At the moment there are many video editing applications with which anyone can create a short video for the soul and share it on social networks. However, if you want to create more than amateur video clips you may need a more worthy tool. Shotcut is a simple but high-quality video editor that will help bring your creative ideas to life. Although it’s easy to understand, some moments can cause difficulties for users. In this article, we will tell you how to use Shotcut.
Getting to Know Your Interface
Although at first glance the interface seems simple and intuitive, it contains a collection of complex functions. You can see all the existing commands in the menu at the top of the screen, and the editing tools are located above the timeline. You can move some panels around, foreground, etc. to make edits to your video at any time. Overall, the interface is flexible, and it’s one of those times when users can feel like they’re in complete control.
How do I use Shotcut?
Below we’ll talk in detail about how to use shotcut, breaking down every possible process in detail and laying it out step by step as simple as possible. So, after you have downloaded the application you will go directly to the process of video creation, and for that, you will need to upload a new “project”. Here’s what to do:
- Each time you want to create a new video you need to upload a new project, set the path to the project folder, sign it and select the video mode you want (SD, HD, or UHD). They differ in frame rate
- Press “start”
The project is loaded, but now you need to set the frame layout. The shortcut offers four types of layout:
- Project timeline
- Project for clips only
- Playlist Project
- Playlist
Select the timeline layout to start editing your video because it includes a preview window, timeline, audio files, recent files, and a properties panel. Next, you need to perform a media import. This can be done by dragging and dropping or by using the “open file” button.
When you want to attach text to your video, all you need to do is:
- On the video timeline, select the segment in which you want to insert text and select “filters” among the tools
- Switch the tabs from “Favorites” to “Videos”, scroll to the bottom and select “text”
- Decide between “Text: Simple” or “Text: 3D”, choose the one you like best
- A text box will appear in front of you where you can enter your text. You can also edit the font, color, and size of the text, as well as many other small details
If you need to trim your video, follow the instructions below:
- Go to “Filters” then to “Video” and click on “Crop” and you will be given the choice of cropping type (circle, rectangle, or source)
- If you choose a circle, you can also adjust the radius. With a rectangle, you can adjust the corner radius and indent color, and in source mode, you have the option to trim the video at the top, bottom, left, or right
You can add transitions if you wish because this makes the video even more exciting:
- Connect two or more video clips so that one slightly overlaps the other
- There will be a transition zone, click on it and then click on “properties” in the toolbar
- This will open a choice of transitions, choose the one that you think fits best into your video
- You can also adjust its softness if needed