Video Editing with Shotcut

Introduction

The goal of today is continue to learn how to use the open-source video editing software Shotcut. You are going to use Shotcut to create a short (roughly 1-2 minute) video promo for this class.

Your building blocks

Download the .zip file posted to the #in-class Slack channel. Download the .zip file and then extract it to a sub-folder in your computer’s folder for this class. In this folder you will have the “building blocks” for making your video:

• Short video pitches each of you recorded (.mp4 files)
• Course poster in image format (.png file)
• Totally bad-ass music track (.mp3 file)

Things to include

Your goal is to create a short video using the above building blocks that includes the following:

• Choose three video segments recorded by your classmates to include in your own video
• Create and save a new project in Shotcut
• Open the three video files, image file, and audio file and add them to your project’s playlist. Hint: http://write.flossmanuals.net/introduction-to-video-editing-with-shotcut/getting-started-opening-a-file-and-adding-it-to-the-playlist-and-timeline/
• Add the image file to your timeline and have it play for the first 5 seconds of your video. Hint: https://youtu.be/JtsB2iZRb9c?t=283
• Add the audio file so that it plays during those opening 5 seconds and then stops (you’ll want to “trim” it in the timeline). Hint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpuGsMC2BhQ
• “Trim” a few seconds from the beginning and/or end of at least one of your classmates’ videos (ex. if there are several seconds of awkward silence at the beginning). Hint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxiJRpcnF3I
• End your video with 5 seconds of the course poster again.
• Export your video as an .mp4 file named yourfirstname-yourlastname-promo.mp4 and upload it to the #in-class Slack channel.

Bonus:

• Add transitions between the different sections of your video, such as and the opening image and in between your three videos
• Overlay some text onto one of the videos
• Add an audio fade-in and fade-out at the beginning