AVID Media Composer 101 Certification Exam

Where does Media Composer store the project files for private projects?

in the logged on OS users' Documents folder

Which button in the Select Project dialog box is used to navigate to the location of an external project?

The Folder Browse button

Four principal windows of the Avid interface

Composer window, Timeline, Project Window, Bin window

Which window serves as the central hub of your project?

project window

What is a bin?

A bin is a container file that holds the assets in your project, including audio and video master clips, subclass, sequences, titles, effects, graphics, etc.

How do you combine one open bin with another open bin?

Click the tab at the top of the tool window and drag it on top of the window with which you want to combine it

What are the two ways to create your own User Profile?

"settings" > "user profile" > "create user profile" > type a name in

Launch media composer and when the select project screen appears, click "user profile menu" and select "Create user profile" and enter name.

How can you save changes to a Workspace?

windows > workspaces > save current

Where can you change the appearance of the interface?

Project Window > Settings tab > Interface Settings.

Bins

Saved during autosave. Digital containers used to organize project assets like clips, sequences, audio, and graphics

Shortcut to Activate the Project window

Command+9

Shortcut to Step backward eight frames/ten frames

1 Key

Shortcut to Step forward eight frames/ten frames

2

Shortcut to Step backward one frame

3 Key

Shortcut to Step forward one frame

4, right arrow

Shortcut to Play forward

5 key or space bar

Shortcut to Jump to first frame

Fn + Left Arrow (or Home)

Shortcut to Jump to last frame

Fn + Right Arrow (End)

Shortcut to Enlarge height of timeline tracks, change the size of clip frames in a bin, and change the zoom factor of the Source, Record, and Effects monitor

Command+L

Shortcut to Reduce height of Timeline tracks

Command+K

Shortcut to Save

Command+s

Shortcut to quit application

Command+q

What is the difference between linking and importing media?

Linking--connects media file to project in AVID; does not move or copy file

importing--copying media to predefined location and converts it to AVID media at the same time; brand new file separate from original

What happens if you disconnect the source drive or camera card containing linked media?

The media goes offline because linked media requires access to the original source files.

Where can you get additional AMA plug-ins?

Marketplace menu > AMA plugins

You are going to drag clips from the desktop to a Media Composer bin, and want to link the clips, rather than import. Which key must you press to do this?

Option+drag clips from desktop to open bin

Name two ways to load a clip in the Source monitor.

double-click it in the bin OR drag clip(s) from the bin

What function is associated with the space bar by default?

play/pause

What is the value of using the J-K-L keys to control playback?

offer refined playback speed; efficiency for editing (J-backward, K-stop, L-forward; clicking J or L more than once will speed up in whatever direction)

Default keys for making IN and OUT marks

mark IN - E, I

mark OUT - R, O

How can you save your work?

Single bin: Select bin > Command+S

All bins: Project window or Command+9 > Command+S

or File > Save All

Shortcut to Create a new bin

ctrl+N

shortcut to shuttle

JKL keys

Shortcut to Select all (clips)

Command+A

Shortcut to Enlarge heights of timeline tracks, enlarge clip frames, and enlarge image in a selected monitor

Command+L

What is the principal goal of the rough cut?

Focuses on story structure to see if the project works overall. Not detail oriented.

How can you view the audio waveforms of your source material?

Open Track Control Panel (small triangle next to green timecode display) > Click Waveform Button (for tracks you want to display audio waveforms)

What is AutoPatching? How does it work?

Automatically patches source tracks to enabled record tracks without manually dragging them. Disable unwanted record tracks and enable the desired ones using the Record Track Selectors.

How do you reduce the waveform size for better visibility?

Select the audio track and press Command + Option + K.

With which editing function(s) are you more likely to break sync -- Splice-In, Overwrite, Lift, or Extract? Why?

splice-in and extract because they push the downstream material back or pull the material back forward; ripple effects

What are two ways you've learned about to ensure that you maintain sync when editing segments into the sequence?

- be sure to add, or remove, the same amount from all tracks that have to stay in sync

- Enable Sync Lock, or make sure all tracks are enabled when splicing in.

What do the functions Go to Previous Event and Go to Next Event do?

navigation tools that jump the position indicator from edit to edit

Describe the process of backtiming an edit.

You mark IN and OUT points in the timeline and mark an OUT point only in the Source Monitor, the system automatically determines the start frame of the source clip

Lift vs Extract

lift-removes material from the timeline leave filler in its place; use if you want to maintain rhythm or synchronization of sequence

extract-removes material from the timeline and closes the gap left by its removal

Filler

Empty space in a sequence/timeline; used to placehold. You can still apply effects and transitions to filler.

Shortcut to Add new mono track

Command+U

Shortcut to add new stereo audio track

Command+shift+U

Shortcut to enlarge height of timeline tracks that are enabled

Command+L

Shortcut to reduce height of timeline tracks that are enabled

Command+K

Shortcut to enlarge the waveform display

Command+option+L

Shortcut to reduce the waveform display

Command+Option+K

Shortcut to enable/disable all waveform displays

Option-click the waveform button

Shortcut to lift

Z

Shortcut to extract

X Key

Shortcut to splice-in

V Key

Shortcut to overwrite

B Key

Shortcut to jump to next edit point

go to next event - S

Shortcut to jump to previous edit point

go to previous event - A

Shortcut to toggle digital audio scrub

caps lock

Shortcut to temporarily enable digital audio scrub

shift

What type of edit is performed by default when you drag a clip from Source Monitor to the Timeline?

splice-in

Why do images A and D appear identical? What type of edit is being performed?

the frames are adjacent to each other in the original footage; splice into existing segment

What determines the active Smart Tool in the Timeline?

The location of the mouse pointer.

Name two ways to add audio or video tracks to a sequence?

1. drag segment above or below existing one

2. Command + Y (video)/U (audio)

How to enable solo on an audio track

Click "S" on the left of the audio track; only that audio track will play

If the music is too loud, how can you lower the volume of just the music?

use clip gain; fader button > click and drag to adjust

Why is the Segment Mode Lift/Overwrite well-suited for editing audio?

Because it maintains sync between audio and video tracks.

Why are audio waveforms useful to see while editing?

Because you can identify peaks and troughs in music/dialogue; useful for editing.

How to adjust the clip gain in the Timeline besides dragging the mini-fader.

Click and use up/down arrow keys OR type in the amount you want

What is Digital Audio Scrub? How is it enabled?

Digital Audio Scub Plays Audio as you scrub over the video.

To Enable: Hold Shift and Scrub

or you can Turn Cap Locks on and Scrub over video.

Describe the steps to overwrite a segment to the Timeline using drag-and-drop.

Use the red arrow and disable the yellow arrow (Splice-In) within the segment tool then drag

Shortcut to Undo

Command+z

Shortcut to Create a new sequence

Command+shift+N

Shortcut to Create a new video track

Command+Y

Shortcut to Smart Tool toggle

shift+tab

Shortcut to Link Selection Toggle

shift+L

Shortcut to Snap head frame to edit point

Command-drag

Shortcut to Snap tailframe to edit point

Command+option-drag

Shortcut to Enable/disable waveforms on all tracks

Option-click waveform button

Shortcut to Reduce the size of the waveform

Option+command+k

Shortcut to Enable/disable clip gain on all tracks

Option-click Clip Gain in track menu

Shortcut to Open Audio tool

Command+1

Shortcut to Activate digital audio scrub

shift-drag through the timeline

Shortcut to Toggle Digital Audio Scrub on and off

caps lock

Shortcut to Adjust clip gain in 1dB increments

click mini fader > up/down arrow keys

Shortcut to Set clip gain to specific value

click mini fader > type the number

Shortcut to Reset level to 0 dB

Option-click fader icon

Shortcut to Adjust gain in 1dB increments without opening the mini fader (affects all segments on active tracks at the location of the playhead)

shift+up/down arrow

How can you remove a shot from the sequence and leave a gap (or filler)?

1. Select Lift/Overwrite, the Red Arrow in the Smart Tool

2. Click a Video Segment to select it

3. While pressing the Command Key, drag the Segment to a new location.

4. Release the Segment

Add Edit Button (film reel w line)

creates edit point called "match frame edit"; allows you to divide segments in the timeline

Link Selection Toggle (3 boxes with connectors)

If it is active, when you select a video segment, the system automatically selects its audio segments too.

Why is Yellow Segment Mode better suited for video and Red Segment Mode for audio?

• Yellow (Extract/Splice-In): Moves shots while automatically making space at the new location, shifting surrounding clips.

• Red (Lift/Overwrite): Moves segments without shifting surrounding clips, keeping the sequence's timing intact.

What is the danger of performing a Ripple Trim?

It may cause clips to go out of sync

What are Sync Locks, and how do you enable or disable them?

Sync Locks maintain synchronization between audio and video tracks during editing.

• Enable/Disable: Click the Sync Lock button on individual tracks to toggle it.

• Lock All Tracks: Click the Sync Lock button on the TC1 track.

What are Match-Frame Edits, and how do you remove them?

Unnecessary edit points were created on tracks that weren't disabled when adding edits.

To remove:

1. Select the tracks containing the unwanted edits.

2. Mark IN and OUT points to remove edits within a specific area, or clear them to affect the entire sequence.

3. Select Clip > Remove Match Frame Edits.

What impact does Ripple Trim have on a track and/or the sequence?

shortens the segment without opening a gap, but moves downstream material. Could cause sync issues.

How do you remove a segment using Lift/Overwrite Segment Mode?

1. Activate Lift/Overwrite Segment Mode and deactivate Extract/Splice-In in the Smart Tool.

2. Select the segment(s) to remove.

3. Press Delete or Backspace.

You try to remove an audio segment from the sequence using either the yellow or red Segment Mode arrows, but the first time you hit delete, the segment remains in place. The second time, it is removed as expected. Why?

it only deleted the gain adjustment the first time but the second time deleted the actual audio segment

shortcut for selecting the segments but not the filler between

Option+click select right button

shortcut for locking the segment to vertical moves only

Command+shift-drag