Table Of ContentM E D I A C O M P O S E R M E D I A C O M P O S E R
F U N DA M E N TA L S I F U N DA M E N TA L S I
MC101 MC101
Get started today using the world’s most powerful editing system. Media Composer 101 is
an introductory course designed to get new users up-and-running quickly on Media
Composer 2019.
In this course, you will learn to edit a video project from start to finish using the same tools
as Hollywood’s feature film editors. Learn to turn an interview into a compelling story,
intercutting action footage with carefully selected soundbites. Use effects and sound Avid Official Curriculum
editing to solve problems and give your video a professional polish. Plus, learn core tech-
2019/2020 Avid Learning Series
nical skills such as how to input source video and audio files and export the finished
User Certification
sequence; identify Avid’s media storage locations and troubleshoot missing media.
Media Composer Fundamentals I is the first step towards earning certification as an
Avid Certified User | Media Composer. Avid certification is a tangible, industry-recognized
credential that can help you advance your career.
To find more books on Media Composer, Pro Tools, or other Avid products,
visit shop.avid.com and select Training.
ISBN 9781943446759
90000 >
9 781943 446759
For more information about this
Part number: 9320-70120-00
course, scan the QR code.
Media Composer®
Fundamentals I
For Media Composer 2019.6 Software
Avid Technology, Inc.
Copyright and Disclaimer
© 2019 Avid Technology, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, photographing, and recording, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Avid Technology, Inc.
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.
Trademarks
Avid, the Avid logo, Avid Everywhere, Interplay, ISIS, Media Composer, Pro Tools, and Sibelius, and all related product names
and logos, are registered or unregistered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The
Interplay name is used with the permission of the Interplay Entertainment Corp., which bears no responsibility for Avid products.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For a full list of Avid trademarks, see:
http://www.avid.com/US/about-avid/legal-notices/trademarks
Legal Disclaimer
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.
ISBN eBook: 978-1-943446-76-6
ISBN: 978-1-943446-75-9
eBook Part Number: 9321-00004-00
Part Number: 9320-70120-00 – October 2019
This book includes material that was developed in part by the Avid Technical Publications department and the Avid Training
department.
Acknowledgments
Avid Learning Services would like to recognize the following contributors for the development of this book:
Bryan Castle, Jr. and Brad McCrystal.
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 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.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... ix
Using This Book ................................................................................................................................................. ix
Using the Course Material .............................................................................................................................. ix
Prerequisites ......................................................................................................................................................... x
System Requirements ...................................................................................................................................... xi
Becoming Avid Certified ................................................................................................................................ xi
Avid Certified. Real skills, proven. .............................................................................................................. xii
Lesson 1: Introduction to Media Composer ......................................................................... 1
Launching Media Composer .......................................................................................................................... 2
Understanding the Select Project Window .............................................................................................. 3
Learning the Interface ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Working with Bins .............................................................................................................................................. 8
Creating a New User Profile and Changing User Profiles .................................................................. 12
Personalizing the Application ....................................................................................................................... 13
Review/Discussion Questions ..................................................................................................................... 23
Exercise 1: Setting Up .......................................................................................................... 25
Exercise 1.1: Opening a Project and Creating a New User Profile ................................................. 26
Exercise 1.2: Organizing the Project .......................................................................................................... 27
Exercise 1.3: Customizing Workspaces ..................................................................................................... 31
Exercise 1.4: Adjusting the Auto-Save Settings .................................................................................. 34
Lesson 2: Getting Started ................................................................................................... 35
Creating a New Project ................................................................................................................................. 36
Setting Up Your Project ................................................................................................................................ 39
Inputting Video and Audio Clips ............................................................................................................... 43
Preparing to Edit ............................................................................................................................................. 54
Saving Your Work ........................................................................................................................................... 60
Review/Discussion Questions .................................................................................................................... 62
Exercise 2: Inputting Media ................................................................................................ 63
Exercise 2.1: Creating and Setting Up a New Project ........................................................................ 64
Exercise 2.2: Inputting Media ...................................................................................................................... 65
Exercise 2.3: Setting Up to View Your Shots ........................................................................................ 67
Exercise 2.4: Viewing Your Clips ............................................................................................................... 68
Exercise 2.5: Saving Your Work ................................................................................................................. 70
vi Media Composer Fundamentals I
Lesson 3: Building Your Sequence ..................................................................................... 71
Overview ............................................................................................................................................................. 72
Creating a New Sequence ............................................................................................................................ 73
Working with Tracks ...................................................................................................................................... 74
Locating Audio Cues ...................................................................................................................................... 76
Building Your Sequence with Splice-In ................................................................................................... 78
Editing with Overwrite ................................................................................................................................... 81
Removing Material from a Sequence ....................................................................................................... 82
Essential Tools .................................................................................................................................................. 84
Review/Discussion Questions .................................................................................................................... 87
Exercise 3: Rough-Cutting Your Scene ............................................................................ 89
Exercise 3.1: Laying the Foundation of Your Sequence ........................................................................ 90
Exercise 3.2: Adding Reaction Shots ....................................................................................................... 95
Exercise 3.3: Adding More Shots at the Head of the Sequence .................................................... 96
Exercise 3.4: Removing Unwanted Material .......................................................................................... 97
Lesson 4: Drag-and-Drop Editing in Segment Mode ..................................................... 99
Understanding Segment Mode ................................................................................................................ 100
Building a Montage with Drag and Drop .............................................................................................. 103
Adding Narration with Drag-and-Drop Overwrite ........................................................................... 108
Editing Audio in the Sequence ................................................................................................................. 109
Review/Discussion Questions .................................................................................................................... 114
Exercise 4: Building a Montage with Segment Mode .................................................... 117
Exercise 4.1: Building a Montage with Segment Mode ..................................................................... 118
Exercise 4.2: Adding Narration .................................................................................................................. 121
Exercise 4.3: Adjusting the Sequence Audio ....................................................................................... 123
Lesson 5: Refining the Sequence ..................................................................................... 125
Moving Segments in the Timeline ............................................................................................................ 126
Changing Shots in the Sequence .............................................................................................................. 131
Deleting from the Timeline ......................................................................................................................... 133
Changing the Length of Timeline Segments ....................................................................................... 135
Exploring Trim Mode .................................................................................................................................... 140
Useful Tools ..................................................................................................................................................... 144
Review/Discussion Questions ................................................................................................................... 147
Exercise 5: Refining Your Sequence ................................................................................ 149
Exercise 5.1: Reordering Shots in the Montage .................................................................................. 150
Exercise 5.2: Working on the Narration in the Montage ................................................................. 152
Exercise 5.3: Trimming the Montage ...................................................................................................... 153
Exercise 5.4: Combining Trim and Segment Moves to Refine the Opening ........................... 154
Table of Contents vii
Lesson 6: Introduction to Transition Effects .................................................................. 157
Creating Transition Effects ......................................................................................................................... 158
Modifying Transition Effects in the Timeline ....................................................................................... 162
Accessing Effects from the Effect Palette ........................................................................................... 165
Modifying Effects in Effect Mode ............................................................................................................. 166
Creating Audio Crossfades .......................................................................................................................... 20
Review/Discussion Questions ..................................................................................................................... 23
Exercise 6: Applying Transition Effects .......................................................................... 173
Exercise 6.1: Applying Quick Transition Effects ................................................................................. 174
Exercise 6.2: Replacing a Transition ....................................................................................................... 176
Exercise 6.3: Modifying and Saving Effects ......................................................................................... 177
Exercise 6.4: Creating Audio Crossfades .............................................................................................. 178
Lesson 7: Introduction to Segment Effects ..................................................................... 181
Adding Segment Effects ............................................................................................................................. 182
Stabilizing Shaky Footage .......................................................................................................................... 184
Using Automatic Color Correction to Improve the Footage ........................................................ 187
Hiding Jump Cuts with FluidMorph ......................................................................................................... 190
Resizing a Shot ................................................................................................................................................ 192
Using Standard Keyframes ......................................................................................................................... 194
Review/Discussion Questions ................................................................................................................... 196
Exercise 7: Making Corrections to Shots ........................................................................ 197
Exercise 7.1: Flopping a Shot ..................................................................................................................... 198
Exercise 7.2: Using the Different Types of Stabilization ................................................................. 199
Exercise 7.3: Using Automatic Color Correction ................................................................................ 201
Exercise 7.4: Hiding Jump Cuts with FluidMorph ............................................................................. 203
Exercise 7.5: Resizing a Shot and Animating It with Keyframes ............................................... 204
Lesson 8: Combining Multiple Effects ............................................................................ 207
Nesting Effects ............................................................................................................................................... 208
Changing the Order of Nested Effects .................................................................................................. 212
Review/Discussion Questions ................................................................................................................... 213
Exercise 8: Nesting Effects ............................................................................................... 215
Exercise 8.1: Nesting Effects ....................................................................................................................... 216
Exercise 8.2 Rearranging Nested Effects .............................................................................................. 218
Lesson 9: Freeze Frames and Motion Effects ................................................................ 221
Types of Motion Effects .............................................................................................................................. 222
Creating Freeze Frames ............................................................................................................................. 222
Creating Motion Effects .............................................................................................................................. 226
Review/Discussion Questions ................................................................................................................... 231
viii Media Composer Fundamentals I
Exercise 9: Creating Freeze Frames and Motion Effects ............................................ 233
Exercise 9.1: Creating a Freeze Frame .................................................................................................. 234
Exercise 9.2: Creating a Motion Effect .................................................................................................. 235
Lesson 10: Creating Titles ................................................................................................ 239
Creating and Adding a Title with Avid Titler+ .................................................................................. 240
Fading a Title In and Out ........................................................................................................................... 244
Modifying a Title ............................................................................................................................................246
Review/Discussion Questions .................................................................................................................. 248
Exercise 10: Creating Titles .............................................................................................. 249
Exercise 10.1: Creating a Title ................................................................................................................... 250
Exercise 10.2: Editing a Title ...................................................................................................................... 253
Lesson 11: Exporting Your Video ..................................................................................... 255
Exporting a Video Sequence .................................................................................................................... 256
Changing the Export Settings .................................................................................................................. 256
Review/Discussion Questions ................................................................................................................... 261
Exercise 11: Exporting Your Sequence ........................................................................... 263
Exercise 11.1: Exporting Your Sequence ................................................................................................264
Lesson 12: Technical Fundamentals ................................................................................. 271
Avid’s Media Management Strategy ...................................................................................................... 272
Understanding Offline Media .................................................................................................................... 274
Recovering Lost Work ................................................................................................................................ 280
Deleting Media ................................................................................................................................................ 282
Review/Discussion Questions .................................................................................................................. 287
Exercise 12: Technical Fundamentals ............................................................................. 289
Exercise 12.1: Identifying Avid-Native Media Files ........................................................................... 290
Exercise 12.2: Hiding and Restoring Avid-Native Media Files ..................................................... 290
Exercise 12.3: Deleting Media Databases ............................................................................................... 291
Exercise 12.4: Identifying, Hiding, and Restoring Linked Camera-Native Media Files ........ 292
Exercise 12.5: Restoring a Bin from the Avid Attic ........................................................................... 292
Index .................................................................................................................................... 295
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Media Composer Fundamentals I and the Avid Learning Series. Whether you are interested in self-
study or would like to pursue formal certification through an Avid Learning Partner, this book provides the
first step toward developing your core skills and introduces you to the power of Media Composer software. In
addition, Media Composer Fundamentals I is the first course of study for those pursuing Media Composer User
certification.
The material in this book covers the basic principles you need to complete a Media Composer project, from
initial setup to final mixdown. Media Composer Fundamentals I will teach you what you need to know to be
successful with Media Composer.
Using This Book
This book has been designed to familiarize you with the practices and processes you will use to complete a
Media Composer project. Lessons and exercises focus on a phase of the editing process, starting with
organizing media, assembling a sequence, refining a sequence, creating titles and effects, and finally outputting
your program so others can view it.
Using the Course Material
The MC101 course media can be downloaded from http://www.editstock.com (see the upcoming “Downloading
Media” section). Once the media is downloaded, you will then need to follow the “Installation Instructions” to
place the media files in the correct locations on your system.
Downloading Media
The link below will give you instructions on how to create an Editstock.com/Avid account, enter an access
code, and ultimately download the media.
Go to http://editstock.com/avidsupport for instructions.
When asked for an access code from EditStock.com:
! If you have purchased the MC101 course through Avid Learning Partner or are using the book in the
classroom, you will be given an access code from your instructor.
! If you purchased the MC101 course from the Avid website, and not affiliated with any school, use the
access code found in your my.Avid.com account in your order history, to download the media. If you
purchased from another online bookseller, you will receive directions to download the media from that
seller upon purchase.
