How to cut video in after effects
How to cut video in after effects
How to Cut Clips in After Effects
Editing in After Effects can be a challenge, and with good reason as it’s not strictly an editing platform. After Effects is a powerful animation toolkit that can allow you to create some incredible effects, but it isn’t built for speedy clip editing. In most cases, the editing portion of your project will be completed in Premiere Pro, but it is still important to know how to trim and split your clips in Adobe AE.
In this tutorial, we show you how to go about cutting and trimming your clips for the most effective workflow! Let’s get started!
Part 1: How to Cut Your Layers in After Effects
The first thing to note is that splitting and trimming your layers in AE is the same no matter the media content you are working with. These cutting techniques will allow you to edit video clips, photos, royalty free music, audio, and AE-built shapes and solids. Let’s jump in.
Split Clips
Unlike other editing software, AE divides your Timeline into layers, and even if clips play directly one after the other, you can’t have more than one clip on a Layer. When you split a clip, AE will divide your single layer into two.
Trim Layers
Trimming your layers is the process of cutting the beginning or end of your clip; this is common practice with most editing. There are two ways to trim your Layers in After Effects, but we’d encourage you to memorize the Hotkeys, as it’s one of the most frequently used AE shortcuts.
Quickly Cut a Section from a Clip
To remove a section of your clip in any other edit software, you would most likely use a blade tool to cut out the section and delete it. With After Effects, there are a couple more steps, which is where the Trim shortcut is helpful.
Trim and Split Multiple Clips
You can also Trim and Split multiple Clips in your Timeline at the same time. It’s important to remember when editing multiple clips, all the layers you’ve selected will be affected, so make sure you pay close attention to the clips you select.
Part 2: Top 3 Tips for Editing in After Effects
After Effects is a little clunky for straightforward footage editing, and you should always try and minimize how much editing you do on the platform. However, there are some things you can do to make your clip editing a little easier.
Use Premiere Pro Dynamic Linking
If you are working with a lot of stock video that needs editing before applying effects or animation, it is often best to start in Premiere Pro. After Effects and Premiere Pro work hand in hand using a dynamic linking system. You can edit your clips in Premiere and use them in After Effects without the need for exporting.
If you don’t have Premiere Pro or don’t want to use dynamic linking, using an editing platform to sort and rough cut your clips can save you a lot of time and energy using After Effects limited linear editing tools.
Naming Layers
It may sound like a straightforward step, but it is often missed as editors want to jump straight into creating. Correctly labeling your layers can help with your project organization; you’ll be able to find and adjust the right layers faster and manipulate multiple layers simultaneously.
Project organization is essential in any editing platform, but especially in After Effects. If you want to rename a layer quickly, just select it in the Layer panel and hit Return.
Use Layer Locks and Compound Clips
One problem with editing clips in After Effects is that you can easily mess up your composition by selecting or moving the wrong layer. While naming your layers can help avoid these issues, locking them can freeze your clips and sequences in position.
Once you have edited your sequence, hit the padlock icon in the Layers Panel to lock the Layer; you won’t be able to move it, cut it, or add effects until you unlock it again.
Occasionally you’ll have a lot of Layers in your timeline, which can be challenging to navigate. Once you have cut your footage and ordered it in the timeline, select all of your clips and press Cmd+Shift+C or Ctrl+Shift+C. The compound clip will condense all of your layers to a single layer in your timeline. If you double-click the compound clip, a new timeline will open with all your editing still accessible.
Splitting and trimming your layers is a vital skill for any After Effects user, and once you’ve mastered the hotkeys, you’ll be slicing and splicing quicker than ever. Now you know the basics, why not check out our vast range of After Effects tutorials.
How to Cut Video in After Effects
Benjamin Arango
May 06, 2022• Proven solutions
After Effects is an extremely flexible software program, and whilst its main focus is on effects and add one to video production, it can be used to do some editing as well. And today we are discussing cutting video, and whether it can be done in After Effects or not.
How to Cut Videos in After Effects
1. Launch After effects and import your video
The first task is to open a new project, and load your video into it. First off from the main menu is to select new composition. Which then opens up the composition menu, choose the resolution and so on you want, and then create your composition.
You are now ready to import your video. This is achieved through the file/import menu as we see here
Once you have your video, you can drag it into the timeline as we see below. Now here my video clip is a lot smaller and shorter than my composition, but for purposes of this it doesn’t really matter. You can use this effect though, as in After Effects, you can have the actual video bounce around inside the composition as it is playing, an interesting effect to try.
2. Editing the video
To make things clearer, my first step is to zoom in on the timeline so I can see clearly the start and end of my video track. Now I can begin to cut the video track into the pieces I want. This is very easy, select the video track in the timeline, move the guide to the exact point you want to cut the track, and then you can either use the edit menu edit>split layer or the shortcut Control+Shift+D.
Whichever way you accomplish it, this leaves you with your video track split, and the second part is shifted off into a separate layer too so you can add in transition effects and so on as you want. Of course, you are not restricted to one cut, you can make as many as you want and be able to do re-organize them and so on if you wish.
3. Additional tools
There are several advantages in cutting this way, in that the separate layers enable quite complex effects and processing to be done on each part of the video entirely independently, they can easily be reordered as well without problem.
As we can see here, the video will play in an entirely different order now. One of the things you can do very easily once you have this is to add transition effects, simply highlight a point on the timeline where the transition is to begin, and choose one from the effect menu.
Once added you can adjust the time taken and so on to get the precise effect you want. You can of course delete any clip you do not want by simply deleting the layer.
4. Exporting the file
Once you are happy you can then export the finished file from the file>export menu. Choosing ‘add to render queue’ presents you with the render menu allowing you to choose the settings, filename and destination of the final output as you need.
And that is how simple cutting video is with Adobe After Effects.
An Easier Way to Cut Videos in Filmora
Wondershare Filmora gives you the power to edit videos fast. The software can be downloaded and installed on both Mac and Windows operating systems.
This video editing tool has gained rapid popularity among professional video makers and editors due to its smooth functionality and awesome features.
So, if you want to know how to cut videos in Filmora, here’s what you need to do.
Step 1: Import Video on the Platform
The first step demands importing videos to the interface.
For that, you need to click on the “Movie Clap” icon and choose the video you want to cut using Filmora.
Step 2: Drag Video to the Timeline
Now, drag the video to the timeline and keep the project settings to “Match to Media.”
If the message doesn’t appear, relax and carry on to other steps.
Step 3: Select the Video Part to Cut
There’s a red pointer on the timeline called “Playhead.”
Beneath the straight line of the Playhead, you will see a “Scissor” icon.
Now, use your mouse to place the Playhead on the starting point of the video part that needs to be cut, and then click on the “Scissor” icon.
Then, move the Playhead to the ending point and click the “Scissors” button to mark the video clip.
Next, right-click on the marked part, and select the “Delete” button.
Doing so will cut the specific part of the video from the main clip.
And if you want to trim your video in Filmora, grab the clip’s edge on the timeline with the help of your mouse.
Hold the mouse button. And drag the cursor to the right or left to trim in the video, like this.
Step 4: Export Your Project
Lastly, click on the “Export” button to save the new clip on your computer.
You can do wonders with your videos in Filmora if you know the right tools. Plus, all your editing is done quickly compared to other video editors. So if you are trying to cut videos in Filmora, you can do it easily by performing all the steps mentioned here.
Conclusion
As we have shown, Adobe’s own Premiere Pro offers a much braoder range of tools for cutting and trimming and makes a much better platform for the process. In addition there are many video editors at all budgets designed specifically for cutting and trimming video and perhaps present a better option than using After effects to accomplish it.
As we said before, cutting in Adobe After Effects may be difficult for video editing beginners. Then try to use FilmoraPro to cut videos. It is the best editor that can make excellent video, yet easy to use. Watch the video below to get more ideas about FilmoraPro.
Recommended: FilmoraPro to cut video
This is a basic tutorial about Adobe After Effects, professional video editing software. However, if you think After Effects is too difficult, consider Wondershare FilmoraPro. This is a professional video editor, but easy-to-use tool for users who want to enter a new editing level. You just need to use the split functionality in the toolbar to cut video. So easy! Download it below (Free) and cut your video footage with FilmoraPro.
How to cut a video in After Effects ®
Try Movavi Video Editor Plus!
Make videos. Create. Inspire.
How to cut videos in After Effects ®
Let’s explore how to split a clip, splice clips together and shorten a video in this software.
Step 1. Launch After Effects ® and import the video
Step 2. Select and slice the layer
Step 3. Render the project
How to cut a video in Movavi Video Editor Plus
Though loads of people are looking to find out how to cut videos in After Effects®, if you don’t already have the software it can be very costly to get started with. You can access the same basic editing functions on software like Movavi Video Editor Plus. You can split clips, create scenes, and access a cut tool for trimming your video down to the length you need or cutting out the bits you don’t want or need.
Step 1. Install Movavi Video Editor Plus
Download and open the installation file and install the program following the onscreen instructions. Movavi Video Editor Plus can be installed on Mac or Windows machines just as easily.
Step 2. Choose the file that you want to cut
Click Add Files and select the video you want to cut. Then drag and drop your file into the Timeline.
Step 3. Cut your video clip and remove unwanted parts
To cut a video clip in half, click on the video on the Timeline and move the red marker to the point in the video where you want to split it. Next, click the Split button. Your video will be split into two parts.
To cut out an unwanted part of the video, place the red marker at the beginning of the unwanted segment and click Split. Next, move the red marker at the end of the unwanted segment and click Split again. Hit the Delete button to remove the part from your video.
Step 4. Save your finished product
After the cutting is done, save your video in an appropriate format. Click Export and choose the format you want to save the cut video in. You can choose any video format, including AVI, MPEG, WMV, MP4, FLV, and MOV.
As you can see, people who are looking to cut a video in After Effects ® may not actually need to delve into this complex software.
Summary
Improve Your Workflow: How to Cut Clips in After Effects
Learn how to cut a clip in After Effects. It’s a quick, easy way to add a new skill and streamline your workflow.
Trying to cut a clip in After Effects for the first time can feel a bit odd. After all, After Effects doesn’t have a traditional “cut” tool (like you’d see in Premiere Pro) for splitting layers. This creates an extra step when cutting clips, unless you use shortcuts as a workaround.
While I wouldn’t recommend editing an entire film inside of After Effects, you can quickly streamline your workflow by knowing how to cut a clip. Here are a few ways to go about it.
How Does After Effects Cut Clips?
Once you have your composition set up and one layer loaded into your timeline, it’s super-easy to cut a clip. Just highlight your layer, and position your timeline indicator where you want your cut. Then, go up to the edit tab, and find Split Layer (Ctrl+Shift+D). Click it.
After you’ve clicked, you’ll see that your layer is now duplicated and cut into two separate layers. Your clip will still play all the way through, uninterrupted, but with independent layers. This is how After Effects cuts clips, since you can’t cut a clip in the middle of the same layer.
Faster Ways to Cut a Clip in After Effects
Here’s another way to make your cut: Duplicate your layer—Ctrl + D on PC or Command + D on Mac. Then, grab one end of your layer and trim the clip to the exact frame you want it.
If you want to trim the clip to the position of your playhead, just hold down shift while you’re dragging the ends of the clip. This will make your layer snap to the playhead’s position, taking out the tedious work of trying to line it up frame by frame.
Use shortcuts along with the playhead.
Here’s quickest way to cut a clip in After Effects (and my preferred method)—simply use shortcuts along with the playhead.
First, position the playhead at the exact frame you want to cut. Then use the shortcut Alt + [ on PC or Option + [ on Mac to trim a clip from the beginning. If you want to trim the clip from the end, use the shortcut Alt + ] on PC or Option + ] on Mac. Both of these shortcuts will trim the clip to wherever your playhead is positioned.
The nice thing about these shortcuts is that they don’t just apply to video layers. You can use them to quickly trim shape layers, solids, adjustment layers—every type of layer. I use these shortcuts all the time, and once I memorized them, I noticed a significant speed increase in my workflow. I’m certain you’ll be able to say the same. Best of luck!
Want to learn a few more After Effects tips and tricks, and advice? Well, you’re in luck:
Cut Clips in After Effects
Introduction to Cut Clips in After Effects
Adobe After Effects is an animation and video editing software and, in this article, we are going to learn how to cut clips. For this purpose, we will first see how to work with the timeline area then we will look at multiple ways to cut the clips along with some handy shortcuts to make an easy workflow.
Steps for Cut Clips in After Effects
Here are the following steps as mentioned below.
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Step #1
Let us first familiarize ourselves with the interface before starting to get a better understanding. At the top is the menu bar like File, Edit, etc. and each has its own submenu. Next, just below it, we have tool panel and their properties. On the left side, there is a project panel that consists of the project files and an effects control panel which shows the effects applied on a particular layer. Then there is the composition panel which shows the preview of the animation or video. At the top right, we have various layout presets which will arrange according to the type of work. We can even create our own custom layout. At the right, there are various sections used to edit the video. At the bottom, there is layers and a timeline panel which is used to add media and add animation keyframes.
Step #2
Step #3
Now to create a comp from the video right-click and select New Comp from selection or drag the video into the layers panel.
Step #4
There are multiple ways to cut the video lets start by bringing the current-time indicator on the 2-second mark and first we want to start our video at 2 seconds to we will take our mouse pointer to the start of the video clip which is indicated by the notch on the top of the layer. If the mouse pointer changes to double-headed horizontal arrows then it means that we can clip the video. So, click and drag till the current-time indicator.
Step #5
To make this easy rather than eyeballing the position of the current time indicator you can hold shift while dragging which will snap the clip start to the current-time indicator.