Premiere Pro 2

Premiere Pro follows the standard procedure for making a movie content. Start or open a project then import or capture any assets you may need either to the timeline or the media bin. Complete the necessary crops and add the appropriate titles. Finally, add transitions, music and decide how you will be exporting the finished movie project.

However, while this may seem very similar to most other video editing programs in its editing processes, Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 delivers industrial strength power and control over the workflow and delivery.

Before you consider using Premiere Pro 2.0, make sure you have a system that can take advantage of all that the program has to offer. The System requirement shown in the review will let you operate the application without too much trouble. But best results will be achieved if you use the system purely for Premiere Pro and video work. Don't try and load your system up with other applications and wonder why Premiere Pro keeps crashing, Adobe Premiere Pro wants all your PC's attention.

Unlike most entry level and enthusiast video editing programs, Premiere Pro 2.0 allows you to customise and save workspaces of your own design. You can dock panels to one another in groups or pull any panel out of a group, much as you would in Adobe InDesign CS or Photoshop CS. While HD support in programs such as iMovie HD and Sony's Movie Studio DVD seems more an effort to prepare users for the future of High Definition Video - for the average Premiere Pro 2.0 user, HDV is already here - or at least imminent.

Although you still need all the appropriate equipment, such as HD VTRs and other HD devices as well as an HD-enabled SDI card, Premiere Pro 2.0 allows you to capture, edit and output full-resolution uncompressed HDV. In an effort to satisfy the increasing demand for podcasting types of media delivery, Adobe Premiere Pro offers strong support for various online deliveries. Export your video in Macromedia Flash, a popular format for delivery on the web and to mobile devices.

Premiere 2.0 allows you to export any project as a Windows Media 9 Series for Digital Cinema file at 720p or 1080p resolution, with accompanying 5.1 channel surround-sound. Digital cinema is experiencing significant growth at both the budget and high end of the market so the ability to take advantage of the various digital cinema resolutions is important to the independent film maker.

In the past, dedicated video graphics boards were needed to render and preview of special effects. However Premiere 2.0 is able to take advantage of the latest powerful graphics processing units that are common place on the average modern PC. The application taps into the Direct 3D 9.0 capable graphics card to see an immediate preview of an effect.

The ability to create instant autoplay DVDs, by burning them straight from the timeline for quick client reviews and test disks, may be worth the price of the upgrade for many video workers on a tight deadline or anyone working with several clients at once.

One of the most significant changes to the latest version of Premiere is a stronger link between the other applications within the Adobe stable, with the ability to manage, and manipulate files from any Adobe Creative Suite applications.

Stronger integration with After Effects should also increase the workflow efficiencies, simply drag and drop or copy and paste to compositions between Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro. If you have Adobe Production Studio you can also use Dynamic Link allowing you to preview all your effects in the timeline but leave the rending until the project is ready to output.

Another big timesaver with regards to client workflow is the PDF Clip notes. Send edited videos embedded in PDF files to your clients, and read their timecode-specific comments from markers that appear in the timeline of Adobe Premiere Pro. Just think of the time saved in not having to physically visit your clients to keep them up to date on your progress. This form of interaction also opens up the possibilities to build up an international clientele base without any significant travel.

Premiere Pro 2.0 is not for the faint hearted or novice video editor and at around $1,500 for the application and a big budget devoted to the PC and relevant DV hardware; many people would consider this to be a large investment. However serious enthusiasts and professionals will no doubt see this as money well spent.