Extend or shorten a clip

Extend or shorten a clip

You can fine-tune the location and duration of a clip in your project by moving the clip’s startpoint or endpoint, or an entire frame-range selection, in small increments at once. Choose one of the following methods, depending on how you like to work.

Using the fine-tuning controls:

Using this method extends or shortens a clip in one-frame increments.

  1. Choose iMovie > Preferences, and then click Browser at the top of the preferences pane.

    The iMovie menu appears in a light gray bar across the top of your computer screen.

  2. Select “Show Fine Tuning controls.”

  3. In the Project browser, move the pointer over a clip, and then click one of the blue fine-tuning (double-headed arrow) buttons that appear at either end of the clip.

    An orange selection handle appears.

    Image of the orange selection handle on a clip

  4. Drag the selection handle to increase or decrease the clip’s duration one frame at a time.

    As you drag, an indicator (+1, +2, -1, and so on) appears to show you how many frames have been added or removed.

    You can extend or shorten a maximum of one second at a time, which means up to 30 frames for 30 fps projects and up to 24 frames for 24 fps projects. To shorten or lengthen a clip by more than one second, repeat steps 3 and 4.

Using the Clip Trimmer:

Using this method extends or shortens a clip in intervals of one-tenth of a second.

  1. In the Project browser, move the pointer over a video clip, and then choose Clip Trimmer from the Action pop-up menu (looks like a gear) that appears in the lower-left corner of the clip.

    Image of Clip Trimmer selected in the Action popup menu

    The Clip Trimmer appears, with the selected clip outlined in yellow. The dimmed frames are those from the original video clip that aren’t currently used in your project.

  2. In the Clip Trimmer, do either of the following:

    • Drag the handles at either end of the yellow clip selection to set a new startpoint and endpoint.

      Image of handles on selected video clip

    • Move the handles one frame at a time by placing the pointer near the handle that you want to adjust, and then holding down the Option key as you press the Left Arrow or Right Arrow key.

    • Move the entire yellow selection box to the left or right by pressing the Left Arrow or Right Arrow key, or by clicking within the box and dragging. Using this technique, you can change which video frames are selected without changing the duration of the selection.

  3. Click Done.

Using fine-tuning on the fly:

  • In the Project browser, do any of the following to extend or shorten a clip. To extend a clip, there must be unused portions of the clip available:

    • Move the pointer near the end of the clip you want to adjust, and then hold down the Command and Option keys. When an orange selection handle appears, drag it.

    • Move the pointer near the end of the clip you want to adjust, and then hold down the Option key as you press the Right Arrow or Left Arrow key.

    • To move a selected frame range, press the Right Arrow or Left Arrow key to slide the frame range to the right or left.