Ask a Video Pro is a webinar series where users can learn from the video production experts to help them get more out of their Creative Cloud tools. Every few weeks attendees log on to find out more about new new features, deepen their knowedge, or expand their skill set by learning a new application.
In 2014 over 2,000 people attended sessions and well over 20,000 watched recordings of them afterwards. Based on registration numbers, the most popular session this year was presented by Vashi Nedomansky (10 Tips for a More Efficient Editing Workflow), closely followed by Optimizing Your System for Peak Performance (by our own Todd Kopriva). Going user feedback, the biggest hit may have been How to Build a Successful Corporate Video Business, by Mark Drager and Kyle Wilson from Phanta Media, and there was a lot of love shown for Faster Filmmaking, as well. The most watched recording was Crafting the Perfect Image, by Will Read. And there were some sleeper hits, too, such as LOG and RAW Workflows (it must have been the sexy title that got them).
It has been a great year for Ask a Video Pro and it’s not over yet! You can still log on and watch (or re-watch) any of them. Below is a complete list of all the sessions presented this year, including descriptions and links to the recordings.
Still want more? We just posted our first webinar for 2015 and we’ll be posting more sessions early in the New Year. We also have a live panel discussion from the Sundance Film Festival coming up on January 23. If you have questions, or requests for topics or Adobe apps you’d like to learn more about in 2015, please let me know. I can be reached at @EricPhilpott
Ask a Video Pro 2014
Crafting the perfect image: from camera to color grading by Will Read
Recorded on February 6, 2014
Will Read’s first film project was spoiled by bad telecine work and even worse color grading. He vowed then and there never again to let someone else ruin his images. Today he is in high demand as a can-do filmmaker with a reputation for delivering stunning image quality. Using examples from recent projects, Will Read shows how to
- Moving beyond online/offline to simplify your pipeline
- Best practices for organizing a video project.
- Using Direct Link in an integrated editing/grading workflow
- Introduction to the SpeedGrade color tools
William H. W. Read is a filmmaker and colorist based in London and works in commercials, TV and film.
Optimizing your system for peak performance with After Effects & Premiere Pro by Todd Kopriva
Recorded on February 27, 2014
If you are building or upgrading a system for editing or motion graphics work with the Adobe Creative Cloud applications, this online seminar will help you understand your options and help you get the best performance out of your software.
- How CPU, GPU, and RAM affect performance
- What kinds of graphics cards should you be looking at?
- What platform-specific considerations should you be aware of?
- Running the Adobe applications on the new Mac Pro
Todd Kopriva is the product manager for After Effects.
10 Tips for a more efficient editing workflow by Vashi Nedomansky
Recorded on March 13th, 2014
Editing is an artistic activity which is defined by practical tasks. Delivering great work is as much about creative vision as it is about keeping organized and working efficiently. Using the example of Vincent Laforet’s Mobius, on which he served as senior editor, Vashi Nedomansky shares his top tips for keeping your postproduction workflow moving smoothly, from setting up your projects to best practices for editing, and quick tweaks to audio and color – all within Adobe Premiere Pro.
Vashi Nedomansky was a professional hockey player for 10 years before moving into filmmaking and editing. He has edited numerous features, including Sharknado, as well as shorts, commercials and music videos.
NAB 2014 – What’s coming next in Creative Cloud for video by Jason Levine
Recorded on April 10, 2014
Live from NAB, where Adobe first previewed the 2014 versions of the pro video applications, Jason Levine introduced great new features in Adobe Premiere Pro powered by After Effects technologies, including Live Text templates and Masking & Tracking, and new keying effects in After Effects, and more.
Jason Levine is principal worldwide video evangelist for Creative Cloud. He is a popular speaker and has a long history with the Adobe video applications, dating back to his days on the Cool Edit Pro team, before that application was acquired by Adobe and became Adobe Audition.
How to Build a Successful Corporate Video Business by Mark Drager & Kyle Wilson
Recorded on April 24th, 2014
Corporate video is exploding with the growth of web platform as the go-to place for video content. Over the past seven years, Mark Drager has guided Phanta Media to becoming one of Canada’s preeminent video communications companies. This session focuses on the strategic aspects of building a thriving video business, including a look at the Creative Cloud-driven production pipeline at Phanta.
- The ten secrets to building a successful video production business
- What is corporate video today and how do local markets shape your offering?
- Where are the growth opportunities?
Mark Drager (left) is Founder of Phanta Media and currently leads strategy and creative development at the company. Kyle Wilson (second from right in the back) is the Head of Post Production and manages the Post Production workflow and staff for each project produced.
Faster Filmmaking: the workflow from Prelude to Premiere Pro by Steven Sander & Michael Lewis
Recorded on May 15th, 2014
File-based video workflows are now the norm, but keeping track of those files and bringing them into postproduction in a organized and efficient way can still be a challenge. This presentation covers the workflow between Prelude, which provides file ingest and shot logging tools, and Adobe Premiere Pro, which is both an NLE and a postproduction hub. In this session you will learn how to:
- log shooting notes quickly and easily
- prepare content for postproduction
- bring projects from Prelude into Premiere Pro
- Improve production quality by improving your workflow efficiency
Steven Sander is an independent filmmaker and editor. He served as senior editor on Richard Jobson’s 2012 feature film Wayland’s Song, which used an all-Adobe workflow. Michael Lewis is product manager for Prelude and Adobe Story.
After Effects for Editors presented by Richard Harrington
Recorded on June 19, 2014
To many video editors After Effects seems complex and a little intimidating. They’d like to add After Effects to their skill set, but they don’t know where to start. Well, we’re here to help! If you can learn advanced software like Adobe Premiere Pro, you can definitely handle After Effects. Instead of thinking horizontally, the AE artist thinks vertically. Instead of thinking of sequences, in After Effects you focus on individual shots, or compositions. Discover creative ways to enhance footage, including:
- Animating type
- Animating still images
- Keying to remove image elements from their backgrounds
- Speed ramping
- Camera tracking
- Dynamic Link between Premiere Pro and After Effects
Richard Harrington is the founder of RHED Pixel, a visual communications company based in Washington, D.C. A graphic design and new media expert, he has written several books, including An Editor’s Guide to Adobe Premiere Pro, and is a popular trainer and presenter at digital media events across the US and around the world.
From photography to videography: discovering the filmmaking tools in Creative Cloud by Terry White
Recorded on August 14, 2014
With today’s DSLR cameras, most photographers have the means to create pristine HD video, but not all are familiar with the process of filmmaking or the postproduction tools to craft and deliver beautiful video productions. If you ever thought you wanted to make the jump into moving images, this seminar is for you.
Terry White, principal worldwide evangelist for Adobe, and renowned digital imaging expert, will introduce the workflows and the video production tools included in Adobe Creative Cloud, including Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Media Encoder, and more.
Making the Switch to Premiere Pro by Colin Smith
Recorded on August 21, 2014
Adobe Premiere Pro and the Creative Cloud video applications offer integrated workflows, industry-leading file format support, a professional editing toolset, and a little bit of Adobe magic to help take your productions to the next level. If you are an editor or filmmaker considering making the switch, or have recently joined Creative Cloud, this seminar is for you. You will learn about:
- Adobe Premiere Pro and the editing workflow with Adobe’s industry-leading NLE
- Dynamic Link integration with After Effects
- How to send audio to Audition
- Direct Link projects to SpeedGrade
Colin Smith consults on leading-edge video and graphics solutions all over North America including Hollywood filmmakers, New York media giants, and broadcast and animation houses in Canada. His passionate and accessible speaking style makes him a major draw at events and seminars.
IBC 2014 – What’s new in Creative Cloud for video by Jason Levine
Recorded on September 12, 2014
Adobe’s Jason Levine returns for an encore performance from IBC in Amsterdam where Adobe previewed the October 2014 releases, including powerful project management features like Search Bins, multi-project workflows, and Consolidate & Transcode in Premiere Pro, Curve adjustments and layer grouping features in SpeedGrade, Destination Publishing in Adobe Media Encoder, a fresh new look across all the applications, and more.
Boost your career with a killer reel by Rod Harlan
Recorded on October 2, 2014
Get tips and tricks for putting together a reel that grabs the viewer and shows off your work. Whether you are a filmmaker, or an animator, your reel is both a portfolio and a calling card. Learn how to make it work for you. If you have recently switched to Adobe Premiere Pro and the Creative Cloud (or are considering the switch) this seminar will also provide a great overview of the Adobe video tools and how to work with them.
Rod Harlan is an digital media veteran with 25 years experience as an author, artist, educator, photographer, videographer, and self-described Photoshop addict. He is a popular presenter at industry events.
LOG and RAW workflows and the Adobe video tools by Robbie Carmen
Recorded on October 9, 2014
Once limited to high-end digital cinema cameras, RAW and LOG recording is now available to everyone. But what do LOG and RAW really mean? How do they affect production and postproduction planning? How do you work with RAW and LOG footage with Adobe video tools? In this session, colorist Robbie Carman discusses cameras, media, and monitoring best practices for RAW or LOG workflows with Adobe Premiere Pro, SpeedGrade & Adobe Media Encoder. If you like the webinar and want more, we published a companion Q&A for this session with Robbie on ProVideo Coalition.
Robbie Carman is an award-winning senior colorist who worked on hundreds of TV shows, corporate productions, and feature films. An Adobe Master Trainer for Premiere Pro, Robbie is co-author of An Editors Guide to Adobe Premiere Pro, and has produced a number of popular training series for Lynda.com, including Lumetri Workflows using SpeedGrade and Direct Link.
HDSLR Filmmaking with Adobe Creative Cloud by Darren Orange
Recorded on November 6, 2014
Take DSLR workflow to the next level with the complete filmmaking toolset in Creative Cloud. Learn how to turn scripts into production schedules in Story, set up projects for efficient editing in Adobe Premiere Pro and move your content between the other tools like After Effects, SpeedGrade, Audition, and Media Encoder for an integrated workflow. Then make your HDSLR footage really shine by upconverting it to 4K, whether to future-proof your movie or breathe new life into old material.
Darren Orange has been editing with Premiere Pro for over 10 years and recently completed his directorial debut, “InSpectres,” He uses the Adobe Creative Cloud applications extensively in all his work.
Bring color grading into your editorial workflow with SpeedGrade CC by Patrick Palmer
Recorded on November 20, 2014
With the fall 2014 release, SpeedGrade CC introduced cool new creative tools and enhancements for your Direct Link color work, including Curve adjustments, Grading Layer Grouping, an improved Look workflow with hover previews, and much more. This session presents the new features and provides an introduction to the Direct Link integration between Premiere Pro and SpeedGrade. The presentation will be ideal for editors who want to add color grading to their skill set, as well as people who have experience with color grading, but are new to SpeedGrade.
Patrick Palmer is a senior product managers in the Creative Cloud video team and was part of the original SpeedGrade team. Patrick and I go way, way back.
Learn more about the Adobe Creative Cloud video applications.