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PacificaBren
Participant
September 11, 2021
Question

Real basic question about trimming beginning of clip

  • September 11, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 314 views

Hi, I'm re-learning Premiere after having not used it for more than fifteen years.
I tried trimming a few seconds from the beginning of a video clip, but this did not move the clip to the left, and instead added a few seconds of blackness to the beginning of my project.

What am I doing wrong, and how do I have the new beginning of that clip be the beginning of the movie, rather than a few seconds of blackness?

The attached screen shot shows how the clip looks. As you can see, there's an empty space to the left of the clip. Most curious.

Thank you!

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Ann Bens
Community Expert
Ann BensCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 11, 2021

I second Q and W.

I also have my Selection tool default set to Roll/Ripple Edit without modifier key.

 

 

    R Neil Haugen
    R Neil Haugen
    Legend
    September 11, 2021

    That is an excellent tip, Ann ... and I use it also.

     

    When you set that option, as Ann suggests, then when you hover over the edit point you get a rolling cut, if you hover over either side of the cut, you get a ripple cut. the cursor changes to show which tool is active.

     

    Slick ... cuts out needing to use keyboard shorts or clicks.

     

    Neil

    Everyone's mileage always varies ...
      P
      PacificaBrenAuthor
      Participant
      September 13, 2021

      Thank you both for your input. Now I'm going to sound even more clueless:

      I tried hitting Q and nothing happened.

      Then, amazingly, I pressed command-Q and the application quit, as any application would!

      It's hilarious that I somehow didn't expect command-Q to quit an app!

      But, anyway...

      I am still stuck. LOL.

      R Neil Haugen
      R Neil Haugen
      Legend
      September 11, 2021

      The two handiest shortcuts to know for trimming a sequence are the Q and W keys on an English language keyboard.

       

      "Top" and "Tail" editing ... the Q deletes everything of a clip to the left of the CTI (playhead) and closes the gap. W deletes everything to the right of the CTI and closes the gap.

       

      Learn those ... takes only a few minutes ... and it speeds your work dramatically. Learning Q/W and using the trim modes from someone like Christine Steele does wonders for your production speeds.

       

      Christine is teaching at MAX again this year ... and it's 'virtual', online again ... and free. Very much worth looking her up and taking her class.

       

      Neil

      Everyone's mileage always varies ...
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