How to do Velocity Edits on CapCut?

To do velocity edits in CapCut, which typically involve adjusting the speed of specific parts of a video for dramatic effect, follow these steps.

1. Import Your Video

The first step in creating velocity edits is to import your video into CapCut. Open the app and tap on the + button to start a new project. From there, you’ll be prompted to choose video clips from your gallery or camera roll. Select the clip you want to edit and it will be added to your timeline. This is the video that you will apply the velocity adjustments to.

2. Select Your Clip

Once the video is imported, it will appear in the timeline. Tap on the clip to select it, which will bring up a menu of editing tools at the bottom of the screen. These tools allow you to modify various aspects of the video, including trimming, effects, speed, and more. To start working on your velocity edits, you’ll need to focus on the Speed option.

3. Open the Speed Tool

With your video clip selected, look for the Speed option in the menu at the bottom of the screen. Tap on it, and you’ll be taken to the speed adjustment panel. This panel offers two main modes for adjusting speed: Normal Speed and Curve Speed.

4. Choose a Speed Mode

• Normal Speed: This mode allows you to change the speed of the entire clip uniformly. You’ll see a slider that lets you increase or decrease the speed. Dragging it to the right speeds up the video, while dragging it to the left slows it down. This is a simple way to make a video faster or slower without any complex adjustments.
• Curve Speed: For more detailed and dynamic velocity effects, you should choose Curve. This option gives you the ability to control different parts of the clip with varying speeds, allowing for slow-motion, fast-motion, and even speed ramping (changing the speed gradually over time). The curve is represented as a line, and you can manipulate this line to adjust the speed of different sections of the video.

5. Adjust the Speed

In Curve Speed mode, you’ll see a graph-like line, where the vertical axis represents the speed, and the horizontal axis represents time throughout the clip. By default, the line might be a straight horizontal line, which means the speed is constant throughout the clip. You can drag the line upwards to increase the speed or downwards to slow it down.

To create more intricate edits, you can add multiple points along the curve. For example, if you want to start with normal speed, then slow down for a dramatic effect in the middle, and speed up again toward the end, simply add points and adjust their positions along the curve. The line can be shaped to create smooth transitions between different speed changes, such as a gradual acceleration or deceleration.

6. Preview and Refine

After adjusting the speed, tap the play button to preview your changes. This is an important step, as it lets you see how your velocity edits are impacting the video. Watch for any abrupt or unnatural transitions in the speed and adjust the curve points accordingly to make the changes smoother. You can keep refining the curve until you’re satisfied with the effect, experimenting with different types of speed adjustments (e.g., slow-mo for action scenes or fast motion for comedic effect).

7. Apply Effects

Once you’ve made your velocity adjustments, you might want to enhance your video further. CapCut offers a variety of effects and transitions that can complement your speed edits. For instance, you could add a motion blur effect to emphasize the change in speed, or use keyframes to animate certain visual effects in sync with the speed changes. To add a keyframe, tap the keyframe button and place keyframes at specific points in the timeline where you want the effect to change, like making an object fade in and out while speeding up the video.

8. Export the Video

After you’re done with the velocity edits and any additional effects, you can save your video. Tap on the Export button in the top-right corner of the screen to render your video. CapCut will process your project, and once it’s finished, you can save it to your device or share it directly to social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok.

By following these steps, you can achieve professional-looking velocity edits that can transform a standard video into something dynamic and eye-catching. Whether you’re creating slow-motion effects for dramatic moments or fast-motion sequences for energy and excitement, the speed curve feature in CapCut provides the flexibility you need.

Conclusion

Velocity editing in CapCut is a creative way to make your videos more dynamic by adjusting the speed at different points. With tools like speed curves and effects, you can craft smooth, professional-looking edits to enhance your storytelling or visual impact.