How to Edit iPhone Video in Premiere (How to Vlog - Part 2)

Your Biggest Obstacle

The hardest part of creating videos is getting over the internal dialogue that what you shot (or are shooting) won't come together in editing. 

Yesterday, I was at Keller Williams International, filming a video with The One Thing team. A business consultant and I were using my annual goals as a coaching opportunity for their membership site. 

As we filmed the video, I could tell that morale in the room was declining. Things weren't going as planned and everything seemed to be crumbling to pieces. The immediate instinct was to call it quits ... despite all the content that had already been captured. 

I encouraged the group to salvage the shoot by pivoting and adding an alternative intro / outro rather than officially quitting. That way they could edit the video and still have hope that it might come together. More likely than not, the video will turn out far better than anyone anticipated. 

Believe it or not, this is a common occurrence on shoots. 

With almost every video I shoot for my channel, I'm never totally sure if it will work or fall flat. Yet, when I get to editing, it always comes together. 

iPhone Vlog Challenge

It all starts by hitting record.  Last week's video outlined How to Vlog on Your iPhone and this week's vlog takes you STEP by STEP for how to edit it. From importing the photos, organizing them, all the way to exporting. In this lengthy video, I hold your hand throughout the full process of editing so you don't get stuck in the weeds. 

I've put out an unofficial challenge where I'm encouraging YOU to hit record, edit and post your results on social media. It doesn't have to be long, it doesn't have to be perfect (in fact, it won't be!). But everyone starts somewhere. 

Choose ONE person in your organization to do a vlog about something that is happening this month and post it by February 15th on social and I will promote your video on my channel (with your permission, of course). 

NOTE: If you’re reading this blog after the deadline has past, I challenge you anyway!

Rules of the Game

- Must shoot on your phone (evens the playing field)
- Must be loosely business related
- Post on social with the hashtag #JanVlogContest (yes, I choose the wrong name for the hashtag)
- Tag me in it!

Just remember: Push through obstacles and aim for an exported video



In this video (and blog) I teach you how to edit an iPhone Video in Premiere! Buckle up and get ready–this step by step tutorial is exhilarating! 

Below each step is a timestamp so references in the video are easily accessible. Bullet point lists and special “Tips” also show tricks for mastering video editing.

Step 1: Prepare for Adobe Premiere 

1.15 timestamp

I know a lot of you don't use Premiere Pro–you will be able to apply the same editing techniques on different software–BUT if you are going to make videos often I highly, highly recommend updating to Premiere Pro!

HERE’S WHY

You'll be able to use 12 years worth of editing tips, tricks, and shortcuts. That is totally worth the simple upgrade. I HIGHLY  recommend it.

Go to Photos and Airdrop to your computer.

  • On iPhone: Photos > select all videos

  • On Computer: Click Finder > Airdrop > Your phone should appear

    • Or Finder Preferences > ensure it is turned on in Sidebar

  • Tap icon and send it to your computer

Patience is key; it takes time for the videos to transfer.

Go to your Downloads folder on your computer

  • Plug your external harddrive into computer

  • Copy the airdropped files to your external Harddrive

    • Why: copying them makes 2 copies in case they move onto the editing program and somehow get lost or messed up.

  • Organize the external harddrive folders as: 01 PREMIERE, 02 FOOTAGE, 03 MUSIC, 04 GRAPHICS, 05 EXPORTS. 

    • Label subfolders:

      • 02 FOOTAGE

      • VIDEO_34 (your video may have a different #, my example is #34)

      • iPhone Files (this is where you put all airdropped videos)

        • Delete any .jpeg files though because you don’t need them.

After you copy the files onto the hard drive, delete them from the downloads folder to save space on your computer’s internal harddrive.

Now you are ready to hop into Premiere Adobe Pro!

Step 2: Prepare Video in Premiere Pro

3.53 timestamp

Open Premiere Pro & Create a new project

  • Browse your computer to choose where to save the project. I choose the same 02 FOOTAGE, VIDEO_34, iPhone Files location to keep it organized. 

  • Name the Video

    • Title: Video_#_date

    • Mine: VIDEO_34_01292019

    • Why: you can keep track of the timeline and create a new project later on, if you want to, without anything getting lost. 

  • Drag iPhone files folder into lower left box (this imports them)

  • Rename it 02 FOOTAGE to match the system

  • Create ‘New Bin’ by right clicking or Command B & call it 01 SEQUENCES

Drag a clip (first video) over to the bottom right box & Create a sequence

  • Label the video: VIDEO_34_RC_1. RC stands for rough cut. 

  • Duplicate the video and call it VIDEO_34_Selects

  • Why: we dragged and dropped that so your sequence settings would match your clip. You should now select the clip in the lower right box and delete it.  

  • Can create a VIDEO_34_BLOOPERS Sequence too :) that’s always fun 

Watch every video clip in the upper left box & Choose the best sections of each clip

A lot of people want to skip this step BUT if you don’t watch everything then you will not find those golden clips! It makes your job a lot easier in the next stage of editing. 

Choose the best sections by clicking ‘i’ and ‘o’ on the keyboard. These stand for the ‘in’ and ‘out’ of a clip. They choose which section of a clip you want in the final video. 

When you do that on a clip, drag the clip from the upper left box to the bottom right box sequence. Or you can drag the whole clip down to the sequence by right clicking and clearing the in and out before dragging. Timestamp 8.50-9.30 for in and out example.

  • TIP: ‘L’ keyboard button = fast forward

  • TIP: drop in and out point into the sequence by using a comma (,)

    • Add Keyboard Shortcuts:

      • Click Premiere Pro Window Bar 

      • Choose Keyboard Shortcuts

      • Search Shortcuts in bottom search bar or set it as another custom shortcut

  • TIP: Add a Marker ‘m’ to indicate important clips for easier future access

    • Label the marker with signal titles like ‘Tip 2’ or ‘Add b-roll of story here’

For filming a blog, it’s important to take multiple takes. You can choose your favorite during this review. In Premiere Pro, move your favorite clip to the sequence and lift it up a line to indicate you really like that one (10.11 timestamp). 

Step 3: How to Select B-Roll Selects

10.15 timestamp

  • Click on a b-roll video that audio can go over

  • Choose your in and out

  • Press ‘m’ to mark it

  • Label as ‘b-roll’

If your video has a lot of b-roll (most do) then go to your sequences, duplicate one of the sequences, and name it ‘B-roll’.

If your video does not have a lot of b-roll, then you can just add the clips directly into your Selects sequence. 

  • TIP: If video orientation is messed up or you want to reorient graphics

    • Click Clip in Selects

    • Click ‘Effects Control’ at top left screen

    • Click ‘Rotation,’ change to -90 degrees or until it matches the video’s format. 

  • TIP: Include your transitions in the ins and outs

    • Example: Swipe in transition + time lapse clip = engaging

      • When you include a timelapse, it doesn’t have an audio clip beneath it in the sequence. That is normal and okay. 

  • TIP: If you are unsure about an in and out, include the whole clip. 

    • During the b-roll selects, I like to take all the best sections of the clip. That way, I have more creative freedom when I assemble the rough cut.

14.45 timestamp: what the video sequence looks like when all selects are made. 

Step 4: Choose Selects For Rough Cut (RC_1)

14.50 timestamp

Add all talking bits into sequence before b-roll

If your video is a blog, this step will be really easy because everything’s already sequential.

  • Choose one of the select videos

  • Copy and Paste it into your RC_1 sequence

  • Leave a space

  • Add a Marker indicating ‘Add b-roll of store here’

  • TIP: order a creative video

    • “This will be hard to carry in” talking head clip

    • B-roll coverage of carrying it in

    • B-roll time lapse of rearranging room and moving the desk

    • Your B-roll now has a talking commentary over it!

    • Copy all of these sections to your rough cut

Do this to all b-roll clips in the order they should be.

Now we learn how to edit your b-roll to music!

Step 5: Add the Music

17.11 to 18.04 timestamp

This will help pace the video and ensure it stays fast and engaging. 

  • Left bottom box

  • Right click

  • Insert new bin

  • Label ‘03_MUSIC’

  • Click Bin

  • Click settings (choose already saved music)

  • Drag and drop directly into the bin

Step 6: How to Tighten Up

16.45 and 18.05 timestamp

You can tell how long your rough cut video is by the blue numbers in the upper left corner of the bottom right corner. I like to have my videos around 5 minutes long. They can be longer if they are engaging. There often is a lot more you can take out to tighten up.

Tightening up and adding transitions

  • Create another bin 

  • Label ‘04_GRAPHICS’

  • Choose Settings

  • Navigate to graphics

  • Select your computer graphic files

  • Drag and drop

  • Lock audio track

    • Click “Track Forward Select” arrow, or use Shift A to move audio over.

  • Add First Transition

  • Drag it into the editing box. 

    • Be sure not to cut off anything you are saying.

  • TIP: REFERENCE: “Best DIY Motion Graphics” for preparatory help with this step. 

  • TIP: Move blocks back up. 

    • If you see black unrecorded space in the playback, align the graphic with the section of the video that wants the transition (19.57 timestamp). 

      • I like to start talking right after the transition to keep the video really quick and engaging. 

  • TIP: Zoom in and out using + and - sign on keyboard

Step 7: Jump Cuts to Intensify Audience Retention

20.31 timestamp

Keep the video quick and choppy to retain your audience.  

If your video lags, you will lose audience retention. Use jump cuts to cut out rambling talking parts and grab your viewer's attention. 

My rule:

Educational Videos = hide edits

Blogging Videos = jump cuts 

Motion graphic transitions can be used when switching locations, talking material, or before bloopers. You can even rotate the graphics too!

  • TIP: Make a cut: Command K

  • TIP: Move end of clip to playhead: W

  • TIP: Move start of clip to playhead: Q

  • TIP: Use same rotation trick to rotate a motion graphic

    • Click Clip in selects

    • Click ‘Effects Control’ at top left screen

    • Click ‘Rotation’ and change to -90 degrees or until satisfied

Perfect! Now time to export! 

Step 8: How to Export

26.00 timestamp

  • Move your playhead to end of your edited sequence and hit ‘o’ (it creates an out point at the end of the video)

    • If you have a fade out, I like to extend the out point a little bit because sometimes it doesn’t fade fully when it exports (26.20 timestamp).

  • Click File

    • Choose Export

    • Choose Media

    • Click Format

    • Choose H264 (best format for web)

  • Under Presets

    • Choose Vimeo 1080p Full HD or Facebook 1080p Full HD

      • I choose Vimeo even though I export to YouTube

  • For Output Name

    • Click where to save export file

    • Choose same folder sequence as before (05 EXPORTS) 

    • Check the box ‘Use Maximum Render Quality’

  • Scroll section in Bitrate Settings

    • Click Bitrate Encoding

    • Choose VBR 2 Pass. 

      • This renders videos twice instead of once; it translates to a quicker playback. I click this option. 

  • Decide on Queue or Export

    • Queue = opens media encoder, you click the green play button and it will begin to render out. You can keep editing while you're exporting. I do this. 

    • Export = exports as a final copy and does not allow further editing. 

That’s it!

Congratulations on editing your first iPhone videos on Premiere Pro!

Did everything work out okay for you? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

Troubleshooting Advice:

  • Airdrop doesn’t work during Step 1

    • Turn off and restart all devices

    • If that doesn’t work, a new computer could be on the horizon. 

    • A lot of editors update computers actually–it immediately boosts your production!

  • Airdrop for PC’s

    • Airdrop to Mac; Put files on a harddrive; Transfer them to PC 

    • Or plug iPhone into PC and transfer that way

  • Imported Premiere Pro Videos become Pictures without Audio Files

    • Save the videos as .zip

    • Open it up as it’s downloading

    • Copy the footage & paste it into your video folder

  • Imported Videos become Audio Files with No Pictures

    • Make sure iPhone camera settings are in .mov format

    • Transfer with a cord instead of airdrop

    • Highlight your video track

      • If you click A-1 you can highlight the next box, drag again, and the audio and video should drag on. 

      • Or drag 2 clips at a time until it transfers over correctly 

    • If nothing works still, I hate to say it, but you may need to reshoot :/

Best of Luck!

Outsource Hiring Tips: Be Successful In Your Efforts

Outsource Hiring Tips: Be Successful In Your Efforts

Outsourcing can quickly change the way you do business and alleviate the stress of needing to DIY everything. Once you have a go-to outsourcer you’re in the clear, but before you can get there you need to find someone — which can be quite tricky. In this post, I outline 4 mindset shifts so that you can be successful in your efforts when hiring.

Cart (0)