has different layers which mean that different frames can be playing alongside each other whilst the video is running. This can allow scenes to run off from each other or scenes/images to be combined to improve the overall look of the video.


There is an eye button that can turn the layers on and off in the preview box to allow easier focus on specific areas.





Key frames


Keyframes are tags on the timeline that show where the editor has selected. There can be 2 or more keyframes selected that show where the added effect can start and stop, and show how long that area continues on for.







Audio bar


The audio bar feature is used to edit the sounds or music that is put on the timeline that play with the scenes, before the scenes, or after the scenes. The music can be altered to be louder or softer at specific points in the sequences.







Finishing


When the project has been finished or has been temporarily left, the movie must be converted into a format that allows the project to be exported to external areas. On the ‘file’ and ‘export’ buttons there is a box that allows the editor to make any finishing changes to the video when exporting it. The editor can change the smaller parts of the effects, audio and video aspects along with the width and height, and the bit rate of the video. After the finishing changes have been made it will take a varied time to render the project depending on how long it is and/or how many effects have been added to the video.






Short Cuts


Many adobe programs will contain shortcuts, these will be used for the editors who use Adobe frequently to allow faster access to different mechanisms that are used.


Some of the shortcuts used are:


Ctrl + S is to save the project


Ctrl + N is to go to the sequence section


Ctrl + Alt + I is to open the media browser


Ctrl + R is to access the speed/duration editor


Enter is to render the movie


T is to lengthen a specific effect or scene