Editing basics

Place the media you want to edit on the timeline, adjust the order of the clips and how long each one is shown, then check the overall flow in Preview. This page covers the basic controls you need the first time you use Composition, along with the timeline concept.

Basic editing flow

  1. Load your media.

    When you open Composition from a Composition node on the canvas, use the video, images, and audio connected to the node. When you open it from Composition in the sidebar, bring in your project's videos with Import from project in Assets, or upload video (MP4), image, and audio files with the upload button.

  2. Place it on the timeline.

    Arrange the position and order of the media to suit the flow of the video.

  3. Adjust how long it is shown.

    Adjust when each video, image, and audio item starts and ends.

  4. Check it in Preview.

    Play it back and check the scene order and the overall timing.

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When you drag clips from Assets onto the timeline, they line up on one track, and the background music is placed on the track below. Selecting a clip or the background music opens its settings on the right, and you can split it at the playhead and delete the unneeded part to fit the length.

Understanding the timeline

The timeline is the editing area where all media is placed along the video's flow of time.

Video clips

Set the order and playback range of the main video.

Images · subtitles

Line up the start and end points of the elements shown over the video.

TTS · sound

Match the playback position of narration, music, and sound effects to the video.

A timeline stacking a subtitle, a logo image, three video clip tracks with staggered starts, and a background music track from top to bottom
From the top: subtitles, images, three video clip tracks, then audio. Dragging the border between Preview and the timeline changes the height of the whole timeline, and double-clicking the border restores the automatic height.

Working with clips

Reordering

Move a clip to change the order in which the video plays.

Range adjustment

Adjust the start and end points at which media is shown or played to suit the flow of the video.

Transitions

Add a transition such as Cross dissolve or Push between two video clips that meet on the timeline. Select the Add transition marker at the clip boundary on the timeline ruler to choose a type. Once a type is set, select the same marker again to change the Transition length.

Preview

While editing, play back repeatedly in Preview to check the timing.

A timeline with subtitle and logo tracks above three video clips that start at different points, and Preview
Giving each clip a different start point builds the playback order, and Preview immediately shows the current frame with the subtitle and logo. A transition marker appears on the ruler at each boundary where two clips meet.