How do I edit or trim a QuickTime video on a Mac?
Instructors can trim a video (cutting out the beginning or end or both) using the QuickTime video application, which is built into most MAC computers.
This trimming operation can be performed on any video that can be opened with Quicktime (not just those created in QuickTime).
On your Mac computer open QuickTime (Applications > QuickTime)
This displays the QuickTime application in the menu bar
In Quicktime click File / Open File, and open the video you want to edit.
This displays the video in the QuickTime player
Click "Edit" and choose "Trim" from the dropdown menu
This displays the video in editing mode.
Adjust the "Start" and "End" handles to isolate the part of the recording you want to save
Click and drag the handle to the desired position
Click "Trim"
This will cut-out the portions of the video that are outside of the handles and return the display to the trimmed video in the QuickTime player.
QuickTime will display the trimmed screen recording video (Example)
You can preview your video screen recording using the playback controls.
"Save" or "Export" your trimmed video
There are a number of options to save or export:
- File > Save results in a .mov file (2880x1800 pixels) - (10 minute video = 490MB)
- File > Export > 1080 results in a .mov file - 1728x1080 pixels - (10 minute video = 330 MB)
- File > Export > 720 results in a .mov file - 1152x720 pixels - (10 minute video = 170 MB)
- File > Export > 480 results in a .mov file - 640x400 pixels - (10 minute video = 79 MB)
- File > Export > iPhone3 results in a .m4v (mpeg4) file - 640x400 pixels - (10 minute video = 37MB)
- File > Export > iPhone4 results in a .m4v (mpeg4) file - 1152x720 pixels - (10 minute video = 78MB)
- File > Export > iPhone5 results in a .m4v (mpeg4) file - 1728x1080 pixels - (10 minute video = 190MB)
If you plan to upload the video to the Canvas My Media tool for streaming to students via the Media Gallery, this export is recommended:
*** File> Export > iPhone4 results in a .m4v (mpeg4) file - 1152x720 pixels - (10 minute video = 78MB)
Notes
Best practice is to make a short test screen recording video before embarking on a full-lecture screen recording.
For directions on how to upload a video to Canvas My Media see: How do I upload a video to My Media in Canvas?
For directions on how to publish a My Media video to the course site's Media Gallery tool see: How do I publish a video from My Media to a course site Media Gallery?
For directions on embedding a My Media video into a Canvas text box see: How do I embed video from My Media in a Canvas text-editing window?