2 sessions: Saturday-Sunday, May 14-15, 10am-4pm

So you’ve shot your film and you have 1TB of footage on your hard drive–now what? We can help. Through both demonstration and hands-on learning, the instructor will take you through two actual projects from start to finish, covering the foundational basics of narrative and documentary editing: organizing, managing and importing your media; making sense of Premiere’s panel and timeline interface; working with audio; trimming clips and using other tools to ultimately build a rough and fine cut; helpful keyboard shortcuts; applying transitions; adding titles; simple color correction; and exporting your project.

We’ll also cover editing concepts, vocabulary, and storytelling strategies to help you make those tough decisions on the cutting room floor. These basics will leave you empowered to create your own videos! Footage will be provided by the instructor. iMacs provided; students are welcome to bring laptops (Mac or PC). Bring headphones or earbuds for lab time. There is a lunch break each session.

Session 1

• Introduction to class and student intros
• What is editing?
• Editing narrative
• Project #1
• Setting up your project
• Importing video and audio
• Marking Clips – selecting areas of your clips to use in an edit
• Editing – drag and drop editing
• Editing shortcuts
• Practice editing time
• Refining your edit – adding transitions, fades to black
• Adding cutaways, working with layers
• Practice refinements
• Sound – creating audio crossfades, managing audio levels, adding sound effects
• Practice audio
• Color adjustments – simple color correction
• Practice color correction
• Exporting

Session 2

• Media management
• Editing documentary
• Project #2
• Briefly cover a paper edit
• Radio edit – laying out all the audio first
• Practice radio edit
• Working with b-roll
• Practice fine cutting
• Titles (MOGRTS and Essential Graphics)
• Effects
• Practice
• Exporting

NOTE: this in-person course is held at FilmNorth, 550 Vandalia Street, Suite 120, Saint Paul, MN 55114. FilmNorth is following CDC’s current COVID-19 guidance for Ramsey County:

• Masks are recommended for those who are unvaccinated, immunocompromised, or at high-risk for complications associated with COVID-19.
• People may choose to mask at any time.
• People with any COVID-19 symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should stay home.
• Free masks are available for students who need them (one per student per class).

Tuition: $245 regular | $185 member | $140 low-income

Gisell Calderón is a filmmaker and artist based in the Twin Cities. She has shown work at the Walker Arts Center, Trylon Cinema, Bryant Lake Theater, and on PBS. She is an MRAC Next Step Fund recipient and has explored her artistry in various national artist residencies. Gisell currently works as a freelance videographer and editor and is always working towards equity and inclusion in her filmmaking practice.