Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro 5

Trimming an edit point is a way of changing your mind about where you want a clip to start or stop after you've placed it in the Timeline. When you trim an edit point, you are lengthening or shortening the clip either at the head or the tail. Lengthening or shortening a clip in the Timeline often affects the length of the entire sequence.

Consider the In point at the head of the clip:

• Trim the In point to the left, and the clip will begin on an earlier frame. The clip will be longer.

• Trim the In point to the right, and the clip will begin on a later frame. The clip will be shorter.

Consider the Out point at the tail of the clip:

• Trim the Out point to the left, and the clip will end on an earlier frame. The clip will be shorter.

• Trim the Out point to the right, and the clip will end on a later frame. The clip will be longer.

Remember that the maximum amount you can trim in an outer direction (head or tail) to lengthen a clip depends on how much material is available in the original media file. Even though you are seeing only the marked portion in the Timeline, you have access to all the frames from the original media file. These additional frames are referred to as handles.