PREMIERE instruction manual - downloadable pdf

A near-300 page instruction book is available free via https://helpx.adobe.com/pdf/premiere-elements_reference.pdf

Below: screenshot of the initial contents page

PREMIERE common issues and moving projects across computers

Just starting out with this, discovering some apparently common issues as we go:

• won't render/save as the ScratchDisk location is inaccessible
• uploaded files disappear between login sessions
• previous editing appears to be lost

These all appear to be interlinked. I found a lot of key answers here.

SETTING THE PROGRAMME SAVE DIRECTORIES

This should be a one-time task, to change the default directories (where the programme stores files).

First: Set up a Premiere folder in your MyDocs (or My Videos).

Then: From the top menu, click through EDIT- PREFERENCES - GENERAL - SCRATCH DISKS

Change each of these into the folder you set up (in St G's terms that means the H drive, not the C drive where the folders are automatically set until you manually change them).

Then: Close Premiere and check your changes are still there when you re-open it.

Bit of a nuisance, but only a one-off task: click on BROWSE to reset the destination folder for each.

AUTO-SAVE + RECOVER FILES

PREMIERE ELEMENTS 14 Getting started

The best way is to simply use the programme's self-contained guides - follow the screenshots below (after you've clicked on video editing from the launch window):

Click on GUIDED on the top menu

You will get a playable video and can skip using this menu

You can select the area you want guidance on

...

PREMIERE ELEMENTS 14: Green Screen

You're much better off using a Mac but if you are using a PC and this software, then its not so difficult to apply the green screen effect...
I've embedded a how-to video below; for most things you want to do, you will be able to find how-to videos or web pages. This video has 56 seconds of initial waffle (advice on how to use a green screen, not waffle if you haven't used it yet!); go straight to 0:56 here.

You can also find a guide I did on green screening in Final Cut Pro X here.

VIDEO OPTIONS FOR GREEN SCREEN BACKGROUNDS

the following have pre-programmed a range of green screened (perfectly ironed/flattened/lit!) Xmas-themed backgrounds, or elements that can be added: snow, Xmas trees, Flash-style Santas...
Thanks to Paulina for suggesting these resources.

This user has several, such as...



There are others, such as 'Birmingham Vlogger':





And PixelBoom...



You can always search for more

KEYBOARD SHORTCUT MAPS Premiere Pro

Anyone I've taught for a length of time will have heard me frequently explaining the importance of taking time to learn keyboard shortcuts, as video editing is such a time intensive task.

This morning I spot a post from the simply superb NoFilmSchool site sharing some keyboard maps, in this case for Premiere Pro. 

You can find the link below, but here's a short quote...

I often harp on the importance of keyboard shortcuts in editing, and for good reason. They will save you so much time in the long run.

Read the full article here.