This five-day course brings together our MC 101: Media Composer Fundamentals I and our MC 110: Media Composer Fundamentals II to give you the complete foundation required for the Media Composer User Certification Exam.
You will begin with the interface and basic editing techniques, then progress through trimming, fine-tuning your edit, adjusting audio, handling multi-camera projects, adding transitions and titles, and exporting your finished project. All training is hands-on, using project-based lessons built around real-world footage, including extreme sports and documentary material.
Once you have mastered the editing fundamentals, you will move into creating effects within Avid Media Composer. You will explore the effects-building interface and learn audio adjustments, multilayered video compositing, tracking, stabilization, retiming methods, and basic color grading techniques.
Prerequisites:
- No prior familiarity with Media Composer is required.
- Completion of a Macintosh introductory course or equivalent experience is required.
- A background in editing, production, or post-production is strongly recommended.
- No previous experience with Avid Media Composer is necessary.
Each student works at their own dedicated workstation.
Course Outline:
Introduction to Media Composer
- Launching Media Composer
- Understanding the Select Project Window
- Learning the Interface
- Working with Bins
- Creating and Changing User Profiles
- Personalizing the Application
Getting Started
- Creating a New Project
- Setting Up Your Project
- Inputting Video and Audio Clips
- Importing Media Files
- Preparing to Edit
- Saving Your Work
Building Your Sequence
- Overview
- Creating a New Sequence
- Working with Tracks
- Locating Audio Cues
- Building Your Sequence with Splice-In
- Editing with Overwrite
- Removing Material from a Sequence
- Essential Tools
Drag-and-Drop Editing in Segment Mode
- Understanding the Smart Tool
- Building a Montage with Drag-and-Drop
- Adding Narration with Drag-and-Drop Overwrite
- Editing Audio in the Sequence
Refining the Sequence
- Moving Segments in the Timeline
- Swapping Shots in the Sequence
- Deleting from the Timeline
- Changing the Length of Timeline Segments
- Exploring Trim Mode
- Useful Tools
Introduction to Transition Effects
- Creating Transition Effects
- Modifying Transition Effects in the Timeline
- Accessing Effects from the Effect Palette
- Modifying Effects in Effect Mode
- Creating Audio Crossfades
Introduction to Segment Effects
- Adding Segment Effects
- Stabilizing Shaky Footage
- Using Automatic Color Correction
- Hiding Jump Cuts with FluidMorph
- Resizing a Shot
- Using Standard Keyframes
Combining Multiple Effects
- Nesting Effects
- Changing the Order of Nested Effects
Freeze Frames and Motion Effects
- Types of Motion Effects
- Creating Freeze Frames
- Creating Motion Effects
Creating Titles
- Title Creation Tools
- Quick View: The Avid Title Tool
- Creating and Revising a Title
Exporting Your Video
- Exporting Your Video and Sequence
Technical Fundamentals
- Fixing Technical Problems
- Troubleshooting Missing Media Files
- Recovering Lost Work
- Deleting Media
Fundamentals and Beyond
- Fundamental Concepts
- Learning the Basic Workflow
- Going Beyond HD
- Working in 4K
- Creating and Setting Up a New Project
Inputting Media
- Ways to Input Video and Audio Clips
- Using the Source Browser
- Linking Clips to Your Project
- Importing and Converting Media Files
Preparing Dailies
- Prepping for the Edit
- Adding Information to Dailies
- Sorting and Filtering the Bin
- Creating Subclips
- Cloning Clips to Multiple Bins
- AutoSyncing Picture and Sound
- Grouping Clips
Quick Editing Tools
- Storyboard Editing
- Cutting Down a Sequence with Top and Tail
- Using the Extend Function
- Using Markers
- Mapping Buttons and Menus
- Quick Editing Techniques
- Improving a Montage with Split Edits
- Cutting and Recutting a Scene
Trimming Dialogue Scenes
- The Radio Edit Technique
- Exploring Trim Mode
- Trimming On the Fly
- Creating Split Edits
- Maintaining Sync
- Slipping and Sliding Segments
Mixing Sequence Audio
- Mixing Audio Efficiently
- Setting Up for Audio Mixing
- Audio EQ Tool
- Keyframing Volume and Pan Changes
Working with High-Resolution Images
- Understanding Pan and Zoom Effects
- Using FrameFlex on 2K+ Clips
- Creating a Pan and Zoom Effect with FrameFlex
Creative Retiming Effects
- Creating Motion Effects to Fill a Duration
- Creating Timewarp Effects
- Using the Anchor Frame
Tracking and Blurring Objects
- Creating a Blur Effect to Obscure Unwanted Elements
Introduction to Multilayer Effects
- Creating a Split-Screen Effect
- Using Advanced Keyframe Graphs
Nesting Multiple Effects
- Nesting and Reordering Effects
- Editing Inside a Nest
- Rendering and Managing Performance
Creating ChromaKey Effects
- Exploring Different Keying Types
- Working with the SpectraMatte
- Viewing the Matte Channel
- Adjusting the SpectraMatte for Clean Keys
Animated Titles and Graphics
- Creating Titles with NewBlue Titler Pro
- AMA Linking to Real-Time Moving Matte Keys
Packaging and Export
- Preparing for Output
- Packaging and Exporting a Sequence
- Using the Send To Export Templates
- Exporting XDCAM Media
Managing Project Media
- Managing, Deleting, and Consolidating Media
- Understanding Transcode Workflows
