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173Final Cut Pro User Guide
Extend or shorten clips in Final Cut Pro
You can trim a clip in your project by adjusting the start point or end point of the clip.
The default type of trim in Final Cut Pro is a ripple edit, which adjusts a clip’s start point
or end point without leaving a gap in the timeline. The change in the clip’s duration ripples
outward, moving all subsequent clips earlier or later in the timeline.
Similarly, if you delete a clip from the timeline, subsequent clips ripple earlier to close
the gap. Ripple edits affect the trimmed clip, the position of all subsequent clips in the
timeline, and the total duration of your project.
You can see a “two-up” display in the viewer as you trim edit points in the timeline. This
display shows a more detailed view of each side of an edit point. See Show trimming
details in the Final Cut Pro viewer.
Drag edit points with the Select tool
1. In the Final Cut Pro timeline, move the pointer to the start point or the end point of the
clip you want to trim.
The pointer changes from an arrow icon to a trim icon. The look of the trim icon
changes to indicate whether the trim will affect the end point of the left clip or the start
point of the right clip.
2. Drag the start point or the end point in the direction you want to trim the clip.
As you drag, the clip shortens or lengthens. Numerical timecode fields indicate the
duration of the clip and the amount of time you’re moving the edit point.