I'll be honest, when I first began editing, keyboard shortcuts felt intimidating.
It seemed like a long list of letters and numbers and combinations to memorize and frankly it was quicker to just do things the way I knew how.
Over the years, slowly but surely I've learned more than a handful of keyboard shortcuts. And it's true, they've saved me hours of time.
With a little practice, you'll know them like the back of your hand.
The key is to start with one or two shortcuts at a time.
Think through which commands you are using most often as you edit and take mental note.
Then take a look at the keyboard shortcuts for those one or two commands and start using them as you edit.
Soon, you'll find yourself doing this for a few more common commands and before you know it, you're a faster, more efficient editor.
Let's walk through how easy it is to set up keyboard shortcuts in Premiere Pro. You have the option to create your own or to use the shortcuts already created within Premiere Pro.
Navigate up to 'Premiere Pro' and click on 'Keyboard Shortcuts'.
This will open the main menu where you can see and adjust your existing keyboard shortcuts.
To create a new keyboard shortcut of your choice, you first need to search for the command that you'd like to assign a shortcut to.
In the search box under the left side of the keyboard, begin typing your command.
Let's use the example, 'Ripple Delete'.
Once I start typing my desired command, I see in the window below that ripple delete has already been assigned a shortcut.
If I want to change this shortcut, I simply hit the little 'x' to the right side of the current assigned shortcut.
You should now see an empty box. All you need to do is click inside that box and begin typing your new shortcut into the box.
As you begin to type your new shortcut, the visual keyboard on your screen will show you in real time which keys already have shortcuts assigned to them.
If you happen to choose a shortcut that's already been assigned, then you'll see this notification at the bottom of your screen.
You can either leave it this way if you know you won't want to use the other shortcut, or reassign the other shortcut.
Another great benefit is that Premiere Pro allows you to assign more than one shortcut to a command. This can be beneficial if you want to assign shortcuts that work in multiple programs.
For example, if you have one editor that's used to Final Cut Pro and another that's used to Premiere Pro, you can assign both keyboard shortcuts to the same function.
Just click next to the current command box and you'll notice another empty box opens up, allowing you to enter another keyboard shortcut of your choosing.
When you first open the keyboard shortcut window, you'll notice that the keys are filled with either purple, green, or both.
This means that those keys have already been assigned one or multiple keyboard shortcuts.
The purple keys are 'application' shortcuts and will be the most commonly used commands.
In most cases you can simply pay attention to the purple keyboard shortcuts.
The green keys are secondary 'panel' shortcuts that are used only within certain specific panels. When those panels are open and the keyboard shortcut is used, the green shortcut will override the purple one.
If you hover over the key, you'll see the main command for purple and the secondary command for green.
By clicking on any of the keys, let's take the 'O' key for example, I can see the keyboard shortcuts already assigned to it in more detail in the lower right menu key.
Start by looking at the left column under 'Modifiers'. This will tell you which key combinations go together to create the different commands on the right.
For example, without any other key selected, hitting the 'O' key by itself with either select the Rotation Tool or the Mark Out function.
Which command is executed will depend on which panel is open when you hit the keyboard shortcut.
If I am not in the legacy title panel, then hitting the 'O' key will execute the Mark Out function. If I am in the legacy title panel, then hitting the 'O' key will select the Rotation Tool.
Moving down the list, if I hold 'COMMAND O' together, then there's a whole different keyboard shortcut command: Open Project.
You'll see all the many combinations of shortcuts and commands as you move down the list.
You can change any of these commands or shortcuts by simply clicking within the box and typing your new command.
If you've completely customized your keyboard and would like to save it for future use, simply click the button at the top titled 'Save As'.
You can now give your custom keyboard a personalized name to use whenever you'd like.
Premiere Pro makes it super easy to set reset default keyboard shortcuts for the current version of Premiere Pro, as well as previous versions of Premiere Pro.
They've even made it possible to set your default keyboard shortcuts to match the keyboard shortcuts in other editing platforms such as Final Cut Pro and Avid.
This is an excellent help to editors who are used to working on multiple platforms but want to streamline their keyboard shortcuts.
Navigate to 'Premiere Pro' -> 'Keyboard Shortcuts' to open up the main keyboard shortcuts menu.
In the top left corner, you'll see a drop down menu 'Keyboard Layout Preset'. Here you can select among the default keyboard shortcuts.
In most cases, by simply logging in to the Creative Cloud, you'll be able to access your custom keyboard on any device. However, if you need to copy the file manually, here's how to do so.
First, you'll need to save your preset by hitting 'Save As' in the top menu and assigning your keyboard a unique name.
Go to the following path, and you'll see the new keyboard file (.kys) under the keyboard layout set name you selected.
For Mac Users:
[username] / Documents / Adobe / Premiere Pro /
9.0 / Profile - CreativeCloud - / Mac
For PC Users:
C : \ Users \ USERNAME \ Documents \
Adobe \ Premiere Pro \ [Premiere
Copy the .kys file and transfer it to the same location above on your new computer.
Once copied, open Keyboard Shortcuts in Premiere Pro and choose the new layout from the Layout dropdown and hit the OK button.
That's just about everything there is to know about using and setting up keyboard shortcuts in Premiere Pro.
Let me know in the comments below what your favorite and most useful keyboard shortcuts are.
My personal favorites are Mark In (i), Mark Out (o), and ripple delete (I have mine customized to x).
You can read more about exactly how I use some of these keyboard shortcuts to save time editing in this blog post.
Happy Editing!
-Beth
It may not be the most exciting topic ever, but I assure you learning how to have structure and organization as a video editor is key to being faster, more efficient, and an overall better editor.
There are many reasons why staying organized within Premiere Pro is important, but one of the most critical is so that you don't end up with missing media in the future from having to move files around after you've started your edit.
See, once you've started building your project, if you then decide to rename or move any file within your project, your media will be disconnected and you'll have to spend time retelling Premiere Pro where to find it.
For a step-by-step tutorial on how to do reconnect missing media in Premiere Pro, check out this post all about it.
Since Premiere Pro begins creating a blueprint or map of where your footage can be found from the moment you begin your edit, it's important that you are organized and have thought through a system for how to set up all the folders that you will need for each project ahead of time.
In a moment, I'll walk you through exactly how I organize all my footage and other files within specific folders for each type of video project.
When I first began my career as a video editor, I went from working freelance and completely on my own to working with a team of other editors.
If I'm honest, it was a bit of a rude awakening. Can you imagine being handed a hard drive with someone else's project that hasn't been organized?
Sure you may remember how you named a certain file and where you put it. But we don't all think the same way and we can't read each other's minds.
It was a nightmare trying to work back and forth on projects when they weren't strictly organized.
We quickly adopted a folder organization system. This folder and file structure became the standard that all of us followed and eventually go used to using.
It made all of our lives world's easier.
Even now that I work alone for the most part, I will never go back to a hasty, chaotic way of storing files and folders before editing.
One of the most important qualities of a professional video editor is time management. The more efficient you can be with your time, the more projects you can take on, and the more money you'll make in the end.
Not only that, but a bit of time spent up front getting yourself organized will end up saving you hours down the road, as well as a lot of headache.
When searching for a certain video file, graphic asset, or music track, you'll know exactly where to go to hunt it down.
If you work on the fly in front of clients (like most of us do from time to time) or in front of your boss, think how much more professional you'll be when they see how organized and well-kept your projects are. This will automatically give them so much more confidence in your ability as a video editor.
The better organized you are overall, the more mental energy you can spend actually editing and putting creative work into your projects.
Now that we've covered why it's so important to stay organized as an editor, let's get into the details of exactly how you should structure your folders, hard drives, and projects.
Note: I will share with you my own system for organizing files and footage for video editing, but feel free to adapt your own structure to meet your specific needs as an editor.
We don't all do the same exact type of work, so you may choose to delete, add, or rearrange some folders of your own.
This is completely fine and I encourage you to do so. The more important thing is to make sure you have a system that is overarching, yet flexible so that you're not constantly having to change it.
You can copy and paste this folder structure and use it for every project, with perhaps only a few modifications each time.
Before we get started with creating our outermost folder, I encourage you to set up an external hard drive if haven't already.
Not only will this give you a safe place to store your project (if something were to happen to your computer), it also frees up space on your computer and makes long term storage much easier.
Here are a few ideas for external hard drives that I've used and recommend myself:
Best SSD Drive: Samsung 1 TB Drive (fastest and most reliable on this list)
Best External Hard Drive: Seagate 2 TB Drive (a little slower than an SSD drive, but twice the space and half the price)
Before we get into organizing the files of your project within Premiere Pro, it's even more important that we set up our folders consistently on our external hard drive.
Here's how I set up my outermost folders on my external hard drive:
As you can see, I prefer to number each folder in order to keep them in the exact order that makes sense to me.
The first folder contains all of the various project files I will be using, including project files within Premiere Pro, as well as my other most commonly used Adobe software.
This is important because as you edit, you may want to save several versions of your projects throughout your edits.
Often, naming structure for project files looks something like this:
'ProjectName_Date_Version'
And I may have anywhere from 5-10 variations in each folder.
Next comes the footage folder.
Here, you may need to do some adjusting, depending on exactly what type of footage you typically capture.
This is going to look different for a wedding filmmaker than it will for a documentary filmmaker.
Does it make sense for you to organize based on multiple camera angles or does it make more sense for you to organize based on shoot days?
Here's a generic version of what I generally start with and then depending on the project, I will tailor it a bit before adding my raw footage.
Note: if you shoot on a RED camera or other camera where footage files just aren't easy to drag and drop from your card, then you can simply dump all your footage in one footage folder.
We'll be organizing our footage in more detail within Premiere Pro as well.
Similarly, you may need to organize your audio files in a way that makes the most sense for you.
You might choose to organize by mic or simply by shoot days and location. The point is to create a system that makes sense for you.
Here's where I try to make a home for everything else that doesn't fit into the other main categories.
Again, this will be very personal to you and your typical projects.
When working with a team, this folder becomes very important as it's often where important documents, notes, and shared graphic elements are shared.
Lastly, we have our exports folder.
You will likely have many versions of your final project and may want even more folders, but that will depend on your preference.
For example, you may want separate folders for '.MP4 Exports', '.MOV Exports', '4K Exports', 'Youtube Exports', etc.
My file names for exports often look something like this:
'ProjectName_Version_Date.mov'
Once you've created this master folder you can simply copy and paste the empty folder each and every time you begin a new project.
And now we are ready to open up Premiere Pro and look at how to organize our project.
Once you've opened up Premiere Pro, let's take a closer look at the Project Panel and start creating some new folders (or 'bins' as they are called in Premiere Pro).
To create a new bin or folder, right click anywhere in the Project Panel and hit 'New Bin'.
I like to start with footage, so I name my first folder '01: Footage'.
Then, I add any sub folders that would be relevant to the project. Here are a few examples:
You can easily change the color of the little box to the left of each item by right clicking on the item and selecting 'Label'.
Next, I drag in my audio files. These don't include music files. By 'audio' I mean dialogue or ambient audio recorded by a microphone.
These are files that will be paired with your footage files, so you may consider organizing them in a similar way to your footage.
For example, if you organized by day for your footage, then you should organize your audio the same way. However, if you organized your footage by interview name, then you'll want to organize your audio similarly.
Next up, I create a separate folder just for music files. I have two sub folders where I can delineate between demo and licensed, to keep track of any tracks that may have audio watermarks on them.
In case you're curious, here's where I like to license all my music from.
A great number of files can go in this folder. I view as a grab bag for each project.
It's where any extra graphics/logos or special effects go.
It's also where I organize any dynamic links from project files within After Effects.
Lastly we have our sequences folder.
Within this folder, you can organize the folders down as far as makes sense for your project.
If you know you will have multiple versions - a 30 second, a 1 minute, etc. version, then go ahead and make a folder for each of those versions.
By habit, each time I make any major edits to a sequence, I save a new version in this folder.
That way if ever I want to go back to changes I made several days before, I have them easily at my disposal.
This method isn't labor or space intensive either. It hardly takes up any extra space on your hard drive and so is well worth the extra split second of effort.
To name my sequences, I usually use this format: 'Project_Name_Version#_Date'
I hope reading through my personal method of structuring and ordering my own files and folders has helped you narrow down a good way to organize your own.
Remember the point is to come up with a system that is flexible and makes sense for you so you can copy and paste it to reuse over and over.
It may seem a bit laborious at first, but once you get in the habit of it, it will be like second nature and will definitely save time in the long run.
Thanks for reading along!
As always, I'm happy to respond to any questions or comments you have below.
-Beth
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In today's post, I'll walk you through exactly how easy it is to reconnect missing media files in Premiere Pro.
The dreaded missing media 'red screen' happens to the best of us, so don't sweat it. Lucky for us, Premiere Pro has made it fairly quick and simple to reconnect multiple files at once so you can get back to editing in no time.
Here's a brief explanation for why you are getting the missing media notification in your project.
When you drag or import footage and other media files into your project panel within Premiere Pro, you need to know that the actual file itself hasn't moved from its original location.
Premiere Pro simply creates a blueprint or a map of where that file lives and points back to the source of the file any time you use that file in your project.
For example, let's say you've dragged in a file named 'sunset' from an external hard drive named 'vacation videos' that is located in a folder named 'footage'.
The breakdown might look something like this:
Vacation Videos (External Hard Drive) -> Footage (Folder Name) -> Sunset (File Name)
This is where Premiere Pro will go to find this file anytime that you open your project.
However, if you move the file to a different folder OR if you rename and part of that equation (the hard drive, the folder, or the file itself) then Premiere Pro is going to be confused.
You changed the blueprint without letting Premiere Pro know.
This is why you'll get the missing media link in your project.
If ever you move or rename a file, you have to redirect Premiere Pro to the new location of your file or files.
First, think through what may have caused the broken link.
Did you move a folder or a file to a new location?
Did your hard drive get disconnected?
Did you rename any folders or files associated with your project?
If your hard drive was disconnected, you need to make sure that it is correctly connected before moving on to the next step.
Let's walk through step by step the most common scenario - you moved a folder or file to a new location.
When you first open your project, you'll see this 'link media' window pop open, letting you know exactly which files are missing.
If you don't see this window, simply right click on a clip that is unlinked and choose 'Link Media'.
For this scenario, you can leave all the default settings at the bottom as is.
Select the top clip name and then hit the 'Locate' button in the bottom right corner.
In this next window, you'll see at the very top, the last place that Premiere Pro was able to locate your file, as well as the name of the file you are looking to connect.
On the left side, you will use this window to navigate to the new location of your footage. When you select a folder, it's contents will appear in the main portion of the window.
If you find your clip right away, then you can select that single clip and hit 'OK' in the lower right hand corner.
If you can't find your clip and aren't sure where it is on your computer, then you can hit the 'search' button.
Lastly, if your clip is hard to find but you know you're in the right folder (say the file has a long numerical name or you have tons of clips to sort through), you can click the option 'Display Only Exact Name Matches' to help narrow down your search.
Note: this only works if you haven't changed the name or extension of your file.
Hit 'OK' and Premiere Pro will now reconnect and relink your media automatically.
Assuming you haven't moved individual files into all different folders, Premiere Pro will be able to locate multiple files all at once.
For example, if you've moved an entire project folder from one drive to another, but haven't changed the inner structure of that folder, Premiere Pro will be able to locate all the files at once.
If you have changed the name of a folder or a file within your project then you will follow most of the same steps above, but first you need to make sure you uncheck the 'File Name' default option under 'Match File Properties'.
You also need to uncheck the second option for 'File Extension' if you've converted a file (from .MOV to .MP4, for example) from one format to another.
Now when you hit 'Locate', you'll navigate to the newly named file, select it and hit 'OK' to reconnect your footage.
Now that you know why this error may have happened to you, you'll understand much better why it's so critical to be organized with your project from the start.
Any time that you make a single change to your folder structure or the files within them, you'll have to reconnect those files again.
I have a specific folder structure that I use for all my video projects, which makes it very easy anytime I start a new project.
It looks like this:
As you can see, I have a separate folder for the most common types of files that I'll have within my video projects.
I simply copy and paste this structure each and every time that I start a new project.
Feel free to copy my layout or create your own in a way that makes sense for you.
The point is to have a structure in place that allows you to keep your files organized from the start so you never end up moving them halfway through your edit.
That about wraps it up, guys.
Let me know if this helped solved your problem. Any further questions? Leave them for me in the comment box below.
Thanks!
-Beth
Today's quick lesson will walk you through exactly how to control the speed of your clips as you play them back in Premiere Pro.
If you've ever scrubbed through hours upon hours of video footage, picking out small useable sound bites here and there, you'll understand how much time this knowledge can save you.
You'll learn the default playback settings, quick ways to alter the playback speed as you edit, as well as some solutions to common problems you may encounter.
If you haven't yet, definitely check out all of our beginner Premiere Pro tutorials to learn more about the art of video editing.
When you begin to edit a new project in premiere pro, you'll start by dragging your clips into a new timeline. This will create what's called a sequence, which is where your video edits will take place.
When you hit spacebar, your video will begin to playback in the preview window.
By default, when you hit spacebar, the video preview will playback in real time. In other words, the playback will match the frame rate that you've set in your sequence settings. In most cases, this will be 24 fps or 30 fps.
In addition, there are some very handy keyboard shortcuts that will allow you to control the playback speed of your video in real time as you edit.
While you are watching your video preview, you can hit 'L' to speed up the playback of your video.
Hit it multiple times to increase the speed at which your clip will playback.
Hold down shift while hitting the L button to increase at smaller and more controllable intervals.
As you are previewing your video clips, you can hit 'J' to rewind the playback of your clips, or to slow down the playback if you've already begun playing the preview.
The more times you hit J as you playback, the faster the clip will playback in reverse.
If have already hit L multiple times to play forward in fast motion and then hit J, it will slow down the speed at which your clip is playing in fast motion.
Combine shift with J to make micro adjustments to how fast or slow your clip plays in reverse or slows down.
Conveniently, the letter K sits right in between the letters J and L.
This allows your fingers quick and intuitive action as you control playback of your clips. Use the letter K to quickly pause between fast forward and reverse of your clips.
Hitting the letter K simply pauses or stops playback.
By default, Premiere Pro is going to play your imported clips back at a certain frame rate (for example 24 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, etc).
This frame rate will be based upon your sequence settings. Learn more about setting up sequence settings for the first time here.
If you decide to match your sequence settings to your clip settings, then your playback should match up perfectly with the frame rate that you shot your clips with.
However, there are times when you will want to alter these settings in order to play your clip back at a different rate.
If you shot your footage in 60 fps or 120 fps, but you want the footage to play back in slow motion, then you need to alter your playback speed settings to either 24 fps or 30 fps.
This will give your clips the desired slow motion playback effect.
Here's how to do it.
Right-Click on the clip (or clips) in the Project Panel and select Modify -> Interpret Footage
A new window will pop up, asking if you want to use the same frame rate at which the clip was shot or if you want to interpret the footage at a different frame rate.
In this case you want to select the second option, 'Assume this frame rate:' and here you'll enter either 24 fps or 30 fps depending on your preference.
I always use 24 fps for a more natural and cinematic look to my videos.
As a rule of thumb, you want to be sure that you don't set your frame rate any lower than half the frame rate at which the footage was shot.
For example, if you shot your footage at 60 fps, don't interpret it any lower than 30 or 24 fps or your clip will appear choppy upon playback.
If you shot your footage in 24 fps or 30 fps, you simply can't play it back in slow motion. There are not enough frames captured in your footage to avoid choppy playback at those speeds.
Here are three common reasons your clip playback may be choppy and how to easily fix the problem.
If you notice a red or yellow bar above your sequence in the timeline window, then you may need to render your preview before playing back your video.
Navigate up to Sequence -> Render In to Out
Once the line above your sequence turns green, you should see smoother playback.
If you shot your footage in 24 fps or 30 fps, then do not try to slow down your footage.
You need to shoot at at least 60 fps or higher in order to have smooth slow motion footage.
Make sure that you haven't set your fps more than half the amount at which you shot it. (For example: 60 fps = no less than 24 or 30 fps interpretation
I always store my footage on a hard drive that's separate from my computer. I bet many of you do too.
But did you realize that it takes time for your computer to constantly pull footage back and forth from your hard drive to your computer?
If you aren't editing on a fast enough hard drive connection, this can cause a lag in Premiere Pro.
I highly suggest purchasing an SSD drive to speed up your editing workflow. If you don't know the difference between an SSD drive and an external hard drive, you can check out this post all about it here.
In short, an SSD drive is much faster, smaller, and more durable than a traditional external hard drive. While they are more expensive, I believe the cost is well worth it. Especially if you are having issues with speed and playback.
Here's my favorite SSD drive right now.
For this last example, there are a few fixes you can try, depending on your specific issue.
Let's start with the easiest.
If you feel like your computer is simply having trouble keeping up with the playback of your video, you can change the resolution at which you watch the preview.
Instead of watching the video back in full high res 4k, for example, you can set it to watch back at a little lower quality. Usually this isn't terribly noticeable, or even important when you're simply getting your basic edits together.
To change the playback resolution, navigate up to the Program Panel and click on the drop down menu in the lower right corner.
You'll now see several options of how high you'd like to set your playback resolution. The lower the resolution, the easier time your computer will have keeping up.
Click on the little wrench icon in the lower right hand corner of your Program Panel.
Uncheck the option for 'High Quality Playback'.
This will ensure that Premiere Pro is not trying to work any harder than you'd like it to.
Remember you can always turn this function back on when you're ready to playback your final edited copy of the video.
You can designated exactly how much RAM your computer is putting forth to Premiere Pro versus other programs running on your system at the same time.
Getting these settings right will ensure that Premiere Pro has enough RAM to function and playback your clips smoothly.
In the top menu navigate up to Premiere Pro -> Preferences -> Memory
Reserve less RAM for other applications and allocate more towards Premiere Pro.
If you're still dealing with lagging playback, try this last option to ensure that your computer's graphics card is helping Premiere Pro out as much as possible with the processing of your project.
Navigate up to File -> Project Settings -> General
Click the option for Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration.
Lastly, you want to make sure that there aren't any extraneous graphic elements happening on your screen during playback, i.e. Lumetri curves or color graphs.
You'd be surprised at how much energy your computer uses to keep these scopes going during playback. You can always open them back up once you're done previewing your video.
As always, let me know any further thoughts or questions you have in the comment section below.
Or visit our free, private Facebook group to ask me questions directly.
Happy Editing,
Beth
A pancake lens is simply a small lens that's appropriately named for its 'squished' or 'slim' stature on the camera body.
My first introduction into pancake lenses began during a short obsession with a popular technique called free-lensing.
If you have no clue what I'm talking about, free-lensing is when you literally take the lens off the camera body, but still hold it very close to the camera while recording.
It's a cheap way to make a tilt-shift lens and also allows for some really cool light leaks and film effects on your footage.
But in order to do it easily, you need a very small and light lens that's easy to manipulate in one hand.
The pancake lens was the perfect solution!
Over the years, I no longer do much free lensing BUT I still absolutely love my pancake lens.
It's truly surprised me, this handy little lens, and here's how.
First, it's very inexpensive relative to the world of other lenses out there.
Second, it's so lightweight and slim on my camera body (which is already big in itself) that it makes it the perfect everyday, on the go lens.
Last, I sort of expected the sharpness and speed to be lacking (because of the price), but that's where it's surprised me. The image and footage quality is actually very good.
It's my go to travel lens, especially when I know I'm just shooting things for me - for the fun of it.
Now that we've established how great pancake lenses are, let's compare the two most common focal lengths: the 24mm and the 40mm.
There is one major difference between these two lenses and (hint) it's not the focal length.
But before we get to that, let's take a look at what BOTH of these lenses are great at.
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Now let's break down the major difference between the 24mm and the 40mm pancake lenses to help you determine which will be better for you.
Upon first glance, you may immediately assume that the main difference between these two lenses is the focal length.
In fact that's exactly what I did as well. I even went so far as to order the 24mm lens to begin with.
Much to my dismay, it arrived and did NOT fit onto my Canon 1DX Mark ii.
What I learned is that the main difference isn't the focal length between these two cameras, it's that one is an EF lens and the other is an EF-S lens.
If your camera is a full frame sensor body (see examples below), then the 24mm EF-S Pancake lens will not fit your camera and you need to go with the 40mm EF lens.
In fact, this is the very reason that Canon came out with the two different focal lengths for this pancake lens.
Let me explain.
The reason these lenses actually end up being about the same focal length is because of the crop factor.
With EF-S lenses, there is a crop factor of about 1.6x. This means that when you place the 24mm EF-S lens on a cropped sensor (APS-C camera bodies), the image more truly reflects a 38.4mm lens (24mm x 1.6).
Therefore, the 24mm EF-S lens is very similar in focal length to the 40mm.
On a full-frame camera body, there is no change in the focal length of the lens, so the 40mm remains a 40mm.
It's essentially the same lens, made two ways to accommodate the two types of camera bodies.
So really, the question isn't between the 24mm or the 40mm - it's which lens will actually fit your camera body, the EF or EF-S?
One quick indicator is to take a look at the inside ring on the front of your camera - is it red or white?
If the indicator dot on the front of your camera is red, then you need the 40mm EF lens (full-frame sensor).
If the indicator dot on the front of your camera is white, then you need the 24mm EF-S lens (APS-C camera bodies).
If you have two indicators (both red and white), then either lens can fit on your camera. Keep reading for the difference in that scenario.
There's one more line of Canon cameras that's recently come on the market as well: the mirrorless camera line.
If you know your camera is a Canon mirrorless camera, then you need to actually go with the EF-M version of this pancake lens.
If you still aren't sure which camera and lens combo you need, here's a chart that should help you figure it out.
Any of the Canon APS-C bodies (for example, the Canon Rebel series) will fit both the EF or the EF-S lens series, so either of these lenses can work if you have a rebel camera.
However, keep in mind that the 40mm will crop by a factor of 1.6x. So the 40mm lens on this camera will more accurately reflect a 64mm lens.
In this case, the question does become which focal length is more preferred: 40mm or 64mm?
If you ask me, I'd much rather shoot with the 40mm focal range for this type of lens. If the purpose is to capture everyday moments, either around the house or while traveling, more than likely the 24mm EF-S lens will capture these moments better.
A 64mm lens is much tighter on your subject and will be difficult to shoot anything within close range. More than likely you'll need to be separated a good distance from your subject in order to capture it in focus.
However, if this is your goal then by all means, the 64mm (or 40mm EF lens) will be the best option for you.
I used to work in a studio setting where a key person on our time might pop by my desk at any moment and want to watch a quick preview of what I was working on at the time.
I fumbled to quickly rearrange the frame size of my preview window, trying to make it as large as possible on my screen for a quick viewing.
If only there was a keyboard shortcut that could make your preview window full screen with the touch of a button...
In today's quick lesson, I'll show you how easy it is to jump into a full screen preview in Premiere Pro.
For beginner video editors, be sure to check out the rest of our quick Premiere Pro tutorials for beginners on the blog.
There's a super handy keyboard shortcut to completely fill your screen with the Premiere Pro editing program to start with.
All you need to do is hit (command \) to quickly fill up your entire screen, rather than having to painstakingly drag each side to fill it. (Hit control \ for PC users)
Hit the same shortcut once more (command \) and it will remove the top program bar to enlarge the preview even more.
Note: this method enlarges the window, but does not make it absolutely full screen as the borders from Premiere Pro will see appear.
Using this method allows you to see all the playback functions at the bottom of the screen, should you need them.
For the shortcut to make your preview window completely full screen (with no control buttons at the bottom), see the next method.
You can still use keyboard shortcuts to playback your video preview while in full screen mode.
Spacebar = PLAY/STOP
J = REWIND
JJ = REWIND 2X
L = FAST FORWARD
LL = FAST FORWARD 2X
If you have two monitors set up in your editing studio and would like one to be devoted to a full-screen playback of your video preview, here's how to do it.
1 | Navigate up to 'Premiere Pro' -> 'Preferences' -> 'Playback'
2 | A new window will open up with the following options. Make sure that 'Enable Mercury Transmit' is selected.
3 | Under 'Video Device' click all the monitors on which you'd like to display Premiere Pro.
4 | Hit 'OK' and drag your program window over to the separate monitor (if it doesn't do so automatically).
5 | You can now select that panel and hit command \ -OR- (ctrl \ for PC users) to fill up the entire monitor screen.
That's it! Pretty straightforward and easy. I hope this quick tutorial has helped you. Feel free to leave any questions or comments in the comment section below.
Now, I'm curious to see everyone's studio set up. Post a picture in the comments below and let us see how you like to edit!
I've been a professional video editor for more than 10 years now, and I've edited in a variety of settings.
Along the way, I've found a handful of useful accessories that are beneficial aside from the obvious computer and editing software. (Learn more about my favorite video editing software.)
Of course you'll need to begin with a reliable and fast computer, as well as editing software, but after you've acquired these essential pieces of gear, what comes next?
Here is a complete breakdown of my top 10 favorite accessories for beginner video editors.
This post does contain Amazon product recommendations. As an Amazon associate, I receive compensation for qualifying purchases, however any commission that I earn comes at no cost to you.
Perhaps the most important on this list is a professional set of headphones. You'll especially need quality headphones if you work in a shared environment with other people around you.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for the right pair of headphones and why I chose this pair as my top choice - comfort, sound quality, noise cancelling ability, and price.
Last update on 2021-02-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
While these Sony headphones are a bit on the pricey side, in my opinion they are completely worth it. The quality is outstanding and they truly check every box. I also love that they are bluetooth. It's really nice to not worry about another extra cord getting in the way.
Very similar to the Sony's, Bose has another great option that made this a truly hard choice to decide between the two.
Last update on 2021-02-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
If you work in a private environment, you may decide to invest in a quality set of surround sound speakers rather than headphones. This is a personal decision, based on what makes the most sense for your editing environment.
You may also choose a quality pair of editing speakers if you plan to invite your clients into your studio to review your work.
Here is my top recommendation for quality video editing speakers.
Last update on 2021-02-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What I love about the Edifier speakers:
First, not that it's a deal breaker, but I love the way they look. Professional, clean and polished.
Second, the fact that they are bluetooth enabled, meaning eliminating excess wires (always a plus for me).
Last, sound quality. Especially for the price, these field monitors will give you excellent feedback when reviewing your video edits in real time.
There are multiple reasons that you'll eventually want to invest in a quality external monitor.
First and foremost, to see your edits in more detail and clarity on a larger, wider screen.
Second, comfort. As an editor, we spend a ton of time hunched over a computer screen. Having the ability to mount and external monitor in a more comfortable position will not only be easier on your eyes, but also on your neck and back as you sit or stand to work.
Lastly, ease of use. Having an extra monitor gives you the flexibility to work on two screens (your main computer plus your monitor). This can be extra helpful if you tend to multitask throughout the day and want to reserve one computer for email, photoshop, after effects, or anything else you may work on in tandem with your Premiere Pro projects.
You may even set up one extra screen to be the preview window for your current video edits. This is especially helpful for client or peer review should you need that capability in your studio as you work.
There are many options out there to choose from. Here's how I narrowed down this expansive list to my top monitor choice for video editors: affordability, quality, reliability, and size.
Last update on 2021-02-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Like I said, I've editing in a variety of different environments. One of the most important factors that you can usually control is the lighting around you while editing.
It is critical that you eliminate any glare on your editing screens. It's also critical to cut back on any harsh over head or window lights in the room. But you don't want it to be completely dark in the room, as this can fatigue your eyes staring at a bright computer screen with no surrounding light at all.
This BenQ ScreenBar is a genius solution for editors. It attaches to the top your monitor and is completely adjustable. Not only can you adjust the angle of the light, but you can also adjust the intensity and color correction of the light itself.
Last update on 2021-02-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
I think we all know how important it is to have external hard drives available to save our projects in multiple locations. In fact, I probably have a closet full of them.
But not all external hard drives are created equal. Not even close.
As a video editor, you don't need just any external hard drive. You and your workflow will be greatly served from having a FAST external hard drive. Not only fast, but also extra durable, especially if you ever travel with it.
For this reason I recommend having at least one solid state drive. If you're unfamiliar with this type of hard drive, you can read all about it here.
But the short answer is, although a bit more pricey, they are extremely fast and durable since they aren't built with tons of tiny moving parts.
With a fast external hard drive, you can edit directly from the drive with no lag. You can also import and export MUCH quicker using an SSD drive.
Here's my favorite:
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
When it comes to keyboards for video editors, you can go as sophisticated or as simple as you wish. There are so many options.
If you want to learn more about all the top keyboards and types that I recommend, you can check out a post I made entirely about it.
But for this list, I'll keep things short and share with you what I would choose if I had to just choose one - the Tourbox Photo and Video Editing Console.
This works in tandem with your existing keyboard and mouse, but allows you to completely customize it to fit your most commonly used commands across just about any software - including Adobe Premiere Pro.
It saves tons of time and makes your editing work more comfortable. I highly recommend this addition to your editing studio.
Last update on 2021-02-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This next one is super affordable and a great addition for any editor.
I'm constantly running out of room for more USB plug ins and other cord attachments.
With this little gadget, I have extra outlets for all those additional plugs, plus more features so that I have just about every attachment I could need.
Consider this the 'Swiss army knife' of video editing tools.
Last update on 2021-02-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Although this desk is officially classified as a 'gaming' desk, it would function as the perfect editing desk as well.
Here are some of the top reasons I love this desk:
Last update on 2021-02-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
You'll be spending a ton of time in this chair. It's important that you invest in a chair that is not only comfortable, but also supportive long term of your posture and spinal health.
I love this chair because of the specific S-shaped design, meant to support your lower back while also keeping you comfortable upright.
It's fully adjustable and even counter-weight controlled, so that it adapts to your specific body size and weight.
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last on our list, we come to a few more 'fun' items that I couldn't help but add.
None of these are necessities, but they will all add that extra bit of ambiance that will make your studio or home office all the more inviting.
For creatives, I think it's really important to create an environment that puts your mind at ease and allows you to simply concentrate and get in that flow of work.
There's a lot of truth to your environment dictating your mood, so I do all I can to ensure that my work space is inviting and creative in itself.
Here are just a few of my favorite little extra accessories that other video editors my enjoy as well.
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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Being an editor is not just about skill, it's also about efficiency.
Knowing the quickest, simplest, most straight forward way to accomplish everyday tasks in your video editing program is crucial.
Sure, you could easily use the traditional copy and paste (command-c / command-v) keyboard shortcuts to duplicate clips in your timeline, but there's a much quicker way.
And it couldn't be easier.
Here's the quickest way to duplicate clips (video, audio, etc.) in your Premiere Pro timeline.
It's almost too easy. Here we go.
It doesn't matter if your clip is audio or video, this will work for either.
It doesn't matter which track you want to place your clip on, you can drag and drop the newly duplicated clip wherever you'd like by simply holding down the alt key and moving it wherever you wish on your timeline.
For this reason (plus the fact that it's the quickest) I think this is the best way to duplicate clips. It gives you far more control over where your clip will 'land' than copy and paste.
You can duplicate a text clip, an adjustment layer, or a graphic layer in exactly the same way.
Simply hold down the alt button as you select the desired clip and move it to its new location.
Note: the duplicated clips will carry on all the same effects, color treatments, etc.
Once you've duplicated the clip, double-click the new clip and change any parameter that you'd like to customize for that clip.
Not only can the alt key be used to duplicate a clip, you can also hold down the alt key when selecting either a video or audio clip to select just the video portion or just the audio portion.
In many cases your clips will have video and audio synced and when you move one, the other moves as well.
Hold down the alt button, select the desired portion of your clip and drag it to a new location.
You've now isolated just that desired portion of the clip without having to unlink the clip from the start.
I couldn't stop myself.
While we're on the subject of using the alt key for quick editing shortcuts, I thought I'd mention this huge time saver.
When you simply select a clip and hit delete, you'll notice that the clip is deleted but there's a space or gap left in your timeline where the clip used to be.
To fix this you'd need to laboriously select everything that came after that clip and manually slide it to just the right keyframe without over lapping to close that gap.
However...
If you hold down alt when you also hit delete, not only will your clip be deleted, Premiere Pro will close the gap as well.
Everything on your timeline that came after the deleted clip will slide forward so that no gap exists.
If you'd like to explore more great ways to edit using the ripple delete tool, feel free to check out this post I made all about it. It's a really helpful tool and will speed up your editing flow like nothing else.
That's is for today's quick Premiere Pro tutorial. I hope you found is useful and time-saving.
If you have any further questions, please leave them in the comment section below.
Check out more simple to follow Premiere Pro Tutorials for Beginners on the blog!
Happy editing,
-Beth
In my opinion, wedding filmmakers are some of the most talented of all filmmakers. The reason is because when done right, they make it look easy.
The truth is, it isn't easy. I know firsthand because I've shot a number of weddings myself.
Not only are you catching spontaneous, unplanned moments on the fly, you're also floating between such a variety of lighting situations and settings that you are constantly switching gear to make sure you don't miss a single thing.
After awhile, you begin to develop a system that makes the process smoother, but you're still constantly changing gear to fit the situation.
Add one more challenge - you have to do it quickly and quietly. Like a ninja.
The first thing many people think about when it comes to wedding video gear is the camera. But honestly, I believe the best lens choices are far more important even than the camera.
The technology behind cameras changes drastically every 3-5 years. As such, you'll likely be buying a new one as you can afford them every 3-5 years.
But lenses are different.
I've cycled through 3-4 nice video cameras but I've kept every single lens I've acquired over the past 15 years of my career.
If you invest in a good quality lens, the technology hardly changes. Sure there are some upgrades every 10 years or so, but they aren't usually life changing.
Your set of lenses (likely Canon if you're reading this article) can grow with you and your variety of cameras as you upgrade them.
I started shooting on a Canon 7D, upgraded to a few 5D renditions, and now I shoot primarily on the 1DX Mark ii. All with the same set of Canon lenses.
For this reason, I also highly recommend that you stick with the L-series Canon lenses if you can afford to do so. They are more expensive, but they are worth it.
L-series lenses carry the very specific red ring around the lens body itself, so you'll know by looking. It's an elite series of lenses made by Canon that are marked by their superior professional quality. They will be faster, more durable (often weather sealed), and sharper than any other set of lenses.
In this article, we'll cover the best overall Canon lens for shooting wedding videos, as well as specialized lenses for different settings throughout a wedding video.
Be sure to check out our other related posts for wedding filmmakers: best music for wedding films and best microphones for filming weddings.
This post does contain Amazon product recommendations. As an Amazon associate, I receive compensation for qualifying purchases, however any commission that I earn comes at no cost to you.
If you have to choose just one lens, this is going to be the one.
You could shoot an entire wedding with just this lens. It's that versatile and that good of quality.
In fact, it's the lens I use most overall with most of my filmmaking.
So if you are asking which lens to start with, or if you can just afford one for the moment, here it is.
Last update on 2021-02-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What I like the most about the Canon 24-70mm lens:
This lens is perfect for:
Any disadvantages to this lens?
Which Canon cameras is this lens compatible with?
This is an EF-mount Canon lens. That means it's compatible with DSLR Canon video cameras.
If you are purchasing through amazon, be sure to enter your camera model into the amazon confirmed fit box to be sure it's compatible with your camera.
This will the be the case with all the lenses on this list. They are all EF specific for Canon DSLR cameras.
When I think of great wedding films, I think dreamy, cinematic, romantic. This is the lens to make that happen.
I purchased this lens early on this year and I can tell you - it's amazing.
And it surprised me.
I knew it would be great for close ups and buttery soft bokeh in the background. But I also thought it may be a lens that I only used a portion of the time I shoot.
What I found is that I ended up using this lens almost more than my 24-70mm lens. Even though it's a prime (there is no zooming in or out), I just loved the look so much that it ended up staying glued to my camera most of the time.
Last update on 2021-02-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What I like the most about the Canon 50mm f/1.2 lens:
This lens is perfect for:
Any disadvantages with this lens?
Another important series of shots that every wedding filmmaker will need to capture are great establishing shots of the venue and ceremony.
With each scene in the video, you'll likely be capturing a handful of wide shots of the surroundings. And to do so, you need at least one medium to wide lens.
With a bit of a zoom on this lens, you have the flexibility needed to capture a variety of angles from wide to medium. I find the range of 16-35mm to be perfect for capturing wide spaces without distorting the image at all.
At 35mm you are capturing the closest representation of what our eyes see, which is always a great way to approach your videos. It will feel the most 'documentary' and like your viewer is 'in the moment' with you.
But with a wider option, all the way up to 16mm, you still have some ability to zoom out if needed - perfect for smaller spaces where you want to capture the whole scene or for very large outdoor settings where you want to capture the entire setting.
Here's my recommendation for the best all around medium-wide lens.
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What I like the most about the Canon 16-35 mm lens:
This lens is perfect for:
As a wedding filmmaker, you know the importance of staying out of sight as much as possible. Nothing is more annoying to the audience than a crew of filmmakers and photographers huddled in the front row blocking everyone's view.
There are also venues that simply won't allow you to get too close to the alter.
For this reason, every wedding filmmaker needs a good zoom lens. But there are a lot of options out there. Which is the best and why?
Here is my favorite, the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L and there are a few reasons why which we'll cover in a second.
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What I like the most about the Canon 70-200 mm f/2.8L lens:
This lens is perfect for:
Any disadvantages to this lens?
It's the end of the day and your wedding party has moved to the reception. The photographer has a flash light set up to assist with low lights, but what can you do with video?
A lot of the ability to handle low light comes down not only to the camera you'll be using, but especially to your lenses.
The key here is to use a lens with a very wide aperture.
I have a few recommendations for great lens choices here. They are very similar, but of varying focal lengths depending on what you already have and what you'd prefer to shoot with.
The first is one that I have used and loved for years. It's a prime lens, so you'll have to use your feet to zoom in and out, but I love it for receptions especially because it's a 35mm.
This means all my shots are going to feel very 'in the moment' since 35mm imitates the length that the naked eye sees.
It's also an f/1.4, which means it can open very wide to handle low light situations.
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
I also own the 50mm f/1.2 and the 85mm f/1.4. They are also excellent choices in this category and will give you a little bit more zoom if that's what you're after.
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If you go with the 80mm, just remember you'll likely need to have it on either a tripod or a monopod to add some extra stabilization to your shots.
It's taken years to grow my lens collection to where it is today.
I mentioned before that each lens is an investment. I understand completely how expensive each and every lens on this list is and therefore am no stranger to the fact that it just isn't possible to start with some of these lenses right off the bat.
I still highly recommend saving and doing what you can to invest in the best lenses that will grow with you throughout the years. This means sticking with L-series lenses (the ones with the little red ring on the front).
However, I wanted to include a few great alternatives for those first few years where you simply may not be able to drop a few grand on a new lens.
Here are a variety of excellent choices without breaking the bank too much. I've included the same variation of focal lengths so you can compare their advantages to the list above for specific scenarios throughout the wedding day.
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
I wanted to also add a few notes about accessories you may need along with your lens kit.
As a wedding filmmaker, you have to be quick and efficient and the only way to achieve that is with extreme organization and ease of equipment use.
Here are a few tools I've found helpful during wedding shoots that I thought may help you as well.
Extra Lens Caps - Anyone else constantly losing these? I love this universal design so you can slide them on just about any sized lens and forget about it. I also love that they have a bit of extra cushion to them, adding a bit of extra security against bangs and bruises.
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Lens Cleaning Kit - I prefer this cleaning liquid and a simple cleaning cloth to clean any smudges or dust throughout the day. I clean them before I begin shooting, every few hours, and then again as I'm cleaning up my equipment for the night.
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
UV / Polarizing Filters - I have a UV filter on every single lens and the reason is twofold. First, it's added protection against scratches or cracks on the lens itself, plus an added layer of protection against dust and humid air that can seep into the lens over time. Second, it blocks out UV haze from the sun and makes your images and video sharper and more vibrant.
You can find them for very cheap on amazon, but I actually recommend spending just a bit more for a quality brand. This is my favorite brand and you'll be guaranteed a perfect fit, plus crystal clear protection to your lens. You've spent so much on a lens, you definitely want to make sure it's well protected.
I've had two separate occasions where I've dropped a lens. In both cases the UV filter cracked, but saved the lens.
Make sure to select the correct size for the lens you'll be using the filter with:
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That's it! Probably all you'll ever need to be fully equipped for your wedding videos. I know it will take time to build up, but make a budget and set goals. Purchase a new lens each year with some of that hard-earned money and you'll be where you need to be in no time.
Let me know what lens stays on your camera the most in the comment section below.
Happy shooting!
-Beth
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One of my video editing professors in college said this phrase all the time:
Save your work, save your job.
It only takes one time to learn that painful lesson.
Imagine: you've spent hours of detailed time working on a project only to have a sudden, unprecedented error from Premiere Pro. And now all that work is erased. Completely gone.
Believe me, it's happened to the best of us. And likely more than once.
Thankfully, Premiere Pro's built-in Autosave function works seamlessly as you work, saving various versions of your edits as you work.
In today's post, we'll cover everything you need to know about setting up Autosave on Premiere Pro.
We'll also cover how you might be able to salvage a lost or erased project by searching the autosave vaults of Premiere Pro.
Be sure to check out more beginner Premiere Pro tutorials here.
This post does contain Amazon product recommendations. As an Amazon associate, I receive compensation for qualifying purchases, however any commission that I earn comes at no cost to you.
In the top menu bar, navigate to Preferences -> Auto Save
You'll now see the Autosave Preferences window open up, giving you a few options to set up in Premiere Pro.
Now that we've located where to change all the preferences, let's discuss the best options for those preferences.
By default, this is set to every 15 minutes. In my opinion, this is way too long. As an efficient editor, you probably already know how much work can happen in 15 minutes.
Instead, I recommend setting this preference to every 3-5 minutes.
This option is set at 20 projects by default. What this means is that once Premiere Pro has saved 20 total projects, when it goes to save the next project, the oldest one of the 20 will be deleted and replaced by the most recent.
The 20 autosave projects will always be your 20 most recent edits.
I recommend going much higher than 20 copies, especially since we've just told Premiere Pro to save our project more often.
If you're working all day on a project and you decide later that something was messed up and you didn't realize it until the next day, you'll have more options to find an older project from the day before.
I set this option to 100 project versions.
Plus, Premiere Pro project files generally aren't that file heavy. It shouldn't take up too much more space on your drive to save lots of files. You can always delete these excess autosave files once you've finished your project.
Yes, definitely. This is an excellent option to have checked. Not only are creative cloud plans very inexpensive, they are the safest way to save your project.
You want to save your project in more than one location, just in case something happens to the hard drive where your main project is saved.
I believe creative cloud is the safest storage option since it's not subject to being dropped or damaged by water, fire, or any other elements that our home computers and drives are subject to.
Amazon Drive seems to be the most affordable option, especially if you are already a prime member. It’s free for prime members and only $11.99 per year if you aren’t. You get up to 100 GB of storage for your files or you can upgrade to 1 TB of storage for $59.99 per year. This is still about what you’d pay for an external hard drive of that size. Find out more about using this service here.
This is asking whether you want to save the current project you are working on in the same main location where you created the file or if you simply want the auto-save files to be saved in a separate location, namely the scratch disk.
I do recommend saving your original file, plus autosave files in separate locations. This gives you much more security if something happens to your main hard drive - a crash or anything else where a drive can fail.
Here is an excellent and affordable external hard drive that I'd recommend for saving all your autosave project files:
Last update on 2021-02-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
By default, your autosave files will be saved in the same folder as your project file.
While, this may seem logical and easy to locate... it's dangerous.
If something happens to either your computer or hard drive where your original file is saved, you want to be sure your backups are saved in a separate location.
For this reason, I recommend setting your scratch disks to an entirely different location for your autosave files.
Here's how to do it.
A scratch disk is simply a specified location on your computer or hard drive where you'd like to save certain types of files.
The reason it's called a 'scratch' disk is because it's typically where you'd save files that are often replaced or deleted once a project is completed in order to preserve more space on your hard drive.
Scratch disks don't typically house crucial or important files that you'd never want to delete, but rather 'notes' or 'preferences' depending on the program for which you are using them.
Even though autosave files are certainly important, they are constantly being overwritten by newer project revisions.
They also become irrelevant once a project is completed. At that point in time you may want to free up space on your hard drive and clear your scratch disk or cache files.
But during active edits of a project, the scratch disk is an excellent place to set up a secondary location for which to house your autosave files.
1 | You'll start by opening up your scratch disks on Premiere Pro.
Navigate in the upper menu to 'File -> Project Settings -> Scratch Disks...'
2 | Next you'll navigate down to the 'Project Auto Save:' option and note the options in the drop down. By default, it's set to 'Same as Project'. We want to change this to our external hard drive.
3 | Click on the 'Browse...' button on the right and you'll see a new window open up allowing you to navigate to the exact location where you can create a new destination for your autosave files.
Now that you know exactly how to set up autosave in Premiere Pro, as well as how to customize the location and settings for your autosave project files, let's talk about why it's so important.
Scenario 1: You've accidentally deleted an audio layer and didn't realize it until the next day. Boom, find the autosaved version from the day before and recover the audio layer that you accidentally deleted.
Scenario 2: An unexpected crash from Premiere Pro completely deletes your project. This is the obvious scenario, but an important one nonetheless. With autosave setup for every 3-5 minutes, no matter the crash, you shouldn't lose too much valuable work.
Scenario 3: Your hard drive crashes without notice. It happens and here's where it's important to make sure that your autosave files are backed up in a separate location from your main hard drive.
For those of you who are in this situation currently and trying desperately to recover a previous file that's been lost or corrupted, I feel your pain.
Let's try to see if we can solve the problem by locating your previous autosaved files.
If you're unsure whether or not you've ever set up the autosave function in Premiere Pro, it's likely that Premiere Pro has been doing it for you by default.
Navigate to the same folder where your main project files are generally saved.
If you see another folder named 'Adobe Premiere Pro Auto Save', then click to open that folder and you should (hopefully) see a list of project variations with timestamps of your previously edited projects.
Find the most recent or relevant project and timestamp and open to see a fully recovered project file.
If you don't see the Adobe Premiere Pro Auto Save folder in the same location as your project file, be sure to search around on your computer to see if it happens to have been moved or located elsewhere.
I hope that helps save your project. Leave me any further questions or comments in the comment box below!
