Make changes to a range of frames

Make changes to a region (range of frames)

You can make changes to a range of frames, known as a region. Selecting a region allows you to make changes to multiple objects in a specific range of time in the Timeline. For example, you can cut or copy a section of time to remove it from your project completely, or just move it to a new position in Timeline. Regions need not align with object edges in the Timeline—you can create a region that begins midway through an object.

Note: Pasting a region does not paste it at the current playhead location. To move a pasted region to the playhead location, press the Shift key while you drag the pasted object. As you approach the current playhead location, the object snaps into place.

You can also paste objects into a defined region using the Paste Special command, which lets you insert, overwrite, or exchange objects in the Timeline. Additionally, you select a region and insert blank frames, creating an empty placeholder for a clip you don’t yet have.

Select a region (a range of frames)

  • Holding down the Command and Option keys, drag in the Timeline ruler.

    Timeline showing a selected range

    A light highlighted band appears over the selected frames.

Move a region

  • Position the pointer over the region, then drag to move the region.

    Region being moved with the move pointer in the Timeline

Note: This operation does not move objects within the region.

Deselect tracks from a region

  • Command-click a track in a region to deselect the track.

    Timeline showing one track deselected from a region

Paste into a region

  1. Select an object.

  2. Press Command-C to copy or Command-X to cut your selection.

  3. Holding down the Command and Option keys, drag in the ruler to select a region.

  4. Choose Edit > Paste Special.

    The Paste Special dialog appears.

  5. Select “Insert into time region” or “Overwrite into time region,” then click OK.

    The Clipboard contents are pasted into the region using the method you specified. For more information on the different editing types, see Add layers to the Timeline track area.

Insert time into a project

  1. Holding down the Command and Option keys, drag in the ruler to select a region.

    Drag as wide an area as you want to insert.

  2. Choose Edit > Insert Time.

    The number of frames in the region is added to the project, beginning at the end of the selected region, pushing any existing objects farther forward in time.

    Timeline showing blank space being inserted into a sequence

If time is inserted in a region that contains a video clip, the clip is split onto two tracks, and objects beyond the split point are placed in a new group.