Editing tricks? How do I do these?

[ChancyRat]

With everyone's help I'm rather having fun now. Thank you all.
A couple of annoyances to ask about, as I'm not sure I'm doing things right.

(1) Is this accurate: If I edit a clip on the timeline, for example shorten it and change volume at points, that version of the clip is not saved in the Project section, and I can never get it saved there? I am hoping I'm missing a method that would allow me to save clips from the timeline to the project area.

(2) How can I do this correctly: Sometimes I have a group of clips on the timeline, using several tracks, such as video, title slides, and audio. If I lasso an entire group and then drag it along the timeline to move it, and let up the mouse, the entire batch will often "relocate" to a completely different set of tracks, although remaining in proper group formation. This includes adding new tracks in at the top to accommodate them. This disrupts the entire organization (all title slides on one track, audio on another, etc.). To move the group, I try to click and hold the bottom clip (audio usually), and I pay attention to letting up the mouse on the same track, but that does not work. I have tried clicking on different clips in the group, but that doesn't work. This happens often but not always. The solution has been to move only a few of the clips at a time, but that makes it impossible to insure you have the same arrangement at the end.

(3) Why does the default program open to the Video4 track instead of Video1?

THANKS.

[momoffduty]

Hi Chancey,

1. The file that is in the Project 'media' panel is the original video file. If you want to save your edited clips export as a DV-Avi file. File>Export>Movie and save somewhere on your hard drive and check off in the settings to add to your project. I have done this when I wanted to save small edited clips to make a highlight video later and named them in sequential order.

2. Not sure what is happening here. After you release the mouse and the group is now in tracks above, can you move them down to lower tracks? If you have a sound effect sometimes they can't be placed on tracks 1,2, or 3. Think it has something to do with mono vs. sterio. My projects end up scattered on many tracks. As long as the group is in the correct point in the timeline then wouldn't worry about the extra tracks.

3. Don't know, maybe someone else has the answer.

Hope this helps

[ChancyRat]

Hi Chancey,

1. The file that is in the Project 'media' panel is the original video file. If you want to save your edited clips export as a DV-Avi file. File>Export>Movie and save somewhere on your hard drive and check off in the settings to add to your project. I have done this when I wanted to save small edited clips to make a highlight video later and named them in sequential order.

2. Not sure what is happening here. After you release the mouse and the group is now in tracks above, can you move them down to lower tracks? If you have a sound effect sometimes they can't be placed on tracks 1,2, or 3. Think it has something to do with mono vs. sterio. My projects end up scattered on many tracks. As long as the group is in the correct point in the timeline then wouldn't worry about the extra tracks.

3. Don't know, maybe someone else has the answer.

Hope this helps

Hiya! Thanks and follow-ups:
1. Unfortunately I now have a new and serious error that may be related to this. I'll post a different thread about it.

2. No, I can't relocate the group to the correct tracks, because there aren't enough new tracks added to accommodate the bunch, so several of them land and cut apart other clips. The group always lands higher up, so the top clip might land in a new track added to accommodate it, but the others mess up quite a bit. I have to un-do that. I'm not using sound effects. It's a combo bunch of titles, videos, and audio, and I attempt repeatedly to insure they land in the same tracks that they started from (so, audio in audio and so on), just a different place in time.

3. I'll wait to hear about this one: Why does the default program open to the Video4 track instead of Video1?

Thanks.

[momoffduty]

2. If they are cutting apart other clips then the group is not being placed in an open area of tracks. If there is a clip say on track 1 then the group you are moving will split that clip or will be placed above.

To get a better view zoom into the timeline. What is your screen resolution? I have mine set at 1680x1050 and this allows more of the editing workspace to be displayed.

[ChancyRat]

2. If they are cutting apart other clips then the group is not being placed in an open area of tracks. If there is a clip say on track 1 then the group you are moving will split that clip or will be placed above.

To get a better view zoom into the timeline. What is your screen resolution? I have mine set at 1680x1050 and this allows more of the editing workspace to be displayed.

I believe I *am* placing them on an open area of tracks. Yes, there can be clips vertically above the point where I am placing them, but those clips are on different tracks. That should work, right? I verify there is space on all the related tracks. I drag the group. I see them hover over the right place, where I want them to land. Each clip in the group is in the right track. I let up the mouse, and BOOM, they launch and land above my target spot. Everything looks correct before I let up the mouse but the outcome is totally wrong. I have no problems doing this sometimes, it's just not always. I cannot discern why it works sometimes but not always. If there is something about the tracks that is interfering, I don't know how to see that. I go to great lengths to insure the tracks are clear for the collective group of spots where I want the group to land. I'm sorry I have a feeling I'm not clear.

[momoffduty]

Sometimes I have forgotten an element in the audio track and tend to look just at the video tracks for an open area. But, I usually use a few tracks of sound fx.

Not sure why this is working this way for you.

[Paul LS]

The video going to Video track 4 is because the audio in your video does not match the project preset selection. What format is your video, HD AVCHD or standard definition? If your format is AVCHD and the video has 5.1 surround sound you need to select the 5.1 AVCHD project preset. If it is stereo you have to select the non-5.1 preset. If you video is SD MPEG2 then there is a limitation in Premiere Elements when using 5.1 with standard definition. What format is your video?

Note that because of the above, if you want to use stereo audio in a 5.1 project it will only go to track 4 and above. And likewise if you want to use 5.1 audio in a stereo project it will only go to track 4 or above. So the lowest 3 tracks are reserved for the audio that matches the project preset.

[ChancyRat]

Sometimes I have forgotten an element in the audio track and tend to look just at the video tracks for an open area. But, I usually use a few tracks of sound fx.

Not sure why this is working this way for you.

I will look again for hidden clips. Interestingly, I did just find a sliver of something, although it was located far out to the right away from the clips I'm working with, and I stumbled onto it by typing End, and that jumped me out to the netherworlds where I thought nothing could live. And there it was.

I was happy to find that one that way, but for those tiny slivers that are within the group I'm working with, is there a trick to finding them? Or does it come down to, enlarge the timeline as big as it will go and then scroll back and forth and up and down to catch them?

[VernonRobinson]

Chancy,
If you press the PgUp or PgDn key it will move from clip to clip regardless of which track it is on. I use this technique all of the time to make sure there are no gaps in the timeline. Chuck/Steve, can't remember which right now, has put together a great tutorial on using the timeline. Take a look. There are a lot of great nuggets of knowledge in there.

Regards,
-Vernon

[SteveG]

Here is something else you can do to see if a track is actually empty. Save your project. Right-click on the left where it shows the track numbers and select delete empty tracks. If a track you thought was empty does not delete, then obvioulsy there is something there. You can then just undo the delete empty track command. I have done this several times and it works just fine.