Adobe unveils update to Premiere Pro

Ever since Adobe moved its video tools to the Creative Cloud subscription service, it's spelt the end of big new version releases: instead new tools, tweaks and improvements are added on a rolling basis in the background, little by little.

Every now and again, though, Adobe makes a big update that summons up the energy and excitement of the boxed software days. And this raft of impressive looking new features for Premiere Pro, announced at the NAB show this week, falls firmly into this category. Here's a rundown of what's new….

01. No more jump cuts

Morph Cut is a new tool for cutting together interviews where you have a locked down shot, still background, and when your subject stumbles or goes quiet without the traditional "jump cut" which can look jarring and amateur. As the name suggests, this new tool will morph the two segments together more seamlessly. If it works as well as Adobe says it does, this promises to make a lot of video editors very happy indeed.

02. More control over colours

The colour engine that powers Adobe SpeedGrade, Lumetri, is now fully integrated into Premiere Pro via the new Color Panel. This means editors can get a lot more detailed with adjusting color as part of the editing process. In other words, colour-correcting video in Premiere Pro should become as easy as colour-correcting photos in Lightroom.

03. Sync your stuff with Libraries

Creative Cloud Libraries is now integrated with Premiere Pro. This means you can share Looks and Luts and other assets from the new Library Panel, which syncs with Creative Cloud, as well as sharing assets with other team members. Project Candy, meanwhile, is a new iOS app for creating .Look files from your iPhone or iPad. The captured Looks sync to your Library folder and appear in Premiere Pro CC and AfterEffects CC where you can apply them to any clip.

04. Toggle between workspaces

You can now toggle between new workspaces - preset and customised - that are optimized for the task you are doing. There are also new ways to manage toolsets and options. For example, the new "Selection Follows Playhead" is turned on by default in the new Color Workspace and will automatically select any clip that the playhead touches.

05. Better mobile experience

Improved integration with Adobe's iOS app Premiere Clip should make it easier to shoot and roughcut on your iPhone or iPad, sync with Creative cloud, and finish up on your desktop.

06. Tune up your timings

Time Tuner is a new tool for the Export workflow where duration is critical. You can use it to adjust the length of your video by automatically adding or removing frames at scene changes, in sections with still images, or low visual activity, or during quiet audio passages. This one will be of obvious interest to broadcasters needing to insert ads.

Next page: six more new features in Premiere Pro