Although Adobe After Effects is best known as a powerful compositing and visual effects creation tool, it is possible to edit video using the program. Using this guide, you will learn how to make simple cuts between several video clips and include a fade from black to begin the scene and fade to black to complete the scene. Our tutorial will use Adobe After Effects CS4 to create the video edits.
- Open After Effects. Create a new composition by selecting “Composition” and “New” from the main menu. For our purposes, we will use the default NTSC DV preset. Keep the 30-second default duration unless you need more time for the video scene you wish to edit.
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Step 2
Import several video clips by selecting “File,” then “Import” from the menu. Navigate to the video files you want, and import at least three different video files using the Import File dialogue box.
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Step 3
Double click on the first video file you want to add to your timeline. The file will now open in a video monitor window under a tab titled, “Footage: {name of your file}.”
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Step 4
Drag the timeline cursor to the point where you want to begin the video clip. Locate the “Set IN point to current time” icon by moving your mouse over the icons directly beneath the video window. Click the “Set In” icon to mark the clip in point. Likewise, drag the cursor to the desired point where you want the video clip to end and click the “Set Out” icon.
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Step 5
Insert the selected portion of the video clip into the composition timeline by clicking the “Ripple Insert Edit” button to the right of the Set Out button. The selected portion of the clip will now be located on the composition timeline.
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Step 6
Locate the cursor in the composition timeline on the end point of the clip added in the last step. Select the second clip you wish to add to the composition, and repeat Steps 4 and 5.
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Step 7
Place the composition timeline cursor at the end of the last video clip. Select the third imported clip, and repeat Steps 4 and 5.
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Step 8
Add a fade from black by selecting the first clip layer added to the composition timeline. Press the “T” key, and enter an opacity value of 0 percent. Click the key frame icon. Move the composition timeline cursor to 1 second on the timeline. Now enter an opacity value of 100 percent.
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Step 9
Add a fade to black at the end of the scene by placing your composition timeline cursor 1 second before the end of the last clip. Select your final clip layer, and press the “T” key for the opacity effect. Enter 100 percent and click the key frame icon. Now place the cursor at the end of the last video clip and enter 0 percent. You now have edited three clips together with a fade up and fade to black to begin and end the scene.