Media Duration and Freeze Frames

When media is added to the Timeline, the assets will automatically be placed at certain intervals and at set durations. It is possible to change the duration of media assets and the gaps between media assets by changing the duration settings. Changing duration allows images to be blended into one another without the screen going black in between, or changing duration can create an end to a scene that employs a black screen for a pre-determined duration before the next media asset begins to play.

Adjusting Duration

To change media duration:

  1. Select the media to edit on the Timeline.
  2. Hover over the start or end of the media, click and drag the double arrows to adjust the length. The format is (hours:minutes:seconds;frames).

Adjusting the Duration of Text, Images, Overlays, Captions and Mosaics

To change media duration:

  1. Select the media to edit on the Timeline.
  2. Right-click and select Duration... from the context menu to open the Duration dialog.
  3. Choose a Duration using the up or down arrows or by entering a duration in the Duration field. The format is (hours:minutes:seconds;frames).
  4. Click OK.

Using Ripple Edit Duration

Ripple Edit duration is a setting that maintains gaps between media. By default, Ripple Edit duration is enabled, allowing for the duration of media to be changed without changing the gaps created after the media asset. For example, in the case where an image is followed by a four second gap, then a video clip, lengthening the duration of the image, with Ripple Edit duration enabled, will not reduce the four second gap that resides between the image and video. Without Ripple Edit duration enabled, by extending the duration of the image the duration of the following gap would be reduced.

To disable Ripple Edit when making changes to duration, disable the Ripple Edit checkbox in the Duration dialog.

Freeze Frames

Freeze frames are used to extend the duration of specific frames of a media asset.

When adding a freeze frame to a media asset, the selected clip will expand to the chosen duration. If there is not enough space on the Timeline to the right of the clip to accommodate the expansion, Freeze Frame will not be enabled in the context menu.

To create a freeze frame:

  1. With clips added to the Timeline, place the Playhead on the frame of the target video, right-click and select Freeze Frame from the context menu, or press Alt + F.
  2. From the Freeze Frame dialog, set how many seconds the freeze frame will last.
  3. Click OK. The freeze frame is added to the target media on the Timeline.

Clip Speed can also be adjusted as well as clip duration. Find more information in the Advanced Effects topic.

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