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how do you lengthen clips in a sequence?


upm_editor

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Once clips are in a sequence, it is fairly simple to shorten them. But what about making them longer? Is there any way to trim them so that they are longer and push the clips that follow them further down the sequence? I've tried adding a blank clip, but that's like any other clip, you can't adjust the ins/outs of the video around it. I've thought of adding a gap in between clips so that I can then lengthen one or the other and then delete the gap, but I can't see how to do that. I could also re-edit a longer version of the clip in and then delete the shorter, but is there a better way?

 

Thanks.

 

upm_editor

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Hi

 

Obviously the full length of the clip you have inserted is the maximum length of film you have to juggle with. However you can make it play for longer by simply altering (reducing) the speed it plays. This, of course would make it play in slow motion. A small reduction in speed however, may go unnoticed and give you enough extra time in the sequence for your purpose, particularly with a longer clip in which a small reduction in speed would give a proportionaly larger increase in playing time.

 

Another way to lengthen a clip is if there is a section or sections that are stationary.

By stationary I mean a section with virtually no movement but not a still image. (But see below.)

 

You could split these off, duplicate them and then reinsert them so doubling the length of those sections, a very short crossfade would serve to disguise the joins.

 

In a similar way to that outlined in method 1, you could split off the stationary bits of and then alter their speed after reinserting them. This will add length to the section with a minimal effect. With a stationary section you can reduce the speed quite a lot without much being noticed. (50% reductions will double the playing time for the clip concerned)

 

Alternatively you could set the red cursor line to a suitable frame in the stationary section and then click the camera icon to take a still photo and then insert this into the sequence. This could then be lengthened to play for as long as required. Being a still image, of course it would be more noticable in the general movie.

 

If you have edited the clip using the IN/OUT markers then you could re-establish the full length of the clip by altering the markers, or pulling out the ends of the clip in the sequence line but this may result in you adding back an unwanted section you previously eliminated (the reason why you trimmed the clip in the first place.)

 

A final resort would be to simply insert another unrelated clip.

 

These are basically the only options you have.

 

Note that in v2.41 it is quite easy to split and insert clips.

 

In v3.0x you can add any inserts to the higher video tracks (overlays) and adjust their positions and starting/ending opacity levels and durations for any crossfades deemed necessary. These overlays will overwrite the main track so you can see how they join in. The main sequence length however, will not have changed so you will need to use the scissors icon to cut the main sequence and then pull the right hand section along to a point just before your insert finishes.Now the whole sequence will have been lengthened by the length of your inserted clip.

 

Nat

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Nat, thanks for long reply! Much appreciated.

 

Slo-mo or freeze-framing would make a clip of limited length longer for sure.

 

I probably didn't pose the question too well, but what I'm trying to do is in fact add back in previously eliminated material for a few clips I already have in the sequence. It won't let me do it, with an error message saying I'm too close to another clip (or something to that effect). I can see where I can drag the end of the clip backwards to make is shorter (creating a gap) but I don't see that there is a way to drag the end of a clip on a sequence forward so that the clip is longer and the following material gets pushed or "rippled" down.

 

I thought about putting in an empty hole or gap to allow me to extend the clip, but I can't figure out how to do that.

 

I've got a test project I use to experiment, so I will try some of your suggestions.

 

Thanks!

 

upm_editor

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Thanks for the video!!

 

Is there any way to do this (using the two-headed arrow) without making the second clip shorter? I just want to make a clip longer by adding a second or two back in, but not change the duration of the clip following it.

 

I did find the following workaround: insert a blank clip in between. Then use the two-headed arrow method you suggest to make the blank clip shorter, which leaves a gap. Then you can lengthen the clip into the gap without affecting the duration of what follows. Any remaning gap after than can be deleted.

 

Thanks!

 

upm_editor

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Is there any way to do this (using the two-headed arrow) without making the second clip shorter? I just want to make a clip longer by adding a second or two back in, but not change the duration of the clip following it.

 

Very easy. Select clip #2. Instead of clicking on the line between the clips, drag the second clip to the right. Then right-click on the gap and CLOSE GAP, or drag clip two to the left. Look here.

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Thanks for this one, too! I can also shift click more than one clip to move several clips at once. I find being in the Storyboard tab (rather than Sequence) easier for moving things around.

 

I've found the user manual and other "how to" stuff from NCH to be minimal at best, so this forum is a big help.

 

Thanks for your input!

 

upm_editor

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