Basic video editing step-by-step

Only three major concepts must be understood to grasp video editing: timeline assembly, non-linear editing and non-destructive media. These sound complicated terms but don’t be put off. Here’s what they mean and why they make video editing so rewarding.

A ‘timeline’ interface simply means that the sections of media (video clips, sound, music, graphics etc) making up the completed project are laid out, left to right, in a long line representing the length of the project. Each item follows the other like scenes in a film. In Premiere Elements, the simplest way of arranging media is in the ‘Sceneline’ mode (selected by default).

‘Non linear editing’ reflects the fact that media can be inserted at any time, to any position of a project. For example, you could start building the final section of the project first and then go back and create the beginning.

The final concept to grasp is that video editing is ‘non-destructive’. No matter how many times a clip is trimmed or removed from a project altogether, the original media remains unaffected. This means projects can be created and re-created endlessly, from the same source material, until the desired result is achieved.

1Assemble footage onto the Sceneline

If your imported footage in the organiser is in the order you want it to appear in the finished project, click the first clip, hold down SHIFT and click the final clip. Now drag and drop the clips onto the Sceneline area (the long portion across the bottom of the screen). Alternatively, select a single clip and drag it to the area marked ‘Drag next clip here’.

2Re-arrange clips

A series of ‘tiles’ will now appear at the bottom of the screen in the Sceneline, each representing a clip. To re-arrange the order of these clips, select one with the mouse and drag it to a new position in the Sceneline. Don’t worry if you aren’t happy with the new position, it can be moved back manually or click the ‘Undo’ button at the top right of the interface (or use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+Z).

3Viewing a clip

As clips are selected in the Sceneline, they appear in the Monitor Panel above with a familiar set of controls (play, forward, back etc) to allow playback. As a clip is played, the clip moves past the Playhead (the grey marker top centre of the Mini-Timeline). When a clip isn’t playing, the Playhead can be dragged to ‘shuttle’ forwards and backwards through a clip. The purple bar below is the ‘Mini-Timeline’ that allows clips to be trimmed…

4Trimming a clip

To trim a clip, select it in the Sceneline. Now in the Mini-Timeline above, drag the grey ‘In point’ or ‘Out point’ marker. Within the Mini-Timeline, the portion being trimmed displays red. More importantly, look at the Monitor Panel above. This shows the end of the previous clip you will be cutting from and the moment this clip will begin. Release the mouse and the trim completes.

5Lengthening a clip

It’s sometimes necessary to lengthen a clip in the Sceneline, which can be done up to the maximum duration of the clip you imported. The process is the exact opposite of Trimming. Select the clip to be lengthened in the Sceneline. In the Mini-Timeline above, drag the ‘In point’ or ‘Out point’ right or left respectively. As usual, any mistakes can be quickly rectified using the Undo button (top right).

6Splitting a clip

To split a single clip into two sections first select the clip in the Sceneline. Then, using the Playhead of the Mini-Timeline above, select the point the clip should be split. Now press the ‘Cut’ button (illustrated by a Scissors icon) to the right or use the CTRL+K keyboard shortcut. A new clip can now be dragged between the two, now separate, sections.

7Navigating edit points

Premiere Elements offers a couple of quick ways to move through the project and jump backwards and forwards through edit points. In the Monitor Panel, at either end of the playback controls are the ‘Go To Next/Previous Edit point’ buttons. Clicking these jumps forward or back to the next cut. To the right of the playback controls is the shuttle control. Drag this either direction to move back and forth through the entire project.

8Playing back full screen

As the project builds its important to preview the editing choices. Whilst this can be done in the Monitor Panel, Premiere Elements also allows a work in progress project to be viewed full screen. Click the ‘Full Screen’ button at the top right (or press ALT+ENTER) to playback the project full screen. To stop playback press the spacebar. Click Exit (bottom right) to resume editing.