5 Must-know Editing Hacks in Premiere Pro You Need to Know

When it comes to editing videos, Premiere Pro is one of the most popular software programs. However, for beginners, the program can be daunting.

Whether you're a seasoned editor or just getting started, knowing a few basic hacks for Premiere Pro can make your life a lot easier. In this article, we'll share five essential editing hacks that every Premiere Pro user should know.

1. Custom Presets

One of the best ways to save time when editing in Premiere Pro is to create custom presets. Presets are a collection of settings you can apply to video and audio clips. For example, let's say you always want your videos to have a certain look or feel.

How to Create a Custom Preset

If you find yourself repeatedly applying the same effect to your clips, save yourself some time by creating a custom preset. To do this, simply go to the Effects tab and right-click on the effect you want to save. Then, select "Save Preset" from the drop-down menu.

You can also create a preset by dragging an effect from the Effects panel onto a clip in your project. Once you've done this, go to the Effect Controls panel and click on the "Presets" icon. 

From there, you can save your preset by clicking on the "Save Preset" button.

The Advantages of Using Custom Presets:

There are a few advantages to using custom presets. First, it can save you a lot of time. If you constantly have to adjust the same settings over and over, a custom preset can be a real-time saver. 

Second, it can help you achieve a consistent look for your projects. If you often edit videos for a specific client or in a certain style, using a custom preset can help you maintain that look from project to project. 

Finally, custom presets can be a great way to experiment with different looks and styles without having to start from scratch every time.

They can also improve your workflow and help you be more efficient. You can even share them with other editors and use them on multiple projects.

2. Double-click effect

This is one of the most commonly used hacks in Premiere Pro. The double-click effect is when you apply an effect to a clip by double-clicking on it in the Effects panel.

Advantages Of Double-click Effect

• It's quick and easy to do.
• You can apply multiple effects to a clip without having to nest it.

3. Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are your best friend when it comes to editing. They can help you save time and be more productive. 

There are a few keyboard shortcuts that are essential for Premiere Pro users.

• To create a new project, press Ctrl + N (Windows) or Command + N (Mac).
• To import files, press Ctrl + I (Windows) or Command + I (Mac).
• To export a file, press Ctrl + E (Windows) or Command + E (Mac).
• To create a new sequence, press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac).
• To open the project panel, press Ctrl + 1 (Windows) or Command + 1 (Mac).
• To open the Timeline panel, press Ctrl + 2 (Windows) or Command + 2 (Mac).
• To open the Effects panel, press Ctrl + 5 (Windows) or Command + 5 (Mac).

There are dozens of other shortcuts that can save you time, so it's definitely worth taking the time to learn a few of the most important ones.

The Advantages of Using Keyboard Shortcuts:

• They can help you save time.
• They can make you more productive.
• They can help you avoid mouse fatigue.
• They can help you improve your workflow.

If you're not using keyboard shortcuts, you're missing out on a valuable tool that can help you be more efficient and productive. So what are you waiting for? Start learning some of the most important keyboard shortcuts today!

4. Audio Gain

If you want to make your audio sound louder or softer, you can use the audio gain feature in Premiere Pro. This is a simple and effective way to adjust the volume of your audio without affecting the other tracks in your project. It is also a good way to balance the levels of different audio tracks in your project.

How To Use Audio Gain:

1. Select the audio track you want to adjust in the timeline.
2. Click the "Audio Gain" button in the toolbar.
3. Adjust the audio gain level using the slider.
4. Click "OK" to apply the changes.

Advantages of Using Audio Gain

1. You can boost or lower the volume of an audio track without affecting the rest of the tracks in your project.
2. Audio Gain is a non-destructive way to adjust audio levels.

5. Adjustment Layers

Adjustment layers are extremely powerful and can be used to make global changes to your project. For example, let's say you want to add a vignette effect to your video.  You can create an adjustment layer, apply the vignette effect to that layer, and then apply all the changes to all the clips beneath it. This is a huge time saver and can be a real game changer when editing your project.

How To Use Adjustment Layers

Open your project in Premiere Pro and go to the Effects panel.

To create an adjustment layer, simply go to the "Layer" menu and select "New Adjustment Layer."

Now that you have created your adjustment layer, you can add any effects to it that you would like.

For example, let's say you want to add a vignette effect. To do this, simply drag the vignette effect onto your adjustment layer.

You can also stack multiple effects on an adjustment layer.

For example, you could add a vignette and a color grade to your adjustment layer. To do this, simply drag both effects onto your adjustment layer.

Now that you have added your effects to your adjustment layer, you can make any adjustments that you need to.

For example, if you want to make your vignette darker, simply go to the "Effects Controls" panel and adjust the "Midpoint" slider. 

Once you have made all the adjustments you need to, simply drag your adjustment layer down to the " timeline."

You can then trim your adjustment layer to taste.

And that's it! You now know how to use adjustment layers in Premiere Pro.

If you're not familiar with how to use adjustment layers, you can check out many helpful tutorials online.

The Advantages of Using Adjustment Layers

There are many advantages to using adjustment layers.

First, they allow you to make global changes to your project.
They are non-destructive. This means you can make any changes you want without affecting your original footage.
They are easy to use and can save you a lot of time.

These are just a few of the advantages of using adjustment layers. If you're not already using them in your projects, use them to save time and increase productivity.

There you have it! These are five of the most important editing hacks that you need to know in Premiere Pro. By using these hacks, you can be more efficient and productive in your work. So what are you waiting for? Start using them today!

Do you have any other helpful Premiere Pro hacks? Let us know in the comments below!