Media Language

How to use Adobe Premiere to edit your short movie

Lesson Objective:

K: The basics of video editing.
U: How editing creates meaning.
BAT: Edit a short video piece to create desired meaning.
CO: Use media terminology throughout your verbal and written communication.

Editing is the alteration of a piece of footage or imagery post production of when it is captured.

Footage is a recording of an event in a point of time with a capturing device.

Transitions in media context relate to how the images and placement in the frame may suddenly change to another area. One of the most common transitions is called a cut, where the frame instantly changes without any effects. A fade would be the slow transition of one frame to another while the second frame begins to appear. A wipe could simply be one frame appearing in the right of the current frame and gradually covering the other frame to appear on its own, however there are multiple and more complex ways this transition can happen.

Audio can be described as the sounds caused by vibrations. There are two main types of sounds in footage, diegetic and non-diegetic sound.

Audio effects are alterations (as well as reflections in real life) made to the original base sound. A chorus would be two or more similar sounds playing at (near the) same time to create s larger base as well as a higher volume. Distortion to a piece of audio would alter the frequency of the sound waves either making it higher or lower, making it more compressed, sounding heavier and more aggressive. 

An edit decision list is the list of footage kept in an order when in the editing process to manage any pieces that are discarded as well as the placement of which should come first and so on. This is also most appropriate with multiple editors working on the same piece.

Editing has thew ability to create a meaning in a scene due to the inclusion of the audio and lighting e.t.c The alteration to the sound of a car crashing; having a heavier base can make it seem more dangerous or even the addition of romantic non diegetic music in a scene of a couple about to have an interaction, making it seem more interesting. This can also be said for the transitions in a scene and how straight cuts may be used in a serious situations while fades are usually used in a peaceful setting.