Adobe After Effects allows you to split clips into two or more pieces. However, the editing software isn’t made for speedy video cutting. To get the job done, you’ll need to import your files, move the playhead, and use a few hotkeys. You can also use a tool called the Razor Blade to cut a section of a clip. It’s easy to do, though, as long as you know what you’re doing.
The first thing you need to do to split a clip is to select the one you want. You’ll need to do this by clicking on a clip, or pressing the mouse button if you’re using an keyboard. A red marker will appear on your timeline, indicating that the selected clip is active. Next, you’ll need to move the marker to a place in the video where you’d like to split it. Moving the mark is simple, as long as you use the mouse to drag it to the position you’d like.
The second step is to highlight the layer you’re going to cut. You’ll need to use the mouse to nudge the playhead to where you want it to be, or you can use the nifty tidbits shortcut on the keyboard. When you’re done, resize the frame to fit the video.
In addition to highlighting the layer you’re going to cut, you’ll need to use the Razor Blade tool to cut a section of the clip. This nifty little tool allows you to snip a small portion of a clip, and then delete the rest. As a bonus, this can be used to create a compound clip, which condense all of the layers you’ve selected into a single one.
The most impressive trick is how you can split the video you’re editing into several smaller clips. There are several ways to do this, though, so you’ll need to make sure you choose the best one. For example, the Split Layer feature of After Effects is probably the easiest method, and can be found by clicking the Split button on the main panel.
The other way to get a good cut is to drag a file into the Timeline. Once it’s there, you’ll need to move the playhead to the location where you’d like to trim it. Cutting a video is no small task, but the process is relatively easy if you have the right tools.
Another useful tool is the Razor blade, which allows you to snip a small section of a clip, and then delete the entire segment. If you’re using a mouse, you can also drag the end of the clip to the position you’d like to trim it, and it’ll snap to the location.
If you’re using a keyboard, you can do some more nifty tricks with the Split or Trim functions, as long as you’re aware of the shortcuts. The key to this is to ensure you use the correct keystroke combination. Whether you’re using a mouse, or a keyboard, make sure you’re doing the best you can.
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