This article is part of the GauchoCast Editing Series. For more editing topics, please visit the GauchoCast Editing Overview page. Instructions on how to trim a video are detailed below with screenshots. Alternatively, you may watch the following video from Panopto: How to Trim a Video in the Editor.
The "Cut" tool in the GauchoCast Video Editor allows you to perform non-destructive edits on your videos. This means you'll be able to trim portions of the video out without actually deleting anything. You can easily cut out the first few seconds of the recording or trim the very tail end of it. You can also edit any sections from the middle of the video out. The following editing topics will be covered in this article:
- Trimming a Video
- Making Precise Edits
- Non-Destructive Edits
- Breaking a Long Video into Smaller Sessions
Trimming a Video
- To trim a video, start by opening the GauchoCast Video Editor.
- Select the “Cut” tool, represented by the scissors icon. The tool will be highlighted green when selected.
- Your cursor will display a long light-gray line (the “handle”) when hovering over the timeline.
- “Cuts” are done by “highlighting” the segments from the streams timeline that you wish to omit from the final version of the video. Trimmed sections will remain on the timeline but appear “grayed-out”. These highlighted areas will not be shown to viewers in the final cut. If “Preview cuts during playback” is enabled, your edits can be previewed in real-time within the video player.
- To trim the beginning of a video: hover your cursor towards the very beginning of the video (the 0:00 mark on the timeline) until a dark-gray bar appears. Then, click and drag the gray handlebar to the right to trim the video. Drop the handlebar on the desired start time. The video will now start from that new position.
- To trim the end of a video: hover over towards the very end of the video (end of the timeline) until the dark-gray bar appears. Click and drag the gray handlebar to the left to trim the end of the video. Drop the handlebar at the desired end time. Your video will now end at that new position.
- To trim a section from the middle of the video: position the cursor on the point you would like to begin the edit and click and drag the gray handle to the right and let go at the point you wish to end the cut. This will remove the highlighted area from the finalized video. You can repeat these steps as many times as you need throughout the timeline.
- After any cuts are made, you can adjust the starting and ending points of the cut by clicking and dragging the handles around. See "Making Precise Edits" below for more information. Editing is non-destructive so you can always redo a cut or eliminate a previous cut. For more information see, "Non-Destructive Edits" below.
When you are done, click "Apply" at the top bar to save your changes. This will apply your edits immediately and viewers will begin watching the edited version.
Making Precise Edits
There are a couple of things you can use in the Video Editor to help you make some more accurate cuts on your videos. You can use the "Magnifying" tool or navigate to the "Cuts" tab to make or adjust trimmed segments.
- "Magnifying" Tool: You can use the magnifying tool to zoom in on the timeline and expose the media streams in finer detail. This will allow you to make more accurate cuts to your videos. This tool will work best for longer videos.
- The tool is found to the right of the editing toolbar and is represented by a slider in-between two magnifying glass icons.
- By default, the Video Editor will open the timeline fully zoomed out. To zoom into the timeline, adjust the slider towards the positive magnifying glass icon. The timeline streams and tick markers will adjust accordingly.
- Note: you may have to use the horizontal scrollbar to navigate through the timeline when it is zoomed in.
Zoomed "Out" -- full 15 minutes visible on the timeline
Zoomed "In" -- minute 7-8 enhanced
- "Cuts" Tab: The cuts tab lists every cut that has been made on the video. You can also fine-tune existing cuts in this menu.
- Look for the edit you want to refine, hover over it and select the three little dots. Click on "Edit." The "Edit Cut" menu will open and here you can adjust the start and end times (based on minutes and seconds) to make precise cuts. Make sure to click "Save" when you are done.
When you are done, click "Apply" at the top bar to save your changes. This will apply your edits immediately and viewers will begin watching the edited version.
Non-Destructive Edits
All edits done through the GauchoCast Video Editor are non-destructive. When you make "cuts," you are simply omitting segments from the video without deleting those segments. If you have made a mistake or changed your mind, you can return to existing videos and un-do previous edits.
- To undo a previous edit, you can delete it off the "Cuts" list or eliminate the trims from the timeline.
- Navigate to the "Cuts" tab from the Video Editor. Hover over the cut you want to remove, select the three little dots, and select "Delete."
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- You can also delete cuts directly from the timeline. Look for the edit you want to remove and click and hold on one of the gray handlebars. Then drag your mouse towards the other gray handlebar and let go when they overlap to get rid of the edit.
When you are done, click "Apply" at the top bar to save your changes. This will apply your edits immediately and viewers will begin watching the edited version.
Breaking a Long Video into Smaller Sessions
You can use what you've learned about editing to break a long GauchoCast video into two (or more) smaller sessions. You can accomplish this by making copies of the original file and editing each session accordingly.
- Let's say you have a long recording that you wish to break up into TWO smaller sessions.
- First, make a copy of the video. This is so you can retain an unedited copy of the full version.
- Make sure to rename the copy something like: "Title of Video -- Part 1" (How to Rename a Video)
- Open the Video Editor for the "Part 1" session.
- Select the "Cut" tool and trim the second half. Make sure to drop the handlebar in the position you would like the "Part 1" video to end.
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- Preview the cut and confirm your changes by clicking "Apply" at the top of the page. Make note of the new ending time marker (minute:second).
- Once the edited version finishes processing, go ahead and make a copy of "Part 1." Rename this copy, "... Part 2".
- Open the editor for the "Part 2" copy. The edits from "Part 1" will carry over in the copied version.
- Remove the cut from "Part 1." Please reference Non-Destructive Edits if you do not know how to remove a cut.
- Place down the "Red" marker on the timeline by clicking on the spot where Part 1 ends and Part 2 will begin.
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- Select the "Cut" tool and trim the first half. Drag the handlebar towards the red marker until it "snaps" together.
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- Preview the cut and confirm your changes.
- In total, you should have three sessions: original copy (full video), "part 1" (first half), "part 2" (second half).
When you are done, click "Apply" at the top bar to save your changes. This will apply your edits immediately and viewers will begin watching the edited version.
You can repeat the previous steps for other videos. You can also break down a video into 3 smaller parts as well. Just make the appropriate number of copies and make note of the start & end times for each individual "Part"
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