MediaStorm Guide to Audio Configuration in Premiere Pro CC

This article is part of a series of posts with tips and tricks from our producers' experience working with Adobe Premiere Pro after years of working in Final Cut Pro. To read more about why we made the switch, check out this post. This screencast illustrates the basics of configuring your audio setting in Premiere Pro CC. Topics covered include: • How to set up your audio preferences for better importing. • The difference between single and dual track stereo files. • How to change a dual track stereo file to a single track stereo file. • How to mirror your strongest audio signal on both left and right channels.

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MediaStorm Guide to Nudging in Premiere Pro CC

This article is part of a new series of posts with tips and tricks from our producers' experience working with Adobe Production Pro after years of working in Final Cut Pro. To read more about why we made the switch, check out this post. Today's post was written by MediaStorm producer Eric Maierson. A great new feature in Adobe Premiere Pro CC is the ability to nudge clips up and down tracks using only the keyboard. To set a shortcut, simply open the Premiere Pro > Keyboard Shortcuts… menu. Then, search for “clip.” You’ll want to add shortcuts for Nudge Clip Selection Up and Nudge Clip Selection Down. We use Command-Up Arrow and Command-Down Arrow, respectively since they are similar to the default shortcuts for nudging clips left (Command-Left Arrow) and right (Command-Left Arrow). To nudge your clip, simply select it on the timeline and press the respective keyboard shortcut. Note that…

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Standard Three-Camera Interview Setup

MediaStorm’s standard interview setup is meant to provide a clean, focused environment for the viewer. It can be used both in a studio or in the field. We typically use at least two cameras, usually three, both for visual variety and for editing on-camera sequences. This is by no means the only way to conduct an interview and you should consider the role and look of the interview before beginning a project. The example below is for an interview with the subject sitting screen-right. If you want the subject to be sitting screen-left, camera and lighting placement should be reversed. Visual Look Background - We often use a black background behind our subjects to focus attention on what the subject says and how he or she says it. A large felt cloth works nicely. Cameras - We currently use the Canon 5D Mark III for our interviews. Camera Settings - It’s important…

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Improving Audio on the Canon EOS 5D Mk II

Kevin Reylek over at B&H has done a fantastic review of options to record better audio with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Kevin writes: "While the onboard mic performs as advertised, I found it to be serviceable at best. Consisting of just 3 tiny pinholes on the front of the camera body, the mic doesn't have the greatest pickup distance or quality. It is capable of picking up general ambience and voices, but it also picks up a fair amount of handling noise, which can mar an otherwise suitable recording. So, if you're recording video clips with the goal of having them heard as well, then an add-on mic is a must." They did multiple testings with several mics, and you can listen to the results at the bottom of the article.  While some of the options might seem a little impractical and unwieldy, if you're serious about using a 5D…

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