2024 Approved The Ultimate List 5 Free MOV Video Merger Software Options

2024 Approved The Ultimate List 5 Free MOV Video Merger Software Options

Morgan Lv12

The Ultimate List: 5 Free MOV Video Merger Software Options

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Joiners

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When it comes to video editing, you may need a video joiner to help you connect different parts of the video clips. Here is a list of top 5 free MOV joiners to help you easily achieve that.

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Joiners

If you need a more professional MOV video joiner, Filmora Video Editor is highly recommended. It supports a wide range of video formats including MP4, FLV, MOV, AVI, WMV and more. With it, you can join different videos together with just a few clicks. Adding transitions and other effects are also supported.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

1. Free Video Cutter Joiner

Free Video Cutter Joiner is a free video tool which allows you to cut and join video files in different formats. It provides a straightforward solution when you need to cut out a segment from a video file or join several videos together. It works in a very simple manner and uses the interface that makes the process easy to carry out.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Simple and useful interface;
  • Easy-to-use and stable.

Cons:

  • No built-in video player;
  • Window is too small and cannot be resized.

2. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is an all-in-one online video editing tool to help you easily edit your video. With it, you can easily merge multiple files into a single video track. It supports all the video formats (3GP, AMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV, M4V, MP4, MPEG, MPG, RM, VOB, WMV) and enables you to make changes to advanced settings such as video and audio codec, resolution, bit rate, frame rate.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Different video editing options.

Cons:

  • Has file limitation (600 MB).

3. Kate’s Video Joiner

Kate’s Video Joiner is a free tool designed to help you join two or more videos into a single one. It supports various video formats including AVI, WMV, MOV, MPEG and many more, so you don’t need multiple programs to convert the videos before joining.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Supports different video formats;
  • Easy-to-use.

Cons:

  • May need you to do email registration.

4. Free Video Joiner

Free Video Joiner is an easy-to-use video joining tool which supports various kinds of videos including AVI, WMV, MOV, MP4 and more. With it, you can easily join unlimited number of video files in different formats. Once you do that, you will be able to play all the videos you joined together as if it was only one. Works fast and keeps the quality of video.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Supports many video formats;
  • Easy to use interface.

Cons:

  • It does not come with a media player.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

Although it’s a free video editor, VSDC Video Editor looks and feels just like a professional one. It has the same sort of timeline editing style that lets you combine multiple video clips in different formats, add transitions, and render them into a complete project.

free mov video joiner

Pros:

  • Many useful options provided;
  • Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When it comes to video editing, you may need a video joiner to help you connect different parts of the video clips. Here is a list of top 5 free MOV joiners to help you easily achieve that.

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Joiners

If you need a more professional MOV video joiner, Filmora Video Editor is highly recommended. It supports a wide range of video formats including MP4, FLV, MOV, AVI, WMV and more. With it, you can join different videos together with just a few clicks. Adding transitions and other effects are also supported.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

1. Free Video Cutter Joiner

Free Video Cutter Joiner is a free video tool which allows you to cut and join video files in different formats. It provides a straightforward solution when you need to cut out a segment from a video file or join several videos together. It works in a very simple manner and uses the interface that makes the process easy to carry out.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Simple and useful interface;
  • Easy-to-use and stable.

Cons:

  • No built-in video player;
  • Window is too small and cannot be resized.

2. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is an all-in-one online video editing tool to help you easily edit your video. With it, you can easily merge multiple files into a single video track. It supports all the video formats (3GP, AMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV, M4V, MP4, MPEG, MPG, RM, VOB, WMV) and enables you to make changes to advanced settings such as video and audio codec, resolution, bit rate, frame rate.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Different video editing options.

Cons:

  • Has file limitation (600 MB).

3. Kate’s Video Joiner

Kate’s Video Joiner is a free tool designed to help you join two or more videos into a single one. It supports various video formats including AVI, WMV, MOV, MPEG and many more, so you don’t need multiple programs to convert the videos before joining.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Supports different video formats;
  • Easy-to-use.

Cons:

  • May need you to do email registration.

4. Free Video Joiner

Free Video Joiner is an easy-to-use video joining tool which supports various kinds of videos including AVI, WMV, MOV, MP4 and more. With it, you can easily join unlimited number of video files in different formats. Once you do that, you will be able to play all the videos you joined together as if it was only one. Works fast and keeps the quality of video.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Supports many video formats;
  • Easy to use interface.

Cons:

  • It does not come with a media player.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

Although it’s a free video editor, VSDC Video Editor looks and feels just like a professional one. It has the same sort of timeline editing style that lets you combine multiple video clips in different formats, add transitions, and render them into a complete project.

free mov video joiner

Pros:

  • Many useful options provided;
  • Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When it comes to video editing, you may need a video joiner to help you connect different parts of the video clips. Here is a list of top 5 free MOV joiners to help you easily achieve that.

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Joiners

If you need a more professional MOV video joiner, Filmora Video Editor is highly recommended. It supports a wide range of video formats including MP4, FLV, MOV, AVI, WMV and more. With it, you can join different videos together with just a few clicks. Adding transitions and other effects are also supported.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

1. Free Video Cutter Joiner

Free Video Cutter Joiner is a free video tool which allows you to cut and join video files in different formats. It provides a straightforward solution when you need to cut out a segment from a video file or join several videos together. It works in a very simple manner and uses the interface that makes the process easy to carry out.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Simple and useful interface;
  • Easy-to-use and stable.

Cons:

  • No built-in video player;
  • Window is too small and cannot be resized.

2. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is an all-in-one online video editing tool to help you easily edit your video. With it, you can easily merge multiple files into a single video track. It supports all the video formats (3GP, AMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV, M4V, MP4, MPEG, MPG, RM, VOB, WMV) and enables you to make changes to advanced settings such as video and audio codec, resolution, bit rate, frame rate.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Different video editing options.

Cons:

  • Has file limitation (600 MB).

3. Kate’s Video Joiner

Kate’s Video Joiner is a free tool designed to help you join two or more videos into a single one. It supports various video formats including AVI, WMV, MOV, MPEG and many more, so you don’t need multiple programs to convert the videos before joining.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Supports different video formats;
  • Easy-to-use.

Cons:

  • May need you to do email registration.

4. Free Video Joiner

Free Video Joiner is an easy-to-use video joining tool which supports various kinds of videos including AVI, WMV, MOV, MP4 and more. With it, you can easily join unlimited number of video files in different formats. Once you do that, you will be able to play all the videos you joined together as if it was only one. Works fast and keeps the quality of video.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Supports many video formats;
  • Easy to use interface.

Cons:

  • It does not come with a media player.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

Although it’s a free video editor, VSDC Video Editor looks and feels just like a professional one. It has the same sort of timeline editing style that lets you combine multiple video clips in different formats, add transitions, and render them into a complete project.

free mov video joiner

Pros:

  • Many useful options provided;
  • Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When it comes to video editing, you may need a video joiner to help you connect different parts of the video clips. Here is a list of top 5 free MOV joiners to help you easily achieve that.

Top 5 Best Free MOV Video Joiners

If you need a more professional MOV video joiner, Filmora Video Editor is highly recommended. It supports a wide range of video formats including MP4, FLV, MOV, AVI, WMV and more. With it, you can join different videos together with just a few clicks. Adding transitions and other effects are also supported.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

1. Free Video Cutter Joiner

Free Video Cutter Joiner is a free video tool which allows you to cut and join video files in different formats. It provides a straightforward solution when you need to cut out a segment from a video file or join several videos together. It works in a very simple manner and uses the interface that makes the process easy to carry out.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Simple and useful interface;
  • Easy-to-use and stable.

Cons:

  • No built-in video player;
  • Window is too small and cannot be resized.

2. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is an all-in-one online video editing tool to help you easily edit your video. With it, you can easily merge multiple files into a single video track. It supports all the video formats (3GP, AMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV, M4V, MP4, MPEG, MPG, RM, VOB, WMV) and enables you to make changes to advanced settings such as video and audio codec, resolution, bit rate, frame rate.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Different video editing options.

Cons:

  • Has file limitation (600 MB).

3. Kate’s Video Joiner

Kate’s Video Joiner is a free tool designed to help you join two or more videos into a single one. It supports various video formats including AVI, WMV, MOV, MPEG and many more, so you don’t need multiple programs to convert the videos before joining.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Supports different video formats;
  • Easy-to-use.

Cons:

  • May need you to do email registration.

4. Free Video Joiner

Free Video Joiner is an easy-to-use video joining tool which supports various kinds of videos including AVI, WMV, MOV, MP4 and more. With it, you can easily join unlimited number of video files in different formats. Once you do that, you will be able to play all the videos you joined together as if it was only one. Works fast and keeps the quality of video.

free mov joiner

Pros:

  • Supports many video formats;
  • Easy to use interface.

Cons:

  • It does not come with a media player.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

Although it’s a free video editor, VSDC Video Editor looks and feels just like a professional one. It has the same sort of timeline editing style that lets you combine multiple video clips in different formats, add transitions, and render them into a complete project.

free mov video joiner

Pros:

  • Many useful options provided;
  • Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

The Art of Time Control: FCPX Freeze Frames and Slow Motion

Final Cut Pro X: Freeze-Frames and Slow Motion

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A very simple, yet very effective effect is changing the speed of a video clip. This could be a simple still-frame (also called “Freeze Frame”) or playing a clip in slow or fast motion.

This article shows you how to do this using Final Cut Pro X.

For more tutorials on slow-motion please refer to this article: Top 10 Slow Motion Video Editing Software.

Freeze-Frames and Slow Motion in Final Cut Pro X

1. STILL FRAMES

still frames

A still-frame freezes action. For instance, here is a clip of a hummingbird getting ready to land on a bird feeder. I want to create a freeze-frame of the bird in flight. (Um, yeah, I use “freeze-frame” and “still-frame” interchangeably.)

In Final Cut Pro X, put the playhead (or skimmer) on the frame you want to freeze and type Option+F.

freeze frames

This creates a two-second freeze-frame at the position of the playhead.

create freeze frame

Adjust the duration of the frame by trimming the edge; just like any other clip. Here, for example, I’m making the duration of the freeze-frame 11 frames shorter.

freeze frames in FCP X

In case you were wondering, this is what the freeze looks like. It freezes the flight of the hummingbird in the middle of playback, allowing us to add graphics or other text then resume the action as though nothing had happened.

Very cool, except….

Well, the good news is that this is fast and easy. The bad news is that we can’t change the location of the still frame.

So, here’s another way to do this.

Put the playhead (or skimmer, but I prefer the playhead) on the frame you want to freeze, select the clip, then type Shift+F.

Playhead

This locates the source clip in the Browser, selects both the Browser and the clip, and matches the position of the In, Out, and playhead.

match clips

Now, with the Browser selected, type Option+F. This creates a freeze-frame of the Browser clip and places it at the location of the playhead as a connected clip in the Timeline.

As a connected clip, we can move this new freeze-frame wherever we want. However, be careful in moving the clip, because, unless you mark the original frame with a marker (type “M”), there’s no easy way to match the still frame with the source frame, once the still frame is moved somewhere else.

I use both these techniques in many different projects.

2. HOLD FRAME

A Hold Frame is similar to an in-line still frame, but with more flexibility.

hold frame

Put the playhead (or skimmer) on the frame you want to hold. Then, Then, using either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf-on-a-headset” Toolbar icon, choose Hold Frame (or type: Shift+H).

hold frames in fcp x

This displays the orange Retime editor bar above the clip, with a small red portion indicating the Hold frame.

create hold frames

Change the duration of the Hold frame by dragging the small thumb at the right end of the red bar.

speed016

Add a speed ramp transition at the end of the Hold frame by clicking the downward-pointing arrow next to the word “Hold” in the Retime Editor.

speed018

To change the actual frame being held, double-click the bar icon to the LEFT of the red Hold section and choose Source Frame (Edit). This allows you to slide the Hold frame selection left or right.

NOTE: Changing the source frame is a feature that I like a LOT!

3. SLOW (or FAST) MOTION

fast/slow motion

We use slow-motion to show events that are too fast for the unaided eye to see. And fast motion to speed up very slow events. Both of these effects use what’s called a “constant speed change,” where the entire clip changes by the same amount - either faster or slower.

WE create either effect using the same tools, just different values. Here’s how.

slow motion

Select the clip who’s speed you want to change. Then, using either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf” Toolbar icon, select Slow (or Fast).

Choose one of the available speeds; in this case, 50%. (Yes, you can change this to any value you want, I’ll show you how in a minute.)

create slow/fast motion

Three things happen at once:

  • The duration of the clip changes
  • The orange Retiming bar appears over the top of the clip
  • The speed of the clip changes

speed010

To reset the speed back to normal (100%), click the downward-pointing arrow in the Retiming bar and choose Normal (100%).

There are two ways to change the speed of a clip.

speed017

The easy way is to grab the small handle at the end of the clip and drag left or right. The speed will change as you drag it.

Or, for more precision, click the downward-pointing arrow in the Retiming bar and choose Custom.

speed011

This opens a new dialog allowing a number of changes:

  • Reverse. Plays the clip in reverse.
  • Rate. Select a specific speed change as a percentage of normal speed for a clip. Less than 100% is slow-motion. More than 100% is fast-motion.
  • Duration. Select a specific duration for a clip and FCP X will calculate how fast or slow it needs to go.
  • Ripple. When checked, adjusts the duration of a clip based upon the speed. When unchecked, the clip duration remains fixed even when speed changes.

You will get the smoothest speed changes when the percentage you choose divides evenly into 200. For example, 100, 66, 50, 40, 33, 25, 20, 10 and so on.

4. EXTRA CREDIT

There is one more setting to consider when slowing a clip. (This does not apply when creating fast motion.)

speed012

Using, again, either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf” menu, select Video Quality.

  • Normal. This is the best choice for speeds of 50% or faster.
  • Frame Blending. This is the best choice for speeds of about 20% to 50%.
  • Optical Flow. This is the best choice for speeds slower than about 20%.

Frame blending puts a short dissolve between frames when running in slow motion to improve the illusion of motion. Optical Flow invents in-between frames to minimize the jerkiness of extremely slow motion.

Frame blending is relatively fast and easy. Optical Flow will look better in most cases, but takes a long time to render.


This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, a professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


SUMMARY

Whether you want your clips to speed up, slow down or just plain stop, Final Cut Pro X makes the entire process easy.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A very simple, yet very effective effect is changing the speed of a video clip. This could be a simple still-frame (also called “Freeze Frame”) or playing a clip in slow or fast motion.

This article shows you how to do this using Final Cut Pro X.

For more tutorials on slow-motion please refer to this article: Top 10 Slow Motion Video Editing Software.

Freeze-Frames and Slow Motion in Final Cut Pro X

1. STILL FRAMES

still frames

A still-frame freezes action. For instance, here is a clip of a hummingbird getting ready to land on a bird feeder. I want to create a freeze-frame of the bird in flight. (Um, yeah, I use “freeze-frame” and “still-frame” interchangeably.)

In Final Cut Pro X, put the playhead (or skimmer) on the frame you want to freeze and type Option+F.

freeze frames

This creates a two-second freeze-frame at the position of the playhead.

create freeze frame

Adjust the duration of the frame by trimming the edge; just like any other clip. Here, for example, I’m making the duration of the freeze-frame 11 frames shorter.

freeze frames in FCP X

In case you were wondering, this is what the freeze looks like. It freezes the flight of the hummingbird in the middle of playback, allowing us to add graphics or other text then resume the action as though nothing had happened.

Very cool, except….

Well, the good news is that this is fast and easy. The bad news is that we can’t change the location of the still frame.

So, here’s another way to do this.

Put the playhead (or skimmer, but I prefer the playhead) on the frame you want to freeze, select the clip, then type Shift+F.

Playhead

This locates the source clip in the Browser, selects both the Browser and the clip, and matches the position of the In, Out, and playhead.

match clips

Now, with the Browser selected, type Option+F. This creates a freeze-frame of the Browser clip and places it at the location of the playhead as a connected clip in the Timeline.

As a connected clip, we can move this new freeze-frame wherever we want. However, be careful in moving the clip, because, unless you mark the original frame with a marker (type “M”), there’s no easy way to match the still frame with the source frame, once the still frame is moved somewhere else.

I use both these techniques in many different projects.

2. HOLD FRAME

A Hold Frame is similar to an in-line still frame, but with more flexibility.

hold frame

Put the playhead (or skimmer) on the frame you want to hold. Then, Then, using either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf-on-a-headset” Toolbar icon, choose Hold Frame (or type: Shift+H).

hold frames in fcp x

This displays the orange Retime editor bar above the clip, with a small red portion indicating the Hold frame.

create hold frames

Change the duration of the Hold frame by dragging the small thumb at the right end of the red bar.

speed016

Add a speed ramp transition at the end of the Hold frame by clicking the downward-pointing arrow next to the word “Hold” in the Retime Editor.

speed018

To change the actual frame being held, double-click the bar icon to the LEFT of the red Hold section and choose Source Frame (Edit). This allows you to slide the Hold frame selection left or right.

NOTE: Changing the source frame is a feature that I like a LOT!

3. SLOW (or FAST) MOTION

fast/slow motion

We use slow-motion to show events that are too fast for the unaided eye to see. And fast motion to speed up very slow events. Both of these effects use what’s called a “constant speed change,” where the entire clip changes by the same amount - either faster or slower.

WE create either effect using the same tools, just different values. Here’s how.

slow motion

Select the clip who’s speed you want to change. Then, using either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf” Toolbar icon, select Slow (or Fast).

Choose one of the available speeds; in this case, 50%. (Yes, you can change this to any value you want, I’ll show you how in a minute.)

create slow/fast motion

Three things happen at once:

  • The duration of the clip changes
  • The orange Retiming bar appears over the top of the clip
  • The speed of the clip changes

speed010

To reset the speed back to normal (100%), click the downward-pointing arrow in the Retiming bar and choose Normal (100%).

There are two ways to change the speed of a clip.

speed017

The easy way is to grab the small handle at the end of the clip and drag left or right. The speed will change as you drag it.

Or, for more precision, click the downward-pointing arrow in the Retiming bar and choose Custom.

speed011

This opens a new dialog allowing a number of changes:

  • Reverse. Plays the clip in reverse.
  • Rate. Select a specific speed change as a percentage of normal speed for a clip. Less than 100% is slow-motion. More than 100% is fast-motion.
  • Duration. Select a specific duration for a clip and FCP X will calculate how fast or slow it needs to go.
  • Ripple. When checked, adjusts the duration of a clip based upon the speed. When unchecked, the clip duration remains fixed even when speed changes.

You will get the smoothest speed changes when the percentage you choose divides evenly into 200. For example, 100, 66, 50, 40, 33, 25, 20, 10 and so on.

4. EXTRA CREDIT

There is one more setting to consider when slowing a clip. (This does not apply when creating fast motion.)

speed012

Using, again, either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf” menu, select Video Quality.

  • Normal. This is the best choice for speeds of 50% or faster.
  • Frame Blending. This is the best choice for speeds of about 20% to 50%.
  • Optical Flow. This is the best choice for speeds slower than about 20%.

Frame blending puts a short dissolve between frames when running in slow motion to improve the illusion of motion. Optical Flow invents in-between frames to minimize the jerkiness of extremely slow motion.

Frame blending is relatively fast and easy. Optical Flow will look better in most cases, but takes a long time to render.


This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, a professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


SUMMARY

Whether you want your clips to speed up, slow down or just plain stop, Final Cut Pro X makes the entire process easy.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A very simple, yet very effective effect is changing the speed of a video clip. This could be a simple still-frame (also called “Freeze Frame”) or playing a clip in slow or fast motion.

This article shows you how to do this using Final Cut Pro X.

For more tutorials on slow-motion please refer to this article: Top 10 Slow Motion Video Editing Software.

Freeze-Frames and Slow Motion in Final Cut Pro X

1. STILL FRAMES

still frames

A still-frame freezes action. For instance, here is a clip of a hummingbird getting ready to land on a bird feeder. I want to create a freeze-frame of the bird in flight. (Um, yeah, I use “freeze-frame” and “still-frame” interchangeably.)

In Final Cut Pro X, put the playhead (or skimmer) on the frame you want to freeze and type Option+F.

freeze frames

This creates a two-second freeze-frame at the position of the playhead.

create freeze frame

Adjust the duration of the frame by trimming the edge; just like any other clip. Here, for example, I’m making the duration of the freeze-frame 11 frames shorter.

freeze frames in FCP X

In case you were wondering, this is what the freeze looks like. It freezes the flight of the hummingbird in the middle of playback, allowing us to add graphics or other text then resume the action as though nothing had happened.

Very cool, except….

Well, the good news is that this is fast and easy. The bad news is that we can’t change the location of the still frame.

So, here’s another way to do this.

Put the playhead (or skimmer, but I prefer the playhead) on the frame you want to freeze, select the clip, then type Shift+F.

Playhead

This locates the source clip in the Browser, selects both the Browser and the clip, and matches the position of the In, Out, and playhead.

match clips

Now, with the Browser selected, type Option+F. This creates a freeze-frame of the Browser clip and places it at the location of the playhead as a connected clip in the Timeline.

As a connected clip, we can move this new freeze-frame wherever we want. However, be careful in moving the clip, because, unless you mark the original frame with a marker (type “M”), there’s no easy way to match the still frame with the source frame, once the still frame is moved somewhere else.

I use both these techniques in many different projects.

2. HOLD FRAME

A Hold Frame is similar to an in-line still frame, but with more flexibility.

hold frame

Put the playhead (or skimmer) on the frame you want to hold. Then, Then, using either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf-on-a-headset” Toolbar icon, choose Hold Frame (or type: Shift+H).

hold frames in fcp x

This displays the orange Retime editor bar above the clip, with a small red portion indicating the Hold frame.

create hold frames

Change the duration of the Hold frame by dragging the small thumb at the right end of the red bar.

speed016

Add a speed ramp transition at the end of the Hold frame by clicking the downward-pointing arrow next to the word “Hold” in the Retime Editor.

speed018

To change the actual frame being held, double-click the bar icon to the LEFT of the red Hold section and choose Source Frame (Edit). This allows you to slide the Hold frame selection left or right.

NOTE: Changing the source frame is a feature that I like a LOT!

3. SLOW (or FAST) MOTION

fast/slow motion

We use slow-motion to show events that are too fast for the unaided eye to see. And fast motion to speed up very slow events. Both of these effects use what’s called a “constant speed change,” where the entire clip changes by the same amount - either faster or slower.

WE create either effect using the same tools, just different values. Here’s how.

slow motion

Select the clip who’s speed you want to change. Then, using either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf” Toolbar icon, select Slow (or Fast).

Choose one of the available speeds; in this case, 50%. (Yes, you can change this to any value you want, I’ll show you how in a minute.)

create slow/fast motion

Three things happen at once:

  • The duration of the clip changes
  • The orange Retiming bar appears over the top of the clip
  • The speed of the clip changes

speed010

To reset the speed back to normal (100%), click the downward-pointing arrow in the Retiming bar and choose Normal (100%).

There are two ways to change the speed of a clip.

speed017

The easy way is to grab the small handle at the end of the clip and drag left or right. The speed will change as you drag it.

Or, for more precision, click the downward-pointing arrow in the Retiming bar and choose Custom.

speed011

This opens a new dialog allowing a number of changes:

  • Reverse. Plays the clip in reverse.
  • Rate. Select a specific speed change as a percentage of normal speed for a clip. Less than 100% is slow-motion. More than 100% is fast-motion.
  • Duration. Select a specific duration for a clip and FCP X will calculate how fast or slow it needs to go.
  • Ripple. When checked, adjusts the duration of a clip based upon the speed. When unchecked, the clip duration remains fixed even when speed changes.

You will get the smoothest speed changes when the percentage you choose divides evenly into 200. For example, 100, 66, 50, 40, 33, 25, 20, 10 and so on.

4. EXTRA CREDIT

There is one more setting to consider when slowing a clip. (This does not apply when creating fast motion.)

speed012

Using, again, either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf” menu, select Video Quality.

  • Normal. This is the best choice for speeds of 50% or faster.
  • Frame Blending. This is the best choice for speeds of about 20% to 50%.
  • Optical Flow. This is the best choice for speeds slower than about 20%.

Frame blending puts a short dissolve between frames when running in slow motion to improve the illusion of motion. Optical Flow invents in-between frames to minimize the jerkiness of extremely slow motion.

Frame blending is relatively fast and easy. Optical Flow will look better in most cases, but takes a long time to render.


This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, a professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


SUMMARY

Whether you want your clips to speed up, slow down or just plain stop, Final Cut Pro X makes the entire process easy.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A very simple, yet very effective effect is changing the speed of a video clip. This could be a simple still-frame (also called “Freeze Frame”) or playing a clip in slow or fast motion.

This article shows you how to do this using Final Cut Pro X.

For more tutorials on slow-motion please refer to this article: Top 10 Slow Motion Video Editing Software.

Freeze-Frames and Slow Motion in Final Cut Pro X

1. STILL FRAMES

still frames

A still-frame freezes action. For instance, here is a clip of a hummingbird getting ready to land on a bird feeder. I want to create a freeze-frame of the bird in flight. (Um, yeah, I use “freeze-frame” and “still-frame” interchangeably.)

In Final Cut Pro X, put the playhead (or skimmer) on the frame you want to freeze and type Option+F.

freeze frames

This creates a two-second freeze-frame at the position of the playhead.

create freeze frame

Adjust the duration of the frame by trimming the edge; just like any other clip. Here, for example, I’m making the duration of the freeze-frame 11 frames shorter.

freeze frames in FCP X

In case you were wondering, this is what the freeze looks like. It freezes the flight of the hummingbird in the middle of playback, allowing us to add graphics or other text then resume the action as though nothing had happened.

Very cool, except….

Well, the good news is that this is fast and easy. The bad news is that we can’t change the location of the still frame.

So, here’s another way to do this.

Put the playhead (or skimmer, but I prefer the playhead) on the frame you want to freeze, select the clip, then type Shift+F.

Playhead

This locates the source clip in the Browser, selects both the Browser and the clip, and matches the position of the In, Out, and playhead.

match clips

Now, with the Browser selected, type Option+F. This creates a freeze-frame of the Browser clip and places it at the location of the playhead as a connected clip in the Timeline.

As a connected clip, we can move this new freeze-frame wherever we want. However, be careful in moving the clip, because, unless you mark the original frame with a marker (type “M”), there’s no easy way to match the still frame with the source frame, once the still frame is moved somewhere else.

I use both these techniques in many different projects.

2. HOLD FRAME

A Hold Frame is similar to an in-line still frame, but with more flexibility.

hold frame

Put the playhead (or skimmer) on the frame you want to hold. Then, Then, using either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf-on-a-headset” Toolbar icon, choose Hold Frame (or type: Shift+H).

hold frames in fcp x

This displays the orange Retime editor bar above the clip, with a small red portion indicating the Hold frame.

create hold frames

Change the duration of the Hold frame by dragging the small thumb at the right end of the red bar.

speed016

Add a speed ramp transition at the end of the Hold frame by clicking the downward-pointing arrow next to the word “Hold” in the Retime Editor.

speed018

To change the actual frame being held, double-click the bar icon to the LEFT of the red Hold section and choose Source Frame (Edit). This allows you to slide the Hold frame selection left or right.

NOTE: Changing the source frame is a feature that I like a LOT!

3. SLOW (or FAST) MOTION

fast/slow motion

We use slow-motion to show events that are too fast for the unaided eye to see. And fast motion to speed up very slow events. Both of these effects use what’s called a “constant speed change,” where the entire clip changes by the same amount - either faster or slower.

WE create either effect using the same tools, just different values. Here’s how.

slow motion

Select the clip who’s speed you want to change. Then, using either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf” Toolbar icon, select Slow (or Fast).

Choose one of the available speeds; in this case, 50%. (Yes, you can change this to any value you want, I’ll show you how in a minute.)

create slow/fast motion

Three things happen at once:

  • The duration of the clip changes
  • The orange Retiming bar appears over the top of the clip
  • The speed of the clip changes

speed010

To reset the speed back to normal (100%), click the downward-pointing arrow in the Retiming bar and choose Normal (100%).

There are two ways to change the speed of a clip.

speed017

The easy way is to grab the small handle at the end of the clip and drag left or right. The speed will change as you drag it.

Or, for more precision, click the downward-pointing arrow in the Retiming bar and choose Custom.

speed011

This opens a new dialog allowing a number of changes:

  • Reverse. Plays the clip in reverse.
  • Rate. Select a specific speed change as a percentage of normal speed for a clip. Less than 100% is slow-motion. More than 100% is fast-motion.
  • Duration. Select a specific duration for a clip and FCP X will calculate how fast or slow it needs to go.
  • Ripple. When checked, adjusts the duration of a clip based upon the speed. When unchecked, the clip duration remains fixed even when speed changes.

You will get the smoothest speed changes when the percentage you choose divides evenly into 200. For example, 100, 66, 50, 40, 33, 25, 20, 10 and so on.

4. EXTRA CREDIT

There is one more setting to consider when slowing a clip. (This does not apply when creating fast motion.)

speed012

Using, again, either Modify > Retime or the “Smurf” menu, select Video Quality.

  • Normal. This is the best choice for speeds of 50% or faster.
  • Frame Blending. This is the best choice for speeds of about 20% to 50%.
  • Optical Flow. This is the best choice for speeds slower than about 20%.

Frame blending puts a short dissolve between frames when running in slow motion to improve the illusion of motion. Optical Flow invents in-between frames to minimize the jerkiness of extremely slow motion.

Frame blending is relatively fast and easy. Optical Flow will look better in most cases, but takes a long time to render.


This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, a professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


SUMMARY

Whether you want your clips to speed up, slow down or just plain stop, Final Cut Pro X makes the entire process easy.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

The Ultimate Guide to Trimming VLC Videos on Mac Without Compromising Quality

VLC Trimmer Mac: Best Way to Trim VLC Without Losing Quality

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Is there a way to trim VLC without losing quality? Of course! Trimming VLC videos without losing quality can be a bit frustrating sometimes. Fortunately, there are applications available that can help you edit videos without losing quality. Wondershare Filmora is one such software that can be downloaded for free. You cannot miss it.

In this article, we will introduce why trimming VLC videos will result in loss of quality, then recommend 3 video editors trim high-quality video without lowering the quality.

Section 1. Why trimming VLC videos will result in loss of quality?

To understand quality loss, you first need to understand codecs, containers, and video re-encoding. This might get a little technical, so keep sipping that coffee!

1. Codec

Every video has a codec and a container associated with it. A video codec is an order in which the video data is organized for playback, editing, and other functions. There are lots of different types of codecs, and each of them has different functions and advantages.

2. Container

A container is responsible for holding video data and other information in a single file. Containers have file extensions like .mp4, .avi, .mov, etc. Some containers can only hold videos in one specific codec, while others can hold multiple codecs. Containers are also responsible for telling media players whether a video has audio or not.

Why are codecs and containers so important? Imagine if you watched a 1080p video (codec) on an old TV (container) – it would work, but would you really be interested in seeing it? Probably not. A mismatch between containers and codecs can result in poor quality, which is why you must shoot your videos in the right format and play them on the right platform.

3. Video compression and re-encoding

You might be wondering at what point of the whole process does the video loses quality. When you capture the video, it is of the highest quality. As soon as you compress it to share it online, some quality loss occurs, even if you convert it into a high-quality video.

When you export a video that’s already been exported, you re-encode the video. Re-encoding a VLC video can result in even more quality loss.

The truth is, you can’t reduce the video size without losing quality no matter what you do. If you’re editing a video shot in 4K, but you export it in 720p, the video will become compressed, and the original data of the video won’t get transferred to the new video, resulting in a pixelated block of mess.

When you make changes to a video with a video trimmer app, you’re changing the data structure that holds information about the video. Why do VLC videos that are small in size appear pixelated and blurry? It’s because they don’t have as much information as videos with larger sizes.

You may be interested in: VLC media player review and alternatives

Section 2. The software you can use to trim VLC videos without loss of quality

Fortunately, there are plenty of video editing programs available online that you can use to trim videos without losing quality. Here are three of the best video cutters:

  1. Wondershare Filmora
  2. LosslessCut
  3. TunesKit Video Cutter

All three of these video trimmers can be downloaded for free.

1. Trimming VLC with Wondershare Filmora

Filmora is a powerful video editor for Mac and Windows. It is a good choice to trim VLC video. You can cut and combine videos without losing the quality. Filmora supports pretty much every video format there is, so you don’t have to worry about codecs and containers.

If you’re working with a long video, you can take advantage of Filmora unique feature called “Scene Detection.” With this feature, the software will automatically detect scene changes in the VLC video and separate them, making it easy for you to trim it into multiple clips. If you want to trim your video manually, you can just drag the trimming sliders according to how you want to cut the video.

More features of Filmora

  • Effect Plugins: Cooperate with New Blue & Boris, Filmora allows you to access and use all the fantastic effects from these two outstanding effects producers.
  • Stock Media: No need to open Chrome or other browser to search for royalty-free images/footages/gifs any more. You can find Giphy, Pixbay, Unsplash within Filmora.
  • Speed Ramping: Feel free to speed up or slow down a certain video clip.
  • Green Screen: Get more creative by using Green Screen to create your video.

How to trim VLC video on Mac with Filmora step by step? The following video will introduce you to the detailed steps:

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

  • Pros: With Filmora, you can easily edit VLC video lossless, it is free to download.
  • Cons: If you are not a member, the output video may have a watermark.

2. Trimming VLC through LosslessCut

LosslessCut is an open-source video cutter that runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac. Like Filmora, this software also allows you to cut videos without re-encoding, so there is no loss of quality. It is user-friendlier than Filmora – all you have to do is drag your video to the software and then you can start trimming it by using the Arrow symbols.

lossescut for trimming VLC video

One unique feature of LosslessCut is that it lets you take JPEG screenshots of the video. It also has a portable version that doesn’t require any installation and can be started directly from a USB.

  • Pros: LosslessCut works best with mobile videos or action cams like GoPro.
  • Cons: It supports a whole range of video formats, but don’t expect to edit 4K videos using this software. It’s simple and easy to use for a reason.

3. Trimming VLC via TunesKit Video Converter

TunesKit is a simple video trimmer software that’s available on both Mac and Windows. Unlike Filmora and LosslessCut, TunesKit supports a very limited number of video formats. It is mainly an MP4 video cutter. It works at a much faster speed and there is no loss of quality.

tuneskit to trim vlc video without lossing quality

  • Pros: The interface, while simpler than Filmora’s, can seem a bit confusing sometimes. TunesKit also has a video editor, which lets you add effects to different segments of the trimmed video, a feature that you probably won’t be using very often. To trim VLC videos in MP4 without re-encoding, you simply have to drag the slider that appears when you import your video.
  • Cons: However, its functions may not be as rich as Filmora.

Conclusion

If you trim your VLC video, it will result in data loss, which will lead to a reduction in quality. Losing quality is inevitable with most video editors, which is why you should Download Wondershare Filmora as it’s easy to use and has the best and most useful features.

Filmora supports many popular formats like MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, and also different screen resolutions so no matter what the format of your VLC video is, you can easily divide it by scenes using the Scene Detection feature and quickly turn those scenes into clips.

You may like:What video formats does Filmora support to import and export>>>

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Is there a way to trim VLC without losing quality? Of course! Trimming VLC videos without losing quality can be a bit frustrating sometimes. Fortunately, there are applications available that can help you edit videos without losing quality. Wondershare Filmora is one such software that can be downloaded for free. You cannot miss it.

In this article, we will introduce why trimming VLC videos will result in loss of quality, then recommend 3 video editors trim high-quality video without lowering the quality.

Section 1. Why trimming VLC videos will result in loss of quality?

To understand quality loss, you first need to understand codecs, containers, and video re-encoding. This might get a little technical, so keep sipping that coffee!

1. Codec

Every video has a codec and a container associated with it. A video codec is an order in which the video data is organized for playback, editing, and other functions. There are lots of different types of codecs, and each of them has different functions and advantages.

2. Container

A container is responsible for holding video data and other information in a single file. Containers have file extensions like .mp4, .avi, .mov, etc. Some containers can only hold videos in one specific codec, while others can hold multiple codecs. Containers are also responsible for telling media players whether a video has audio or not.

Why are codecs and containers so important? Imagine if you watched a 1080p video (codec) on an old TV (container) – it would work, but would you really be interested in seeing it? Probably not. A mismatch between containers and codecs can result in poor quality, which is why you must shoot your videos in the right format and play them on the right platform.

3. Video compression and re-encoding

You might be wondering at what point of the whole process does the video loses quality. When you capture the video, it is of the highest quality. As soon as you compress it to share it online, some quality loss occurs, even if you convert it into a high-quality video.

When you export a video that’s already been exported, you re-encode the video. Re-encoding a VLC video can result in even more quality loss.

The truth is, you can’t reduce the video size without losing quality no matter what you do. If you’re editing a video shot in 4K, but you export it in 720p, the video will become compressed, and the original data of the video won’t get transferred to the new video, resulting in a pixelated block of mess.

When you make changes to a video with a video trimmer app, you’re changing the data structure that holds information about the video. Why do VLC videos that are small in size appear pixelated and blurry? It’s because they don’t have as much information as videos with larger sizes.

You may be interested in: VLC media player review and alternatives

Section 2. The software you can use to trim VLC videos without loss of quality

Fortunately, there are plenty of video editing programs available online that you can use to trim videos without losing quality. Here are three of the best video cutters:

  1. Wondershare Filmora
  2. LosslessCut
  3. TunesKit Video Cutter

All three of these video trimmers can be downloaded for free.

1. Trimming VLC with Wondershare Filmora

Filmora is a powerful video editor for Mac and Windows. It is a good choice to trim VLC video. You can cut and combine videos without losing the quality. Filmora supports pretty much every video format there is, so you don’t have to worry about codecs and containers.

If you’re working with a long video, you can take advantage of Filmora unique feature called “Scene Detection.” With this feature, the software will automatically detect scene changes in the VLC video and separate them, making it easy for you to trim it into multiple clips. If you want to trim your video manually, you can just drag the trimming sliders according to how you want to cut the video.

More features of Filmora

  • Effect Plugins: Cooperate with New Blue & Boris, Filmora allows you to access and use all the fantastic effects from these two outstanding effects producers.
  • Stock Media: No need to open Chrome or other browser to search for royalty-free images/footages/gifs any more. You can find Giphy, Pixbay, Unsplash within Filmora.
  • Speed Ramping: Feel free to speed up or slow down a certain video clip.
  • Green Screen: Get more creative by using Green Screen to create your video.

How to trim VLC video on Mac with Filmora step by step? The following video will introduce you to the detailed steps:

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

  • Pros: With Filmora, you can easily edit VLC video lossless, it is free to download.
  • Cons: If you are not a member, the output video may have a watermark.

2. Trimming VLC through LosslessCut

LosslessCut is an open-source video cutter that runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac. Like Filmora, this software also allows you to cut videos without re-encoding, so there is no loss of quality. It is user-friendlier than Filmora – all you have to do is drag your video to the software and then you can start trimming it by using the Arrow symbols.

lossescut for trimming VLC video

One unique feature of LosslessCut is that it lets you take JPEG screenshots of the video. It also has a portable version that doesn’t require any installation and can be started directly from a USB.

  • Pros: LosslessCut works best with mobile videos or action cams like GoPro.
  • Cons: It supports a whole range of video formats, but don’t expect to edit 4K videos using this software. It’s simple and easy to use for a reason.

3. Trimming VLC via TunesKit Video Converter

TunesKit is a simple video trimmer software that’s available on both Mac and Windows. Unlike Filmora and LosslessCut, TunesKit supports a very limited number of video formats. It is mainly an MP4 video cutter. It works at a much faster speed and there is no loss of quality.

tuneskit to trim vlc video without lossing quality

  • Pros: The interface, while simpler than Filmora’s, can seem a bit confusing sometimes. TunesKit also has a video editor, which lets you add effects to different segments of the trimmed video, a feature that you probably won’t be using very often. To trim VLC videos in MP4 without re-encoding, you simply have to drag the slider that appears when you import your video.
  • Cons: However, its functions may not be as rich as Filmora.

Conclusion

If you trim your VLC video, it will result in data loss, which will lead to a reduction in quality. Losing quality is inevitable with most video editors, which is why you should Download Wondershare Filmora as it’s easy to use and has the best and most useful features.

Filmora supports many popular formats like MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, and also different screen resolutions so no matter what the format of your VLC video is, you can easily divide it by scenes using the Scene Detection feature and quickly turn those scenes into clips.

You may like:What video formats does Filmora support to import and export>>>

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Is there a way to trim VLC without losing quality? Of course! Trimming VLC videos without losing quality can be a bit frustrating sometimes. Fortunately, there are applications available that can help you edit videos without losing quality. Wondershare Filmora is one such software that can be downloaded for free. You cannot miss it.

In this article, we will introduce why trimming VLC videos will result in loss of quality, then recommend 3 video editors trim high-quality video without lowering the quality.

Section 1. Why trimming VLC videos will result in loss of quality?

To understand quality loss, you first need to understand codecs, containers, and video re-encoding. This might get a little technical, so keep sipping that coffee!

1. Codec

Every video has a codec and a container associated with it. A video codec is an order in which the video data is organized for playback, editing, and other functions. There are lots of different types of codecs, and each of them has different functions and advantages.

2. Container

A container is responsible for holding video data and other information in a single file. Containers have file extensions like .mp4, .avi, .mov, etc. Some containers can only hold videos in one specific codec, while others can hold multiple codecs. Containers are also responsible for telling media players whether a video has audio or not.

Why are codecs and containers so important? Imagine if you watched a 1080p video (codec) on an old TV (container) – it would work, but would you really be interested in seeing it? Probably not. A mismatch between containers and codecs can result in poor quality, which is why you must shoot your videos in the right format and play them on the right platform.

3. Video compression and re-encoding

You might be wondering at what point of the whole process does the video loses quality. When you capture the video, it is of the highest quality. As soon as you compress it to share it online, some quality loss occurs, even if you convert it into a high-quality video.

When you export a video that’s already been exported, you re-encode the video. Re-encoding a VLC video can result in even more quality loss.

The truth is, you can’t reduce the video size without losing quality no matter what you do. If you’re editing a video shot in 4K, but you export it in 720p, the video will become compressed, and the original data of the video won’t get transferred to the new video, resulting in a pixelated block of mess.

When you make changes to a video with a video trimmer app, you’re changing the data structure that holds information about the video. Why do VLC videos that are small in size appear pixelated and blurry? It’s because they don’t have as much information as videos with larger sizes.

You may be interested in: VLC media player review and alternatives

Section 2. The software you can use to trim VLC videos without loss of quality

Fortunately, there are plenty of video editing programs available online that you can use to trim videos without losing quality. Here are three of the best video cutters:

  1. Wondershare Filmora
  2. LosslessCut
  3. TunesKit Video Cutter

All three of these video trimmers can be downloaded for free.

1. Trimming VLC with Wondershare Filmora

Filmora is a powerful video editor for Mac and Windows. It is a good choice to trim VLC video. You can cut and combine videos without losing the quality. Filmora supports pretty much every video format there is, so you don’t have to worry about codecs and containers.

If you’re working with a long video, you can take advantage of Filmora unique feature called “Scene Detection.” With this feature, the software will automatically detect scene changes in the VLC video and separate them, making it easy for you to trim it into multiple clips. If you want to trim your video manually, you can just drag the trimming sliders according to how you want to cut the video.

More features of Filmora

  • Effect Plugins: Cooperate with New Blue & Boris, Filmora allows you to access and use all the fantastic effects from these two outstanding effects producers.
  • Stock Media: No need to open Chrome or other browser to search for royalty-free images/footages/gifs any more. You can find Giphy, Pixbay, Unsplash within Filmora.
  • Speed Ramping: Feel free to speed up or slow down a certain video clip.
  • Green Screen: Get more creative by using Green Screen to create your video.

How to trim VLC video on Mac with Filmora step by step? The following video will introduce you to the detailed steps:

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

  • Pros: With Filmora, you can easily edit VLC video lossless, it is free to download.
  • Cons: If you are not a member, the output video may have a watermark.

2. Trimming VLC through LosslessCut

LosslessCut is an open-source video cutter that runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac. Like Filmora, this software also allows you to cut videos without re-encoding, so there is no loss of quality. It is user-friendlier than Filmora – all you have to do is drag your video to the software and then you can start trimming it by using the Arrow symbols.

lossescut for trimming VLC video

One unique feature of LosslessCut is that it lets you take JPEG screenshots of the video. It also has a portable version that doesn’t require any installation and can be started directly from a USB.

  • Pros: LosslessCut works best with mobile videos or action cams like GoPro.
  • Cons: It supports a whole range of video formats, but don’t expect to edit 4K videos using this software. It’s simple and easy to use for a reason.

3. Trimming VLC via TunesKit Video Converter

TunesKit is a simple video trimmer software that’s available on both Mac and Windows. Unlike Filmora and LosslessCut, TunesKit supports a very limited number of video formats. It is mainly an MP4 video cutter. It works at a much faster speed and there is no loss of quality.

tuneskit to trim vlc video without lossing quality

  • Pros: The interface, while simpler than Filmora’s, can seem a bit confusing sometimes. TunesKit also has a video editor, which lets you add effects to different segments of the trimmed video, a feature that you probably won’t be using very often. To trim VLC videos in MP4 without re-encoding, you simply have to drag the slider that appears when you import your video.
  • Cons: However, its functions may not be as rich as Filmora.

Conclusion

If you trim your VLC video, it will result in data loss, which will lead to a reduction in quality. Losing quality is inevitable with most video editors, which is why you should Download Wondershare Filmora as it’s easy to use and has the best and most useful features.

Filmora supports many popular formats like MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, and also different screen resolutions so no matter what the format of your VLC video is, you can easily divide it by scenes using the Scene Detection feature and quickly turn those scenes into clips.

You may like:What video formats does Filmora support to import and export>>>

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Is there a way to trim VLC without losing quality? Of course! Trimming VLC videos without losing quality can be a bit frustrating sometimes. Fortunately, there are applications available that can help you edit videos without losing quality. Wondershare Filmora is one such software that can be downloaded for free. You cannot miss it.

In this article, we will introduce why trimming VLC videos will result in loss of quality, then recommend 3 video editors trim high-quality video without lowering the quality.

Section 1. Why trimming VLC videos will result in loss of quality?

To understand quality loss, you first need to understand codecs, containers, and video re-encoding. This might get a little technical, so keep sipping that coffee!

1. Codec

Every video has a codec and a container associated with it. A video codec is an order in which the video data is organized for playback, editing, and other functions. There are lots of different types of codecs, and each of them has different functions and advantages.

2. Container

A container is responsible for holding video data and other information in a single file. Containers have file extensions like .mp4, .avi, .mov, etc. Some containers can only hold videos in one specific codec, while others can hold multiple codecs. Containers are also responsible for telling media players whether a video has audio or not.

Why are codecs and containers so important? Imagine if you watched a 1080p video (codec) on an old TV (container) – it would work, but would you really be interested in seeing it? Probably not. A mismatch between containers and codecs can result in poor quality, which is why you must shoot your videos in the right format and play them on the right platform.

3. Video compression and re-encoding

You might be wondering at what point of the whole process does the video loses quality. When you capture the video, it is of the highest quality. As soon as you compress it to share it online, some quality loss occurs, even if you convert it into a high-quality video.

When you export a video that’s already been exported, you re-encode the video. Re-encoding a VLC video can result in even more quality loss.

The truth is, you can’t reduce the video size without losing quality no matter what you do. If you’re editing a video shot in 4K, but you export it in 720p, the video will become compressed, and the original data of the video won’t get transferred to the new video, resulting in a pixelated block of mess.

When you make changes to a video with a video trimmer app, you’re changing the data structure that holds information about the video. Why do VLC videos that are small in size appear pixelated and blurry? It’s because they don’t have as much information as videos with larger sizes.

You may be interested in: VLC media player review and alternatives

Section 2. The software you can use to trim VLC videos without loss of quality

Fortunately, there are plenty of video editing programs available online that you can use to trim videos without losing quality. Here are three of the best video cutters:

  1. Wondershare Filmora
  2. LosslessCut
  3. TunesKit Video Cutter

All three of these video trimmers can be downloaded for free.

1. Trimming VLC with Wondershare Filmora

Filmora is a powerful video editor for Mac and Windows. It is a good choice to trim VLC video. You can cut and combine videos without losing the quality. Filmora supports pretty much every video format there is, so you don’t have to worry about codecs and containers.

If you’re working with a long video, you can take advantage of Filmora unique feature called “Scene Detection.” With this feature, the software will automatically detect scene changes in the VLC video and separate them, making it easy for you to trim it into multiple clips. If you want to trim your video manually, you can just drag the trimming sliders according to how you want to cut the video.

More features of Filmora

  • Effect Plugins: Cooperate with New Blue & Boris, Filmora allows you to access and use all the fantastic effects from these two outstanding effects producers.
  • Stock Media: No need to open Chrome or other browser to search for royalty-free images/footages/gifs any more. You can find Giphy, Pixbay, Unsplash within Filmora.
  • Speed Ramping: Feel free to speed up or slow down a certain video clip.
  • Green Screen: Get more creative by using Green Screen to create your video.

How to trim VLC video on Mac with Filmora step by step? The following video will introduce you to the detailed steps:

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

  • Pros: With Filmora, you can easily edit VLC video lossless, it is free to download.
  • Cons: If you are not a member, the output video may have a watermark.

2. Trimming VLC through LosslessCut

LosslessCut is an open-source video cutter that runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac. Like Filmora, this software also allows you to cut videos without re-encoding, so there is no loss of quality. It is user-friendlier than Filmora – all you have to do is drag your video to the software and then you can start trimming it by using the Arrow symbols.

lossescut for trimming VLC video

One unique feature of LosslessCut is that it lets you take JPEG screenshots of the video. It also has a portable version that doesn’t require any installation and can be started directly from a USB.

  • Pros: LosslessCut works best with mobile videos or action cams like GoPro.
  • Cons: It supports a whole range of video formats, but don’t expect to edit 4K videos using this software. It’s simple and easy to use for a reason.

3. Trimming VLC via TunesKit Video Converter

TunesKit is a simple video trimmer software that’s available on both Mac and Windows. Unlike Filmora and LosslessCut, TunesKit supports a very limited number of video formats. It is mainly an MP4 video cutter. It works at a much faster speed and there is no loss of quality.

tuneskit to trim vlc video without lossing quality

  • Pros: The interface, while simpler than Filmora’s, can seem a bit confusing sometimes. TunesKit also has a video editor, which lets you add effects to different segments of the trimmed video, a feature that you probably won’t be using very often. To trim VLC videos in MP4 without re-encoding, you simply have to drag the slider that appears when you import your video.
  • Cons: However, its functions may not be as rich as Filmora.

Conclusion

If you trim your VLC video, it will result in data loss, which will lead to a reduction in quality. Losing quality is inevitable with most video editors, which is why you should Download Wondershare Filmora as it’s easy to use and has the best and most useful features.

Filmora supports many popular formats like MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, and also different screen resolutions so no matter what the format of your VLC video is, you can easily divide it by scenes using the Scene Detection feature and quickly turn those scenes into clips.

You may like:What video formats does Filmora support to import and export>>>

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author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Public Domain Video Treasure Trove: Best Sites to Explore

Best Websites to Download Public Domain Videos

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

In historic terms, cinema is still a relatively new art, and yet the amount of footage that has been filmed since the Lumière brothers released their first film is staggering. Capturing unique materials that were never seen by the world before has become the question of prestige among the filmmakers. Nonetheless, certain genres of film are almost entirely dependent on the public domain footage. Documentaries about historic events, space or any other topic that is impossible to stage rely on the videos that entered the public domain for one reason or the other. That’s why in this article, we are going to take you through some of the best websites that let you download public domain videos.

What is Public Domain Video?

Any video that is not subject to copyright can be considered a public domain video. This means that anyone can use this footage for free without having to ask for permission to do so. Videos can enter the public domain under the following circumstances:

  • If the footage was produced by a government because governments are obligated by the law to offer the footage to the public domain.
  • In case the author of the footage has forfeited his or her copyrights and dedicated the footage to the public domain
  • A film or any other work of art becomes public domain 70 years after the death of the copyright holder. The expiration date of the copyrights is not the same in all the countries around the world, which is why you must make sure that the video you want to use is, in fact, a public domain video.

In addition, you should avoid using the footage that contains art or music that can be described as third-party intellectual property because you may unintentionally infringe copyrights.

Best Online Websites Where You Can Download Public Domain Videos

Finding free public domain footage or public movies on the Internet has never been too difficult, as you can watch thousands of public domain movies on YouTube, but you cannot download them. Over the course of the last couple of decades, the websites where you can download public domain footage have grown in number, which makes it somewhat easier to find the video clips you can use in your projects for free. Here are some of the best online destinations where you can download public domain videos.

1. Prelinger Archive

Public Domain Video Download

With more than 17,000 items in the collection, the Prelinger Archive is probably one of the largest public domain video libraries on the Internet. The archive was founded in 1983 by Rick Prelinger, but by 2002 it became a part of the Library of Congress Motion Picture Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Divison’s collection. You can download public domain video clips created by educational institutions, advertising companies, trade associations or corporations from this impressive collection. There are different download options available for each file, so you can choose the size of a file and the method you’re going to use to download a file to your computer.

2. The Public Domain Review

Public Domain Video Collections

This is an excellent resource for researchers looking for essays, books, audio recordings, images or old films. The movies are divided into different categories such as Animals&Beasts, Politics, War or Sports which makes locating and downloading public domain videos faster and easier. The Public Domain Review offers footage that is available within different public domain licenses, so you must make sure that the film you want to download can be used for the purpose you have in mind. The vast majority of the films in this archive are from the last decade of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. That’s why The Public Domain Review’s selection of films can only be useful if you are researching a topic from that era.

3. The National Screening Room

National Screening Room Public Domain Video Collection

The National Screening Room is a project created by the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center with the aim of making the videos from their collection available to the viewers around the world. The vast majority of the videos in the collection were filmed during the 20th century, but there are only a few videos available that are produced outside of the United States. The National Screening Room can be a valuable asset if you are looking for videos you can use for educational or research videos that cover topics that range from the development of the arms industry to the daily life of great American inventors.

4. Pond5’s Public Domain Project

Pond 5 Public Domain Video Download

Industry professionals don’t need an introduction to the Pond5 platform, because it is probably the largest online marketplace for royalty-free media at the moment. Their Public Domain Project contains a thousand public videos that can be downloaded for free, but the duration of these videos is limited to just two minutes To make things worse, most of these public domain videos don’t have audio, so you can only use them if you already have a soundtrack for the video you’re making. The platform offers powerful search tools that enable you to look for videos based on different parameters. You can download public domain videos in HD resolution, but you must create an account on Pond5 before you can save them to your computer.

5. Pexels

Pexels Public Domain Video  Collection

Free public domain stock footage can be used on different types of projects, and it is usually a great choice if you’re looking for some extra shots that will make a scene in your video more cinematic. Pexels offers an impressive collection of free public domain stock videos, so you just have to insert a search term and pick a video clip that best fits your needs. The duration of the free videos you can find on Pexels rarely exceeds thirty seconds, which makes it difficult to make an entire video exclusively from free public domain stock footage. Hence it is better to use Pexels as a complementary source of shots in case you can’t go back to the filming location.

6. Vidsplay

All video clips you can find on this platform are free, so you just have to select one of the categories and start browsing through the available public domain stock footage. The only condition to use the stock footage on private or commercial projects for free is to credit the Vidsplay platform in the end credits, on the website or in the description of the videos you upload to your social media channels. All stock videos on Vidsplay are available in HD or 4K resolution, and you simply have to click on the Download button below a particular video to save it.

7. The Moving Image Archive

This is yet another archive of public domain videos you can find on the Arhive.org that features countless collections of texts, images, and videos. Within the Moving Image Archive, you can find different collections that contain full feature movies, art videos, animations, cartoons or television footage. The public domain videos hosted on The Moving Image Archive cover a broad range of topics, but some of them can be in poor resolution. The Moving Image Archive can be an excellent source of footage for anyone who wants to download public domain video clips and use them in their commercial or non-commercial projects.

8. PublicDomainFootage

BBC, National Geographics or NBC are just a few among many famous television networks that use the services of PublicDomainFootage. All content on the platform is divided into Archival Footage and Historic Newsreels sections that contain categories like Atomic Age, Civil Rights or Pop Culture. You can also use PublicDomainFootage to research a particular topic and request content that is not uploaded to the website. You can download a public domain video after you pay a one time fee that enables you to use that video as many times as you want. The platform’s YouTube channel provides an easy way of searching for public domain videos you are going to use in your next documentary film.

Space exploration is undoubtedly one of the hottest topics of our era, so if you are looking for some space public domain videos NASA’s website is the best place to start. Like all other government institutions, NASA is obligated by the law to offer all images and videos to the public domain. This means that all content you download from their website is free to use. Simply insert the search term and browse the results until you find the video clip you want to save to your computer. However, most public domain videos you can download from NASA’s website last only a couple of minutes.

10. Motion Elements

The collection of free public domain stock footage, this website offers contains more than 4,000 clips. Categories like Cityscape, Animals or Water contain hundreds of stock videos, so you just have to open one of the available categories and locate the video clip you want to download. However, you must first create an account on Motion Elements before you can save video files to your computer. In addition, the platform doesn’t allow you to make more than five downloads per week and you must invite your friends to join the platform if you want to increase the weekly number of downloads. Even so, Motion Elements is a great source of stock footage you can use without any restrictions.

Is It Okay to Use Public Domain Videos for Commercial Purposes?

All public domain videos can be used for both commercial and non-commercial projects, but you must approach using public domain videos for commercial purposes with caution. Crediting the author or providing the source from which you acquired the footage will reduce the likelihood of legal complications. The public domain videos that feature famous actors or third party intellectual property can also be a subject of legal disputes, which is why it is better to avoid using them on commercial projects.

What Should You Do If You Can’t Find Public Domain Footage for Your Project?

Opting for videos that are protected by the Creative Commons licenses is probably the safest option if you’re struggling to find the public domain footage you’d like to use in your project. Respecting the terms of the license under which a video is protected is of utmost importance, since failing to properly credit the author of the video, for instance, can have legal consequences. There are several different types of Creative Commons licenses and you must find out which one covers the video you’d like to use, before publishing your video. You can find more information about Creative Commons licenses at the FAQ .

Conclusion

Public domain videos cover very different topics, which means that the nature of your project determines the source from which you’ll acquire the footage. If you are researching the early days of cinema, then you’ll have no trouble downloading the public domain videos, but if the topic you’re exploring is more contemporary, finding the content you can use without any restrictions can prove to be troublesome. Which website do you like to use the most to download public domain videos? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

In historic terms, cinema is still a relatively new art, and yet the amount of footage that has been filmed since the Lumière brothers released their first film is staggering. Capturing unique materials that were never seen by the world before has become the question of prestige among the filmmakers. Nonetheless, certain genres of film are almost entirely dependent on the public domain footage. Documentaries about historic events, space or any other topic that is impossible to stage rely on the videos that entered the public domain for one reason or the other. That’s why in this article, we are going to take you through some of the best websites that let you download public domain videos.

What is Public Domain Video?

Any video that is not subject to copyright can be considered a public domain video. This means that anyone can use this footage for free without having to ask for permission to do so. Videos can enter the public domain under the following circumstances:

  • If the footage was produced by a government because governments are obligated by the law to offer the footage to the public domain.
  • In case the author of the footage has forfeited his or her copyrights and dedicated the footage to the public domain
  • A film or any other work of art becomes public domain 70 years after the death of the copyright holder. The expiration date of the copyrights is not the same in all the countries around the world, which is why you must make sure that the video you want to use is, in fact, a public domain video.

In addition, you should avoid using the footage that contains art or music that can be described as third-party intellectual property because you may unintentionally infringe copyrights.

Best Online Websites Where You Can Download Public Domain Videos

Finding free public domain footage or public movies on the Internet has never been too difficult, as you can watch thousands of public domain movies on YouTube, but you cannot download them. Over the course of the last couple of decades, the websites where you can download public domain footage have grown in number, which makes it somewhat easier to find the video clips you can use in your projects for free. Here are some of the best online destinations where you can download public domain videos.

1. Prelinger Archive

Public Domain Video Download

With more than 17,000 items in the collection, the Prelinger Archive is probably one of the largest public domain video libraries on the Internet. The archive was founded in 1983 by Rick Prelinger, but by 2002 it became a part of the Library of Congress Motion Picture Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Divison’s collection. You can download public domain video clips created by educational institutions, advertising companies, trade associations or corporations from this impressive collection. There are different download options available for each file, so you can choose the size of a file and the method you’re going to use to download a file to your computer.

2. The Public Domain Review

Public Domain Video Collections

This is an excellent resource for researchers looking for essays, books, audio recordings, images or old films. The movies are divided into different categories such as Animals&Beasts, Politics, War or Sports which makes locating and downloading public domain videos faster and easier. The Public Domain Review offers footage that is available within different public domain licenses, so you must make sure that the film you want to download can be used for the purpose you have in mind. The vast majority of the films in this archive are from the last decade of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. That’s why The Public Domain Review’s selection of films can only be useful if you are researching a topic from that era.

3. The National Screening Room

National Screening Room Public Domain Video Collection

The National Screening Room is a project created by the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center with the aim of making the videos from their collection available to the viewers around the world. The vast majority of the videos in the collection were filmed during the 20th century, but there are only a few videos available that are produced outside of the United States. The National Screening Room can be a valuable asset if you are looking for videos you can use for educational or research videos that cover topics that range from the development of the arms industry to the daily life of great American inventors.

4. Pond5’s Public Domain Project

Pond 5 Public Domain Video Download

Industry professionals don’t need an introduction to the Pond5 platform, because it is probably the largest online marketplace for royalty-free media at the moment. Their Public Domain Project contains a thousand public videos that can be downloaded for free, but the duration of these videos is limited to just two minutes To make things worse, most of these public domain videos don’t have audio, so you can only use them if you already have a soundtrack for the video you’re making. The platform offers powerful search tools that enable you to look for videos based on different parameters. You can download public domain videos in HD resolution, but you must create an account on Pond5 before you can save them to your computer.

5. Pexels

Pexels Public Domain Video  Collection

Free public domain stock footage can be used on different types of projects, and it is usually a great choice if you’re looking for some extra shots that will make a scene in your video more cinematic. Pexels offers an impressive collection of free public domain stock videos, so you just have to insert a search term and pick a video clip that best fits your needs. The duration of the free videos you can find on Pexels rarely exceeds thirty seconds, which makes it difficult to make an entire video exclusively from free public domain stock footage. Hence it is better to use Pexels as a complementary source of shots in case you can’t go back to the filming location.

6. Vidsplay

All video clips you can find on this platform are free, so you just have to select one of the categories and start browsing through the available public domain stock footage. The only condition to use the stock footage on private or commercial projects for free is to credit the Vidsplay platform in the end credits, on the website or in the description of the videos you upload to your social media channels. All stock videos on Vidsplay are available in HD or 4K resolution, and you simply have to click on the Download button below a particular video to save it.

7. The Moving Image Archive

This is yet another archive of public domain videos you can find on the Arhive.org that features countless collections of texts, images, and videos. Within the Moving Image Archive, you can find different collections that contain full feature movies, art videos, animations, cartoons or television footage. The public domain videos hosted on The Moving Image Archive cover a broad range of topics, but some of them can be in poor resolution. The Moving Image Archive can be an excellent source of footage for anyone who wants to download public domain video clips and use them in their commercial or non-commercial projects.

8. PublicDomainFootage

BBC, National Geographics or NBC are just a few among many famous television networks that use the services of PublicDomainFootage. All content on the platform is divided into Archival Footage and Historic Newsreels sections that contain categories like Atomic Age, Civil Rights or Pop Culture. You can also use PublicDomainFootage to research a particular topic and request content that is not uploaded to the website. You can download a public domain video after you pay a one time fee that enables you to use that video as many times as you want. The platform’s YouTube channel provides an easy way of searching for public domain videos you are going to use in your next documentary film.

Space exploration is undoubtedly one of the hottest topics of our era, so if you are looking for some space public domain videos NASA’s website is the best place to start. Like all other government institutions, NASA is obligated by the law to offer all images and videos to the public domain. This means that all content you download from their website is free to use. Simply insert the search term and browse the results until you find the video clip you want to save to your computer. However, most public domain videos you can download from NASA’s website last only a couple of minutes.

10. Motion Elements

The collection of free public domain stock footage, this website offers contains more than 4,000 clips. Categories like Cityscape, Animals or Water contain hundreds of stock videos, so you just have to open one of the available categories and locate the video clip you want to download. However, you must first create an account on Motion Elements before you can save video files to your computer. In addition, the platform doesn’t allow you to make more than five downloads per week and you must invite your friends to join the platform if you want to increase the weekly number of downloads. Even so, Motion Elements is a great source of stock footage you can use without any restrictions.

Is It Okay to Use Public Domain Videos for Commercial Purposes?

All public domain videos can be used for both commercial and non-commercial projects, but you must approach using public domain videos for commercial purposes with caution. Crediting the author or providing the source from which you acquired the footage will reduce the likelihood of legal complications. The public domain videos that feature famous actors or third party intellectual property can also be a subject of legal disputes, which is why it is better to avoid using them on commercial projects.

What Should You Do If You Can’t Find Public Domain Footage for Your Project?

Opting for videos that are protected by the Creative Commons licenses is probably the safest option if you’re struggling to find the public domain footage you’d like to use in your project. Respecting the terms of the license under which a video is protected is of utmost importance, since failing to properly credit the author of the video, for instance, can have legal consequences. There are several different types of Creative Commons licenses and you must find out which one covers the video you’d like to use, before publishing your video. You can find more information about Creative Commons licenses at the FAQ .

Conclusion

Public domain videos cover very different topics, which means that the nature of your project determines the source from which you’ll acquire the footage. If you are researching the early days of cinema, then you’ll have no trouble downloading the public domain videos, but if the topic you’re exploring is more contemporary, finding the content you can use without any restrictions can prove to be troublesome. Which website do you like to use the most to download public domain videos? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

In historic terms, cinema is still a relatively new art, and yet the amount of footage that has been filmed since the Lumière brothers released their first film is staggering. Capturing unique materials that were never seen by the world before has become the question of prestige among the filmmakers. Nonetheless, certain genres of film are almost entirely dependent on the public domain footage. Documentaries about historic events, space or any other topic that is impossible to stage rely on the videos that entered the public domain for one reason or the other. That’s why in this article, we are going to take you through some of the best websites that let you download public domain videos.

What is Public Domain Video?

Any video that is not subject to copyright can be considered a public domain video. This means that anyone can use this footage for free without having to ask for permission to do so. Videos can enter the public domain under the following circumstances:

  • If the footage was produced by a government because governments are obligated by the law to offer the footage to the public domain.
  • In case the author of the footage has forfeited his or her copyrights and dedicated the footage to the public domain
  • A film or any other work of art becomes public domain 70 years after the death of the copyright holder. The expiration date of the copyrights is not the same in all the countries around the world, which is why you must make sure that the video you want to use is, in fact, a public domain video.

In addition, you should avoid using the footage that contains art or music that can be described as third-party intellectual property because you may unintentionally infringe copyrights.

Best Online Websites Where You Can Download Public Domain Videos

Finding free public domain footage or public movies on the Internet has never been too difficult, as you can watch thousands of public domain movies on YouTube, but you cannot download them. Over the course of the last couple of decades, the websites where you can download public domain footage have grown in number, which makes it somewhat easier to find the video clips you can use in your projects for free. Here are some of the best online destinations where you can download public domain videos.

1. Prelinger Archive

Public Domain Video Download

With more than 17,000 items in the collection, the Prelinger Archive is probably one of the largest public domain video libraries on the Internet. The archive was founded in 1983 by Rick Prelinger, but by 2002 it became a part of the Library of Congress Motion Picture Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Divison’s collection. You can download public domain video clips created by educational institutions, advertising companies, trade associations or corporations from this impressive collection. There are different download options available for each file, so you can choose the size of a file and the method you’re going to use to download a file to your computer.

2. The Public Domain Review

Public Domain Video Collections

This is an excellent resource for researchers looking for essays, books, audio recordings, images or old films. The movies are divided into different categories such as Animals&Beasts, Politics, War or Sports which makes locating and downloading public domain videos faster and easier. The Public Domain Review offers footage that is available within different public domain licenses, so you must make sure that the film you want to download can be used for the purpose you have in mind. The vast majority of the films in this archive are from the last decade of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. That’s why The Public Domain Review’s selection of films can only be useful if you are researching a topic from that era.

3. The National Screening Room

National Screening Room Public Domain Video Collection

The National Screening Room is a project created by the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center with the aim of making the videos from their collection available to the viewers around the world. The vast majority of the videos in the collection were filmed during the 20th century, but there are only a few videos available that are produced outside of the United States. The National Screening Room can be a valuable asset if you are looking for videos you can use for educational or research videos that cover topics that range from the development of the arms industry to the daily life of great American inventors.

4. Pond5’s Public Domain Project

Pond 5 Public Domain Video Download

Industry professionals don’t need an introduction to the Pond5 platform, because it is probably the largest online marketplace for royalty-free media at the moment. Their Public Domain Project contains a thousand public videos that can be downloaded for free, but the duration of these videos is limited to just two minutes To make things worse, most of these public domain videos don’t have audio, so you can only use them if you already have a soundtrack for the video you’re making. The platform offers powerful search tools that enable you to look for videos based on different parameters. You can download public domain videos in HD resolution, but you must create an account on Pond5 before you can save them to your computer.

5. Pexels

Pexels Public Domain Video  Collection

Free public domain stock footage can be used on different types of projects, and it is usually a great choice if you’re looking for some extra shots that will make a scene in your video more cinematic. Pexels offers an impressive collection of free public domain stock videos, so you just have to insert a search term and pick a video clip that best fits your needs. The duration of the free videos you can find on Pexels rarely exceeds thirty seconds, which makes it difficult to make an entire video exclusively from free public domain stock footage. Hence it is better to use Pexels as a complementary source of shots in case you can’t go back to the filming location.

6. Vidsplay

All video clips you can find on this platform are free, so you just have to select one of the categories and start browsing through the available public domain stock footage. The only condition to use the stock footage on private or commercial projects for free is to credit the Vidsplay platform in the end credits, on the website or in the description of the videos you upload to your social media channels. All stock videos on Vidsplay are available in HD or 4K resolution, and you simply have to click on the Download button below a particular video to save it.

7. The Moving Image Archive

This is yet another archive of public domain videos you can find on the Arhive.org that features countless collections of texts, images, and videos. Within the Moving Image Archive, you can find different collections that contain full feature movies, art videos, animations, cartoons or television footage. The public domain videos hosted on The Moving Image Archive cover a broad range of topics, but some of them can be in poor resolution. The Moving Image Archive can be an excellent source of footage for anyone who wants to download public domain video clips and use them in their commercial or non-commercial projects.

8. PublicDomainFootage

BBC, National Geographics or NBC are just a few among many famous television networks that use the services of PublicDomainFootage. All content on the platform is divided into Archival Footage and Historic Newsreels sections that contain categories like Atomic Age, Civil Rights or Pop Culture. You can also use PublicDomainFootage to research a particular topic and request content that is not uploaded to the website. You can download a public domain video after you pay a one time fee that enables you to use that video as many times as you want. The platform’s YouTube channel provides an easy way of searching for public domain videos you are going to use in your next documentary film.

Space exploration is undoubtedly one of the hottest topics of our era, so if you are looking for some space public domain videos NASA’s website is the best place to start. Like all other government institutions, NASA is obligated by the law to offer all images and videos to the public domain. This means that all content you download from their website is free to use. Simply insert the search term and browse the results until you find the video clip you want to save to your computer. However, most public domain videos you can download from NASA’s website last only a couple of minutes.

10. Motion Elements

The collection of free public domain stock footage, this website offers contains more than 4,000 clips. Categories like Cityscape, Animals or Water contain hundreds of stock videos, so you just have to open one of the available categories and locate the video clip you want to download. However, you must first create an account on Motion Elements before you can save video files to your computer. In addition, the platform doesn’t allow you to make more than five downloads per week and you must invite your friends to join the platform if you want to increase the weekly number of downloads. Even so, Motion Elements is a great source of stock footage you can use without any restrictions.

Is It Okay to Use Public Domain Videos for Commercial Purposes?

All public domain videos can be used for both commercial and non-commercial projects, but you must approach using public domain videos for commercial purposes with caution. Crediting the author or providing the source from which you acquired the footage will reduce the likelihood of legal complications. The public domain videos that feature famous actors or third party intellectual property can also be a subject of legal disputes, which is why it is better to avoid using them on commercial projects.

What Should You Do If You Can’t Find Public Domain Footage for Your Project?

Opting for videos that are protected by the Creative Commons licenses is probably the safest option if you’re struggling to find the public domain footage you’d like to use in your project. Respecting the terms of the license under which a video is protected is of utmost importance, since failing to properly credit the author of the video, for instance, can have legal consequences. There are several different types of Creative Commons licenses and you must find out which one covers the video you’d like to use, before publishing your video. You can find more information about Creative Commons licenses at the FAQ .

Conclusion

Public domain videos cover very different topics, which means that the nature of your project determines the source from which you’ll acquire the footage. If you are researching the early days of cinema, then you’ll have no trouble downloading the public domain videos, but if the topic you’re exploring is more contemporary, finding the content you can use without any restrictions can prove to be troublesome. Which website do you like to use the most to download public domain videos? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

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Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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In historic terms, cinema is still a relatively new art, and yet the amount of footage that has been filmed since the Lumière brothers released their first film is staggering. Capturing unique materials that were never seen by the world before has become the question of prestige among the filmmakers. Nonetheless, certain genres of film are almost entirely dependent on the public domain footage. Documentaries about historic events, space or any other topic that is impossible to stage rely on the videos that entered the public domain for one reason or the other. That’s why in this article, we are going to take you through some of the best websites that let you download public domain videos.

What is Public Domain Video?

Any video that is not subject to copyright can be considered a public domain video. This means that anyone can use this footage for free without having to ask for permission to do so. Videos can enter the public domain under the following circumstances:

  • If the footage was produced by a government because governments are obligated by the law to offer the footage to the public domain.
  • In case the author of the footage has forfeited his or her copyrights and dedicated the footage to the public domain
  • A film or any other work of art becomes public domain 70 years after the death of the copyright holder. The expiration date of the copyrights is not the same in all the countries around the world, which is why you must make sure that the video you want to use is, in fact, a public domain video.

In addition, you should avoid using the footage that contains art or music that can be described as third-party intellectual property because you may unintentionally infringe copyrights.

Best Online Websites Where You Can Download Public Domain Videos

Finding free public domain footage or public movies on the Internet has never been too difficult, as you can watch thousands of public domain movies on YouTube, but you cannot download them. Over the course of the last couple of decades, the websites where you can download public domain footage have grown in number, which makes it somewhat easier to find the video clips you can use in your projects for free. Here are some of the best online destinations where you can download public domain videos.

1. Prelinger Archive

Public Domain Video Download

With more than 17,000 items in the collection, the Prelinger Archive is probably one of the largest public domain video libraries on the Internet. The archive was founded in 1983 by Rick Prelinger, but by 2002 it became a part of the Library of Congress Motion Picture Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Divison’s collection. You can download public domain video clips created by educational institutions, advertising companies, trade associations or corporations from this impressive collection. There are different download options available for each file, so you can choose the size of a file and the method you’re going to use to download a file to your computer.

2. The Public Domain Review

Public Domain Video Collections

This is an excellent resource for researchers looking for essays, books, audio recordings, images or old films. The movies are divided into different categories such as Animals&Beasts, Politics, War or Sports which makes locating and downloading public domain videos faster and easier. The Public Domain Review offers footage that is available within different public domain licenses, so you must make sure that the film you want to download can be used for the purpose you have in mind. The vast majority of the films in this archive are from the last decade of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. That’s why The Public Domain Review’s selection of films can only be useful if you are researching a topic from that era.

3. The National Screening Room

National Screening Room Public Domain Video Collection

The National Screening Room is a project created by the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center with the aim of making the videos from their collection available to the viewers around the world. The vast majority of the videos in the collection were filmed during the 20th century, but there are only a few videos available that are produced outside of the United States. The National Screening Room can be a valuable asset if you are looking for videos you can use for educational or research videos that cover topics that range from the development of the arms industry to the daily life of great American inventors.

4. Pond5’s Public Domain Project

Pond 5 Public Domain Video Download

Industry professionals don’t need an introduction to the Pond5 platform, because it is probably the largest online marketplace for royalty-free media at the moment. Their Public Domain Project contains a thousand public videos that can be downloaded for free, but the duration of these videos is limited to just two minutes To make things worse, most of these public domain videos don’t have audio, so you can only use them if you already have a soundtrack for the video you’re making. The platform offers powerful search tools that enable you to look for videos based on different parameters. You can download public domain videos in HD resolution, but you must create an account on Pond5 before you can save them to your computer.

5. Pexels

Pexels Public Domain Video  Collection

Free public domain stock footage can be used on different types of projects, and it is usually a great choice if you’re looking for some extra shots that will make a scene in your video more cinematic. Pexels offers an impressive collection of free public domain stock videos, so you just have to insert a search term and pick a video clip that best fits your needs. The duration of the free videos you can find on Pexels rarely exceeds thirty seconds, which makes it difficult to make an entire video exclusively from free public domain stock footage. Hence it is better to use Pexels as a complementary source of shots in case you can’t go back to the filming location.

6. Vidsplay

All video clips you can find on this platform are free, so you just have to select one of the categories and start browsing through the available public domain stock footage. The only condition to use the stock footage on private or commercial projects for free is to credit the Vidsplay platform in the end credits, on the website or in the description of the videos you upload to your social media channels. All stock videos on Vidsplay are available in HD or 4K resolution, and you simply have to click on the Download button below a particular video to save it.

7. The Moving Image Archive

This is yet another archive of public domain videos you can find on the Arhive.org that features countless collections of texts, images, and videos. Within the Moving Image Archive, you can find different collections that contain full feature movies, art videos, animations, cartoons or television footage. The public domain videos hosted on The Moving Image Archive cover a broad range of topics, but some of them can be in poor resolution. The Moving Image Archive can be an excellent source of footage for anyone who wants to download public domain video clips and use them in their commercial or non-commercial projects.

8. PublicDomainFootage

BBC, National Geographics or NBC are just a few among many famous television networks that use the services of PublicDomainFootage. All content on the platform is divided into Archival Footage and Historic Newsreels sections that contain categories like Atomic Age, Civil Rights or Pop Culture. You can also use PublicDomainFootage to research a particular topic and request content that is not uploaded to the website. You can download a public domain video after you pay a one time fee that enables you to use that video as many times as you want. The platform’s YouTube channel provides an easy way of searching for public domain videos you are going to use in your next documentary film.

Space exploration is undoubtedly one of the hottest topics of our era, so if you are looking for some space public domain videos NASA’s website is the best place to start. Like all other government institutions, NASA is obligated by the law to offer all images and videos to the public domain. This means that all content you download from their website is free to use. Simply insert the search term and browse the results until you find the video clip you want to save to your computer. However, most public domain videos you can download from NASA’s website last only a couple of minutes.

10. Motion Elements

The collection of free public domain stock footage, this website offers contains more than 4,000 clips. Categories like Cityscape, Animals or Water contain hundreds of stock videos, so you just have to open one of the available categories and locate the video clip you want to download. However, you must first create an account on Motion Elements before you can save video files to your computer. In addition, the platform doesn’t allow you to make more than five downloads per week and you must invite your friends to join the platform if you want to increase the weekly number of downloads. Even so, Motion Elements is a great source of stock footage you can use without any restrictions.

Is It Okay to Use Public Domain Videos for Commercial Purposes?

All public domain videos can be used for both commercial and non-commercial projects, but you must approach using public domain videos for commercial purposes with caution. Crediting the author or providing the source from which you acquired the footage will reduce the likelihood of legal complications. The public domain videos that feature famous actors or third party intellectual property can also be a subject of legal disputes, which is why it is better to avoid using them on commercial projects.

What Should You Do If You Can’t Find Public Domain Footage for Your Project?

Opting for videos that are protected by the Creative Commons licenses is probably the safest option if you’re struggling to find the public domain footage you’d like to use in your project. Respecting the terms of the license under which a video is protected is of utmost importance, since failing to properly credit the author of the video, for instance, can have legal consequences. There are several different types of Creative Commons licenses and you must find out which one covers the video you’d like to use, before publishing your video. You can find more information about Creative Commons licenses at the FAQ .

Conclusion

Public domain videos cover very different topics, which means that the nature of your project determines the source from which you’ll acquire the footage. If you are researching the early days of cinema, then you’ll have no trouble downloading the public domain videos, but if the topic you’re exploring is more contemporary, finding the content you can use without any restrictions can prove to be troublesome. Which website do you like to use the most to download public domain videos? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Also read:

  • Title: 2024 Approved The Ultimate List 5 Free MOV Video Merger Software Options
  • Author: Morgan
  • Created at : 2024-04-28 05:42:28
  • Updated at : 2024-04-29 05:42:28
  • Link: https://ai-video-tools.techidaily.com/2024-approved-the-ultimate-list-5-free-mov-video-merger-software-options/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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2024 Approved The Ultimate List 5 Free MOV Video Merger Software Options