Is it possible to trim or adjust video content in InDesign's Media panel?

[Mohammed_Darvish]

Question for the Community:

Is it possible to trim or adjust video content directly within InDesign's Media panel when exporting to an Interactive PDF?

The goal is to have control over where the video starts and ends within the existing content. This functionality has been a standard feature in PowerPoint for years, and I’m curious if there’s a similar option in InDesign or any potential workarounds.

Looking forward to hearing your insights and suggestions!

[Derek Cross]

You can't successfully include a video in an Interactive PDF, you can include a hyperlink to an external video source, such as a YouTube video. Alternatively use another format based on HTML5  such as InDesign's Publish Online, FXL ePub or In5, that's an InDesign plugin (at extra cost).

To edit a video use Photoshop or Premiere Pro.

[BobLevine]

Interactive PDF is a horrible format for multimedia; in fact, beyond simple navigation and specialized forms, where you can control the read application, it is nothing short of a crapshoot.

[beam33445917]

I've had great success adding donwloaded videos directly in Indesign using the Media feature, exporting to PDF and playing seamleessly with full control in PDF. For client presenting video storyboards it works great. I've moved completely out of Keynote and into Indesign for presenting and supplying video embedded presentation to clients now because the tech works so well. I haven't managed to be able to trim the vid yet, but I'm on the hunt for that ability as well. 🙂

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@beam33445917

There is a "time" property of the NavigationPoint: 

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#NavigationPoint.html#d1e174694 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Then there is this: 

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#MoviePlayOperations.html#d1e100717 

So it might be a le to start from a specific time - but can't find anything about end time... 

[Bill Silbert]

I would assume that you are presenting the Interactive PDFs using Acrobat. That is the only PDF viewer that can actually handle an Interactive PDF. Any other PDF viewer will not be able to correctly handle that type of a PDF.

[Derek Cross]

For cheap and cheerful video editing have a look at Adobe Express. It may not be Premiere Pro but it will do for simple jobs, and it's easy to learn how to use it (and it's free!)

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I don't think so, however you probably don't want to trim it there anyway. Trimming does not alter the original video, so depending on how much you trim the download time would not be improved. Better to trim it off in Premiere Pro or Adobe Media Encoder and make a copy. (Media Encoder only trims from the heads & tails; it cannot cut out parts from the middle.)

[Mike Witherell]

Not within the Media panel of InDesign, but have you considered Photoshop? I'll bet you already know much about Photoshop, but many forget that it also can edit video. When you have a CC license, you likely have all the big Adobe apps. David C. recommends the video editing software, and I do, too. But in a pinch, Photoshop will do!

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

@Mike Witherell Edit video in Photoshop? How quaint... 😜

 

[Mike Witherell]

Ah, one of my favorite Star Trek movies! <chuckle>