Video editing is the process of creating video material by combining various video clips, audio files and other media. The basics of video editing begin with understanding the structure of video files, their containers and codecs.

What is a video file?

A video file is a named data sequence containing video and audio data. A video file includes two main components: a container and a codec. The container is responsible for storing data, and the codec is responsible for compressing and decompressing this data.

Containers: types, pros and cons

Containers are file formats that combine different types of data, such as video, audio, subtitles, and metadata. They play a key role in managing this data and keeping it in sync.

Popular containers:

AVI (Audio Video Interleave)

• Pros: Widely supported by various programs and devices.
• Cons: Limited support for modern codecs, relatively large file sizes. Outdated.

MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14)

• Pros: Supports many codecs. May contain several audio and video tracks, subtitles and metadata. Popular.
• Cons: Some older devices may not support all MP4 features, which may cause playback problems.

MKV (Matroska)

• Pros: Supports multiple streams of audio, video and subtitles in one file, free format.
• Cons: Limited support on some devices and platforms.

MOV (QuickTime Movie)

• Pros: High quality, optimized for use on Apple devices.
• Cons: Large file size, limited support on some non-Apple devices.

Video codecs: types and their differences

Codecs (encoder-decoders) are programs or devices that compress and decompress video files for playback or editing.

Popular video codecs:

H.264 (AVC)

• Pros: High video quality with relatively small file size, widely used and supported.
• Cons: High processor load when decoding, licensing restrictions.

H.265 (HEVC)

• Pros: Improved compression over H.264, better quality with smaller file size.
• Cons: Requires more computing resources, licensing restrictions.

ProRes

• Pros: High video quality, widely used in professional video editing, optimized for editing.
• Cons: Large file sizes, requires more disk space.

DNxHD/HR

• Pros: High video quality, optimized for editing, widely used in professional environments.
• Cons: Large file sizes, requires more disk space.

Differences between codecs for video editing

For video editing, codec support is important at all stages of work, including capturing, editing and exporting video. Professional codecs such as ProRes and DNxHD/HR provide minimal quality loss during repeated editing and maintain high performance, but require more disk space.

Intermediate Codecs

Intermediate codecs are used to save video files during the capture and editing stages. They provide high quality and minimal loss during repeated editing.

ProRes (Apple ProRes)

• Description: Developed by Apple, widely used in professional video production. There are several variations of ProRes (422, 422 HQ, 4444, etc.), each offering different levels of quality and compression.
• Pros: High image quality, optimized for real-time editing, 10-bit color support, good compatibility with macOS programs.
• Cons: Large file sizes, limited support on non-macOS platforms.

DNxHD/DNxHR (Avid DNxHD/DNxHR)

• Description: Developed by Avid, used in professional video production environments, especially film and television editing.
• Pros: High quality, optimized for editing, support for 8-bit and 10-bit color, good compatibility with professional editing systems.
• Cons: Large file sizes, difficult to integrate into some workflows that require compression for final output.

Delivery Codecs

Final codecs are used for final video export when file size and compatibility with different devices and platforms are important.

H.264 (AVC)

• Description: One of the most common codecs for final video export. Used in most online video streaming and distribution platforms.
• Pros: High quality with a relatively small file size, wide device and software support.
• Cons: High processor load when encoding and decoding, licensing restrictions.

H.265 (HEVC)

• Description: Improved version of H.264, provides better compression and image quality with a smaller file size.
• Pros: Excellent video quality with more efficient compression, better suited for 4K and 8K video.
• Cons: Requires more computing resources, may have limited compatibility with some older devices, licensing restrictions.

Codecs for online broadcasting and streaming

For online broadcasting and streaming, encoding speed and adaptation to different Internet connection speeds are important.

VP9

• Description: Developed by Google, used on YouTube and other streaming platforms.
• Pros: Good video quality with smaller file size, open source and free to use.
• Cons: Slower encoding compared to H.264, limited support for hardware decoding on some devices.

AV1

• Description: A new open codec developed by the AOMedia alliance is intended to replace VP9 and compete with H.265.
• Pros: High quality with efficient compression, free to use without license fees.
• Cons: High computational requirements for encoding and decoding, limited support at the moment.

Popular audio codecs

Audio codecs play a key role in providing high-quality audio in videos. Let’s look at the most popular audio codecs used in video editing and final files.

PCM (Pulse Code Modulation)

• Description: PCM is a method of digitally representing analog audio signals. It is used to create uncompressed audio files, ensuring the highest possible audio quality.
• Pros: High sound quality, support for multi-channel audio (up to 7.1 and more).
• Cons: Very large file sizes, inefficient for storing and transferring data due to lack of compression.

AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)

• Description: AAC is an audio compression method developed as a successor to MP3. Widely used in various multimedia applications including streaming and audio storage.
• Pros: High sound quality with relatively small file sizes, wide support across various platforms and devices, support for multi-channel audio.
• Cons: Licensing restrictions.

MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer III)

• Description: MP3 is one of the most famous and widely used audio codecs. It uses lossy compression techniques to reduce the size of audio files.
• Pros: Wide support on various platforms and devices, good sound quality at moderate bitrates.
• Cons: Lower sound quality compared to AAC at the same bitrate, licensing restrictions.

AC-3 (Dolby Digital)

• Description: AC-3 is a codec developed by Dolby Laboratories, widely used in home theater systems and television.
• Pros: Supports multi-channel audio (5.1 and 7.1), high sound quality.
• Cons: Licensing restrictions, lower compression efficiency compared to AAC.

Opus

• Description: Opus is an open audio codec developed by the Xiph.Org Foundation, optimized for audio streaming and VoIP.
• Pros: High audio quality at various bitrates, very well adapted for streaming, open source and free to use.
• Cons: Limited support in some media applications.

Vorbis

• Description: Vorbis is an open audio codec developed by the Xiph.Org Foundation, used primarily in the Ogg container format.
• Pros: Good sound quality with small file sizes, open source and free to use.
• Cons: Limited support in some media applications.

conclusions

When choosing a codec for video editing, it is important to consider several factors:

• Production stage: Capture, editing or final export.
• Quality Requirements: Minimal editing loss or compression for final output.
• Compatibility: Supports devices and software.
• File size: Data storage and transfer capabilities.

Using the right codec can greatly simplify your workflow and improve the quality of your final product.

Conclusion

Understanding the basics of video files, containers, and codecs is key to successful video editing. Choosing the right container and codec can have a significant impact on the quality of the final product and the efficiency of your workflow. I hope this article has helped you better understand these important aspects of video editing.

Questions and answers

Question 1: What is bitrate and how does it affect video quality?

Answer: Bitrate is the amount of data transmitted or processed per unit of time, usually measured in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps). A higher bitrate usually means better video quality since more data is transferred, but also results in a larger file size. The choice of bitrate depends on the balance between video quality and file size.

Question 2: Which container is best to use for video archiving?

Answer: For video archiving, it is often recommended to use the MKV (Matroska) container, as it supports multiple streams of audio, video and subtitles in one file and is a free format. MKV also supports various codecs and formats well.

Question 3: What factors influence the choice of codec when editing video?

Answer: When choosing a codec for video editing, it is important to consider several factors:

• Video quality: How critical is maintaining high quality when editing multiple times.
• Compatibility: Codec supported by the software and hardware used.
• Performance: Computational resource requirements for video encoding and decoding.
• File Size: Available storage space for video footage.

Question 4: What codec features are important when working with 4K and 8K video?

Answer: When working with 4K and 8K video, the following codec features are important:

• Compression Efficiency: Codecs such as H.265 (HEVC) and AV1 provide better compression, which is especially important for higher resolutions.
• High bitrate support: High resolution requires higher bitrate to maintain quality.
• HDR support: Capable of working with high dynamic range (HDR) for improved image quality.

Question 5: How to choose the right audio codec for a video project?

Answer: When choosing an audio codec for a video project, you should consider:

• Audio quality: Choose a codec that provides the audio quality you want (for example, PCM for uncompressed audio or AAC for good compressed quality).
• Compatibility: Codec support for various devices and programs.
• File Size: Balance between audio quality and audio file size (eg MP3 or AAC for smaller file sizes).
• Project requirements: Support for multi-channel audio (for example, AC-3 for 5.1 and 7.1 systems).

Question 6: How does the difference between constant and variable bitrate affect video?

Answer: Constant bit rate (CBR) means that video is encoded at the same data rate throughout, which makes file size easier to predict, but can result in over-data usage in simple scenes and not enough in complex ones. Variable bit rate (VBR) adapts the data rate depending on the complexity of the scene, which can improve video quality and reduce file size, but requires longer encoding time and a more complex decoding process.

Question 7: What are time codes and how are they used in video editing?

Answer: Time codes are marks that indicate the exact time for a specific frame of video. They are used to accurately synchronize video and audio, mark and find specific scenes, and coordinate various editing elements. Time codes are important for professional video editing because they allow you to work with video footage accurately and efficiently.

Question 8: What are the benefits of using uncompressed audio in video projects?

Answer: Using uncompressed audio, such as PCM, in video projects has several advantages:

• Maximum sound quality: Lossless compression ensures the best possible sound quality.
• Ease of Editing: Uncompressed audio is easier to edit as it does not require decoding and re-encoding.
• Compatibility: Uncompressed audio is supported by all professional audio editors and editing systems.

Question 9: What features of the MOV container make it preferred by Apple users?

Answer: The MOV (QuickTime Movie) container is developed by Apple and optimized for use on Apple devices and platforms. It supports high quality video and audio, integration with Apple programs (such as Final Cut Pro), and provides good performance on Apple devices. However, MOV files can be large in size and have limited support on non-Apple platforms. Adobe Premiere Pro also supports this container well.

Question 10: Why can using licensed codecs be problematic?

Answer: Using licensed codecs can be problematic due to:

• Royalties: Some codecs require licensing fees to use, which can increase production costs.
• Legal Restrictions: Failure to comply with license terms may result in legal problems.
• Availability restrictions: Licensed codecs may not be available in some countries or may be limited in use on certain platforms and devices.

Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects are two powerful video editing and post-production tools, each with their own strengths and designed to perform different tasks. Below we will consider what types of videos are best mounted in each of them.

When to use Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is a professional video editing program ideal for editing large volumes of footage and creating final videos. In other words, it is convenient for creating long videos. Here are a few scenarios where Premiere Pro would be a better choice:

1. Documentaries and TV shows:
   • • Premiere Pro is great for editing long projects with a lot of footage. You can organize and structure the material, add titles and transitions, synchronize audio and video.
2. Music videos and commercials:
   • • Premiere Pro makes it easy to work with different video and audio tracks, add basic effects and transitions, and quickly export finished projects.
3. Videos for YouTube and social networks:
   • • The simplicity and speed of Premiere Pro make it ideal for creating content for YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms.
4. Interviews and news stories:
   • • Premiere Pro provides powerful tools for editing interviews, synchronizing audio, and adding essential graphic elements.

When to Use Adobe After Effects

Adobe After Effects is a visual effects, animation, and compositing program. It is used to add complex graphic elements and animations. In other words, it is convenient to create not a long video, but a “high” one. Those. layer many video tracks and effects on top of each other, creating a kind of “sandwich” with a large number of layers. Here are some cases where After Effects is the best choice:

1. Creation of animations and motion graphics:
   • • After Effects allows you to create complex animations, kinetic typography, and motion graphics.
2. Visual effects and special effects:
   • • For adding special effects such as explosions, lighting effects, transitions and other visual tricks, After Effects is the best choice.
3. Compositing and video overlay:
   • • After Effects is ideal for combining multiple video and graphic elements into a single frame, creating green screens, and other compositing tasks.
4. Intro and outro for video:
   • • If you need to create an impressive intro or outro for your videos, After Effects provides the tools to create complex and memorable animations.

Recommended Specifications

The computers used to work in Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects may differ slightly due to the different needs of these programs:

1. Adobe Premiere Pro:
   • • Greater emphasis on video processing. Those. on a large amount of footage.
     • Fast access to large amounts of data is important, so disk speed and large amounts of RAM can be helpful.
     • Powerful processor for fast encoding and rendering. Multiple cores in the CPU will be beneficial as the program makes efficient use of multi-core processors. In my case, all 48 cores are loaded at 100% when the program is active, and the video card works at 90-100%. This results in significant energy consumption, so a powerful power supply is required.
     • You must have a supported graphics card with adequate video memory to handle your projects. Video memory capacity ranges from 2GB to 12GB depending on the complexity and resolution of your projects.
     • You must have at least 8 GB of RAM. When stabilizing many clips at the same time, consumption can reach 50 -60 GB. While large amounts of memory are convenient, lack of memory is not a critical issue.
2. Adobe After Effects:
   • • Great need for processing and creating complex visual effects and animation.
     • A GPU with plenty of video memory to support fast processing and playback of complex graphics. If you don’t have a lot of video memory, I recommend disabling hardware acceleration. Firstly, the GPU does not always clearly calculate complex effects. Those. You can get different results on different video cards. Secondly, as mentioned above, a multi-layer project may require an obscene amount of memory for your video card.
     • Additional RAM capacity for working with large projects. And this is important. Adobe After Effects will eat up any amount of memory. It constantly calculates your project and stores all these calculations in RAM. If there is a shortage, it caches it on disk. And at least this disk must be an SSD. In my case, 64 GB of RAM allows me to work quite comfortably, but it’s all occupied.
     • The number of processor cores for operation is 4x. The processor generation and clock speed are more important. This program does not know how to load kernels well. At least 2024. But when rendering, you can use the utility C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2024\Support Files\aerender.exe, which allows you to run rendering many times simultaneously, including on different computers, to speed up the process.

In general, both programs require a powerful computer with enough RAM and a fast processor, but the focus and workload may be slightly different.

Bottom line

Adobe Premiere Pro:

• • • Best for linear editing, organizing large amounts of material, adding basic effects and transitions.
    • Ideal for documentaries, TV shows, music videos, commercials and social media videos.

Adobe After Effects:

• • • Best for animation, visual effects, compositing and motion graphics.
    • Ideal for intros, outros, special effects and complex animation projects.

To create a full video project, I often use a combination of both programs: Premiere Pro for basic editing and After Effects for adding visual effects and animations.

When creating short commercials I use only After Effects.

Hardware acceleration in Adobe Premiere Pro helps significantly improve program performance by using the graphics processing unit (GPU) to perform video editing and rendering tasks. Different hardware acceleration options can have a significant impact on the speed and quality of your work.

When is hardware acceleration most effective?

Hardware acceleration is most effective when editing high-resolution videos. The productivity gains can be significant, especially when working on color grading. Here, the processing speed increases by an order of magnitude or more, since the computational load on the processor increases, and the video card helps compensate for this load. With hardware acceleration, work becomes much more comfortable, while without it, color correction can be almost impossible.

How much video memory should there be?

There doesn’t have to be a lot of video memory, but it should be enough to work with projects of the appropriate resolution. If there is too much video memory, it will be idle when working at low resolutions. Conversely, if there is insufficient video memory at high resolutions, Adobe Premiere Pro may produce errors, show a black screen, or even crash. In this case, it is recommended to disable hardware acceleration to continue working on the project.

Recommendations for video memory size:

• 2-4 GB is enough for FHD (Full HD)
• 4-6 GB is enough for 4K
• 6-8 GB for 6K
• More than 8 GB for 8K. I won’t say exactly how much is needed, but 8 GB will not be enough for comfortable work. Errors and program crashes are possible.

Types of hardware acceleration

1. Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (CUDA/OpenCL/Metal)
• CUDA : A technology developed by NVIDIA designed for GPU use on NVIDIA graphics cards. Suitable for users with NVIDIA graphics cards.
• OpenCL : A universal standard supported by various GPU manufacturers, including AMD and some NVIDIA models. Good for users with AMD cards or mixed systems.
• Metal : Apple technology designed for use on macOS devices. Optimized for use on Mac.
2. Software Only (software acceleration only)
• This mode uses only the central processing unit (CPU) to perform all tasks. It is recommended only in cases where it is not possible to use a GPU, as it is significantly slower compared to hardware acceleration.

How to choose the right option

1. Operating system

• Windows : CUDA and OpenCL supported. It is recommended to use CUDA if you have an NVIDIA graphics card as it provides the best performance.
• macOS : Metal supported. Use Metal for optimal performance on Mac.

2. Graphics card

• NVIDIA : Use CUDA for maximum performance.
• AMD : Use OpenCL as CUDA is not supported.

Setting up hardware acceleration

1.  Open Adobe Premiere Pro .
2. Go to Edit > Preferences > General .
3. Under Video Rendering and Playback, select one of the following options:
• Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (CUDA)
• Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (OpenCL)
• Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (Metal) – macOS only
• Mercury Playback Engine Software Only

In my case, an NVIDIA video card and a Windows operating system are used, so only CUDA is available to choose from

Benefits of hardware acceleration

1. Increased Rendering Speed : Hardware acceleration significantly reduces the time it takes to render a video.
2.   Smooth Playback : Using GPU allows you to playback videos in real time with fewer delays, which speeds up the editing process.
3. Faster effects processing : Effects and filters are processed faster, which also speeds up the editing process.

Hardware acceleration in Adobe Premiere Pro has many advantages, however, there are also some disadvantages to consider:

1. Equipment requirements

• GPU Compatibility : Not all graphics cards support hardware acceleration. To use hardware acceleration features, you must have a compatible graphics card (for example, NVIDIA for CUDA or AMD for OpenCL).
• Video memory : Insufficient video memory can lead to errors and program crashes. High resolutions require more video memory.

2. Difficulties with setup

• Driver problems : Sometimes there may be problems with the video card drivers, which can lead to unstable operation of the program.
• Difficulty setting up : Setting up hardware acceleration may require additional knowledge and time.

3. Stability and compatibility

• Program crashes : If there is insufficient video memory or incompatibility with specific effects or plugins, program crashes may occur.
• Plugin Compatibility : Some plugins and effects may not support hardware acceleration, which may cause conflicts and errors.

4. Overheating and power consumption

• GPU Overheating : Heavy use of the GPU can lead to overheating, which may require additional cooling and thermal management.
• Power consumption : Using a GPU increases power consumption, which can be important for mobile workstations and laptops.

Effects and hardware acceleration

It is worthwhile to dwell on the effects. Not all effects, especially from third-party developers, support hardware acceleration. This means that even if you select hardware acceleration in the settings, the portion of the movie that has the effect applied without acceleration support will be processed by the central processing unit (CPU) rather than the graphics card (GPU). This can lead to significant slowdowns, especially on computers with a weak processor and a small number of cores.

On the timeline, such areas are indicated by a red stripe. A red bar indicates that your computer cannot process that portion of the video in real time.

However, it is worth noting that Adobe is constantly working to improve support for hardware acceleration and with each update of the program it is reducing the number of effects that do not support this function.

In the list of effects you can see which effect supports hardware acceleration and which does not. Opposite each effect there is a corresponding icon indicating support or lack of support for hardware acceleration.

Conclusion

Hardware acceleration in Adobe Premiere Pro significantly improves performance, especially when working with high resolutions and complex effects. However, it requires the appropriate hardware and can present some setup and compatibility challenges. When planning to work with hardware acceleration, it is important to take these factors into account in order to avoid possible problems and ensure stable operation of the program.

Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most popular and powerful video editing software used by professionals and amateurs around the world. If you’re just starting to learn video editing, this tutorial will help you take your first steps in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Step 1: Install Adobe Premiere Pro

Before you begin, you need to install Adobe Premiere Pro on your computer. To do this, follow these steps:

Find Adobe Master Collection 2024 on the Internet. This is an excellent assembly that can be downloaded using a torrent. Only I didn’t tell you this…

Of course, you can go to the official website, create an account, pay and download there. In this case, you will have access to additional online artificial intelligence services for generating photos and videos of realistic quality. But this will not help you start learning video editing.

Step 2: Create a new project

Once Premiere Pro is installed and running, follow these steps to create a new project:

Creating a new project: Click on the “New Project” button in the start window. In the dialog box that appears, give the project a name and select a folder to save the project. You can also adjust other settings, such as video format and rendering settings, but you can leave the default values ​​for starters.

Step 3: Import Media Files

We are primarily interested in two windows: Project: Project name and Timeline

Move them apart with your mouse for more convenient use. Move other panels or close them altogether so as not to interfere. In the “Window” menu you will see a list of all panels if you accidentally closed the one you need.

To get started with video editing, you need to import the media files you will work with:

Import files: In the main Premiere Pro window, go to the File menu and choose Import, then browse and select the video files you want to use.

Drag and Drop Files: You can also simply drag and drop video files from Explorer into the Project panel in Premiere Pro.

If there are a lot of video files, then I strongly recommend using folders. “New selection” button

Step 4: Create a Sequence

After importing the files, you need to create a sequence:

Create a new sequence: Drag the video file onto the New Item icon in the Project panel. Premiere Pro will automatically create a new sequence with the parameters appropriate for your video file.

And then it will open on the timeline.

Pay attention to the sequence icon – this is important. You need to distinguish it from your video/audio files. Here you can rename everything for convenient organization of materials.

Sequence Setup: You can change the settings of a sequence by selecting it in the Project panel and selecting the Sequence -> Sequence Setup menu. Resolution, screen orientation, frame rate, etc. These are the parameters for your final video. All video footage will be automatically adjusted to these values.

Yes, do not forget to open the “Program Monitor” with your sequence in the “Window” menu, if it does not open on its own. To watch the video you are working on.

Step 5: Video Editing

Now you are ready to start editing your video:

Drag clips: Drag video clips from the Project panel onto the Timeline.

Trimming clips: Use the Trim Tool (C) to trim clips in the timeline. You can move and trim clips to create the sequence you want. Use the toolbar to the left of the Timeline

Adding transitions: To add transitions between clips, go to the Effects panel. Open it if it is closed from the Window menu. Find the Video Transitions section, then drag the transition you want to the junction between two clips in the timeline

Important! In order for the transition effect to look good, the end and beginning of your clips should be trimmed to match the duration of the transition effect. Otherwise, he will not have enough intermediate frames for a beautiful dissolve

Step 6: Working with Sound

Import Audio Files: Import audio files the same way you import video files.

Working with audio: Drag audio files onto audio tracks on the timeline. You can trim, move, and adjust audio using the same tools you use for video. Also use the “Track Mixer” panel. Of course, you need to open it in the “Window” menu.

You will also find many audio effects in the “Effects” panel. Grab the desired effect with the mouse and drag it to the desired audio track.

Important! There is another very useful panel “Effect Controls”. In it you will see a lot of useful information on the video and audio effects used and their settings. As well as many other settings for the selected clip: Rotation, scale, transparency, volume, balance and much more.

Step 7: Export the finished video

When editing is complete, you need to export the video:

Opening the Export Window: Set focus to your working sequence. Go to the File menu and choose Export > Media Content.

Setting export options: In the window that appears, select the format and settings for saving the finished video.

Export Video: Click the Export or Send to Media Encoder button to add the task to the Adobe Media Encoder queue.

Conclusion

Remember, it’s not the effects that make your video impressive. It is more important to change frames correctly and in a timely manner, maintain an alternation of close-up, medium and long shots, perform color correction and use high-quality sound. Do not strive for loud voice-over music – the main thing is that the audience can clearly hear what people are saying. Add to this an interesting plot, and your video will become popular!

In this article I explained how to pedal and ride a bicycle. However, I did not touch upon such important topics as traffic rules, the quality of road surfaces and how to ride on them, repair and maintenance of a bicycle, as well as improving its performance. I didn’t consider how to turn a bicycle into a moped, a motorcycle, a car, or even a rocket.

Adobe Premiere Pro can be integrated with programs such as Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and other specialized tools for working with sound and animation. This turns it into a powerful video editing tool with almost unlimited possibilities.