- Prepare all four clips in vertical 9:16, using the same mug, color palette, and time of day. Use a shared reference image if the model supports one.
- Name the files 01_hook.mp4, 02_detail.mp4, 03_feeling.mp4, and 04_ending.mp4, and save them so their order is clear.
- Choose a common frame rate. For example, if the footage is 30 fps, use 30 fps as the basis for editing and export too.
- Prepare a script with short lines and background music licensed for your intended social platform and use.
An example with four 15-second clips. After removing unwanted sections, the finished video will be around 45–60 seconds.
Toggle the layers to see the roles of video, voice, and captions.
Menu names, layout, and available features vary by version, operating system, region, and plan.
Prepare the project and assets
Choose a save location for a new project and import the four videos and audio. Separate folders for footage, audio, and exports make assets easier to find during revisions.
Moving the original files after import will require relinking the assets.
Create a 1080×1920 sequence
In the new sequence settings, check a width of 1080, height of 1920, square pixels, and progressive scanning. Base the frame rate on the footage. Even if you create the sequence automatically from the first clip, check that the settings are vertical.
For this exercise, use 30 fps throughout if the footage is 30 fps. Simply raising the number does not necessarily improve movement quality.
Arrange the four clips on V1 and keep the good sections
Place the footage on the V1 track in numbered order and trim at the clip edges. Split middle sections with the Razor tool or a similar tool and delete unwanted parts. Close unintended gaps using ripple editing or gap removal.
First watch the roughly 45–60-second flow to see whether the visuals alone communicate the story.
Match the composition of each clip
In Properties, Fit to frame contains the whole image, while Fill frame fills the screen. Check empty space and cropped areas, then adjust position and scale. Match the mug's size and color palette across cuts too.
Fill can crop part of the subject, so judge the result in the preview.
Build the audio tracks
For example, place ambient sound on A1, narration on A2, and background music on A3. Adjust levels around the voice and add short fades at audio boundaries between shots. If needed, use Ducking in Essential Sound to create keyframes that lower the music.
A J-cut, where the next scene's sound starts a little early, is another way to create flow.
Create captions from a transcript
After placing the narration, specify the language and audio track for transcription in the Text panel, then create captions. Correct spelling and timing, and add the final message as an on-screen title.
To keep captions visible in the video at all times, select the burn-in option during export.
Refine transitions and audio boundaries
Review the basic cuts and use short cross dissolves only where needed. Leave unused frames before and after the boundary to avoid transitions that look as if the image has frozen.
If there are not enough spare frames, trim the clip shorter to create handles or return to a hard cut.
Export an H.264 MP4
Export media from the target sequence and set the format to H.264. Check 1080×1920, a frame rate matching the footage, audio, and an export range covering the full video, then save the MP4.
Play the finished file to check that captions are included and audio does not cut out.
Check the result
- The topic is clear in the first one or two seconds.
- No distorted frames or unnatural movement remain.
- The mug, color palette, and brightness do not change drastically between shots.
- The voice is intelligible, with no abrupt changes in music or ambient sound.
- Captions and the final message are not hidden by the posting interface.
- You have played the exported video from beginning to end and checked its finished length.
Common difficulties
The generated clips do not have a consistent look
Return to the shared reference image or color instructions and regenerate shots with large differences. Make the source assets consistent before correcting them in the edit.
Four clips do not add up to 60 seconds
Trimming and transitions change the length. If you need exactly 60 seconds, calculate the portions used from each clip and the overlap of transitions, then adjust the total length at the end.
The caption feature or its name differs from the article
Check the app version, operating system, region, and plan, and consult the official help. You can continue with manually entered text even when automatic captions are unavailable.