The 2.0 Panels

So what are the available panels in 2.0, and what are they used for? This section takes a closer look at each one, introducing you to some new panels and reminding you of some familiar ones.

The Project Panel

Formerly called the Project window, the Project panel houses all your project media and sequences for your project (Figure 1.5). The only change here is the name; no features were added or taken away since the last product release.

Figure 1.5. This is the Project panel, where all your project files,sequences, and media are stored while you work

Chapter 3, "Using the Project Panel," focuses on the Project panel's functions.

The Source Monitor and Program Monitor Panels

The Source Monitor is used to preview and select source material for your sequences. The Program Monitor is used to preview, edit, and play the edited sequences. As a result of the windows-to-panels conversion (Figure 1.6), the Source and Program Monitor panels can dock together into the same frame or exist independently, and both be open at the same time. When editing with HD, I tend to work with one Monitor frame that has both the Source Monitor and Program Monitor docked into it.

Figure 1.6. You can dock the Source Monitor and Program Monitor separately or together in a single frame

Notes

You may notice this chapter does not contain coverage of the Capture panel. Because it is not typically a panel that you would leave open and integrate with various workspace layouts, I've left discussion of the Capture panel to Chapter 2, "Capturing Video."

The Source and Program Monitors are fully explored in Chapter 4, "Playing Back and Viewing Your Media."

You can access two additional panels from the Program Monitor as well: the Trim panel and the new Multi-Cam Monitor panel.

The Trim and Multi-Cam Panels

The Trim panel and the Multi-Cam Monitor are specialized panels used for specific editing tasks. With the Trim panel you can make precise edit adjustments at exact cut points in a simple visually based monitor (Figure 1.7).Chapter 26, "Advanced Editing: Creating your Cut," explains the Trim panel's uses. The Multi-Cam Monitor panel is a new Monitor panel that enables you to edit multiple camera shot material (Figure 1.8). Chapter 27, "Advanced Editing: The New Multi-Cam Workflow," explores the Multi-Cam Monitor panel in its entirety.

Figure 1.7. With the Trim panel you can adjust and fine-tune the exact cut points between two clips in the timeline

Figure 1.8. With the Multi-Cam Monitor panel you can execute, refine, and view multiple camera material

The Timeline Panel

In the Timeline panel you physically assemble, modify, and create your edited sequence (Figure 1.9). With 2.0, any panel can be docked into the frame that holds your Timeline panel; however, typically you will just have more sequences docked in the frame.

Figure 1.9. Here the Timeline panel has two sequences docked in it, Sequence 01 and Multi-Cam

You can have more than one Timeline panel open so that you could in essence look at two sequences without switching back and forth using the tabs. The Timeline panel is explored in Chapter 5, "The Timeline Panel."

The Audio Mixer and Audio Master Meters Panels

Former versions of Premiere Pro could display a fully expanded Audio Mixer and an abridged output meters- only version (Figures 1.10a and b). Premiere Pro 2.0 preserves the Audio Mixer panel as it was in 1.5, plus it adds a new separate panel that always displays the master VU Meters from the Audio Mixer. This new panel is called the Audio Master Meters.

The Audio Mixer and the Audio Master Meters are discussed in more detail in Section III, "Advanced Audio Techniques."

Figures 1.10a and b. The familiar Audio Mixer (a) is now joined by the Audio Master Meters panel (b), which is much smaller and contains only the necessary meters to monitor the decibel level of the output sound

DVD Layout Panel

A brand-new panel for 2.0, the DVD Layout panel (Figure 1.11) assists in the process of customizing an interactive, menu-based DVD.

Figure 1.11. In the New DVD Layout panel you can click, drag, and adjust various elements associated with a custom DVD

Chapter 11, "DVD Basics," introduces the basics of this panel and its functions, while Chapter 16, "Custom DVD Design," takes the discussion one big step further. When using the DVD Layout panel, you can adjust the properties of the panel and its associated elements using the Effect Controls panel.

The Effect Controls Panel

Whenever you adjust an effect property or want to see the value of certain settings for an applied effect, head to the Effect Controls panel to extract or modify that information (Figure 1.12).

Figure 1.12. In the Effect Controls panel, you adjust and modify a clip effect parameter that has been applied to a clip in your sequences. Additionally, you can use the Effect Controls panel with the DVD Layout panel to modify DVD Menu elements

Chapter 7, "Transition Basics," introduces the Effect Controls panel, while Chapter 8, "Effect Controls Basics," fully explores it.

The Effects Panel

The Effects panel hasn't changed with 2.0. Whether you're applying video effects, audio clip effects, video transitions, or audio transitions, the Effects panel is where all the effects and transitions are housed (Figure 1.13).

Figure 1.13. The Effects panel holds all the effects and transitions that can be used in your project. Additionally, the Effects panel can hold custom-made effect presets, which you can access from the Presets folder

The Effects panel also holds custom effects that you created by exporting the effect properties of any effect applied to a clip in your sequence. Custom effect presets are stored in the Presets folder.

The Titler Panels

The Adobe Title Designer, now known as the Titler in Premiere Pro 2.0, was remodeled as five different panels to conform to the new 2.0 interface (Figure 1.14). The five panels that make up the Titler are Titler, Tools, Styles, Actions, and Properties.

Figure 1.14. The Titler, Tools, Styles, Actions, and Properties panels are the group of panels that comprise 2.0's Titler

Although you can open the Titler panels individually, your desktop layout is better served if you to open them and create a workspace that has them all together. Chapter 10, "Titler Basics" introduces and explores these panels, then Chapter 15, "Advanced Titling: Styles and Templates," will deepen your understanding of the Titler.

The Tools Panel

Called the Tool Box in 1.5, the Tools panel (Figure 1.15) holds all the tools that assist in timeline editing or Program Monitor adjustments. In 2.0, you can drop the Tools panel either vertically or horizontally into any region of your workspace. Consult Chapter 6, "The Editing Workflow," for more details on this panel's tools.

Figure 1.15. Vertically or horizontally the Tools panel doesn't need too much space to reveal its tools

The History, Events, and Info Panels

What used to be the primary Tab palettes from Premiere Pro 1.5 are now panels just like rest of the former "windows." The History panel logs every step that you take in Premiere Pro, and you can use it to back up any number of steps or undo previously completed tasks (Figure 1.16). The Events panel keeps track of errors and warnings. If something doesn't seem to be working right or you want to look back at a warning you saw, you can look at the events listed in the Events panel. Finally, the Info panel displays feedback relevant to the panel or region of the application you are working in. If you selected a clip in the Timeline or Project panel, information specific to the selection appears in the Info panel.

Figure 1.16. When you select a clip in the Timeline panel, the properties of the selected clip appear in the Info panel. The History panel shows a listing of all the actions recently taken. By clicking on a previous action, you can back up to that point and undo what was done between the current time and that previous point. The Events panel lists any error or warning messages and allows you to select the message and display its details. Hopefully your Events panel remains empty like mine

These panels are referenced throughout the book and there is not one dedicated chapter devoted to any of them in particular.

Now that you have seen the different panels, let's focus on selecting a panel, rearranging the panels in your workspace, and resizing a frame.