Shotcut as a Video Editing Program – A Guide

Video editing is becoming increasingly accessible, and one of the best ways to enable this is by using powerful software like Shotcut. In this tutorial, you will discover the diverse possibilities that this free video editing program offers and learn how to seamlessly combine it with iMovie to optimize your video creation.

Main insights Shotcut is a free and feature-rich video editing program suitable for both Windows and macOS users. It offers a variety of tools for editing, customizing, and exporting videos. The user interface is user-friendly, allowing for easy navigation and adjustments.

Step-by-Step Guide

To make the most of Shotcut, follow the steps outlined below, which provide you with a practical introduction.

Step 1: Installing Shotcut

First, you need to download Shotcut. Open your web browser and type “download Shotcut”. Click on the first link to go to the official download page. There, you can select the appropriate version for your operating system. Make sure to follow the installation instructions.

Step 2: Opening a video file

After you have installed Shotcut, launch the program and click on “File” at the top left, then select “Open”. This allows you to choose a video file from your desktop or a folder on your computer. Drag the desired file into the main window to import it.

Step 3: Managing video tracks

Once the video is loaded, you will see a video track at the bottom of the window. Since you may want to work with multiple video or audio tracks, you can add additional tracks by clicking on the three horizontal lines. You can also rename the tracks to keep track of them.

Step 4: Separating video tracks

If you want to separate the audio from the video track, hold down the control key (Control) and click on the video track. Select “Separate Audio” to isolate the audio track. This is especially useful if you want to make separate adjustments.

Step 5: Applying filters

Applying filters is an important step in video editing. Click on the track you want to edit and select “Filters” from the menu. There, you will find many video filters that you can try to enhance the appearance and sound of your videos.

Step 6: Basic video editing

Some commonly used filters are “Fade In” and “Fade Out”. These filters help create a smooth transition at the beginning or end of a clip. You can also adjust the duration of the fade by setting the time manually.

Step 7: Audio adjustments

To adjust the volume of your audio track, select the audio track and go back to the filters. You can use the “Increase Volume” filter to raise the volume or “Decrease Volume” to lower it. This is especially important to avoid clipping.

Step 8: Position adjustments

If you are working with multiple video tracks and want to insert images or graphics, you need to adjust the position and size of the tracks. You can use the “Size, Position and Rotation” setting to place the video information as you like.

Step 9: Using greenscreen effects

To apply a greenscreen effect, you first need to choose the background you want to use. Add the desired background video or image file and make sure it is placed below the sporadically applied green screen recording. Then apply the “Chroma Key” filter. This allows you to remove the green background and display a new background.

Step 10: Exporting the project

Once your editing is complete, go to “Export”. Select the desired format, such as MP4, from the list. Be sure to save the project regularly to prevent data loss.

Summary – Introduction to Shotcut: Your Path to Video Editing

Shotcut is a capable and user-friendly software that makes video editing accessible for both beginners and advanced users. With the steps described above, you can easily and effectively work with Shotcut, edit your videos, and export them in professional quality.