Linux Video Editing
Arpee Ong

What is Video Editing
Video editing is the process of manipulating video clips. It is a
post production phase which is comprised by the following
activities:
Removal of clips that are not needed;
Sequencing of clips to create the flow; and
Addition of background music, video effects and other
elements to enhance the over-all look and feel of a video.

Software:
Kino – is a linear, non-mutli-tracked video editor for editing
in/out, trimming, splitting, sequencing and reordering scenes
and application of simple effects.
Cinelerra – is a linear, multi-tracked video editor for application
of background audio, overlaying videos/images/audio and
application of more complex effects.

Part I: Kino Video Editing 101

Starting Kino
Using the Menu:

Starting Kino
Using the
Terminal:

Kino User Interface

Importing Digital Videos

Kino User Interface and Screens
Screen: Associated
actions/description:
- Cutting, copying, pasting, splitting and joining of scenes
- Capturing of clips from an analog source (camcorder
through firewire)
- Displays thumbnails representing a corresponding timeline
- Trimming of specific active scenes, either in overwrite or
insert modes
- Application of basic video effects and transitions
- Exporting of edited clips to various video formats

Kino User Interface and Screens
Edit Screen: Splitting Scenes
1.) Select a scene from the
storyboard
2.) Select a specific timeline
from the timeline scroller
where the active scene is
intended to be splitted
3.) Click the “Split” button

Kino User Interface and Screens
Edit Screen: Cutting Scenes
1.) Select a scene from the
storyboard
2.) Click the “Cut” button

Kino User Interface and Screens
Edit Screen: Copying Scenes
1.) Select a scene from the
storyboard
2.) Click the “Copy” button

Kino User Interface and Screens
Edit Screen: Pasting Scenes
1.) Select a scene where the
copied scene will be pasted
2.) Click the “Paste” button

Kino User Interface and Screens
Edit Screen: Joining Scenes
1.) Select a scene which will
be joined to the next scene
2.) Click the “Merge” button

Kino User Interface and Screens
Capture Screen:
AV/C - Turns on the
Device Control/Monitor
Capture - Starts
capturing
STOP - Stops
capturing
Still - Captures current
frame to an image file
format
Mute - Mutes the
audio from the device
File - Specifies the
filename of the digital
video when captured

Kino User Interface and Screens
Timeline Screen:
Start - Specifies
starting range of
timeline thumbnails to
show
End - Specifies ending
range of timeline
thumbnails to show

Kino User Interface and Screens
Trim Screen:
In - Specifies starting
range of a scene
segment to clip
Out - Specifies ending
range of a scene
segment to clip
Mode - In overwrite
mode, the trimmed clip
will replace the actual
scene, in insert mode,
the trimmed clip will be
inserted either before
or after the active
scene

Kino User Interface and Screens
FX Screen: Overwrite - Applies
the video/audio effects
to the current active
scene
Create - Inserts a clip
after the active scene
from a variety of
sources.
Audio
Filter/Transition -
Provides effects
affecting the audio
layer of the active
scene
Video
Filter/Transition -
Provides effects
affecting the video
layer of the active
scene

Kino User Interface and Screens
FX Screen: Every - Specifies the
interval of frames to
export
Frame of - Specifies
whether to export the
whole storyboard or
just the current active
scene
Format Tabs -
Provides a number of
formats and settings in
which the
storyboard/scene set
can be exported to

Part 2: Cinelerra Video Editing 101

Starting Cinelerra
Using the Menu:

Starting Cinelerra
Using the
Terminal:

Cinelerra User Interface

Cinelerra User Interface
Viewer
Viewer - provides
previewing screen for
the imported media, it
also provides basic
editing features such
as splicing the active
media to the selected
track timeline

Cinelerra User Interface
Compsitor
Compositor -
provides previewing
screen of the actual
timeline as well as
editing capabilities.

Cinelerra User Interface
Program
Program - Displays
representation of the
multi-tracked timeline.
It is the main interface
where most of the
video editing takes
place.

Cinelerra User Interface
Resources
Resources - Shows
the available effect
resources for audio
and video, as well as
the imported media
that will be used for
the project

Importing Digital Media as Resources

Importing Digital Media Resources in Timeline
1.) Select a media resource
from the Media Folder
2.) Drag the selected
resource into the selected
track

Importing Digital Media Resources in Timeline
as new Tracks (Audio/Video/Image)
1.) Add a new track (Audio or
Video depending on the
resource you intend to add)
2.) Drag and drop the
Resource to the newly added
track

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Usage
To use the Viewer
with a clip, drag and
drop the media
resource to the Viewer
window.

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Working with the Viewer
In / Out - Sets a range
within the selected
clip.

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Working with the Viewer
Splice – Creates an
instance of the
selected range
specified by In / Out to
the active timeline
track and cursor
position

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Working with the Viewer
Overwrite – Creates
an instance of the
selected range
specified by In / Out to
the active timeline
track and cursor
position and
overwrites keyframes
next to it if there are
any

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Working with the Viewer
To Clip – Creates an
instance of the
selected range
specified by In / Out to
the Clip Resources.
Clip Resources – are
located in the Clip
folder under the
Resources window.
Clips can be dragged
and dropped to a track
similar to Media
resources

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Working with the Viewer
Copy – Copies the
current clip range
specified by In / Out.
The copied clip
selection can later be
pasted in the track
timeline in the
Program window
using Edit -> Paste

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Working with the Viewer
Show Meter –
Toggles the visibility of
the meter.

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Working with the Viewer
Label – Labels the
current cursor position
in the viewer

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Working with the Viewer
Previous / Next Label
– Navigates
throughout the labels
set in the clip.

Cinelerra User Interface: Viewer
Working with the Viewer
Manual Goto –
provides a dialogue to
manually put the
cursor to an exact
timeline within the
selected clip in the
viewer

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Lock Video – Locks
the loaded video from
changes

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Zoom View – enables
mouse pointer zoom
view

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Edit Mask – Enables
editing of mask points

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Adjust Camera
Automation –
Enables mouse
pointer control over
the location of timeline
videos in the camera

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Adjust Projector
Automation –
Enables mouse
pointer control over
the projection of
videos in the timeline

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Crop – Provides a
cropping tool

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Color Picker –
Enables the mouse
pointer to capture the
color of the area
where it will be clicked

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Options / Settings –
Displays a dialogue
pertaining to the
options or settings
about the currently
active tool

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Show Safe Regions –
Toggles the display of
Safe Regions
Safe Regions – are
markers which show
which area of the
video will be visible
among different output
resolutions and size.
The smaller the area
of the safe region, the
more it makes it likely
that the whole video
will display across
output size and
resolutions

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Generate Keyframes
while tweaking –
Toggles whether
keyframes will be
created on the fly
while the tools are
being applied

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
In / Out - Sets a range
within the selected clip
in the timeline.

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
To Clip – Creates an
instance of the
selected range
specified by In / Out to
the Clip Resources.
Clip Resources – are
located in the Clip
folder under the
Resources window.
Clips can be dragged
and dropped to a track
similar to Media
resources

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Cut – Cuts the current
selection specified by
In / Out from the
timeline

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Copy – Copies the
current clip range
specified by In / Out.
The copied clip
selection can later be
pasted in the track
timeline in the
Program window
using Edit -> Paste or
the Paste button

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Paste – Pastes the
copied clip into the
current cursor position

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Show Meter –
Toggles the visibility of
the meter.

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Label – Labels the
current cursor position
in the Compositor

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Previous / Next Label
– Navigates
throughout the labels
set in the clip.

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Undo /Redo – Undos
or Redos actions

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Manual Goto –
provides a dialogue to
manually put the
cursor to an exact
timeline within the
selected clip in the
compositor

Cinelerra User Interface: Compositor
Working with the Compositor
Zoom Level Controls
– Controls the size of
the timeline preview
screen in the
Compositor

Applying Audio/Video Effects
1.) Drag and drop the
selected effect from either
the audio/video effects folder
to a track where the effect is
intended to be applied
2.) Options for the applied
effect can be set at the
applied track

Applying Audio/Video Transitions
1.) Drag and drop the
selected transition from
either the audio/video effects
folder before or after the clip
where the transition will be
applied

Rendering the Project to Digital Video Format

Rendering the Project to Digital Video Format
Filename - the
complete path and
filename of the output
video file
File Format - the
format of the video
output file
Audio/Video -
specifies the tracks to
export
Create New File at
each Label - when
checked, the output
video will be divided to
several tracks
depending on the
labels that were set

Rendering the Project to Digital Video Format
Render Range –
Specifies the range of
the project/timeline to
be exported
Render Profile –
Allows the saving of
render settings
Insertion Strategy –
Specifies how the
output track will be
imported into the
current project