Creating a Basic Video

Adobe Premiere Pro CS6: Creating a Basic Video

By: Alex Justice

Welcome to the introductory tutorial for Adobe Premiere Pro CS6! This tutorial is intended for
proficient Windows computer users and will not cover basic computer usage.

In this tutorial you will learn basic video editing skills including:

▪ Importing videos into Adobe Premiere

▪ Cutting, deleting portions of, and combining more than one video
▪ Adding a second audio layer to your video
▪ Adding still images
▪ Adding credits
▪ Basic file exporting of a completed video

Fixing Mistakes

If you make a mistake during any point of this tutorial always

remember you can Undo it and repeat the step:

▪ Undo: Ctrl + Z
▪ Redo: Ctrl + Shift + Z

Importing Video Files Into Adobe Premiere

1. Open Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 and choose New Project

2. At the bottom of the New Project window type the name Learning_Adobe_Premiere_2013 and
click Ok to use the default project settings for Premiere.
3. Premiere consists of many smaller windows inside the parent window. The layout is fully
customizable; however, the default settings and settings we will be using are as follows:
3.1. Top-left: This is your source window. This window displays the source audio or video file you
are currently viewing or working on in premiere.

1
 Creating a Basic Video

3.2. Bottom-left: This is your Import window. Here are displayed all of the audio files, video files,
and images you are using in your project.
3.3. Top-right: This is your sequence window. This is where you can view the video you are creating
(called a sequence). Adobe premiere allows you to work on several videos in the same project.
3.4. Bottom-right: This is your workshop where you will be doing most of your work. In this window

you can drag and drop, cut, insert, and delete imported videos, audio, and images. If you were
working on several videos in the same project, the tabs at the top of this window would allow
you toggle through them.

Adobe allows you to work with three different video and audio
layers simultaneously within the same video. In this window you
can see it is divided horizontally in half: The top half are your video
layers: Video 3, Video 3, and Video 1. The bottom half are the
audio layers: Audio 1, Audio 2, and Audio 3. Any layers left empty
have no bearing on your project and are ignored!

4. To begin your project go to: File > Import. In the Import window, navigate to: My Videos > Toy
Story Official Trailer 1 [1995].wmv and click Open. The video can now be seen in the bottom
left-hand window inside the Premiere window.
5. Repeat this process to add the file: Toy Story 2 Official Trailer 2 [1999].wmv
6. To import a song file to use in your project, again go to: File > Import and navigate to: Music >
Downloads and select the audio file: Star Munchers - Girls just want to have fun.mp3
7. To save your project go to: File > Save this will automatically save your project as an Adobe

Premiere Pro CS6 project file, or a .prproj

Building a Sequence:

8. To begin building your sequence, start by dragging the first video file into your project. In the
bottom-left Import window click and hold the Toy Story Official Trailer 1 [1995] file and drag it
over to the Video 1 layer in your bottom-right workshop window. Premiere will show you
where in your sequence the video will be placed. Drag the video clip to the front of your

2
 Creating a Basic Video

project's timeline 00;00 and let go. You can see that the imported clip extends from the
beginning of your timeline to a little past the 1 minute and 30 second mark.
9. Drag the second video clip: Toy Story 2 Official Trailer 2 [1999] into your workspace the same
way. Drop the video onto the Video 1 area butted up against the end of your first clip. The
default settings of Premiere will show you when you are aligned back to back with the first clip.
10. Note that when you brought in your two video tracks to the Video 1 layer, the Audio 1 layer
was filled with the audio tracks of the two video clips directly below.
11. To bring in your additional audio layer over your two joined video clips, select and drag the
audio file: Star Munchers - Girls just want to have fun and drop it at the start of your sequence
00;00 in the Audio 2 layer.
12. Save your file.
13. Using the scroll bar at the bottom of your workspace window, scroll to the end of your video.
Here you can see that your additional audio layer in the Audio 2 layer isn't long enough for your
entire video. Next you will cut out some parts of your sequence to make it and the additional
audio file the same length as well as combine your two videos into a more seamless movie.
14. In your workspace, at the top of your timeline, you can see a small yellow tab with a red vertical
line beneath extending across your sequence. This tab allows you to move your editing point
throughout your sequence. Click and drag it across your sequence. As you do so you can see
(and hear) you moving through the video and audio in the top-right sequence window. To the
left of the video you can see the time display in yellow numbers. Move to the point in your
sequence 00;01;14;05

If you have trouble viewing the timeline accurately enough select

the Zoom Tool, indicated by the small magnifying glass, and click
your sequence to zoom in on it. The more you click the more you
can zoom in. You can use the Scroll Bar at the bottom of your
workspace to move forward and backwards across your timeline.
To zoom out, with your Zoom Tool selected

15. Here you want to cut out the rest of the first video clip. To cut your video move to the left tool

3
 Creating a Basic Video

bar of your workspace window and select the Razor Tool indicated by the small image of a
razor blade. With Razor Tool selected move your cursor over the point you have navigated to in
your timeline indicated by the red vertical line beneath the yellow tab, and over the Video 1
layer.
16. Carefully (for accuracy!) click once to cut. You have now cut your video and separated the first

video clip into 2 parts.

Notice the upon cutting the Video 1 layer, the Audio 1 layer was
cut as well.

17. In the left toolbar of your workspace, choose the Selection Tool indicated by the small image of
an arrow. Select the cut off segment of your video that is between the times: 01;14;05 and
01;33;11.
18. Right-Click and select in the options Ripple Delete. Premiere will delete the selected segment
and automatically brings the rest of the video clips together to remove the seam in your video.
The relevant Audio 1 segment was deleted as well.
19. Save your work.
20. There are still about 20 seconds of video that need to be removed. Using the yellow tab, move
to the point in your sequence: 00;01;30;10. Select the Razor Tool and carefully cut at the
selected point using the method you learned earlier.
21. Choose the Selection Tool again and right click on the cut segment of your video that runs from
00;01;14;05 to 00;01;30;10 and select Ripple Delete.
22. Repeating this process delete the section of video that shows "Toy Story 2" near the end of the

video that extends approximately from the time 00;03;01;25 to 00;03;06;02.

23. The Audio 1 and 2 and Video 1 layers should now line up on your timeline with a small margin
of a few milliseconds for error, but we need room for your own credits at the end of the movie!
24. Cut the video again at the point 00;03;01;27. With the Selection Tool click the last segment of
video and press the Delete key. You should see the potato exploding as the dinosaur falls on
him but none of the Toy Story 2 credits. If you are having problems with this, use the Undo
function (Ctrl + Z) to back up and use the Zoom Tool for more accuracy.
25. Save your work.

4
 Creating a Basic Video

26. To preview your sequence as it currently is move the yellow timeline tab to the start or your
timeline and press the Play button located below the video display in your top-right sequence
window.

You may notice your sequence is difficult to watch with both Audio
layers still playing. We can mute one of the audio layers by turning
down the volume.

27. Now you will mute the original audio layer for your video so only the additional sound layer
remains. In the left of your workspace where it says Audio 1 you can see a small white arrow to
the left of Audio 1 click this arrow to expand the Audio 1 layer

In your sequence you can now view the audio layer for your video
clips. You can also see a horizontal yellow line that runs down the
length of the Audio 1 layer. This line controls the volume of this
audio layer.

28. To mute the individual audio files on this audio layer, click and hold on the horizontal yellow
line in the Audio 1 layer of the first video clip in your sequence and drag it down until it will not
go any lower
29. Repeat this process for the second audio clip in the Audio 1 layer
30. Save your work
Adding Credits:

31. To add your own credits to the end of your sequence, in the Menu Bar at the top of the
Premiere window, go to Title > New Title > Default Still in bottom of the New Title window in
the Name text entry box, name your title: End_Credits Press Ok

In the timeline window make sure you are navigated to the end of
your video so that the screen is black in your title window.

32. Choose the Type Tool (T) and click anywhere in the middle of the display screen in the Title
window. Enter the text: Created by: press the Enter key and type [Your name here]

5
 Creating a Basic Video

33. Select the typed text and at the top of the Title window click the drop-down arrow next to the
font list and choose Agency FB to the right of the font list in the Size text entry box, type: 36
and press Enter
34. Choose the Selection Tool (V) and click and hold on the text you have typed and drag it to the
middle of the window, so it is centered both vertically and horizontally.
35. Exit the Title window by click the red "x" Close button at the top right of the Title window (Do
not click to exit Adobe Premiere Pro CS6!)
36. Save your work
37. In your Import window in the bottom-left of the main window you can now see your new title
screen End_Credits
38. Click, hold, and drag your title screen to the end of your sequence in the Video 1 layer and drop
it there.
39. Using the Selection Tool hover over the end of the end credits you have just added. A red
arrow tool cursor displays. This function allows you to drag the length of your clip to the desired
length.
40. With this cursor displayed over the end of the clip End_Credits click and hold and drag the clip
to the point 00;03;07;00
41. Save your work
42. Go again to Title > New Title > Default Still in bottom of the New Title window in the Name
text entry box, name your title: Thank_you Press Ok
43. Choose the Type Tool (T) and click anywhere in the middle of the display screen in the Title
window. Enter the text Thank you for watching!
44. Change the font to Agency FB and the Size to 36
45. Choose the Selection Tool (V) and center the text

46. Exit the Title window

47. From the Import window, drag your new title Thank_you to the end of your video and using
the same method as before, stretch the end of the clip either forward or backward so it lines up
with the end of the Audio 2 layer
48. Save your work

6
 Creating a Basic Video

49. Now you will add an introduction to your video. In the very beginning of your sequence,
navigate on your timeline to 00;00;03;27 and cut the video at that point. Delete the snipped off
segment at the beginning of the sequence but do not Ripple Delete
50. Go to Title > New Title > Default Still and name the title Introduction
51. Using the method you have learned make a title screen that says My daughter loves Toy Story!

using font: Agency FB and font size: 36. Center your title and Exit the window.
52. Save your work

Adobe Premiere Pro defaults the length of a title screen to a

length of 6;07 seconds, but our area we have available at the
beginning of our sequence for an introduction is only about 3;27.
To prevent our new title screen from overlapping and erasing the
first 3 seconds of our video after the introduction credits we can
drop our title screen onto the Video 2 layer for editing.

53. Grab your new title Introduction from the Import window and drag it onto the Video 2 layer at
the beginning of your sequence.
54. Using the Selection Tool click the end of your new title screen and shorten the length so it
snaps to the beginning of the rest of your sequence at about 00;00;03;27.
55. Click and hold on the Introduction clip and drag it onto the Video 1 layer at the front of your
video.
56. Save your work
57. To preview your sequence before exporting it from Premiere, move your navigation tab to the
beginning of your sequence and press the play button in your Sequence window.
Exporting Your Project

In order for anyone else to view your video you will need to export it as a video file. Next you
will be shown one way to export your video that will guarantee a good quality final product that
isn't shaky or blurry unless your source video you are editing is shaky or blurry.

58. Go to File > Export > Media

7
 Creating a Basic Video

59. In the Export Settings window, on the right-hand side, in the Format drop down box choose
H.264 In the Preset box choose Custom In the Output Name area click the yellow text:
Sequence 1 and in the window, type in the name Adobe_Premiere_Pro_CS6_Tutorial
Click Ok
60. In the bottom-right of the Export Settings window, in the Video tab, make sure the settings are

as follows:
60.1. Width: 720 Height: 404
60.2. Frame Rate: 29.97
60.3. Profile: Main
60.4. Level: 4.2
60.5. Bitrate encoding: VBR, 2 pass
60.6. Target Bitrate: 5
60.7. Maximum Bitrate: 8
61. On the left half of the Export Settings window, under the output tab, ensure the Source Range
is selected as Entire Sequence
62. Click Export

Your video is now exporting. This may take several minutes. Once
your video is exported you will be able to watch it like any normal
video. Congratulations!

Thank you!