[Video Editing 101] How to Cut Video in Premiere Pro Without Rendering
Video editing is typically a prerequisite before sharing, with most people at least removing unnecessary scenes, cutting short clips, or even reversing the sequence for comedic effect. Adobe Premiere Pro, a highly professional video editing software, can certainly cater to your basic video-cutting needs. But how exactly do you cut a video using Premiere Pro? Is it possible to trim videos in Premiere Pro without rendering? Are there simpler video-cutting solutions that don’t involve Premiere Pro? The answers to these questions await you below.
If your editing plans don’t involve extensive use of transitions, intricate effects, motion graphics, or the creation of multiple sequences, using Premiere Pro to simply cut a video may be overkill. This approach not only demands a steep learning curve but also requires a high-performance computer. If you’re just looking for a straightforward way to make simple cuts, a more user-friendly method might be the right fit for you.
How to Cut Clips in Premiere Pro CC
When it comes to cutting a video in Adobe Premiere, there are essentially two methods to choose from. The first is using the razor tool, which allows you to split your footage into two separate parts. The second method involves trimming the beginning or ending sections of a clip, which can also be considered a form of cutting, as it allows you to extract the necessary portions from a clip. These two approaches can be employed interchangeably, depending on your specific cutting requirements in different scenarios. While mastering the art of cutting videos in Adobe Premiere Pro may not be your ultimate goal, being able to navigate the entire process and export a polished final cut certainly is.
Step 1: Open Adobe Premiere Pro CC and choose the location for your project. Create a dedicated folder to store all the necessary files for this project.
● It’s important to keep everything organized within a designated folder, including videos, images, audio files, and any other resources needed to produce your video. By organizing your resources this way, it becomes easier to manage them.
● If your files are scattered across different folders and you accidentally move a file, such as a video clip, you will be prompted to manually locate the missing file.
Step 2: Click on the folder icon located at the bottom left corner of the screen to create bins. These bins are designed to hold different types of resources. You can then import or drag video clips into their respective bins. It’s worth noting that if your Adobe Premiere Pro lacks the HEVC codec, you may encounter difficulties importing certain videos shot with an iPhone.
If you happen to unintentionally alter the layout of your workspace, simply click on “Edit” in the top bar to enter edit mode, ensuring that you have the desired layout where projects and resource bins are located in the bottom left corner.
Step 3: Begin by dragging your clip(s) onto the timeline. Depending on your desired effects, you may choose to place multiple clips on different tracks.
● If you prefer to have a rough cut of your footage before adding it to the timeline, you can double-click on the desired clip and trim it using the source monitor located in the upper left panel. By selecting the in and out points using the bracket icon, you can create a pre-cut clip that can then be easily dragged onto the timeline.
● It’s worth noting that if you add a clip to the timeline that has parameters conflicting with your current sequence settings, you will receive a prompt asking whether you wish to keep or change sequence settings.
Step 4: To make cuts in your video, click on the razor tool (shortcut C) and hover it over the desired position. Left-clicking will create a cut line that splits the clip into two parts. You can repeat this process to make multiple cuts as needed.
● For more precise cutting on a frame-accurate level, you can enlarge the timeline by dragging the knob on the horizontal scrollbar located below the timeline (shortcut Alt + scroll mouse).
● To make a cut precisely at the position of the playhead marker, press Ctrl (Windows) or ⌘ (Mac) + K simultaneously.
● If you wish to separate the audio from a video clip, you can unlink them by pressing Shift while using the razor tool. This will create cuts on both the video and audio tracks simultaneously.
Step 5: Remove any unwanted segments. Switch from the razor tool to the selection tool (shortcut V) and click on the section you wish to delete from the clip. Press the “delete” key on your keyboard to remove the selected portion. This action will create a gap in the timeline. Alternatively, you can right-click and choose “ripple delete” to automatically fill the gap with the remaining parts of the clip, seamlessly joining them together.
Step 6: Save the project or export media. If you cannot finish editing footage at one time, go to File > Save to save your project (.prproj) for future editing from where you left off. To export, go to File > Export > Media, manage export settings such as format, file name, and file location, then hit “Export”. You can choose to export only audio or video using the checkbox.
Why Adobe Premiere Pro Renders Our Footage?
“Last month, I spent around 4 hours trimming a 50-minute long video by Adobe Premiere Pro. After cutting the unwanted part on the timeline, I clicked File >Export. Why a simple trimming task also needs to be rendered? There was no change with codecs, bit rate, and frame rate. And the video quality downscaled after rendering.”
When exporting a video in Premiere Pro, the software goes through a process known as re-rendering, where it applies the modifications to the uncompressed images before encoding them into the chosen codec specified in the export settings. This re-rendering stage is what often causes our computers to lag and can potentially impact the quality of the resulting images.
While it’s true that Premiere Pro needs to perform rendering and encoding even for simpler tasks, there are methods available to expedite the export process without the need for extensive re-rendering, which can help preserve the quality of the images without any loss.
Read more: Rendering vs. encoding
Trim Video without Re-rendering in Premiere Pro
Smart Render, as defined by Adobe, refers to the direct copying of the source file during export, without the need for re-rendering and without compromising the quality, as long as the export settings match the source. This feature allows for up to four times faster export times compared to the regular process, provided that no changes are made to video codecs, formats, bit rate, and size.
However, it’s important to note that Smart Render has limitations and only supports a limited number of codecs, such as XDCAM HD422 in the XMF container. Unfortunately, for widely used codecs like HEVC, H.264, and MPEG4, Smart Render is not available. To get started with Smart Render, it is advisable to check the codec of the source video and ensure that it is included in the list of supported formats for smart rendering in Premiere.
Step 1: Start by downloading and launching Adobe Premiere Pro CC on your PC. Make sure you have an Adobe ID and a stable internet connection available for the installation and launch process.
Step 2: Create a new folder specifically for this project to keep all the necessary files organized.
● Maintaining everything in a single folder is crucial for easy access and to avoid any potential errors.
● A complete video project consists of moving pictures, static images, subtitles, audio files, and other related assets. Any changes made to the file locations can lead to errors, requiring you to manually locate the missing files.
Step 3: Click on the yellow folder icon located at the bottom left of the screen to create bins. These bins will serve as containers to organize different types of resources for your project.
Step 4: Import your source video clips into their respective bins by clicking on File and selecting Import. Alternatively, you can drag the video files directly from your PC into the desired bin.
Step 5: Drag the desired file from the bin onto the timeline, and then select the Ripple tool.
Step 6: Use the Ripple tool to adjust the start and end times of the clip by moving its position along the timeline.
Step 7: To begin the export process, navigate to File, select Export, and then choose Media. Here, you can manage various export settings such as the desired format, file name, and file location. Once you have configured the settings to your liking, simply click on the Export button to initiate the export.
● You can choose to export only audio or video using the checkbox.
● The export codec, size, and bite rate should be the same as the source.
One important note: If the source video is in the XMF container format, you will need to click on “Enable Smart Rendering” during the export process. This feature allows for faster trimming of the XMF film, reducing a 2-hour clip to a 30-minute segment in just 12 seconds.
How to Trim and Re-encode Video without Re-Rendering?
There are situations where we may need to trim footage and export it with different codec settings to meet specific requirements. However, these trimming adjustments often involve changes in codecs, size, and even bit rate. To avoid the frustrating issues caused by re-rendering, a helpful approach is to select the same codec settings for both the preview and export files. In doing so, Premiere can directly copy the data from the preview file and use it for the export.
It’s important to note that this technique, which combines Smart Render and Preview, is not applicable to all codecs. It only works for codecs that are included in the list of “supported formats for Smart Render.”
Step 1: Click File >Import to import the source video clips into the respective bin. You can also drag the video from the PC directly to the bin.
Step 2: Drag clip(s) into the timeline, and Click the Ripple Edit Tool.
Step 3: Go to the Sequence menu and select Sequence Settings. In the settings panel, you can manage the format, codec, size, bit rate, and other parameters related to the preview file. Ensure that all the information matches the settings of your target files.
Step 4: Adjust the start and end times of your project by removing the Ripple’s position.
Step 5: Click on File, then select Export, followed by Media. In the Export Settings, ensure that the sequence settings are matched. Finally, click on the Export button to initiate the export process.
By utilizing Smart Render, encoding this video takes only a few seconds. However, for reference purposes, I also export it using the normal method, which takes around four times longer than the Smart Render mode.
Premiere Pro has the ability to trim videos in specific codecs without the need for rendering or compromising quality, thanks to the Smart Render mode. However, the process can be quite complex. Despite taking great care in trimming and managing sequence, import, and export settings, there may still be some shots that are not perfect.
An Easier Solution to Cut Any Video
When it comes to video cutting or trimming, it should ideally be a quick and straightforward task. If you’re looking for a convenient way to trim videos without the hassle of rendering, potential errors, or compromising quality, you might want to consider using VideoProc Converter. This software offers a user-friendly interface combined with powerful features, making video trimming a seamless experience.
VideoProc Converter — 3 easy steps to trim video without rendering
● Low-spec laptop friendly with lower CPU usage and GPU acceleration.
● Streamlined experience in cut, cropping, denoise, and stabilizing videos.
● Process footage from smartphones, DSLR, GoPro and DVDs.
● Wide format support with 370+ built-in video audio codecs.
How to Cut Video without Rendering in an Easier Way
Step 1. Download VideoProc Converter from its official website. It’s compatible with Windows and macOS. 100% clean with no malware or adware.
Step 2. Launch VideoProc Converter, go to the Video module, drag and drop your footage into the working area, and click “cut” on the horizontal bar.
Step 3. Cut videos easily with VideoProc Converter by:
● Drag the handle to mark in and out, then click “cut” to retain the fragment.
● Repeat the mark-cut process to cut videos into multiple clips, then Done.
● [Optional] Click “edit” to fine-tune each clip. Adjust the sequence of clips by hitting the triangle icon. Clips will be auto-merged upon exporting.
Step 4: Export your video with the desired format.
Target Format provides you with no-brainer hints of formats supported by various platforms and OS. Click “Run” to export your newly edited footage.
