How to Cut Clips in After Effects: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners & Pros

Why Cutting Clips in After Effects Matters

Here are some key reasons why cutting clips is essential:

• Trimming Unwanted Footage: Remove mistakes, dead space, or unnecessary frames to keep your video concise.
• Splitting Clips for Transitions: Break up a video into sections to apply effects, overlays, or smooth transitions between scenes.
• Editing Audio Separately: After Effects split clip techniques allow you to isolate and adjust audio layers without affecting the video.

Tools for Cutting Clips in After Effects

After Effects doesn’t have a traditional Razor Tool, like Premiere Pro, but you can still split clips effectively using shortcuts and layer editing techniques. The most efficient way to cut footage is by using the Cmd + Shift + D (Mac) / Ctrl + Shift + D (Windows) shortcut, which instantly splits a layer at the playhead position.

By mastering these tools and shortcuts, you can speed up your workflow and make precise edits without hassle. Let’s dive into the step-by-step methods!

How to Cut Clips in After Effects

Step 1: Import Your Footage

Before you can start editing, you need to import your video files into After Effects. Here’s how:

1. Open After Effects and create a new project.
2. Go to File > Import > File or press Ctrl + I (Windows) / Cmd + I (Mac).
3. Select your video file and click Open.
4. Drag the imported footage onto the timeline to begin editing.

Now that your footage is ready, let’s move on to cutting it!

Step 2: Use the Razor Tool in After Effects

Unlike Premiere Pro, After Effects does not have a traditional Razor Tool, but you can achieve the same result using a simple shortcut:

Shortcut to Split a Clip:
Press Ctrl + Shift + D (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + D (Mac) at the playhead position to split the selected clip into two separate layers.

Tip: You can also manually trim clips by adjusting their in and out points in the timeline.

Step 3: Splitting Clips in After Effects

To split video in After Effects, follow these steps:

1. Select the video layer you want to split.
2. Move the playhead to the exact frame where you want to cut.
3. Press Ctrl + Shift + D (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + D (Mac)—this will create two separate layers from your original clip.

This technique is useful for applying effects to different sections of a clip!

Step 4: Trimming Clips in After Effects

If you need to remove unwanted parts from the beginning or end of a clip:

1. Select the clip in the timeline.
2. Hover over the start or end of the clip until the cursor changes.
3. Drag the edge inward to trim video in After Effects to the desired length.

Pro Tip: Press Alt + [ or Alt + ] (Windows) / Option + [ or Option + ] (Mac) to quickly trim a layer at the playhead position!

Step 5: Extend or Adjust the Timeline

If you need to make room for longer edits:

1. Go to Composition > Composition Settings.
2. Adjust the Duration to extend the timeline.
3. Click OK to apply the changes.

This is helpful when you need to cut a layer in After Effects without affecting the overall composition length.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Faster Editing

Split a Layer at Playhead Position:

• Windows: Ctrl + Shift + D
• Mac: Cmd + Shift + D

Trim a Layer to the Playhead Position:

• Trim start: Alt + [ (Windows) / Option + [ (Mac)
• Trim end: Alt + ] (Windows) / Option + ] (Mac)

These shortcuts allow you to cut a clip with the keyboard in AE (Mac and Windows) without manually adjusting the layer edges.

Editing Audio Clips in After Effects

How to Cut Audio in After Effects:

1. Select the audio layer in the timeline.
2. Move the playhead to the cut point.
3. Press Ctrl + Shift + D (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + D (Mac) to split the audio clip.
4. Delete or reposition the unwanted section.

How to Trim Audio in After Effects:

• Drag the start or end handles of the audio layer to trim excess parts.
• Use keyframes in the Audio Levels property to create smooth fade-ins and fade-outs.

For more advanced audio editing, consider using Adobe Audition alongside After Effects!

Common Challenges and Solutions When Cutting Clips in After Effects

1. My Clips Aren’t Aligning Properly After Splitting

Issue: After splitting a clip, the two parts don’t snap together, leaving gaps in the timeline.

Solution: Select both layers and press Ctrl + Shift + J (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + J (Mac) to bring them to the nearest frame. Enable Snapping (S) in the timeline to make sure clips align perfectly. Use Alt + Left Arrow / Right Arrow to nudge clips one frame at a time for precise placement. This ensures your clips go end to end in After Effects without unwanted gaps!

2. Can You Edit Sound Clips in After Effects?

Issue: You want to trim or cut an audio clip, but After Effects doesn’t provide the same intuitive tools as Premiere Pro.

Solution: Use Ctrl + Shift + D (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + D (Mac) to split audio layers. Adjust the in and out points of an audio layer by dragging its edges. Open the Audio Waveform (press LL) to see where to make precise cuts. For more advanced editing, use Adobe Audition and re-import the sound. While After Effects isn’t designed for deep audio editing, you can still trim and adjust sound clips effectively!

3. My Trimmed Clips Keep Snapping Back to Their Original Length

Issue: You trim a clip, but when you move it, the hidden parts reappear.

Solution: Instead of trimming, use Split (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + D) and delete the unwanted section. Pre-compose the trimmed clip by selecting it and pressing Ctrl + Shift + C (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + C (Mac). This locks the trim. This prevents unwanted portions from reappearing when repositioning clips in the timeline.

4. How to Make Clips Automatically Extend to Fit the Timeline?

Issue: You need a clip to extend to match the duration of your composition.

Solution: Right-click > Time > Time Stretch and increase the percentage to extend the clip’s length. Duplicate the clip (Ctrl + D / Cmd + D) and sequence it back-to-back for a seamless loop. If it’s a motion clip, enable Time Remapping (Ctrl + Alt + T / Cmd + Option + T) and stretch keyframes.

These techniques help adjust clip durations without manually dragging or resizing every time!

Conclusion

• How to cut clips in After Effects using the Razor Tool and shortcuts.
• Splitting and trimming clips to refine your edits.
• Advanced techniques like splitting layers, using keyboard shortcuts, and editing audio.
• Troubleshooting common issues like misaligned clips and trimming problems.

By mastering these techniques, you’ll be able to cut video in After Effects with precision, saving time and improving the overall quality of your projects.

Now it’s your turn! Open After Effects, follow the steps, and start practicing.