OpenShot Video Editor has one main window which contains most of the information, buttons, and menus needed to edit your video project.
|
Id |
component |
description |
|
1 |
Main Toolbar |
Contains buttons to open, save, and export your video project. |
|
2 |
Function Tabs |
Switch between Project Files, Transitions, and Effects. |
|
3 |
Project Files |
All audio, video, and image files that have been imported into your project. |
|
4 |
Preview Window |
This is the area that the video will playback on the screen. |
|
5 |
Edit Toolbar |
This toolbar contains toggle buttons used for editing, trimming, and splitting clips. |
|
6 |
Zoom Slider |
This slider will adjust the time-scale of your timeline. |
|
7 |
Play-head / Ruler |
The ruler shows the time-scale, and the red line is the play-head. The play-head represents the current playback position. |
|
8 |
Timeline |
The timeline visualizes your video project, and each clip and transition in your project. |
|
9 |
Filter |
Filter the list of items shown (project files, transitions, and effects) by using these toggle buttons and textbox. Enter a few letters of what you are looking for, and the results will be shown. |
The contains buttons to quickly create and save your project, undo and redo actions, import files, and export your video. All of these functions can also be accessed through the and menus.
|
Id |
component |
description |
|
1 |
New Project |
Create a new OpenShot project file (*.OSP). |
|
2 |
Save Project |
Save the current project. If no project has been created, a dialog screen will open to gather more information. |
|
3 |
Undo |
Undo the last action |
|
4 |
Redo |
Redo the previous action |
|
5 |
Import Files |
Import 1 or more files into your current OpenShot project. |
|
6 |
Export Video |
Export the current project to a single video file. |
These tabs let you switch between 3 different functions: Project Files, Transitions, and Effects. The items in these tabs can be dragged and dropped onto the timeline.
The Project Files section contains all files that have been imported into your project. Before you can add an image, audio file, or video file to your project timeline, it must first be imported into your Project Files section.
The Preview Window is what controls the playback (or preview) of your video project. Clicking the buttons under the preview window controls the playback, and outputs video to this area. The size of this area can be modified by clicking and dragging on the handles (or lines) around this section.
|
Id |
component |
description |
|
1 |
Skip to Beginning |
Skip to the very beginning of the project. |
|
2 |
Rewind |
Rewind the video from the current playback position. |
|
3 |
Play / Pause |
Play or Pause the playback of your project. |
|
4 |
Fast Forward |
Fast forward the video from the current playback position. |
|
5 |
Skip to End |
Skip to the end of the project. |
The Edit Toolbar lets you toggle between different edit modes for the timeline. When moving, trimming, and slicing clips, it is necessary to change the edit mode using this toolbar.
|
Id |
component |
description |
|
1 |
Add Track |
Add a new track to the top of the stack. |
|
2 |
Select Mode |
Select mode allows you to click and move clips. |
|
3 |
Razor Mode |
Razor mode allows you to split a clip where ever you click. If snapping is enabled, clicking near the play-head (the red line), will slice the clip exactly on the play-head. |
|
4 |
Resize Mode |
Resize mode allows you to grab the edges of a clip and drag to resize (or trim) the clip. |
|
5 |
Snap Mode |
Snap mode allows clips to snap (or jump) to the nearest clip or play-head (if any are close) when you drop them. Transitions will snap to nearby clips. Also, clips and transitions will snap to the play-head's position. |
|
6 |
Add Marker |
Add a new marker, which allows you to quickly jump back to this exact point while previewing. |
|
7 |
Previous Marker |
Skip to the previous marker (if any). |
|
8 |
Next Marker |
Skip to the next marker (if any). |
The zoom slider allows you to change the time-scale of the timeline. Zoom in to see the timeline more closely, or zoom out the see the entire project without scrolling. You can either click the zoom buttons (on the left and right), or slide the zoom slider. When dragging the slider, it will update the timeline when you pause or stop moving it.
The timeline visualizes your project in a very graphical way. Each clip is represented by a yellow rectangle. Each track is represented by a blue rectangle. The Play-head (red line) represents the current playback (or preview) position of your project.
Click anywhere on the ruler to jump to that point in time. If you drag along the ruler, it will “scrub” the video, which is a fast, rough way to preview your project.
|
Id |
component |
description |
|
1 |
Ruler |
The ruler shows the current time-scale of the timeline. |
|
2 |
Play-Head |
The Play-head represents the current playback position of your preview window. |
|
3 |
Clip |
A clip represents an audio, image, or video file. |
|
4 |
Track |
A track is similar to a layer. The higher tracks show video and images above the lower tracks. There is no limit to how many tracks a project can have. |
OpenShot uses tracks to layer videos and images. The top most track is the top layer, and the bottom track is the bottom layer. If you are familiar with layers in a photo editing application, then you should be quite familiar with this concept. OpenShot will mix each layer together, just like a photo editing application.
For example, imagine a 3 track video project. A sunset image should be used as the background, an image with lots of circles should be in the middle, and a logo should be on top.
|
Id |
component |
description |
|
1 |
Top Track |
Clips on this track will be on top. Logos and watermarks should be on this layer. The OpenShot logo is on this track in the illustration. |
|
2 |
Middle Track |
These clips are under the top track, but above the bottom track. The image with circles is on this track in the illustration. |
|
3 |
Bottom Track |
These clips are under all other tracks. The sunset is on this track in the illustration. |
Playing, Pausing, and Seeking are very important features in a video editor. While you are creating a video project, you will need to playback the project over and over again. While clicking on the is an easy way to accomplish this, there are many faster ways.
There are 8 ways to control the video playback in OpenShot.
Click the (Play, Fast-forward, etc...)
Dragging the Slider above the Preview Toolbar
Dragging the on the Ruler
Clicking on the Ruler at any point
Using Keyboard Shortcuts (J, K, L keys)
Using the Arrow Buttons (Left, Right, Up, Down)
Using the Space bar key (Play / Pause)
Double-clicking on a user-defined marker
A keyboard short-cut is a key (or keys) on the keyboard that saves you the trouble of moving your mouse and clicking. It is often faster to type a key, than to point and click. Here are all keyboard short-cuts in OpenShot:
|
key |
description |
|
J |
Rewind the video playback |
|
K |
Pause / Play |
|
L |
Fast-forward the video playback |
|
Space bar |
Pause / Play |
|
Up |
Seek to previous maker (if any) |
|
Down |
Seek to next marker (if any) |
|
Left |
Step backwards one frame (frame stepping) |
|
Right |
Step forwards one frame (frame stepping) |
|
TAB |
Switch between and mode |
|
Ctrl + Scroll Wheel |
Zoom in & out of the timeline |
|
Ctrl + Home |
Seek to the beginning of the timeline |
|
Ctrl + End |
Seek to the end of the timeline |
|
C |
Slice all clips at the play-head position |
|
CTRL + N |
Create a new project |
|
CTRL + O |
Open an existing project |
|
CTRL + F |
Import a file (audio, video, or image) |
|
CTRL + I |
Import an image sequence |
|
CTRL + W |
Import new transition |
|
CTRL + S |
Save the current project |
|
SHIFT + CTRL + S |
Save the current project as... |
|
CTRL + X |
Export project as MLT XML |
|
CTRL + E |
Export the current project as a video file |
|
CTRL + U |
Upload current project as a video file to YouTube or Vimeo |
|
CTRL + Q |
Quit the program |
|
CTRL + Z |
Undo the last action |
|
CTRL + Y |
Redo the previous action |
|
CTRL + P |
Edit the preferences |
|
CTRL + T |
Create a new title |
|
CTRL + B |
Create a new animated title |
|
F11 |
Toggle full-screen mode |
|
F1 |
Launch the help file (if installed) |
|
CTRL + D |
Capture and save the current frame of any non-audio clips that are overlapping the play-head, and add them to the project files. |