Becoming Better at Premiere

It's all of the above and more. It's really like any skill, you just have to put in the work and the time.

Watch tutorials, edit your pieces, learn how to use text, how to use color, etc. 

Film school is too broad for just specifically focusing on editing. But there are edit bootcamps and workshops where you can learn a lot in a short period of time.

Kevin: Beyond all the mastering of Premiere Pro does come the even harder task of mastering the actual act of editing, of storytelling, of keeping the audience engaged and entertained. That is a talent that much more important that flying on the software. I think.

You answered my question to the OP.

Hi Leemonjames,

Thank you so much for a very thoughtful question! I learned how to edit before there were computers, so my learning on how to edit came with editing audio tape, then tape to tape video editing using linear editing controllers. Very primitive! In junior college and the university, I was taught by instructors and fellow students. I loved creating radio spots using only a mixer, some turntables, a reel to reel recorder, and a splicing block. I spent hours in the studio. Mainly cut tape to tape on video with a Sony editing controller. After graduation, I did some tape to tape editing and moved up to online editing using CMX (JKL keys!). My co-workers showed me how to operate the gear. I took a break from editing and did camera and lighting for a few years but got injured and got retrained in post, but this time on a computer and with Avid.

In the late 90s, with a bad back injury and some training dollars to spend, I found a trade school that had the proper certification. The "Avid boot camp" was supposed to take 3 or 4 months, but I took more time as I wanted to max out my courses with different instructors and take some courses twice. It was at this place, Video Symphony, located in Burbank, CA where I became an NLE hardcore. With solid Avid knowledge in this era and in LA, I was easily making over $100 hr. I have my instructors to thank, but I also had a super hardcore work ethic as far as learning went with Media Composer. I literally practiced around 8 hours a day. After some months, I got very good. And then Final Cut Pro 1 came out and I got it right away and sought out to master it.

I mastered Final Cut Pro on my own in no time using the techniques I learned at Boot Camp. That said, I observed a FCP demo at the time by a FCP Beta Tester, Sharon Franklin (IMDB here). Sharon rarely uses the mouse to edit, both hands on the keyboard with windows flying open and closed. Yes, I thought I was pretty fast; until I saw Sharon cutting at the speed of thought. I sought out to master her technique of becoming an "all keyboard" editor. 

I am still at work mastering the operation of Premiere Pro and watch the masters that I respect, people like Jarle Leirpoll and Jeff Greenberg are two guys I love to watch. Check out Jarle's book for all the inside tips on Premiere Pro. He and Jeff give classes at places like Adobe MAX and NAB's Post Production World.

Beyond all the mastering of Premiere Pro does come the even harder task of mastering the actual act of editing, of storytelling, of keeping the audience engaged and entertained. That is a talent that much more important that flying on the software. I think.

Regards,
Kevin Monahan

My approach was exactly trial and error + watching tutorials. That helped me develop my own approaches and workflow. You are on the right path

It all depends on what you want to do. Do you want to learn certain techniques/effects or do you want to learn what Premiere can do?

Premiere is a vast programme with many features so you may want to stick to some basics for now. Maybe create  a project you could work on?

Do you want to learn how to use the program itself or how to edit a piece.