Editing a Documentary with Adobe Premiere Pro

Editing a Documentary with Adobe Premiere Pro

“Congratulations! You have reached the end of this course. Thank you so much for taking part. I hope you've enjoyed learning more about the editing process in film. Now, it's time to create your own project! Before saying goodbye, let's take a moment to revise the necessary steps to achieve a successful short documentary:

• First, gather your content together. Read the script and watch the footage. Do this as many times as necessary to gain a deep understanding of the narrative. Allow this to inform the story that you tell. Don't forget to consider any counsel you receive from the director. This will ensure that you remain on the same page.

• Next, it's time to organize your material. Open up Adobe Premiere and divide the footage into folders. Staying organized is key to editing; with so much material to navigate it will save you a lot of time.

• Once you have your workspace in order, start developing the script and the structure. Combine your selected interview bites into logical sequences. Keep in mind the classic three-act division: a compelling introduction, the main part, and the resolution.

• Once the structure is complete and the story tight, it’s time to add music and sound effects. Use this to create a general mood. When this is done, work on the graphics. Bring your story together as a whole and tie in any visuals that complement the audio. Apply your knowledge about film theory to assess whether a verité shot, b-roll, or archival would be more appropriate.

• Finally, make the necessary color corrections to enhance the aesthetics. Then, export your final piece!

I can't wait to see what amazing documentaries you create. So, share your work in the forum. You can do this by clicking on "Create your project". Remember to share both the final result of your film and the steps that have led you to it. It would be great if you showed a picture of each step and added a brief explanation about what you have done in each one. I will try my best to give you feedback and engage in the forum as much as I can. In the meantime, don't be afraid to interact with your fellow students. Let's build each other up! After all, conversation fuels creativity. See you there!”

Partial transcription of the video

“ Final Project We’ve reached the end of the process and I hope you enjoyed the ride. Now it's time to edit your own short documentary. Think about all the content you have and create the story from there. Let's review the steps to follow when editing your own documentary. The first and most important step is to have a clear idea of the story you want to tell. Remember, the use of different elements of a documentary is essential as well as understanding and pacing the different types of shots and editing techniques. Secondly, watch your content as many times as you need and then organize it...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Editing a Documentary with Adobe Premiere Pro

• Level: Beginner
• 100% positive reviews (35)
• 1234 students
• 4 units
• 16 lessons (2h 49m)
• 4 downloads

• Category

  Photography & Video

• Software

  Adobe Premiere

• Areas

  Audiovisual Post-production, Photography Post-production, Video, Video Editing