Automatic scene detection, Premiere Elements 2018

[Jeff930]

I just purchased Premiere Elements 2018, and from what I can gather, it does not have automatic scene detection when importing video.  A Google search revealed a program from Wondershare called Filmora, which has auto scene detection.  My question is, even if I use third party software like Filmora, how do I get the series of clips into Premiere Elements?  Do I have to save each individual clip as a separate file in Filmora, then import all the separate clips into Premiere Elements?

[Bill Sprague]

I don't know Filmora at all.  I suspect you would have to save each piece from Filmora separately. 

My normal procedure is to shoot each scene as a separate short clip, so automatic scene detection would not be useful to me.

If I were to do something like a stage play in one long shoot, I would put that long clip on the timeline, play it and use the cutting tool at each scene. 

I hope I answered your question. 

Bill

[Jeff930]

Bill,

Thank you for your reply.  I'm at fault for not being specific enough.

1.  Does anyone know of any options besides Filmora?  I was using Filmora as an example.  Filmora is $60.  Any cheaper alternatives?

2.  My question of having to treat each split clip as a separate file was more or less a general one regardless of the specific third party software.

I'm spoiled by a Windows program I used to use called Pinnacle Studio.  It was wonderful and accurate at scene detection.  I found it very easy to work with individual clips, even when not doing one long shoot.  Having the split clips provided a great starting point before putting a single clip on the timeline.  It was easy to look at each clip in its browser and say "Yea" or "Nay", and deleting the "Nay" clips before starting, regardless of how long or short any clips were.  To be honest, I haven't really done video editing since the Pinnacle days, but I'm just anticipating how tedious it may be to only have one long clip to start with.  I'm tempted to say, "Where do I start?"  Now I'm definitely not trying to cause an uproar here, and I hope I don't get any answers like, "You're joking, right?"  I know I'm not the only one ever starting with an un-split long clip, and I'll get the hang of it.

By the way, Bill, you say your normal procedure is to shoot each scene as a separate clip.  But you still end up with one long clip when you import it into Premiere.  Unless you mean you're somehow designating each clip separate from all the others?

I actually considered buying the current version of Pinnacle Studio, available for Windows only, and running it on my iMac on VM software like Parallels.  But tech support at Pinnacle (Corel) suggested not doing that.  So I have to "suffer" (just kidding, folks) with Premiere Elements 2018.  All kidding aside, I'm looking forward to having a lot of fun and success with Premiere Elements.  (Now if I can just find that elusive auto scene detection software.....)

[Bill Sprague · Accepted solution]

"Bill, you say your normal procedure is to shoot each scene as a separate clip.  But you still end up with one long clip when you import it into Premiere.  Unless you mean you're somehow designating each clip separate from all the others?"

I've never done any tape or analog video.  The only video I know is digital.  It does not "pause", it starts and stops.  So, if you shoot something for 10 seconds, you get a unique clip file for that 10 second shot.  Each and every shot gets its own file.

"I haven't really done video editing since the Pinnacle days"

There is a fast way to get started.  Steve Grisetti makes training courses.  He has provided a free 8 part series on YouTube starting here: Premiere Elements 15, Basic Training Part 1 - YouTube

He has a more complete series at Linda.com/LinkedIn Learning that you may be able to get on a free trial, through your library or pay for a month's access.  Click here:  What is Premiere Elements 2018?

[Jeff930]

Thank you for responding, Bill.  If I'm understanding correctly what you're saying, it sounds like Premiere Elements is doing its own scene detection of sorts, provided you're capturing video from a digital camcorder.  At least that's what I'm getting from "unique clip file".  The only camcorder I have right now is an old MiniDV, which uses digital tape.  However, I already tried capturing from it in Premiere Elements, and it doesn't work.  I bought a contraption that Steve Grisetti suggested, that uses analog composite cables to capture into an app that creates a video file that can be imported into Premiere Elements, but of course, it's all one continuous clip.  So a-shopping I will go for a new camcorder.  Then I can try exactly what you're talking about, and understand it better.

I did in fact sign up in LinkedIn Learning for the free month, and have already started watching Steve's course.  He does a great job at conveying and demonstrating the info.  I also bought his "Cool Tricks and Hot Tips" book.  Why I didn't purchase his "The Muvipix.com Guide to Adobe Premiere Elements 2018", I don't know.  But I'm sure I will.

[Bill Sprague]

Glad you like the course.  Linda/LinkedIn is a great resource for learning a lot!  My public library gives me access for free.

"it sounds like Premiere Elements is doing its own scene detection of sorts, provided you're capturing video from a digital camcorder."  It is not PrE that does it.  The camera captures the scenes/clips as separate files.  PrE has no choice.  It has to add the media just like separate photo files.

[Jeff930]

So it sounds like I don't need scene detection if I capture from a digital camcorder.  Thanks, Bill.

[Bill Sprague]

Until you mentioned it, I had never thought of scene detection in software.  A continuous tape with pauses would be a lot different that digital files with stops and starts.

[Jeff930]

I'm not even sure the digital tape has "pauses".

[SylNYC]

Adobe has announced on June 16, 2020 a Scene Edit Detection function coming to Premiere Pro soon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kbkRHVZfgA