Beginner’s Guide to Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is a software program that gives video editors the capability to take raw footage and transform it into professional movies; the results are so professional that even editors in Hollywood use this exact program!

Premiere Pro extends far beyond basic video editing and allows users to truly explore their creative side. With tools that help enhance colors, edit audio, and add visual effects, this program is truly a one-stop-shop for those who are looking to take their videos to the next level. 

Basic Features of Adobe Premiere Pro

Premiere Pro is a tool that gives professional results, plain and simple. Major movies and television shows like Deadpool and Netflix’s Mindhunter series were even edited using this program. One of the major advantages for professional filmmakers is that Premiere Pro can edit footage taken from multiple cameras and formats together, even if they are completely different sizes. 

Editing footage with Premiere Pro also means that you can seamlessly add effects and make other changes with the entire Adobe Creative Cloud. These programs were designed to work in tandem with each other without the need to convert files, so you certainly aren’t limited to just the tools within Premiere Pro when editing your videos. For example, footage edited with Premiere Pro can then be moved to Audition for audio editing, or After Effects to add more exciting visual effects. 

Customization is another aspect of Premiere Pro that makes it as impressive as it is. You can create a workspace template that works best for your style of working. For instance, you can organize and rearrange panels in different ways for editing versus previewing your work. Panels will resize automatically so your screen is always filled. The program also allows the user to create personalized keyboard shortcuts for easier access to the tools you use the most. 

Pros and Cons of Adobe Premiere Pro

After learning more about what Premiere Pro can do, it will come as no surprise that there are several advantages to using this program. Because there are so many active users, the community for support is quite large. This community has also worked to create additional tools, which can be added to Premiere Pro’s already extensive set of features. Users also appreciate the ability to use the program on multiple devices and operating systems. Like many other Adobe programs, there is a steep learning curve for those just starting with Premiere Pro. However, the ability to customize keyboard shortcuts and work with other Adobe programs helps make things feel more intuitive once you’ve had a bit of practice.

Regular users of Premiere Pro do feel that there are a few negative aspects to the program. To start, the export times for video files are often very long, especially when the files contain heavy amounts of graphics. The program also experiences lagging and occasional crashes, especially when editors are working with large text files. Finally, as is the case with all other Adobe programs, the subscription-based model is expensive and a huge drawback for freelance editors or smaller businesses who need the program. Many users feel this model is not customer-friendly and should be changed.

Careers That Use Adobe Premiere Pro

While proficiency with just Premiere Pro won’t be enough to land you a job, several lucrative career paths require extensive training with this software. Let’s discuss a few options, though this is by no means an exhaustive list.

A Motion Graphics Designer is one example of a career path that requires Premiere Pro skills. With this career, you’ll be able to combine text, sound, and motion to create enticing animations that quickly grab the attention of an audience. Motion graphics are most commonly used in film and television, but they can also be used anywhere that animation in videos is required. Many motion graphics designers work in areas like advertising, social media, or video game design. Generally speaking, a career in motion graphics pays an annual salary of around $77,000 and these jobs are projected to grow in demand by approximately 16% in the next ten years. With a motion graphics background, you can also search for employment as a 2D or 3D Animator. Depending on which part of the country you live in, these jobs generally earn around $64,000 annually, though some can earn up to about $95,000 per year depending on location and experience. 

Another potential career that requires a background in Premiere Pro is a Video Manager. These professionals are responsible for guiding the development of a graphic from start to finish. Many video managers help create digital advertisements, but some can get involved in creating episodes for television or full-length movies! As a video manager, you’ll get to storyboard, create, and animate your graphic images from scratch to help bring exciting stories to the screen. 

Learn Adobe Premiere Pro with Career Centers

Learning the ins and outs of a program like Premiere Pro can be daunting. To boost knowledge or upskill from what you already know, check out the Adobe Premiere Pro classes offered by Noble Desktop, a partner program of Career Centers. At Noble, you’ll find a range of training options to meet your budget and time constraints. You can take courses remotely or in person depending on your location and learning style. Noble offers a six-hour Premiere Pro in a Day course that will introduce students to some basic features through hands-on activities. Those interested in learning more can sign up for the Premiere Pro Advanced course after the introductory class, or dive straight in and try the Premiere Pro Bootcamp for a more thorough education. 

If you’re looking for overall video editing or motion graphics training, Noble Desktop has you covered here, too. Noble offers a comprehensive Motion Graphics Certificate and a Video Editing Certificate. Both of these programs cover Adobe Premiere Pro, as well as explore other aspects of these fields like audio editing, Adobe Audition, and After Effects. If you’d like to learn more about both programs, check out the Video Editing & Motion Graphics Certificate, which combines both curriculums at a reduced cost.