Retime in the Timeline

You can modify the duration and playback speed of video tracks in the Timeline using the retime pointer or loop pointer.

Speed and duration are interdependent; that is, if you increase a clip’s playback speed, its duration decreases, and vice versa. For example, a 60-frame video clip played back at 30 frames per second takes two seconds to display its 60 frames. If its In point is frame 1, its Out point is frame 60. Playing back the same clip at 15 frames per second would take twice as long; the clip’s In point remains the same, but its Out point becomes 120.

Shorten the video clip’s duration and speed up its playback speed

With the pointer positioned over the end of a video clip (the Out point), press and hold down the Option key.
The pointer turns into the retime pointer.
Drag the Out point of the clip’s bar to the left.

As you drag, the tooltip displays the clip’s speed and duration.

Note: The retime pointer is available only when the Time Remap pop-up menu is set to Constant Speed in the Timing controls in the Properties Inspector. When Time Remap is set to Variable Speed, the retime pointer has no effect. You cannot retime images, effects, and other nonvideo objects.

Lengthen a video object’s duration and slow down its playback speed

With the pointer positioned over the end of a video clip (the Out point), press and hold down the Option key.
The pointer turns into the retime pointer.
Drag the Out point of the clip’s bar to the right.
As you drag, the tooltip displays the clip’s speed and duration.

Loop a clip

Another way to extend a video clip’s duration is to loop it. When a looped clip reaches its last frame, it starts playing again from its first frame. You can easily loop a clip by adjusting it in the Timeline.

With the pointer positioned over the end of a video clip (the Out point), press and hold down the Option and Shift keys.
The pointer turns into the loop pointer.
Continuing to hold down the Option and Shift keys, drag the Out point of the bar to the right.
As you drag, the tooltip displays the clip’s Out point, total Duration, and Loop Duration.

A looped object displays barriers to indicate where loops begin and end in the Timeline.

Change the loop point of a clip

Moving the first loop barrier in a layer’s bar changes the point where the clip loops.

Drag the first loop barrier left or right.
The end point of the clip’s loop moves as you drag.