Converting Video for YouTube

Converting Video for YouTube is this weeks blog topic. Specifically a real world example from a client this week, we encode a wmv file on the MAC to the H264 CODEC for YouTube.

One of the questions I am often asked is about when and how to compress videos for encoding to DVD.  While the "how" will have to wait for another post, I intend to discuss the pros and cons of compressing files prior to authoring and during authoring.

When possible, always use still images that are at least as large as your project resolution. If you use smaller resolution images and then zoom in on them, they lose visual quality. Sort of like a digital zoom on a camcorder. You end up with blocky chunks.

When creating still images from scratch avoid using 1 or 3 pixel lines, these tend to flicker badly on a television monitor, you will not see them in the Source or Program Monitors. If you must use thin lines try using a motion blur to blur them a little.

Onscreen text helps tell your story. Using a location super (superimposed text) sets the scene and saves the narration for other relevant points. Displaying an interviewee's name and title at the bottom of the screen reminds viewers who this person is. Using onscreen bulleted points reinforces your message. Titling is essential to any video production.

The templates that come supplied with Adobe Premiere Pro can save hours of time, if you can find one that is exactly to your liking find one you like, change it, then save it as a template for later use.

Unlike its predecessors, Adobe Premiere Pro does not automatically change the size and aspect ratio of imported still images and graphics to match the project settings. Rather, Adobe Premiere Pro preserves those clips' original sizes and aspect ratios. This enables you to import large images then pan or zoom in on them.

Try to ensure that prior to importing any clips into Premiere Pro that they reside in a non-timecode directory to assist when backing up a finished project.  This relates to my topic on Adobe Premiere - Data Management This advice specifically relates to video and important files that will need to be backed up at the end of the project

Two fun and simple techniques: playing a clip backward and changing its speed. Consider the possibilities; Kids diving out of a pond, a bowler retrieving his delivery, and a reverse replay of an explosive building demolition. Combine that with slow motion, or speed things up and you can add drama or humor.

You also can use a freeze frame as an effective way to close a segment or an entire production. For instance freeze the final frame and then fade to black.

Adobe Premiere Pro ships with over 90 effects, and dozens more are available from third-party providers. Rarely will you use more than a few in any project and like transitional effects often "less is best". That said on many occasions I have completed a project where every clip has at least one effect applied but it is usually a subtle color correction or brightness and contrast control.

You apply video effects simply by dragging and dropping them to a clip on a sequence or in the Effect Controls window. You can add multiple video effects to a single clip. Doing so can produce surprising and unpredictable results; the order in which you apply effects can also greatly effect the end result. Effects interact differently when applied in a different order

When used sparingly or for "real" reasons transitional effects can be fantastic, avoid over using effects. "If you can't solve it, dissolve it." Is a news room phrase that basically says sometimes the easiest way to fix a jump cut or a "jarring" cut is to use a basic dissolve.

Adobe Premiere Pro ships with more than 70 transitions. Some are subtle, and some are "in your face." The more you experiment with them the more likely you are to use them well.

New to Adobe Premiere Pro is the ability to add transitions between two clips on any track in a sequence. This is a very useful improvement that saves several awkward steps needed to accomplish the same thing in previous versions of Adobe Premiere.

A short red, horizontal line will appear above any new transition. That red line means that this portion of the sequence must be rendered before you can record it back to tape or create a file of your finished project. Rendering happens automatically when you export your project, but you can choose to render selected portions of your sequence to make those sections display more smoothly on slower PCs.

Temporarily Unlink Audio and Video by pressing the Alt key as you click on the end of the audio or video portion of a linked clip and you can drag only the audio or video.
Zoom in and out using the slider at the bottom left of the timeline or using the "+" and "-" keys, also the "\" key to view the entire timeline.

Removing and closing the gaps is easy, right-click a gap and click Ripple Delete (so named because its effect ripples through the entire sequence). Ripple Delete removes the gap by sliding all the material after the gap to the left.  You can also choose this method to remove clips without leaving a "hole" in your sequence

The basic rule of thumb when selecting project settings is: Match settings to your source material and not to the final output. Even if your goal is to create a low-resolution video to run on the Internet, wait until you finish editing and then reduce the output quality settings.

 

Before capturing you should critically view your raw footage and look for "keeper" clips and sequences, the best interview sound bites, and any natural sound that will enhance your production. The purpose is twofold: to better manage media "assets" and to speed up the video capture process.