Premier Pro Editing Newbie - Sequences

**Jammer** · 10-19-2011, 12:40 PM

Hi All,

I'm editing my first video with Premier Pro CS5.5 and I have a couple of questions that I'd like to ask and get a view on. I've been an audio engineer for years and so I'm VERY comfortable with sequencers in general, but new to video editing.

I've filmed everything on my Canon 5D MkII at 1080p/24 and I have created a new sequence using the "New Seqence from Clip" option. All good. My question is really a bit more basic than that. I've been looking around the web for a decent explanation of what a sequence is and so far haven't found anything. It's often the case with technical explanations that the basics of terminology are completely forgotten.

The video is a series of interviews with some cut aways. Nothing fancy. My take on a sequence is that it's a package of footage. I was planning on using a sequence per interview and then combining these together in a master sequence and nested sequences. Does this make sense or am I thinking about sequences completely incorrectly?

Also, if I have a master sequence and say I lengthen the first sequence a bit, how do I get that reflected in the master sequence?? I know the CONTENTS in the master sequence simply points to the source sequence but it doesn't jog the subsequent sequences down the time line automatically in order to accomodate the new material.

Any info or pointers/explanations or links to useful stuff would be great.

Thanks,

**Marc Peters** · 10-19-2011, 01:19 PM

I find sequences useful for exactly what you described, I.e to help in good housekeeping. Where I have a simple video, I tend to use one sequence only. However, if I'm being lazy, I sometimes drop one sequence onto another to apply the same effect to all clips.

**david walsh** · 10-19-2011, 01:20 PM

The video is a series of interviews with some cut aways. Nothing fancy. My take on a sequence is that it's a package of footage. I was planning on using a sequence per interview and then combining these together in a master sequence and nested sequences. Does this make sense or am I thinking about sequences completely incorrectly?

Some editors like to keep their entire edit on a single sequence, others like to mix it up with nested sequences. Sometimes one way suits better than the other for any particular project. Different NLE's even have different terminology's and ways of working with the feature. In the past it wasn't an option. An editor only had one sequence per project, then as updates happen the feature appeared. It's not a necessity, but has many uses, all of which are only limited by the editor using the tool.

Also, if I have a master sequence and say I lengthen the first sequence a bit, how do I get that reflected in the master sequence?? I know the CONTENTS in the master sequence simply points to the source sequence but it doesn't jog the subsequent sequences down the time line automatically in order to accomodate the new material.

If you change to the ripple edit tool you can lengthen/shorten your sequences in your master sequence just as you can with the clips in your nested sequences. More often than not a master sequence will be a collection of clips and nested sequences.

David.

**Jammer** · 10-19-2011, 01:39 PM

This is great, thanks for the clarification guys, much appreciated. No doubt I'll be bank in 10 mins with another question!!

**Jammer** · 10-19-2011, 01:43 PM

OK, Make that 5 mins ...

Would you add the soundtrack in the master sequence?

**david walsh** · 10-19-2011, 02:07 PM

You'll find things remain a lot cleaner/easier if you keep any audio for any particular clips with the related video within the nested sequence they have been edited into, any further soundtrack elements just need a bit of thought. I.e and I know this is a bit of a daft example for interviews. If your adding in a phone ringing sound effect it would be best within the nest as any editing changes can be made easier to suit. But a lot of other soundtrack stuff, such as music, will be easier to work with in the master sequence.

David.

**Jammer** · 10-19-2011, 02:23 PM

Excellent!! I was totally on the right track (no pun!), I was going to keep the interview audio in their associated sequences and then I was going to add the master audio track (the music) in the master sequence. Thanks for that David.

**Kevin Monahan** · 10-19-2011, 08:27 PM

I think of sequences as "versions" of my show. I don't like to destroy my previous work, so often I will duplicate a sequence and place it in a bin for storage and just in case I want to start from scratch. You can have different versions of your show, so you can show different versions to the client/director. You can also use sequences to divide up a film into Acts. A lot of different ways to use sequences, but I think of them as different versions of any show.