Orientation & NLE Setup

Learning Objective

Understand the editing workspace, project structure, and basic navigation.

This Week

You begin by setting up your editing environment correctly. A disorganized project is the enemy of creative flow. This week, you will learn how to create a project, import media, organize your bins, and navigate the timeline. Spend time memorizing the most essential keyboard shortcuts — the faster you can execute commands without looking at the screen, the more your brain can focus on the story.

Daily Practice

Import a collection of random clips and practice trimming, rearranging, and deleting them on the timeline. Focus entirely on speed and accuracy. (30–45 min)

Weekly Challenge

Create a 60-second 'day in the life' edit using footage from your phone or free stock footage. No music, no effects — just cuts.