Table Of ContentVideo Editing Basics
with
Media Composer | First
For Media Composer | First 2020.x Software
Avid Technology, Inc.
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Published by Rowman & Littlefield
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Copyright © 2021 by Avid Technology, Inc. and its licensors.
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ISBN 978-1-5381-4382-7 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-5381-4383-4 (e-book)
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The media provided with this book, and any accompanying course material, is to be used only to complete the exercises and projects
contained herein. Rights are not granted to use the footage/sound materials in any commercial or non-commercial production or video.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice.
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PremiumBeat License Statement
The PremiumBeat music and sound effects included are licensed for use in the context of this Avid training only. If you wish to use the
music or sound effects in other projects or applications, additional licensing must be purchased on PremiumBeat.com. Unlicensed use is
unlawful and prohibited.
The sale or distribution of this book without its cover is unauthorized. If you purchase this book without a cover, you should be aware
that it was reported to the publisher as “unsold and destroyed.” Neither the author nor the publisher has received payment for the sale of
this “stripped” book.
About Avid
Avid delivers the most open and efficient media platform, connecting content creation with collaboration, asset protection, distribution,
and consumption. Avid’s preeminent customer community uses Avid’s comprehensive tools and workflow solutions to create, distribute
and monetize the most watched, loved and listened to media in the world—from prestigious and award-winning feature films to popular
television shows, news programs and televised sporting events, and celebrated music recordings and live concerts. With the most flexible
deployment and pricing options, Avid’s industry-leading solutions include For more information about Avid solutions and services, visit
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Avid Learning Services would like to recognize the following contributors for the development of this book:
Brad McCrystal, Bryan Castle, Jr., and Andy Hagerman.
We would also like to recognize the immeasurable contributions of the worldwide community of Avid Certified
Instructors for their ongoing suggestions and comments, based on their experience in the classroom and their
professional expertise, which have resulted in the continued improvement of Avid’s curriculum.
About the Author
Brad McCrystal began his television career in 1975 as an Operator Trainee with the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation. Color had just been introduced and the first-generation B&W quad format videotape machines
were replaced by new colour VTR’s. While color was an obvious improvement, the new machines were equipped
with perhaps a more revolutionary innovation. They introduced electronic control and editing to the videotape
department.
For a 3-year period in the early 1980’s, Brad moved to a production house where he learned the craft of electronic
offline/online editing, a skill that equipped him for the television industry’s rapid transition from film to electronic
postproduction.
Back at the ABC, Brad began cutting documentaries on the DVision, an early non-linear system. By the late
1990’s Brad had trained on Avid’s Media Composer and became an Avid Certified Instructor. As the ABC
transitioned completely away from linear tape-to-tape editing, he travelled to various ABC centers around the
country training News and Production editors in Media Composer. Brad continued as a Senior Editor at the
ABC, working on many of the broadcaster’s major documentary series.
In 2009 he took up an appointment as Adjunct Teaching Fellow at Bond University on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Within the University’s Faculty of Society and Design he teaches film students the craft of editing using Avid’s
Media Composer. Brad also continues as a freelance editor and instructor.
ABOUT THE MEDIA
Avid Learning Services would like to thank our partners for generously providing the media, music, and sound
effects used in this course.
EditStock
In proud partnership with Avid, EditStock.com provided much of the footage in this course. Schools have the
option to upgrade their footage packages, gaining the following features:
• Un-watermarked footage
• Usage rights for student demo reels
• Additional footage for every project
• Lined scripts and music
• Higher resolutions such as ProRes and RED
EditStock, footage worth Editing. For more information, visit http://www.editstock.com.
PremiumBeat.com
PremiumBeat.com is a curated royalty-free music website that provides high-quality tracks and sound effects for
use in new and traditional media projects. The PremiumBeat.com library is sourced from the world’s leading
producers with exclusive, pre-cleared music. This allows for a smooth licensing experience on popular video-
sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo.
With thousands of handpicked tracks in more than 30 styles, PremiumBeat.com music is ideal for online
videos, mobile apps, television, radio, feature films, and other professional applications. Be sure to also check
out the PremiumBeat.com blog for the latest news and tutorials on production and post-production. For more
information, visit http://www.premiumbeat.com.
CONTENTS
Lesson 1: Introduction to Media Composer | First ..................................................1
About the Media Composer | First software ..............................................................................................1
About This Book ....................................................................................................................................................1
System Requirements ..........................................................................................................................................1
Accessing and Installing the Media Composer | First Software .........................................................2
Course Media .........................................................................................................................................................3
Creating a YouTube Account ..........................................................................................................................4
Becoming Avid Certified ...................................................................................................................................5
Avid Certified. Real skills. Proven. .................................................................................................................6
Exercise 1 ......................................................................................................................................7
Lesson 2: A Quick Start Guide ..................................................................................9
Launching Media Composer| First ...............................................................................................................10
Opening a Project ...............................................................................................................................................11
The Interface ........................................................................................................................................................12
Playing Media .......................................................................................................................................................18
Review/Discussion Questions ......................................................................................................................22
Exercise 2 ...................................................................................................................................23
Lesson 3: Getting Organized ..................................................................................25
Creating a new project ....................................................................................................................................26
The Bins ................................................................................................................................................................26
Inputting Media ..................................................................................................................................................32
Saving a Project .................................................................................................................................................35
Review/Discussion Questions ......................................................................................................................36
Exercise 3 ...................................................................................................................................37
viii Contents
Lesson 4: Ingest ........................................................................................................39
Getting Started .................................................................................................................................................40
How to Ingest Video Clips ............................................................................................................................40
Ingesting Audio Media ....................................................................................................................................49
Ingesting from Camera Cards ......................................................................................................................54
Media Management ..........................................................................................................................................56
Review/Discussion Questions .....................................................................................................................59
Exercise 4 ..................................................................................................................................60
Lesson 5: Drag and Drop Editing ...........................................................................63
Deciding Which Part of a Clip to Use ........................................................................................................64
Getting Started ..................................................................................................................................................64
Performing the First Edit ................................................................................................................................66
Overwriting a Clip Onto the Timeline ........................................................................................................68
Splicing a Shot Onto the Timeline ..............................................................................................................69
Replacing a Shot in the Timeline .................................................................................................................70
Adding Voice Over ...........................................................................................................................................72
Review/Discussion Questions ......................................................................................................................73
Exercise 5 ...................................................................................................................................74
Lesson 6: Refining the Sequence ...........................................................................77
Moving Segments in the Timeline ...............................................................................................................78
Deleting Segments From the Timeline Using Extract/Splice-in .....................................................84
Automatic Selection of Segment Modes .................................................................................................86
Review/Discussion Questions ......................................................................................................................87
Exercise 6 ..................................................................................................................................88
Lesson 7: Music and Audio .......................................................................................91
Locating Audio Cues .......................................................................................................................................92
Adjusting Audio in the Sequence ...............................................................................................................95
Review/Discussion Questions ....................................................................................................................100
Exercise 7 ..................................................................................................................................101
Contents ix
Lesson 8: Introduction to Transition Effects ...................................................... 105
Creating Visual Transition Effects .............................................................................................................106
Accessing effects from the Effects Palette .............................................................................................113
Modifying Effects in the Effect Editor ......................................................................................................114
Review/Discussion Questions .....................................................................................................................119
Exercise 8 .................................................................................................................................120
Lesson 9: Using 3-Point Editing .............................................................................121
Building Your Sequence with Splice-In ....................................................................................................122
Editing with Overwrite ...................................................................................................................................125
Removing Material From a Sequence .....................................................................................................126
Review/Discussion Questions ....................................................................................................................129
Exercise 9 .................................................................................................................................130
Lesson 10: Using Multiple Tracks ..........................................................................133
Overview .............................................................................................................................................................134
Working with Tracks .......................................................................................................................................135
Review/Discussion Questions ....................................................................................................................144
Exercise 10 ...............................................................................................................................145
Lesson 11: Assembling a Dialogue Scene .............................................................147
The Unscripted Documentary ....................................................................................................................148
The Scripted Drama .......................................................................................................................................148
Review/Discussion Questions ....................................................................................................................158
Exercise 11 .................................................................................................................................159
Lesson 12: Trimming Dialogue Scenes ................................................................. 161
Understanding Trim ........................................................................................................................................162
Using Overwrite Trim to Clean up Audio ...............................................................................................169
Using Ripple Trim to Adjust Pacing .........................................................................................................170
Creating Split Edits ..........................................................................................................................................172
Maintaining Sync ..............................................................................................................................................173
