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Editing for Everyone

Oct 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Bob Turner

With Christmas around the corner, I recommend Adobe's soon-to-be-released Premiere Elements for the consumer crowd.

Around this time of year (from the start of school until Christmas), it is common for editors to be asked by friends and relatives what editing software they should purchase to edit school projects, home movies, emailed videos, etc.

The problem is that most professional editors have little to no contact with these types of software. Consumers need something extremely simple to use on home computers that frequently lack performance and have minimal RAM. These users need some canned effects, titling, a few editable audio tracks, and maybe compressed output for DVD or Internet streaming. Also, the price has to be very low, and it must be easy to learn.

There are many good consumer applications to consider: Apple iMovie 4, Canopus Let's Edit, CyberLink Power Director 3, Intervideo WinDVD Creator2, MacXware MediaEdit Pro, Magix Movie Edit Pro, MainConcept EVE 2, Microsoft Movie Maker 2.1, NewSoft Presto! VideoWorks, Nova Development Video Explosion Deluxe, Pinnacle Studio and Dazzle, Sony Media Software Vegas Movie Studio+DVD, and Ulead Video Studio 8. These are among the best of the consumer video editing software packages available. Having acknowledged these applications, I want to introduce you to one that may soon be considered the “best of breed” for Windows-based consumer video editing.

The new Adobe Premiere Elements software is my recommendation for Windows-based consumer editing. This application has been streamlined for consumer use. The design focus is clearly ease of use, with many tasks automated.

One example of this software's streamlined approach is the initial setup. By selecting “United States” when the app asks for country of residence — one of the very few steps in installing the software — NTSC is selected. The application automatically sets up parameters such as Automatic Scene Detection, Timecode Bridging (of timecode breaks), Capture Direct-to-Timeline, and others. Experienced users can adjust these later by clicking the Setup icon upon opening the program.

Starting with this streamlined setup prevents confusion, and makes learning to use the application simpler by getting straight to the editing. Users are able to ingest a tape directly to the timeline automatically broken up in “scenes.” These scenes appear in the media bin. You do not have to capture by selecting each clip and then clicking and dragging it into the timeline. Although you can choose to import clips this way, the fewer steps make things easier.

I should mention that this is a DV-only NLE, meaning it connects to DV and Digital8-source machines. HDV is not supported. Analog-to-DV transcoders are available, but they are not included.

Editing with Premiere Elements is done in five simple steps: capture, edit, effects, titles, and output (to DVD or videotape, or export to the Internet). There are clickable icons for each step on the top row of the application desktop. To improve the learning process there is a context-sensitive How To palette. “Context-sensitive” means that it looks at the actions taken, anticipates the questions you are about to ask, and lists those questions with hot-linked answers on a palette on the right side of the screen.

When editing, the application screen has the Media Palette to the left, Monitor Window in the center, the How To palette on the right, and the timeline on the bottom. The Monitor Window has the transport controls below it and a clear indication of whether the monitor is for the clip or the timeline. The desktop layout is also customizable. For more experienced consumer editors, keyboard customization and control are available.

Ease of use

Premiere Elements features a guided workflow, where users work step-by-step through the five stages, left to right on the toolbar. Because of the simplicity of the pre-selected setup choices, it is easy for novices to work though the steps.

To start a new project, you must name the project. From that step, unique clip names are derived automatically, and auto-save keeps the projects straight. A new project automatically opens a capture window with a clip name automatically inserted (that you may easily change) and a simple user interface.

Also, the context-sensitive How To palette lists help offerings and tips for capturing or importing audio and video. The one-click capture feature automates this process, and as soon as the tape is played, you have detected scenes as clips in your media bin and on your timeline. The next step is editing.

The non-destructive trimming of media is done with two tools: the selection icon (the arrow cursor) and the razorblade that divides clips in two. These are the edit tools.

Simplicity rules. Moving the cursor over the time portion of the timeline controls the playhead position. Play and pause can be controlled by hitting the spacebar or using the icons on the Timeline video window. Moving the cursor over the cut changes the cursor to a trim tool with the icon indicating which way you will trim (either the “from” clip or the “to” clip) when you click and drag the cut point.

The only other timeline tool is the Time-Stretch. It does motion effects on a clip on the timeline. Right-mouse-click accesses a dialog box, or you can graphically stretch or shrink the clip by click and drag. Of course, there are unlimited Undos and Redos with a History pull-down. The application automatically recognizes which aspect ratio you have shot in and sets output accordingly.

Audio is also very simple, yet powerful, with 99 audio tracks accessible. There is a volume level line that you can click and drag to adjust, and a keyframe button to create fades and program level changes. A waveform can assist in cutting to the beat of a music track. Scrubbing audio is easy. Pitch control is available. Users can import WAV, WMA, MP3, AIFF, AVI, and QuickTime files.

Pre-programmed effects and transitions

After the cutting and trimming are done, effects can be added. Premiere Elements features hundreds of presets, effects, and transitions that can be dragged from the Effects window, which pops up when you click the effects icon (step 3) on the toolbar. Color correction, video-in-video effects, still-image pans/tilts/zooms, digital transitions, fades, filters, audio effects, and more are available from the Effects palette. Although most of these effects come pre-programmed, the tools are available to modify rather than just click and drag effects onto the clip or transition. If you have the proper GPU accelerator card, accelerated effects and transitions are automatically listed, but these are not visible if you do not. The application can access additional plug-in effects — just as iMovie's power is considerably enhanced by third-party plug-ins.

Titling is step 4. Adobe has been recognized for its graphics and titling capabilities since the company's founding, so it should be no surprise that this application has excellent titling tools. There are many title/graphics templates, with an emphasis on special occasions selections. Crawls and rolls are easy. Thirty Adobe fonts come with the application. Tools to select a font type, font color, add drop-shadows/edges/glows, select size, position, etc., are easy to use.

I should mention that Adobe offers bundle packaging with Adobe Photo-shop Elements. With file compatibility, the bundle makes a powerful combination. There is a one-click step to send an enhanced still from Photoshop Elements to the Premiere Elements media bin.

Creating DVDs

Step 5 is the Export step. Make a DVD, export a streaming file, or output to tape. These are all easy to do. The Make a DVD option includes many templates with easy-to-create menus, scene indexes, graphic backgrounds, buttons, and more. Photoshop Elements can be used to create additional backgrounds and titles.

Scene selection can be from timeline DVD markers. This is as simple as positioning the playhead where you want and adding a DVD mark. There is a DVD interactive simulation tool you can use prior to burning a DVD. Compression is automatic and is based on the amount of compression necessary (e.g., how much you want to put on a disc) — always selecting the highest quality possible.

Exporting a file for a website, email, or even to play on cell phones and PDAs is straightforward and simple to do. You can also easily output to videotape.

Horsepower

This is a completely different application from Premiere Pro. You could not use this application to train people for Premiere Pro; the Premiere Elements interface is very different. (Note: You could use this product to teach basic editing concepts.)

Nevertheless, nothing is more frustrating than slow processes and lack of power when editing. This is true for consumer and pro alike. Rendering all the time sure can kill any pleasure derived from the work. That is why Premiere Element's realtime preview functionality is very important. The video, titling/graphics, and DVD software engines give this application the power required to make video content creation easy.

I tried the system on a typical (relatively low-powered) home computer (P4 1.6GHz with 250MB RAM) and found the performance surprisingly good. Occasionally, the first time I hit play the performance was a bit choppy, but the second time I played the timeline it was terrific.

Easy-to-Learn

In addition to the How To palette, there is a well-designed tutorial that anyone can get through easily. There are the right-mouse-click listing options that many prefer as a learning tool, and pulldown help is available. There is also an excellent 17-minute Windows Media movie overview that may be all a user needs to start editing. The Premiere Elements manual is easy to read. While it does total 188 pages (including the tutorial and many illustrations), this is a major improvement from the old Premiere days of 40lbs. of documentation.

Conclusion

I started by saying that I recommend this product for Windows-based consumer use, while acknowledging there are strong competitors in this consumer market segment. The priorities of a consumer are ease of use; powerful “canned” effects; professional-looking titling; ability to control audio; still-image and graphics import; output to DVDs, web/email, and videotape; and a low price. This system fulfills all of these requirements.

Some things (such as DVD creation and titling) this application does exceedingly well. The context-sensitive How To palette is an important feature for novice editors. The performance on a typical consumer platform was surprisingly good. I also liked the hidden advanced capabilities you can learn after you master the software's basic operations.

The suggested retail price for Adobe Premiere Elements is $99.

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