Adding Video to Your Design Toolkit

If you know Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign, you can use Premiere too. You don't have to be a video editor to make it useful. In this episode, Mike Rankin and designer and educator Myra Ferguson explore how Premiere can fit into an existing design workflow. Mike and Myra cover everything from animating Photoshop layers and creating interactive content to pulling still images from video and working with captions. They share practical advice for getting comfortable with Premiere without trying to learn everything at once, and show how even small video and animation projects can add new possibilities to your design work.

Key Takeaways:

Treat Premiere like any other design tool. You don't have to become a video editor to get value from Premiere. Think of it as an extension of the tools you already use. Build on what you already know. Premiere plays well with other CC programs like Photoshop. Start by fitting your Premiere experimentation into the work you're already doing.  Start with a specific project. Instead of trying to learn the entire application, choose a small project that solves a real design problem and learn the Premiere features you need along the way. Change the interface. Maximize the application window, brighten your interface, and customize the workspace so the tools you need are easier to see and use. Write down the keyboard shortcuts. Shortcuts reduce friction and increase efficiency. If you're having trouble remembering them, put some sticky notes on your monitor or desktop! Use transcripts to edit and caption video. Premiere can transcribe your video and turn that transcript into captions, while also allowing you to edit your video directly from the text.  Mix it up! Turn video frames into print projects or add interactivity into your static content with animation. Resources

About Myra Ferguson Members-only article, Getting Started with Premiere Find Myra Ferguson's Premiere tutorials on CreativePro's Working with Video playlist Event Savings: Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST Membership Discount: Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST The Design + Accessibility Summit, October 20-23, 2026 The InDesign Conference, December 1-4, 2026