Shotcut is one of the best programs out there that you can use for a Windows-based laptop or desktop PC to edit your videos. It’s also free to use, and you are free to use it if you want to become a vlogger and amaze the world with your talent or horrify it through platforms such as YouTube.
Everybody seems to be in the vlogging business these days, as you can easily see how crowded YouTube is with content. Therefore, video editing apps such as Shotcut can do all the work for you, as it doesn’t matter too much how bad your video is. Shotcut can make it look all fine and dandy for you. Let’s get into detail, shall we?
Getting started
First and foremost, you need to head over to the official website of Shotcut to download and install the software. Once you get it installed, feel free to launch the program and begin your video editing journey!
Importing footage
To start editing your videos, you obviously need to import them into the Shotcut program. You need to simply click on the “Open File” button or drag and drop the files directly into the media bin. Of course, you need to have those videos created first, as nobody will create them for you.
It’s also important to keep in mind that Shotcut supports a wide range of file formats, meaning that it is easy to use the software to work with various types of media.
Editing the video
The next phase after importing your video is obviously to start editing it. The intuitive interface of Shotcut makes it easy to trim, split, and even arrange those clips. You just need to simply drag the clips onto the timeline and use the editing tools to adjust their length and position as you need.
Adding effects and transitions
It’s also important to keep in mind that Shotcut offers a variety of built-in transitions and effects to enhance those videos. You will have to simply drag those clips onto the timeline and use the editing tools to adjust the length and positions as you want them. How hard could it be?
Adding audio
If you want extra audio on your videos, such as a background song (although you need to be extra careful not to run into any copyright issues), Shotcut has it covered for you in this area as well! The software allows you to import audio files and add them to your videos with ease. You even have the possibility to adjust the volume, trim the audio, and even add some effects to create the perfect soundtrack for the video.
Exporting the video
Once you’re satisfied with your work of art, you are free to export the video and save it on your computer for further upload to YouTube, Twitch, and so on. Shotcut is also known for offering a range of export options, as it allows you to customize the resolution, format, and quality settings to suit your needs. All you have to do is hit the “Export” button, select the settings you want, and let the tool do the rest.
There’s no use at all to be intimidated by all those tech gurus who seem to be highly-skilled video editors out there. Video editing is really no rocket science if you approach it with apps such as Shotcut – anybody can learn how to handle such apps.
Tim M. Hill helped bring Digital-Overload from a weekly newsletter to a full-fledged news site by creating a new website and branding. He continues to assist in keeping the site responsive and well organized for the readers. As a writer to Digital-Overload, Tim mainly covers mobile news and gadgets.