Video Domain.

Skills: Frame, frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50/60), resolution, aspect ratio, codec versus container, bitrate, variable frame rate on phone footage. The pipeline: ingest → assembly → rough cut → fine cut → picture lock → audio → color → graphics → export. Vocabulary: raw footage, timeline, sequence, A-roll, B-roll.

Find a video: YouTube search: video frame rate, resolution, codec and bitrate explained

Task: Footage detective. Inspect 6 clips from the pack that have different specs (MediaInfo or Premiere’s Properties). Fill in a spec sheet for each: resolution, fps, codec, bitrate, audio sample rate, duration. Flag which clips will cause trouble in a 1080p, 25 fps sequence and explain why.

Submit: Spec sheet and a one-paragraph summary of the pipeline in your own words.

Pass check: At least 5 of 6 clips correctly described; at least 2 real conflicts identified.

Skills: Project panel, Source and Program Monitors, Timeline, Effect Controls, Essential Graphics, Essential Sound, Lumetri. Saving a custom workspace. J-K-L playback, I/O marking, insert and overwrite, ripple delete, add edit, zoom, snapping. Keyboard-first editing habits.

Learning video: Edit Faster With These Hotkeys in Premiere Pro (Adobe Video × Film Riot)

Task: Save a custom workspace under your name. Screen-record a timed assembly of 10 clips into a sequence in under 6 minutes, using keyboard shortcuts for playback, marking and placing clips.

Submit: Workspace screenshot with every panel labeled, the screen recording, and a list of the 15 shortcuts you now use.

Pass check: All major panels labeled correctly; 10 clips placed in order; at least 10 shortcuts visibly used.

Skills: New project, scratch disks, autosave, importing, sequence from clip versus custom settings, matching frame rate to footage, 1080p versus 4K timelines, proxy workflow, checking clip Properties.

Learning video: Adobe Premiere Pro Tutorial: Sequence Settings and Export Settings

Task: Create a project called FirstEdit_Name. Import at least 10 video clips (including one 4K or high-fps clip), 2 audio files and 3 images. Create two sequences: 1920×1080 at 25 fps and 1080×1920 at 25 fps. Create proxies for the heavy clip and show that proxy toggling works.

Submit: Project file, screenshot of Sequence Settings for each sequence, screenshot of the proxy toggle.

Pass check: Sequence settings correct; no offline media; proxy plays smoothly.

Skills: Folder structure on disk (Footage, Audio, Graphics, Project, Exports), bins inside the project, naming conventions (date_project_shot), labels, relinking, collecting project files, the 3-2-1 backup rule.

Learning video: Organize Premiere Pro Projects Like a Professional

Task: Build the folder structure and matching bins (Video, Audio, Images, Graphics, Sequences). Rename all assets with one consistent convention. Move the whole folder to another drive, break the links on purpose, then relink. Back it up to a second location.

Submit: Folder-tree screenshot, organized project, and a short note on your naming convention and backup location.

Pass check: Zero offline media after the move; a classmate can find any asset within 30 seconds using only your naming scheme.

Skills: Shot sizes (wide, medium, close-up, insert), camera angles and movement, composition (rule of thirds, headroom, lead room), how focal length and exposure change the image. Shot logging, selects, markers. Basic export: H.264, 1080p, AAC audio.

Learning video: Ultimate Guide to Camera Shots: Every Shot Size Explained

Task: Shoot 20 shots of one simple subject (making tea, a walk across campus) covering all shot sizes. Log each shot (size, usable yes/no, note). Choose 8 selects and edit a logical 30-second sequence. Export an MP4.

Submit: Shot log and a 30-second MP4 (±2 s).

Pass check: At least 4 shot sizes used; no black or flash frames; consistent audio level; the export plays correctly on a phone.

Skills: Video and audio tracks, track targeting, playhead, snapping, insert versus overwrite, lift versus extract, sync lock, linking and unlinking clips, timeline zoom, nesting basics.

Learning video: Premiere Pro Tutorial for Beginners: Complete Guide (timeline and trimming from 6:33)

Task: Build a gapless 45-second sequence from 8 clips following a supplied shot list. Use insert at least 3 times, overwrite at least 3 times, and ripple delete to close gaps. Nest one group of shots and explain why.

Submit: 45-second MP4, project, and a screen recording that shows the timeline.

Pass check: Duration 45 s ±1; zero gaps; audio and video in sync throughout.

Skills: Deciding when to cut (action, dialogue, reaction, new information), cutting on movement, razor and Add Edit, removing dead air and repetition, keeping information while cutting length.

Learning video: 5 Ways to Cut & Trim Clips in Adobe Premiere Pro

Task: Cut 3 minutes of raw interview or event footage down to 45 seconds. A supplied checklist names 5 key facts that must remain. Remove false starts, long pauses and repetition.

Submit: Raw clip, final cut, and a 5-line list of what you removed and why.

Pass check: All 5 key facts kept; no distracting jump cuts; final length 45 s ±2.

Skills: Ripple, roll, slip and slide edits, Trim Mode, extend edit, frame-accurate trimming with the keyboard, spotting flash frames and late or early cuts.

Learning videos: Ripple and Rolling Editing in Premiere Pro · Slip and Slide Editing in Premiere Pro

Task: Fix a supplied rough cut with 12 deliberate flaws (gaps, flash frames, late cuts, early starts, one sync problem), using the right trim tool for each. Then build your own 30–45 second montage where every shot starts and ends at an intentional moment (action peak, look, beat).

Submit: Fixed sequence, a list of the 12 flaws with the tool used for each, and the montage.

Pass check: At least 11 of 12 flaws fixed; ripple, roll, slip and slide each used at least once.

Skills: 180° rule, eyelines, screen direction, continuity of action, match cuts, when jump cuts work, cutaways, average shot length, montage, the Kuleshov effect.

Learning videos: What is Continuity Editing? · Don’t Cross the Line: the 180 Degree Rule

Task: Edit a simple 30-second action scene (entering a room, sitting down, opening a laptop) from several angles with correct continuity. Then re-cut the same footage at a very different tempo (calm versus energetic). Write 3 lines on how pacing changed the feeling.

Submit: Both versions and the 3-line note.

Pass check: No continuity or screen-direction errors; average shot length reported for both versions and clearly different.

Skills: The full small-project workflow: ingest, log, selects, assembly, rough cut, fine cut, review, revision, export. Giving and receiving feedback. Versioning (v1, v2).

Learning video: Premiere Pro Tutorial for Beginners: Full Course in 1 Hour

Task: Edit a 60-second campus-life video with a clear opening, middle and ending, plus music with fades. Export v1, collect written feedback from 2 peers on a supplied form, make at least 3 changes and export v2.

Submit: v1, v2, feedback forms, change log, and the project folder organized as in Lesson 4.

Pass check: Clear three-part structure; length 60 s ±3; v2 visibly addresses at least 3 notes.

Skills: Hard cut versus dissolve, dip to black or white, wipe, match cut, motion-based transitions, transition length and alignment, audio crossfades, when not to use a transition.

Learning video: Premiere Pro Tutorial for Beginners: Complete Guide (transitions from 14:59)

Task: Build a 30-second sequence containing a time jump, a location change and a mood change, each using a different transition. Include one moment where you deliberately keep a straight cut and defend it.

Submit: MP4 and a 4-line explanation, one line per choice.

Pass check: Each transition matches its purpose; no default dissolve between every clip; audio crossfades on dialogue and music edits.

Skills: Essential Graphics panel, title cards, lower thirds, end cards, credits, safe margins, contrast with the background, how long text must stay on screen so it can be read comfortably.

Learning video: How to Create Titles and Lower Thirds in Premiere Pro

Task: Create a 45-second introduction video with a main title, a name lower third when you first appear, a location tag, and an ending message with credits or contact details.

Submit: Final MP4 and project.

Pass check: All text inside safe margins; readable on a phone at arm’s length; every text held long enough to read twice.

Skills: Serif and sans-serif, font pairing, hierarchy, size, weight, tracking and leading, contrast and shadow, text over busy backgrounds, mobile legibility, brand consistency.

Find a video: YouTube search: typography for video titles

Task: Design three title styles for the same topic: clean, cinematic and social-media. For each, write a short rationale covering font, color, motion and audience. Test each on a phone.

Submit: 3 exported samples (a still and a 5-second clip each), the rationale, and a phone screenshot.

Pass check: No more than 2 font families per style; legible contrast; the three styles are clearly different.

Skills: Effect Controls, opacity and blend modes, crop, Transform, blur, sharpen, vignette, keyframing effect settings, copying attributes, removing effects, restraint.

Learning video: Premiere Pro Tutorial for Beginners: Complete Guide (effects from 18:10)

Task: Edit a 30-second piece with exactly three effects, each with a stated storytelling reason (for example blur to hide a sign, crop to reframe, vignette to focus attention). Show before and after for each.

Submit: Before/after clips, final edit, and 3 one-line reasons.

Pass check: Each effect is justified; the image still looks natural; no leftover unused effects.

Skills: Reusable Motion Graphics Templates (.mogrt), brand kits (colors, fonts, logo), importing logos and stills (transparent PNG, resolution), pan and zoom on photos, scaling without losing quality.

Find a video: YouTube search: motion graphics templates (.mogrt) in Premiere Pro

Task: Build a mini brand kit (logo, 2 colors, 2 fonts) for a campus club or fictional brand. Create a lower-third template, export it as a .mogrt and use it 3 times with different names. Then make a 20-second photo montage with keyframed pan and zoom on 5 stills.

Submit: Brand-kit sheet, .mogrt file, final video.

Pass check: Template editable with new text; photos sharp at full-screen view; branding consistent.

Skills: Dialogue, music, ambience and effects as separate layers. Reading waveforms, decibels, peaking and clipping, 48 kHz sample rate for video, mono versus stereo, microphone types (lavalier, shotgun, phone), room tone, clap sync, track organization.

Learning video: Premiere Pro Tutorial for Beginners: Complete Guide (audio and music from 20:00)

Task: Take a 30-second scene and organize its audio onto labeled tracks: Dialogue, Music, SFX, Ambience. In a supplied problem clip, find and mark three faults (clipping, hum, uneven level) with markers.

Submit: Project, MP4, and a screenshot of the labeled tracks and markers.

Pass check: Track layout consistent; all 3 faults found.

Skills: Gain versus clip volume, fades, ducking music under speech, Essential Sound panel, meters. Targets: speech peaking roughly between −12 and −6 dB, true peak below −1 dB, about −14 LUFS for online delivery and −23 LUFS for EBU R128 broadcast. Checking on headphones and on a phone speaker.

Learning video: Controlling LUFS (loudness) in Adobe Premiere Pro

Task: Mix a 45-second talking-head clip with background music. Duck the music roughly 10 dB under speech and let it rise in pauses. Measure integrated loudness and land at −14 LUFS ±1.

Submit: 45-second mixed video, a loudness-meter screenshot, and a note on the phone-speaker check.

Pass check: Loudness in range; no clipping; a fresh listener understands every word on a phone speaker.

Skills: Noise types (hiss, hum, room echo, wind, traffic), high-pass EQ, noise reduction, de-reverb, de-essing, compression, Enhance Speech and its limits, room-tone fills, removing clicks and breaths, avoiding watery or robotic artifacts.

Learning video: How Aidin Robbins Uses Premiere Pro to Clean Up His Audio

Task: Clean a noisy 30-second voice recording (supplied) using a layered approach (edit, EQ, noise reduction, compression) and lay it over B-roll. Make a second version with an AI tool such as Enhance Speech and compare the two.

Submit: Before/after audio, final video, and a table of settings used and artifacts you hear.

Pass check: Clearer speech without robotic or watery sound; notes name at least 2 artifacts or limits.

Skills: Whooshes, hits, risers, ambience beds, foley (footsteps, cloth, props), layering, syncing to picture, pitch and EQ variation, volume keyframes and automation, panning for movement, sourcing and licensing sounds.

Find a video: YouTube search: sound design and foley for video editing

Task: Create a 30-second product or action edit with at least 8 purposeful sound layers: 5 or more effects, one ambience bed, one foley sound you record yourself, and music with keyframed fades.

Submit: MP4 and an SFX cue sheet (timecode, sound, purpose, source and licence).

Pass check: Each effect lands within 2 frames of its action; every sound licensed or self-recorded; cue sheet complete.

Skills: Choosing music for mood and tempo, editing a track to length (cutting on bars, crossfades, loop points), voiceover technique (quiet room, mic distance, pop control), syncing voiceover to B-roll, copyright (royalty-free, licensed, Creative Commons attribution, Content ID claims).

Find a video: YouTube search: edit music to fit video length in Premiere Pro

Task: Record a 60-second voiceover for a short explainer, clean it and cut it over B-roll. Re-edit a supplied 2:30 music track to exactly 60 seconds with a natural ending. Keep a licence log of every asset.

Submit: 60-second explainer, raw voiceover, licence log.

Pass check: Music edits unnoticeable; ends on a musical resolution; every asset in the log has a source and terms.

Skills: Position, scale, rotation and opacity keyframes, anchor point, interpolation (linear, ease in and out, Bezier), motion paths, graph editing, hold keyframes.

Learning videos: Pro-Tips: Mastering Keyframes in Premiere Pro with Justin Odisho · You Are Easing Keyframes Wrong! (Premiere Pro)

Task: Animate a logo or title in, hold it, then animate it out (10–15 seconds) using eased motion. Make a second version with linear interpolation and compare the two in a short note. Animate at least one property besides position.

Submit: Both animations and a screenshot of the keyframe graph.

Pass check: No abrupt starts or stops in the eased version; hold of at least 2 s; the difference between versions explained.

Skills: Shooting frame rate versus timeline frame rate, speed and duration, Frame Sampling versus Frame Blending versus Optical Flow, interpolation artifacts, time remapping, reverse and freeze frames.

Learning video: Premiere Pro Speed Ramp & Smooth Slow Motion Tutorial

Task: Using footage shot at 50/60 fps or higher, make a 20-second cinematic slow-motion sequence. Also slow one 25 fps clip to 50% with all three interpolation methods and document which works best and why.

Submit: Final MP4, a 3-way comparison clip, and a short note.

Pass check: High-fps slow motion is smooth with no warping; the comparison correctly names the artifacts.

Skills: Time-remapping keyframes, Bezier speed handles, ramping into and out of action, handling audio during speed changes, aligning ramps to beats and motion peaks.

Learning video: Speed Ramping in Premiere Pro (Smooth Tutorial)

Task: Create a 20–30 second edit from 3–5 clips with at least 4 speed ramps timed to action or music peaks. Add whoosh sound effects on at least 2 ramps.

Submit: Speed-ramp video and a screenshot of one remap graph.

Pass check: Ramps hit the intended moments within 3 frames; smooth, with no stutter or audio pitch artifacts.

Skills: Warp Stabilizer settings, rolling shutter, crop and auto-scale cost, when stabilization fails, manual stabilization with keyframes, punch-in reframing of 4K footage in a 1080p timeline.

Learning video: How to Fix and Stabilize Shaky Footage in Adobe Premiere Pro

Task: Stabilize three shaky clips (handheld walk, pan, telephoto), choose the best settings for each and build a 20-second sequence. Document the artifacts on the worst-performing clip. Create one keyframed punch-in reframe from a 4K clip.

Submit: Before/after clips, final sequence, and notes.

Pass check: Visibly steadier with no wobble; notes name at least one artifact and its cause.

Skills: Compositions, layers, shape layers, text animators, parenting, pre-comps, Dynamic Link with Premiere, animation principles (easing, anticipation, overshoot, timing), rendering with Media Encoder.

Find a video: YouTube search: After Effects beginner tutorial, shape layers and animation

Task: Build a 10-second animated logo sting or lower third in After Effects with at least 5 layers, including 2 shape layers, bring it into Premiere through Dynamic Link and use it in a 20-second video.

Submit: After Effects project, Premiere project, final video.

Pass check: Motion is eased; no broken links; the sting works over both dark and light backgrounds.

Skills: Waveform, RGB parade, vectorscope and histogram. Exposure, contrast, white balance, black and white points. The skin-tone line. Correcting before grading. Lumetri Basic tab. Judging by scopes, not by eye alone.

Learning video: Understanding Lumetri Scopes in Adobe Premiere Pro

Task: Correct three clips (underexposed, overexposed, wrong white balance) using the scopes. Skin tones must sit near the skin-tone line and whites must look neutral in the parade.

Submit: Before/after comparison with scope screenshots for each clip.

Pass check: Highlights not clipped, blacks not crushed, neutral whites, natural skin.

Skills: Lumetri Creative tab, curves, color wheels, HSL secondary corrections, LUTs (technical versus creative), log footage and input LUTs, mood through color (warm and cool, teal and orange, desaturated), matching a reference look.

Learning video: Color Grading with Lumetri, Part 1: The Scopes (start of a 3-part series)

Task: Take 20 seconds of flat or log footage. Create a natural grade and a cinematic grade. Then match one clip to a reference still (any film frame, for study) as closely as you can.

Submit: Both versions, the reference comparison, and a short explanation of the intent behind each look.

Pass check: Both grades start from a corrected image; skin stays believable; the two looks are clearly different.

Skills: Matching exposure, white balance and contrast across clips, cameras and mixed lighting. Comparison View, side-by-side scopes, choosing a hero shot, matching skin tones.

Find a video: YouTube search: match colors between clips in Premiere Pro

Task: Match three clips shot in different conditions (daylight, indoor tungsten, overcast) or on different cameras to one hero shot, and cut them into a 20-second scene.

Submit: Before/after sequence with scope screenshots.

Pass check: No jarring shift in color or exposure at the cuts; scopes sit in a similar range.

Skills: Adjustment layers, effect order, applying one look across many clips, combining per-clip corrections with a global look, masked vignettes, copying attributes, presets.

Find a video: YouTube search: adjustment layer color grade across clips

Task: Build a 30-second sequence from at least 8 clips. Correct each clip individually, then apply one consistent look through an adjustment layer and add a masked vignette. Show a before/after toggle.

Submit: Final MP4 and project.

Pass check: Look consistent across all clips; the adjustment layer covers the whole sequence; turning it off leaves the per-clip corrections intact.

Skills: Rec.709 and sRGB, gamma shifts between players, broadcast-safe levels, what HDR is (awareness only), monitor calibration basics, viewing environment, checking exports on several devices.

Find a video: YouTube search: color management, Rec.709 and gamma shift on export

Task: Export a graded 30-second clip and watch it on at least 3 devices (phone, laptop, TV or external monitor). Record differences in brightness, saturation and gamma, then adjust the grade or export settings to reduce unwanted shifts.

Submit: Short report with device photos and the revised export.

Pass check: At least 2 differences identified with a likely cause; the revised export is closer across devices.

Skills: Pen, ellipse and rectangle masks, feather and expansion, mask-path keyframes, Premiere mask tracking, inverted masks, selective effects (blur a face, color pop), reveal wipes, basic roto in After Effects.

Find a video: YouTube search: masking and mask tracking in Premiere Pro

Task: Make two effects. A: an object reveal using an animated mask (10–15 s). B: a tracked mask that blurs or color-corrects a moving subject for 8 seconds.

Submit: Both effects and the project.

Pass check: Mask edges stay on the subject without chatter; feather is appropriate.

Skills: Shooting for a key (even lighting, subject distance, smooth backdrop, no green clothing). Ultra Key matte controls, spill suppression, garbage mattes, edge softness, matching foreground to background color, lighting and shadows.

Learning video: Remove Green Screen in Premiere Pro: Ultra Key Tutorial

Task: Key a green-screen clip (supplied or shot yourself) and composite it into a college, studio or creative environment for 20–30 seconds, matching color and lighting. Show the matte view.

Submit: Composite, matte-view screenshot, before/after.

Pass check: No green fringes or spill; acceptable hair and edges; foreground lighting matches the background.

Skills: Point tracking, tracked masks, attaching text and graphics to tracking data, Corner Pin for screen replacement, why tracks fail (occlusion, motion blur), awareness of 3D camera tracking.

Find a video: YouTube search: motion tracking text and screen replacement

Task: A: track a text label to a moving person or object for 10 seconds. B: replace the screen of a phone or laptop in a shot with your own graphic using Corner Pin.

Submit: Both clips.

Pass check: The label stays locked with no drift for the full duration; the replaced screen stays within its edges.

Skills: Layers and blend modes (screen, add, multiply), overlays (light leaks, dust, smoke), clean plates, object removal, sky replacement, matching shadows and contact points, ethics of manipulation and disclosure of AI-generated imagery.

Find a video: YouTube search: remove an object and composite in After Effects

Task: Produce a 15-second VFX shot: remove one unwanted object (a sign, a person or a wire) and add one new element (an overlay, a sky or a graphic) so both look like part of the original scene.

Submit: Before/after and a 3-line breakdown of your method.

Pass check: Neither edit is noticeable at normal playback speed; method clearly described.

Skills: Kinetic typography, text animators, combining keyframes, masks, scale and opacity, motion hierarchy, timing to speech or music, readability, an introduction to expressions (wiggle, loop).

Find a video: YouTube search: kinetic typography and text animation

Task: Storyboard, then create, a 15-second animated title sequence for a fictional event with at least 3 different text animations. One line must sync to a music beat or a spoken word.

Submit: Storyboard and animation.

Pass check: Every line readable for at least 1 second; consistent style; sync point clearly visible.

Skills: Beginning, middle and end; three-act structure; hook, turning point, climax, resolution; story beats; choosing shots for story, not only beauty; revealing and withholding information; shot-for-shot analysis; average shot length.

Find a video: YouTube search: storytelling through video editing

Task: First, break down a 60-second professional piece (an ad or short film) shot by shot: number of shots, average shot length, transitions, sound techniques. Then write a beat sheet and turn 15 raw clips into a 60–90 second story that follows it.

Submit: Breakdown sheet, beat sheet, story video, and a 5-line editing explanation.

Pass check: Final cut follows the beat sheet; a viewer with no context understands the story.

Skills: Paper edits from transcripts, text-based editing, building a narrative from an interview, cutting on breaths, cutaways that hide jump cuts, B-roll that adds information, audio continuity.

Find a video: YouTube search: A-roll, B-roll and interview editing

Task: From about 5 minutes of raw interview, make a 60-second talking-head video using a paper edit. Use at least 6 B-roll shots that add meaning, including one B-roll sequence that covers a jump cut.

Submit: Paper edit and final video.

Pass check: No unmotivated jump cuts; each B-roll shot relates to the words being spoken; audio level and tone consistent.

Skills: Split edits, shot and reverse shot, over-the-shoulder shots, reaction shots, cutting to dialogue rhythm, overlapping lines, room tone under cuts.

Learning video: How to use J and L cuts for dialog scenes in Premiere Pro

Task: Edit a 45–60 second two-person conversation twice: version A with straight cuts only, version B with at least 2 J-cuts and 2 L-cuts plus reaction shots. Add continuous room tone.

Submit: Both versions and a 3-line comparison.

Pass check: Audio overlaps are motivated; version B plays more naturally; no sudden background-noise changes.

Skills: BPM, markers on beats, cutting on and off the beat, cutting on movement, visual rhythm, build and drop, aligning transitions, effects and speed changes to music.

Find a video: YouTube search: edit to the beat with markers in Premiere Pro

Task: Create a 30-second music montage with at least 10 beat-based cuts, including one build and one drop where intensity visibly changes (speed ramp, transition or effect).

Submit: Montage and a screenshot of the timeline markers.

Pass check: Cuts land within 2 frames of the beats; build and drop clearly felt.

Skills: Multi-camera source sequences, syncing by audio, switching angles, nesting, organizing long timelines (labels, markers, bins), versions from assembly to locked picture, keeping energy across 3–5 minutes.

Learning video: Learn How to Edit a Multi-Cam Video in Premiere (with Film Riot’s Ryan Connolly)

Task: Edit the supplied 3-camera recording (podcast or event) into a 3-minute highlight using multicam. Keep the wide shot as a safety angle and add section markers on the timeline.

Submit: Final video and project.

Pass check: Cameras in sync; angle switches follow the speaker or a reaction; no cut onto a dead or wrong frame.

Skills: 1080×1920 sequences, framing for vertical, safe zones for platform interface elements at the top and bottom, Auto Reframe plus manual keyframe fixes, text sizing, blurred-background fills, export settings.

Learning video: How to Change Aspect Ratio from 16:9 to 9:16 in Premiere Pro (Auto Reframe)

Task: Convert a landscape clip into a professional 30-second vertical video without losing the subject. Run Auto Reframe, then correct it by hand. Keep all text inside the safe zones.

Submit: 9:16 MP4 and a screenshot of your safe-zone overlay.

Pass check: Subject always in frame; text clear of interface areas; no pixelation.

Skills: The hook in the first 1–3 seconds, pacing, pattern interrupts, loops, on-screen text, calls to action, cover images, trending-audio licensing issues, testing what holds attention.

Find a video: YouTube search: Instagram Reels editing, hooks and retention

Task: Create a 30-second promotional Reel for a college club, local business or event. Make two different 3-second hooks, show both to 5 people and note which holds attention better, then use the winner in the final cut.

Submit: Final Reel, cover image, and hook-test notes.

Pass check: Strong hook in the first 3 seconds; text readable in time; test documented.

Skills: Auto-transcription and manual correction, caption timing, about 32–42 characters per line and two lines at most, reading speed of roughly 15–20 characters per second, contrast and styling, burned-in captions versus SRT files, speaker labels, accessibility.

Learning video: How to Convert Speech to Text and Work with Transcripts in Premiere Pro

Task: Caption a 45-second talking-head video. Generate captions automatically, then correct spelling, timing and line breaks by hand. Export one version with burned-in captions and a separate SRT file.

Submit: Captioned MP4 and the .srt file.

Pass check: Zero spelling errors; captions in sync within about 5 frames; line length and reading speed respected.

Skills: Structure (hook, intro, body, payoff, call to action), pacing for retention, chapters, end screens, B-roll, music beds, reading a retention graph, thumbnail design (1280×720, high contrast, few words), titles and descriptions.

Find a video: YouTube search: YouTube editing, retention and thumbnail design

Task: Edit a 2-minute YouTube video (explainer, vlog or review) with a hook, chapter markers, B-roll, music and graphics. Design two thumbnail variants and write a title, description and one-paragraph retention plan.

Submit: Final video, 2 thumbnails, title and description, retention plan.

Pass check: Hook within the first 15 seconds; no long stretches without a visual change; thumbnails readable at small size.

Skills: Turning a brief into a cut, brand guidelines (logo clear space, colors, fonts, tone), ad structure (hook, problem, solution, proof, call to action), cut-downs and aspect-ratio versions, product shots, testimonials, claims and music licensing, client approval.

Find a video: YouTube search: video ad editing and brand guidelines

Task: Create a 45-second advertisement for a real or fictional local business using a supplied brand guide. Then cut a 15-second version and a 9:16 version.

Submit: All three versions and a brand-compliance checklist.

Pass check: Logo, colors and fonts follow the guide; call to action clear; all three versions export correctly.

Skills: Audience, objective, key message, tone, platform, duration. Shot lists, storyboards, music plans, schedules. Discovery questions, scope and revision limits, handling feedback, gathering references.

Find a video: YouTube search: video pre-production, brief and shot list

Task: Plan your final portfolio project: a one-page brief, shot list, editing plan and schedule with deadlines. Then run a 10-minute client-meeting role play with a classmate to confirm scope and record the changes.

Submit: Brief, shot list, schedule, and meeting notes.

Pass check: Brief states audience, objective, platform, duration and music plan; notes record at least 3 clarifications.

Skills: Professional folder structure, versioning (v01, v02), review tools with timestamped comments, revision checklists, locking picture before final mix and grade, change logs, time management, proxies for heavy projects.

Find a video: YouTube search: video revision workflow and client feedback

Task: Edit a 2-minute project from raw footage with titles, B-roll, music, SFX and color correction, working through three versions (assembly, fine cut, locked) with a documented review at each stage.

Submit: Final MP4, project folder, all three versions, and the change log.

Pass check: Folder follows the standard; version 3 resolves every logged note; picture locked before final audio and color.

Skills: H.264 versus H.265 versus ProRes and DNxHR (and when each is used), bitrate, matching resolution and frame rate, AAC audio at 48 kHz, loudness check, SRT delivery, file size, platform specs, full-length QC watch, archiving the project.

Learning video: Adobe Premiere Pro Tutorial: Sequence Settings and Export Settings

Task: Export the same project as a 16:9 H.264 file, a 9:16 file and a high-quality master. Watch every file completely against a QC checklist (black frames, audio clipping, typos, color shifts, sync), fix problems and re-export. Archive the project.

Submit: 16:9 MP4, 9:16 MP4, master file, QC checklist before and after fixes, and the project archive.

Pass check: Issues found and fixed, or a clean result backed by evidence; loudness on target; archive opens on another computer with no offline media.

Skills: Showreel structure (best work first, 60–90 seconds), project breakdowns, personal branding, hosting (Vimeo, YouTube, Behance), LinkedIn, roles in video (editor, assistant editor, colorist, motion designer, social video editor), freelancing basics (pricing, contracts, copyright and ownership, invoices), continuous learning.

Find a video: YouTube search: video editor showreel and freelance tips

Task: Build a 60–90 second showreel from your best work in Levels 1–9 with a breakdown of what you did in each shot. Publish a portfolio page on any platform and write a one-page service list with rates.

Submit: Showreel, portfolio link, service list.

Pass check: Strongest work in the first 10 seconds; every clip credited with your role; portfolio page opens publicly.

Skills: Independent, end-to-end production. Choose one: college promo, short documentary, business advertisement, YouTube video, Reel campaign or cinematic film.

Find a video: YouTube search: plan and edit a short promo video start to finish

Task: Create a polished 2–3 minute portfolio video (or, for a Reel campaign, three coordinated vertical videos plus a 60-second hero cut). It must have a strong opening, clean cuts, B-roll, mixed audio at target loudness, color correction or grade, titles, captions and professional export in the formats the project needs. Finish with a 5-minute viva explaining your decisions.

Submit: Final video, project file, raw assets, thumbnail, captions, project brief, one-page explanation, and QC checklist.

Pass check: Marked on the standard rubric; the viva shows you can justify your choices.