What is the best way to separate files, then reassemble them in a different order?

[myemerald]

I am using the 7 day trial version of Premier Pro 2017.0.2 v 11.0 (Windows) and would appreciate suggestions so I can evaluate the program before having to pay.

I have OLD family films and videos that have been professionally transferred to digital format (some are MPEG-4 and some are VOB files).  As a lot of my film cans/boxes weren't labeled, I didn't know the contents, or order they were in, until receiving them back.  I'm so happy with the contents, but they are out of order (i.e. file A contains footage from 1955 and 1958, while file B contains 1956 and 1960).  Now, I want to assemble everything in chronological order.

I'm watching the Adobe tutorials, and they are helpful, but not for what I'm trying to do.  I think this product is right for me, but I want to be sure during the free trial period.  I don't yet know all of the terminology and what it means (clip vs sequence, etc).

I have learned how to "mark in" and "mark out" different pieces of the file, and love how well that works.  I can't figure out how to save each segment though, and then work on the next piece.

Thank you very much!

[kirkeric]

At the risk of making this too simple, I'd simply grab that little razor blade in the toolbar (just left of your timeline), go to where you want to cut, click with the blade.  Go thru and do that for all of the spots you find a break.  Now, you have all separate pieces that you can slide around and place in order.

I'd then move all my clips off to the right to have work space at beginning of timeline.  Then, find earliest clip, drag it over to left and so on.

*Note. Be careful and use space too the right to temporarily position things otherwise, when you overlap on other clips, it defaults to cut them.

Hope this helps.

Eric

[myemerald]

I like things that are simple!  However, I'm not sure I can use these clips in different projects.  Is that possible?

[R Neil Haugen]

For this, you want sub-clips, I think.

Using the Source monitor (double clicking a clip in the Project panel auto-loads that into the Source panel) in the Editing workspace.

After you've double-clicked to load one of those long clips in the Source monitor, you can set an in/out on a section, and then save that as a subclip.

Ctrl/Cmd-U makes a subclip ... you give it a name, and in the project panel It's a separate item.

Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-X then clears the in/out points so you can make new ones elsewhere in the clip.

You can select clips in the Project panel, and the "export" and get new clips just of those sections. Use a high-quality version of DNxHD/R or Cineform YUV, and although they're be pretty good sized, they'll be visually lossless.

Neil

[myemerald]

Do my settings look correct?  I don't know anything about the various formats yet.  Am I correct in understand you to say that once I've exported my sub clips, I will be able to use them in different projects?  Thank you!

[R Neil Haugen]

A few things ...

First, upscaling from an SD (standard definition) frame-size of 720x480 to an HD (high definition) frame-size of 1280x720 is quite an "expansion". A LOT of extra data has to be guessed at to create all those new pixels, and you might want to try looking at this after export on a decent tv to see if you can stand to look at it. TV's typically do a better job of up-scaling SD on the fly to fill the screen than "enlarging" SD material to HD on export. You might find this ok ... as I said, test.

Second, the pixel aspect ratio of the clip is 0.9091, and aspect ratio of pixels on the export is 1.0, so the exported file will be a bit "wider" than the original. People will look ... wider. Which is not always ... better.

Third, the export is progressive versus the interlaced original. That at times works fine, but it's good to check it. There are others on here better at the interlace-to-progressive change than I.

Neil

[myemerald]

Neil, I don't want to make anyone wider LOL

I wonder if this is more sophisticated that what I need.  If I don't export the sub clips, just leave them in projects, can I still use them in a different project?

I've just been learning about sub clips, and I think what I will need to do is open each file in a different project (might be too large if I open them all in one project), and then make sub clips.  Then, I think each project will have several sub clips.  Finally, create a new project and insert all of the sub clips.  I would want to then export the project to a dvd for family.

It would be great if I could isolate the sub clips (or some other form of clip?) as I go along from file to file.  Making putting them in the correct order a bit easier.  Please let me know your thoughts.

[R Neil Haugen · Accepted solution]

Jim's right, Elements may be fine for your work. I'll give some idea of how to proceed if you do use PrPro .. and maybe you could modify this for Elements, I've not used that program in a decade!

There's different ways you can go about this. Realistically, unless you've got a HUGE amount of video, one project would be ok.

You can make bins (virtual folders) in the Project panel for each year, then create your subclips and name them for date and/or event, put in the appropriate bins by year. That makes a very easy single location to track all your footage by year/date/event, and have it available for any sub-project you'd want to create. (And doesn't take any file space on disc, as these are "virtual" clips.)

Want a highlight of Johnny's first ten years? Go into the first year's bin that would have any clip you'd want, drag & drop the clip onto the "new item" icon & PrPro will make a new sequence from that clip's properties. Right-click on the clip in the sequence, select "reveal in project", and it highlights that new sequence in the project panel. Rename that "Johny First Ten Years" and drag it into your bin for "projects" or "programs" or whatever organization you're using.

Now ... go through and add any clips from any bin to the sequence as you'd like. You can use the source monitor to make in/out selections and the comma & period keys to 'cut' those selections (or a whole clip if not in/outed) to the sequence. Or select & drop a bunch of clips on the sequence, scrub the playhead to the first frame you want to 'keep', and hit the Q key, automatically cutting everything from that point to the beginning of that clip (on that sequence only!) and moving that playhead point (snapping) to the end of the preceding clip. Scrub to the last frame you want to use of a clip on the timeline, hit the W key, and it auto-cuts everything past the playhead to the end of the clip, snapping any clips past it right up to the new cut line. You can blast through a project doing rough-cuts this way.

Now ... finish your cuts, add any transitions & color corrections, then export using probably something like the Cineform AVI or MOV options, which set up for SD very nicely. Export it and you've got your program.

Use the MPEG2-DVD export preset if you're going to make a DVD of it.

Neil

[myemerald]

Really helpful information, thank you so much.  I'm going to print all of this out, and follow your suggestions.  It sounds like what I am looking for.  I'm also going to look at Elements.  Feel free to add anything you may think of later.

Linda

[excited_Genie16B8]

I think Premiere Elements would be the better product here.  Certainly cheaper, in the long run.

[myemerald]

Oh goodness, forgot all about Elements!  Thank you 🙂