If you have recently begun to edit videos, most of the terms from online lessons for sure sound like a completely unfamiliar language to you. As a result, they can mix in your head, and instead of understanding what to do, you will have to poke at random functions in the video editor to see what their purpose is, and this can take a lot of time.
However, you don't have to google new words every time, as we have made a list of terms and definitions used when working with video editors!
Most common video editing terminology
To begin with, let's take a look at the interface elements present in most modern editors.
Below, we will describe the most common interface elements in video editing software, each with a clear definition:
Project
This is the most basic term, and its name shows its purpose. Simply put, this is what you are working on, whether a video or audio project. A video project also refers to the entire process of creating multimedia content, including planning, filming, editing, and finalizing the finished piece. Planning all the shots in advance is essential for ensuring your video project is efficient, cohesive, and successful.
Workspace
Everything you see when you start or open a project in the video editor. This includes the project timeline, preview window, and other visual elements. Some advanced editors allow customizing the workspace so that it fits your current needs.
Timeline
The timeline is a layered space in the editor where the initial components of the project (video, audio and other media files) that you are going to edit are placed. Here, you put fragments of the project and arrange them to create a sequence in the precise order they should play in the final result.
Timeline is the graphical workspace where you arrange, trim, and layer your video and audio clips.
Somewhere near the timeline, there might also be zoom sliders that allow you to zoom in or out. Usually, they look like + and – signs, but some editors can use other icons, while on phones you will pinch in or out with your fingers. Zooming is very helpful when you want to see all the elements in large projects or if you need to make a lot of changes to the short part of the audio or video.
Track
A separate line, or a layer, in the timeline, where you add video, audio, images, and captions. On the tracks, all the elements of the project are “glued together”. In many editors, tracks for titles, video, and audio are located separately; if you want, you can hide and unhide them or add a new one.
Clips
Clips (also called events) are located on tracks. A video clip is an individual segment of footage that serves as a core building block in the editing process. It may be a link to a fragment of the source file (or the entire file) with a video, audio, or image, or a clip generated by the program itself – titles, color or texture fill, etc. The clip is the main type of object you’re going to work with.
Markers
Markers are used to add a comment or other means of highlighting a fragment, making it easier to find a specific one when you have to work on it.
Timecode
This is an indicator showing the time of a particular moment in the project.
Playhead
A playhead looks like a horizontal line on the timeline, marks the current position in the timeline. You can move it by dragging or by clicking another area in the timeline or one of the fragments.
Preview window
A part of the editor in which you can see how the project currently looks, as well as pay it. In most editors, this window is interactive. For example, if subtitles are present in the video, you can click on them in the preview and change their position.
Current time indicator (CTI)
The playback in the preview window is controlled by the current time indicator that shows the current time of the project. When you press play, the preview will begin from the position of the CTI.
In many editors, you can also hover over the interface element, and a hint with its name and purpose will appear.
Continue reading about terms related to technical properties of the video or transition terms.