Hey guys! So, you're diving into the world of video editing with Adobe Premiere Pro 2019? Awesome choice! This software is a powerhouse, used by professionals and hobbyists alike. But let's be real, it can look a bit intimidating when you first open it up. Don't sweat it! This tutorial is designed to get you comfortable with the basics and start creating awesome videos in no time. We'll walk through everything from setting up your project to exporting your finished masterpiece. So, grab a cup of coffee (or tea!), fire up Premiere Pro 2019, and let's get started!

Getting Started: Setting Up Your Project

Okay, first things first: let's create a new project. When you open Premiere Pro 2019, you'll see a splash screen with options to create a new project, open an existing one, or access help files. Click on "New Project." A dialog box will pop up, prompting you to name your project and choose a location to save it. Give your project a descriptive name that reflects the content you're working on – this will save you headaches later! Next, click the "Browse" button to select a folder where you want to store all your project files. It's a good practice to create a dedicated folder for each project to keep things organized. Now, before you hit "OK," let's take a quick look at the project settings. These settings determine the overall quality and characteristics of your video. Under the "General" tab, you'll find options for video rendering and playback. Unless you have a specific reason to change them, the default settings should work just fine for most projects. However, if you're working with specific footage types or have particular output requirements, you may need to adjust these settings accordingly. For example, if you're working with high-resolution footage, you may want to increase the rendering quality to ensure that your final video looks its best. Similarly, if you're targeting a specific platform or device, you may need to adjust the playback settings to optimize for that platform. Once you're happy with your project settings, click "OK" to create your project. Premiere Pro will then open the main interface, ready for you to import your footage and start editing. This initial setup is crucial for ensuring a smooth and efficient editing workflow, so take your time and double-check everything before moving on. Remember, a well-organized project is a happy project!

Importing and Organizing Your Footage

Alright, you've got your project set up, now it's time to bring in your raw materials: your footage! Importing footage into Premiere Pro 2019 is super easy. There are a few ways to do it, but here's the most common: Go to the "File" menu, then select "Import." This will open a file browser window where you can navigate to the location of your video files. Select the files you want to import and click "Open." Alternatively, you can simply drag and drop files directly from your computer's file explorer into the "Project" panel in Premiere Pro. The Project panel is usually located in the lower-left corner of the interface. Once your footage is imported, it's a good idea to organize it into bins. Bins are like folders within your project that help you keep track of your clips. To create a new bin, right-click in the Project panel and select "New Bin." Give your bin a descriptive name, such as "Interviews," "B-roll," or "Music." Then, simply drag and drop the relevant clips into the bin. Organizing your footage into bins will make it much easier to find the clips you need when you're editing. Trust me, when you're working on a complex project with hundreds of clips, you'll be grateful for this organizational step. Another useful feature is the ability to rename your clips in the Project panel. This can be helpful for identifying clips more easily, especially if they have generic names from the camera. To rename a clip, simply right-click on it in the Project panel and select "Rename." Give the clip a descriptive name that reflects its content, such as "Interview with John Smith" or "Establishing shot of cityscape." By taking the time to import and organize your footage properly, you'll save yourself a lot of time and frustration in the long run. A well-organized project is essential for a smooth and efficient editing workflow, so don't skip this step!

Basic Editing: Timeline and Tools

Okay, now for the fun part: actually editing your video! The heart of Premiere Pro is the Timeline, which is where you'll assemble your clips, add transitions, and fine-tune your edit. The Timeline is usually located at the bottom of the Premiere Pro interface. It consists of multiple tracks, which are horizontal lanes where you can place your video and audio clips. To add a clip to the Timeline, simply drag it from the Project panel onto the desired track. You can arrange the clips in any order you like, and you can overlap them to create transitions. The Tools panel, located on the left side of the interface, contains a variety of tools for editing your clips. The most commonly used tool is the Selection Tool, which allows you to select and move clips around on the Timeline. The Razor Tool is used to cut clips into smaller segments. Simply click on the clip at the point where you want to make the cut. The Ripple Edit Tool is used to trim clips while automatically shifting the adjacent clips to fill the gap. This is a great way to shorten or lengthen clips without disrupting the overall timing of your edit. The Rolling Edit Tool is used to adjust the edit point between two clips without changing the overall duration of the edit. This is useful for fine-tuning the timing of transitions or dialogue. The Slip Tool is used to change the starting and ending points of a clip without changing its duration or position on the Timeline. This can be helpful for finding the perfect moment within a clip. The Slide Tool is used to move a clip along the Timeline while keeping its duration and position relative to the adjacent clips. This is useful for rearranging the order of clips without affecting their timing. In addition to these basic tools, Premiere Pro also offers a variety of more advanced editing tools, such as the Pen Tool for creating masks and the Hand Tool for navigating the Timeline. As you become more comfortable with Premiere Pro, you'll want to explore these tools to further enhance your editing skills. By mastering the Timeline and the basic editing tools, you'll be well on your way to creating professional-quality videos. Practice makes perfect, so don't be afraid to experiment and try new things!

Adding Transitions and Effects

Let's spice things up a bit! Transitions and effects are what give your video that professional polish. Premiere Pro 2019 comes with a ton of built-in transitions and effects that you can use to enhance your footage. To add a transition, go to the Effects panel, which is usually located on the right side of the interface. Expand the "Video Transitions" folder to see a list of available transitions. Simply drag and drop a transition onto the edit point between two clips on the Timeline. The most common transition is the Cross Dissolve, which creates a smooth fade between two clips. Other popular transitions include the Dip to Black, Dip to White, and Wipe transitions. You can customize the duration and properties of transitions in the Effect Controls panel, which is usually located at the top of the interface. To add an effect, go to the Effects panel and expand the "Video Effects" folder. You'll find a wide variety of effects, such as color correction effects, blur effects, and distortion effects. Simply drag and drop an effect onto a clip on the Timeline. The effect will then be applied to that clip. You can customize the properties of effects in the Effect Controls panel. For example, you can adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation of a clip using the Color Correction effects. You can also add blurs, sharpen images, and create various other visual effects. One important thing to keep in mind is that effects can be processor-intensive, so applying too many effects to a clip can slow down your editing workflow. If you're experiencing performance issues, try rendering the affected clips or disabling some of the effects. Premiere Pro also supports third-party plugins, which can add even more transitions and effects to your arsenal. These plugins can be purchased from various developers online. By experimenting with transitions and effects, you can add a unique and creative touch to your videos. However, it's important to use them sparingly and tastefully. Too many transitions and effects can be distracting and overwhelming for the viewer. The goal is to enhance your footage, not to detract from it. So, have fun experimenting, but always keep the overall aesthetic of your video in mind.

Audio Editing Basics

Don't forget about the sound! A great video needs great audio, and Premiere Pro 2019 has some powerful audio editing tools built right in. You can adjust the volume of your audio clips directly on the Timeline by dragging the volume control line up or down. You can also use the Audio Mixer panel to adjust the volume of individual tracks or the overall mix. The Audio Mixer panel is usually located in the upper-right corner of the interface. To open the Audio Mixer panel, go to the "Window" menu and select "Audio Track Mixer." The Audio Mixer panel allows you to adjust the volume, pan, and effects of each audio track independently. You can also add audio effects, such as reverb, delay, and EQ, to individual tracks or the overall mix. To add an audio effect, click on the "FX" button in the Audio Mixer panel. This will open a pop-up window where you can select from a variety of audio effects. Premiere Pro also has some built-in audio restoration tools that can help you clean up noisy or distorted audio. These tools can be found in the Effect Controls panel under the "Audio Effects" folder. Some common audio restoration tools include the DeNoise effect, which reduces background noise, and the DeHum effect, which removes unwanted hum from electrical sources. When editing audio, it's important to pay attention to the overall levels of your mix. You want to make sure that the audio is loud enough to be heard clearly, but not so loud that it distorts or clips. A good rule of thumb is to keep the peak levels of your audio below -6dB. You can monitor the audio levels in the Audio Mixer panel. Premiere Pro also supports a variety of audio formats, such as WAV, MP3, and AAC. You can import audio files into your project just like you import video files. By mastering the basics of audio editing, you can create a professional-sounding soundtrack for your videos. Don't underestimate the importance of audio – it can make or break a video!

Exporting Your Video

Congratulations! You've edited your video, added transitions and effects, and fine-tuned your audio. Now it's time to share your masterpiece with the world! Exporting your video from Premiere Pro 2019 is a crucial step, as it determines the quality and format of your final output. To export your video, go to the "File" menu and select "Export," then choose "Media." This will open the Export Settings dialog box, which is where you'll configure the export settings for your video. The first thing you'll want to choose is the Format. This determines the type of file that will be created. The most common format for online video is H.264, which offers a good balance of quality and file size. For higher-quality output, you can choose formats like QuickTime or ProRes, but these will result in larger file sizes. Next, you'll want to choose a Preset. Presets are pre-configured export settings that are optimized for specific platforms or devices. For example, there are presets for YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and various mobile devices. If you're exporting your video for a specific platform, it's a good idea to choose the corresponding preset. You can also customize the export settings to your liking. For example, you can adjust the video resolution, frame rate, and bitrate. The higher the resolution and bitrate, the better the quality of the video, but also the larger the file size. It's important to strike a balance between quality and file size, depending on your intended use for the video. You can also choose to export only the video or only the audio. This can be useful if you want to create a separate audio track for your video. Before you export your video, it's a good idea to preview it to make sure everything looks and sounds the way you want it to. You can do this by clicking the "Play" button in the Export Settings dialog box. Once you're happy with the export settings, click the "Export" button to start the export process. The export process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the length and complexity of your video, as well as the speed of your computer. Once the export process is complete, you'll have a final video file that you can share with the world! Congratulations on creating your first video with Premiere Pro 2019! Now get out there and keep creating awesome content!

This tutorial should get you off to a running start using Adobe Premiere Pro 2019. Good luck!