Echo360 provides a basic video editing function, allowing you to make cuts and trims to video content as needed. In addition, you can make changes and save them to the original video, or you can make changes and Save As.
Save As creates a new version of the video based on the changes you made. The user performing the Save As function also becomes the owner of the new video. If necessary (and you are an Admin), you can change the owner of the video copy to an instructor. This is slightly different from creating a copy of a video. See Creating Copies of Library Media and Creating Copies of Class List Media for more information.
IMPORTANT! CHECK PUBLISHING INFO BEFORE SAVING CHANGES!!
Any changes you apply to a video will also appear in ALL published (or shared) versions of the video. Publishing (or sharing) simply provides links to the original content. When you edit that content, you change the content being delivered via those links. If desired, you can Save As after making edits. This creates a new version of the video that you now own, which is published to your Library by default. If you are enrolled in at least one course which you can publish to, you also have the option with Save As to save a course copy which allows you to select a publishing location for the new video.
When you open the Editor, you 'lock' it from being used by anyone else so that only one person at a time can make edits to a video. The lock will eventually time out if no edits are being made (for example, if you forget to close the tab). Other users attempting to edit a locked video will see an error message.
If you are an Instructor, you can select to edit videos from your Content home page or from the Class List page. The instructions below access the editor from the content details page.
If you are an Administrator, you can select Edit video from a capture's chevron menu in the completed captures list, or click on a completed capture and select the Edit video icon from the content details page.
To edit a video
- Click on a Video tile in your Echo Content Home page to open the Content Details page.
- Click the Edit Media option located below the preview panel.
The video opens in the editor window.
- Editing a video consists of the following basics (editing functionality is described in detail below):
- Use the playback controls to find specific locations to mark.
- Zoom in/out for a more precise view of the video.
- Use the Top and Tail buttons to trim the ends of the video.
- Use the Cut button to mark the location of the playhead.
- Select a segment between cut marks (or between one end of the video and a cut mark), and use the Delete button to make that cut to the video.
- Use the Trim Handles to edit segments of the video.
- Undo/Redo to revert or restore edits.
- Use the buttons across the top to complete your editing and process the video with your changes. These buttons apply to the video as a whole and work as follows:
NOTE: After Save, the changes are applied to all published (and shared) versions of this video. Once processed, the edited version replaces the original version in all locations.
- RESTORE - Reverts all changes ever made to the video and restores the original video file. This option is only active if you open a video that had previous edits applied to it.
- SAVE - Applies the changes you've made to this video. These changes are reflected in the playback bar on the editing screen.
- SAVE AS - Creates a NEW VERSION of the video based on your edits. In addition, you are now the owner of the video, regardless of whether you were the owner of the original video. You also have the option to save a course copy which allows you to select a publishing location for the new video.
- To exit without saving any changes, click the back arrow in the top left corner of the video editing screen. Any work in progress will be saved within the Editor, but not yet applied to the published media.
Processing Occurs Immediately: After selecting to Save, Save As, or Restore, the processing of your changes begins immediately, however processing may take some time to finish, depending on the video length and the number of edits. This means two things:
1. Students or other users will not see the edited version until processing is complete.
2. You should not try to re-edit the video until the initial changes are processed.
Using the video editing tools
The video editor allows you to trim the ends and cut segments from the video. You can review the changes to the video, playing it with the cuts in place, prior to making your changes permanent.
While editing a video, at any time, you can zoom in/out on the timeline for a more precise view of a section of the video.
Use the Undo and Redo buttons to restore or revert changes made.
See Editor Shortcuts for video tutorials and keyboard shortcuts.
Review and Playback the video
Use the playback controls to play the recording. If you have made cuts in the recording, the playback will skip the cut areas, so you can see how the edits affect the final product. For more information on additional player options not specifically covered here, see Viewing Content in the New Player.
The figure below shows the playback controls relevant to editing and has the current location of the playhead identified, both as the timed location, and within the playback bar itself.
- Use the Play/Pause button to control the playback of the content. This lets you place the playhead in a specific location for making a cut. See Cutting segments from the video section below.
You can also click anywhere within the player to play/pause content. - Use the Skip Back and Skip Forward buttons to fast-forward or rewind by 10-second increments.
You can also click on a location in the playback timeline to move the playhead to that location. - Use the manual entry field to move through the video as needed.
- Use the Speed controls to speed up/slow down playback.
- Use the Settings menu for quality control, source selection, and closed caption options.
Making edits to the video
Making edits to your video involves cutting segments by identifying each end of the cut, then selecting to make the cut. All cuts are editable and temporary until you choose to Apply your Edits by Saving.
Once the cuts are in place, you can review the edited video in the window. The playback head will skip over any cuts so you can see how the recording will look when it is published.
Moving the playhead marker - There are four ways to place the playhead marker in a specific location:
-- Play the video and pause it where you want to apply a cut
-- Click and drag the playhead marker across the timeline to the location for the cut
-- Hover the mouse over the timeline, then click in the timeline to the location for the cut
-- Use the manual entry field and enter a specific time to jump to a location for the cut
To cut a segment from the video
- Put the playhead marker at the beginning location of the segment you want to cut.
- Click MAKE CUT (scissors).
- Move the playhead marker to the end location of the segment you want to cut.
- Click MAKE CUT (scissors).
- Click into the area between the cuts to select it (yes this also moves the playhead into that area; ignore it).
- Click DELETE (trash can) to temporarily cut that segment from the video.
Repeat these steps for each segment you want to remove from the video. The below figure shows a video with multiple cut segments. Remember, these cuts are temporary until you save your changes.
To trim the ends of the recording
- Put the playhead marker at the location where you want the video to start.
- Click Top (Trim in).
- Move the playhead marker to the location where you want the video to end.
- Click Tail (Trim out).
To edit segments
- Click into a segment on the timeline.
- Click-and-Drag the trim handles on either side of the segment to change the duration.