… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #021: A Fast Way to Export Part of a Sequence – or Clip

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

Need to export only part of something in Premiere? It’s easy.

Tip Screen Shot

Topic $TipTopic

With a movie in the Timeline, select File > Export > Media.

When the Export window opens, look in the lower left. Change the menu at the bottom left to Custom (see screen shot). Then, drag the In and Out markers to isolate the section you want to export.

Once that’s done, choose Queue (to export in the background) or Export (to export immediately).

NOTE: You can only have one In and Out in the Timeline or export window.

PLAN B

Here’s a hidden way to export files from the Project panel.

Using Hover Scrub, mark an In and Out (shortcut: I and O) in the clip in the Project panel.

This time, and this is an important step, rather than use the File menu, right-click the clip itself and choose Export Media.

The Export window opens, but this time the clip is loaded into it. Note the menu at the bottom left now says “Clip In/Out” with the range for the clip already marked.

Then, choose Queue or Export as usual.


Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!

… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #044: Optimize Premiere Preferences for Cache Files

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

Cache files help Premiere work faster.

Tip Screen Shot

Topic $TipTopic

The Media Cache preferences have a significant impact on overall system performance because this determines where all your media work files will be stored.

Media Cache files and databases are work and temporary files that Premiere uses during editing – for example, audio waveforms and thumbnails – and when sharing media between applications. For best results, these should be stored somewhere other than where media files are stored, though that is not required.

The default settings store these on the boot drive in the Library inside your Home directory, but you can re-point these to any folder on any drive – provided the storage is fast enough. Cache files need to be on fast drive.

  • Media Cache Files. These are the data files themselves. Click the Browse button to store these to a different location. However, changing the location does not move any files that are already stored in the original location.
  • Delete unused media cache files. It is a good idea to delete these if your drive starts to fill up, just regain storage space. This option only deletes cache file that are not being used. Media and project files are not affected.
  • Media Cache Management. This allows you to schedule to automatically delete older cache files. I tend to delete files based upon age, rather than size.

If, by accident, you delete cache files that are being used, or new cache files are needed, Premiere will re-create them automatically.


Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!

… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #046: Create a Custom Workspace

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

Premiere allow you to create a custom interface called a “workspace.”

Tip Screen Shot

Topic $TipTopic

A workspace is a collection of panels optimized for a specific task; for example, editing. Premiere ships with eight pre-built workspaces:

  • Learning
  • Assembly
  • Editing
  • Color
  • Effects
  • Audio
  • Graphics
  • Libraries

Naturally, I didn’t like any of these, so I created my own, called: “Buzz Edit,” which you can see in the screenshot.

The easiest way to create a custom workspace is to drag panels around (see Tip #47) and resize things until you are happy.

Then, select Window > Workspaces > Save as New Workspace.

Give it a name and – Poof! – it instantly shows up in the Window > Workspaces menu (with it’s own keyboard shortcut) AND at the far right of the workspaces bar at the top of Premiere.


Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!

… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #035: How to Display the Dropped Frame Indicator

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

An essential warning when working with media.

Tip Screen Shot

Topic $TipTopic

As Tip #37 explains, dropped frames are caused when either the CPU or your storage is not fast enough to play the video in your current sequence.

Most of the time, it’s a storage problem.

But, you can’t fix a problem if you don’t know it exists and, by default, the dropped frame indicator is hidden.

Here’s how to turn it on:

  • Switch to the Editing workspace.
  • Click the Wrench (Settings) icon in the Program Monitor.
  • Check Show Dropped Frame Indicator. (It’s about 2/3 the way down the menu.)

Now, you’ll see a small green or yellow dot in the lower left corner of the Program Monitor. When this dot is green, your system is able to play current media with no problems.

When this flashes yellow, however, your system is dropping frames. This creates either stuttery or stopped playback. Either fix the problem or shift to editing proxy files.

BONUS

The Dropped Frame indicator also exists in the Source Monitor and you turn it on the same way – except you use the Wrench icon in the Source Monitor.


Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!

… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #040: How to Delete Premiere Preference Files

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

Most of the time, Premiere preference files are fine. Until…

Tip Screen Shot

Topic $TipTopic

Most of the time, Premiere’s preference files don’t break. But… every so often, things in the application start to go… awry.

When that happens:

  • Quit Premiere.
  • Then, restart the application pressing Shift + Option as it launches. (Windows: Shift + Alt). You can launch from either the Dock or Applications folder.

You know you did this correctly when the Welcome screen does not display any projects.

NOTE: Deleting preferences does not delete any media or projects. However, it WILL reset any customized settings like unsaved workspaces and custom preferences.


Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!

… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #083: Float a Panel in It’s Own Window

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

“Floating a panel” means that it appears in it’s own window.

Tip Screen Shot

Topic $TipTopic

Any panel can be “un-docked” and float in its own window above the standard Premiere interface. This is especially useful for information you want to keep a close eye on – such as the timecode display.

There are three ways to undock a panel:

  • Click the three horizontal bars (called the “thumb”) next to the name of an active (selected) panel and choose Undock Panel.
  • Drag the panel name outside the regular Premiere interface.
  • Select the panel from the Window menu; for example, Timecode.

In any of these three cases, the selected panel will appear in its own window, ready to be dragged wherever you need it.

EXTRA CREDIT

If you decide you don’t want the panel undocked and it came from an existing interface, choose Window > Workspaces > Reset to Saved Layout.

If the floating panel was called from the Window menu, simply close the window to put it away.


Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!

… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #004: Little-Known Secrets of the Font Menu

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

Three Tips To Make Using Fonts Faster

Tip Screen Shot

Topic Icon Here are three secrets you may not know about the Font menu in Premiere:

  • All the fonts you have used recently are listed at the top of the menu, above the thin gray line.
  • Click a star to flag a font as a Favorite. Then, click the Star icon at the top of the menu to display all Favorite fonts. (To remove a Favorite flag, deselect the star next to the font name.)
  • A fast way to find a font is to type the first few letters of its name in the Font menu. All font names containing those letters will be displayed. Click to choose the one you want.

These tips, plus the ability to see what a font looks like BEFORE you apply it, makes the new Font menu a lot more powerful – and faster to use.


BONUS

  • Click the Creative Cloud icon at the top left of the menu to see all Adobe fonts.
  • Click the red Creative Cloud icon at the top right of the menu to add more TypeKit fonts.

Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!

… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #037: Fixing Dropped Frame Errors

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

Dropped frame errors generally mean hard disk or CPU problems.

Tip Screen Shot

Topic Icon

Tip #35 showed how to display the Dropped Frame Indicator. Green indicates that your system is fast enough to play the current media in real-time without dropping any frames, which causes stuttery or stopped playback.

However, when this glows yellow, you’ve got problems. Here’s what could be causing the issue:

Dropped frame errors are generally caused by one or more of these factors:

  • A hard disk that’s too slow to keep up with the video format you are editing
  • A boot disk with insufficient free space
  • A media disk (external drive) with insufficient free space
  • A hard disk that’s overly fragmented, or with confused disk directories
  • An effect that’s too complex for the CPU to calculate in real time
  • Insufficient RAM for the size of the project
  • A video format (such as HEVC) that’s too complex for the CPU to decode in real-time

Demanding more data from your storage than it is capable of delivering in real-time is the most frequent cause of dropped frames.

In general, try to maintain at least 20% free space on all storage devices. And, to make sure you aren’t running into problems, make sure the dropped frame indicator is turned on.


Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!

… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #050: Don’t Repeat Yourself: Use a Template

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

Project templates save time by saving settings in a reusable form.

Tip Screen Shot

Topic Icon

Templates, especially for complex repetitive projects, can be a huge time-saver. The only problem is that Premiere does not create them.

But, there’s a very cool workaround: use the Finder!

Here’s how.

  • Create a new project and modify it as needed for your work. This includes track counts, custom buttons, bins, even media clips that get reused from one project to another.
  • Save the project, then close it so it is no longer open in Premiere. (However, you don’t need to quit Premiere.)
  • Switch to the Finder and select the project you just saved.
  • Choose File > Get Info (shortcut: Cmd + I).
  • Check the Locked check-box- this makes the file read-only.

The next time you open this in Premiere, all your customization will be retained and Premiere will require you to save it using a different name.

This is a very easy way to create an unlimited number of templates.


Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!

… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #3: 12 Keyboard Shortcuts You REALLY Need to Know

Larry Jordan – https://LarryJordan.com

These twelve shortcuts can help you edit faster – instantly.

Tip Screen Shot

Topic Icon

Here are twelve keyboard shortcuts I use virtually everyday when editing in Premiere. What I like best about these is how they speed the editing process by making actions that I use over and over blindingly fast.

  • ~ — The Tilda key enlarges whatever panel the cursor is in to full screen or back. This is an AMAZINGLY helpful shortcut.
  • . [period] — Overwrite edit the selected Project panel clip(s) into the timeline at the position of the playhead.
  • , [comma] — Insert edit the selected Project panel clip(s) into the timeline at the position of the playhead.
  • Shift + H — Toggle Hover Scrub on/off.
  • Option + [up/down arrow] — Move selected clip up/down a track.
  • F — Create a Match Frame.
  • Cmd + U — Create a subclip from selected range in a clip.
  • Shift + Cmd + [left/right arrow] — Nudge selected clip left/right 5 frames.
  • E — Jump (extend) the selected edit point to the position of the cursor.
  • Shift + K — Play around the edit point. This is a very fast way to review an edit.
  • Cmd + [plus/minus] — Increase/decrease video track height.
  • Option + [plus/minus] — Increase/decrease audio track height.

BONUS

  • Drag the name of any panel to move it elsewhere in the interface. Custom workspaces are the best!
  • Shift + E — Export a still frame of the frame under the playhead.

Please rate the helpfulness of this tip.

Click on a star to rate it!