If you have made it to this page, you have completed your first video — well done. The best advice for moving forward is simple: make more videos. Each one will give you the opportunity to address something you were not happy with in the last.
Things to Try Next
- Improve your storyboard. Now that you have completed the full process, try to make your next storyboard more accurately reflect your anticipated result.
- Review your lighting. Look at your clips for exposure and color issues. Learning to use the adjustment tools in Premiere Elements will help, but correcting lighting during filming is always better. See the Lighting Tips page for guidance.
- Upgrade your audio equipment. The basic tools covered in this course are sufficient for most videos, but if you want to record interviews or higher-quality narration, consider adding a dedicated audio recorder or a mixer that supports multiple lavalier mics simultaneously.
- Go wireless. Wireless mics add flexibility and are worth exploring once you are comfortable with the wired recording process. There are many equipment review videos available on YouTube.
- Add music. A subtle background track can reduce awkward silence, mask minor equipment noise, and increase emotional connection with viewers.
- Try a green screen. Chroma key lets you place any image or video clip behind your subject. See the Chroma Key page for instructions.
These are starting points. Your main goal should be to expand your toolkit so you have more options for future projects. Practice is the key to improvement.
Tips for Common Problems
Background Noise and Noisy Locations
- Use a lavalier mic positioned close to the mouth. Your voice should overpower background noise. In windy conditions, tuck the mic inside a layer of clothing.
- During editing, reduce volume during quiet pauses manually or use the Smart Mix tool (Tool button > Audio). If you use Smart Mix, apply it before making manual adjustments so you can evaluate the results first.
- Consider using a voiceover narration track as the primary audio source instead of recording the speaker directly on location.
- Premiere Elements includes noise reduction tools. The NewBlue Hum Remover works well for hum caused by fluorescent lights, power lines, or PC recording equipment. The NewBlue Noise Reducer can reduce general noise but also affects voice quality — if noise is severe enough to need it, re-recording the clip is usually the better option.
- A low-pass filter effect can help reduce high-frequency hissing from wind or equipment. Other filters (band-pass and high-pass) can target specific frequency ranges and are worth experimenting with.
- If narration sounds inconsistent between clips, re-record it using the same setup used for your live shots.
- For more advanced audio work, the free tool Audacity has extensive capabilities. Audacity documentation is available on their website. That said, staying within Premiere Elements will be a simpler workflow for most projects.
Trimming Clips
- Expand the audio track to see the waveform
- Zoom in on the workspace
- If the clip is surrounded by other clips, move it temporarily to a mostly empty track
- Move the playhead to the beginning of the clip and start and stop it until you reach the point where you want to trim
- Move your cursor to the edge of the clip until it shows a bracket shape ([ or ]). Drag the edge to align with the playhead line. Alternatively, click the clip and use the scissors icon on the playhead to split the clip, then delete the unwanted portion.
- Zoom back out and return the clip to its original track if you moved it
Render Output Too Long or Too Short
Two markers control what portion of the timeline is rendered — one at the start and one at the end. The end marker commonly shifts too far right as clips are added and trimmed.
To fix this, drag the end marker (a gray elongated hexagon) so it aligns with the end of your final clip. The same process applies if output is cut too short — drag the marker to the correct position.
If you need a 20-second closing segment for YouTube end screen links, extend the length of the closing clip to the right — the end marker will follow. If the clip cannot be lengthened, moving the marker manually will add tail time, though it may appear black if no clip is beneath it. The UC ANR branded closing asset should already be long enough to cover this.
Fixing Color and Lighting in Clips
If a clip was recorded under unusual lighting — such as a subject in shade while the camera was set for full sun — you can correct it in editing, though results will not be as clean as getting it right during filming.
Select the clip, open the editing tab, and use the Color adjustment. The Auto Color button typically gives better results than manual adjustment. For lighting issues, try Auto Levels first. If the clip still looks off, experiment with the Gamma adjustment. A Reset button is available to undo Gamma changes if needed.
For best results, apply corrections in this order: Color, Lighting, then Gamma. Smart Fix and Auto Smart Tone are available but tend to produce inferior results compared to this manual sequence.
Getting Help
Something will go wrong during video production. Here are the best places to find answers:
- Adobe Help: Access via the Help menu in Premiere Elements, or go directly to the Premiere Elements support page. Adobe's tutorials are concise and focused on individual skills.
- Google: Often more effective than Adobe's own search for specific questions. Filter results by date, and prioritize answers from Adobe's site when available. Note that Premiere Elements has been around for many years — some older tutorials may not reflect the current interface.
- YouTube: The best source for technique and equipment guidance.
- LinkedIn Learning: All UC ANR employees have access. Courses cover video creation, editing, audio recording, and advanced equipment for those using Camtasia, Premiere Pro, or other editors.