A Step-by-Step Guide to Convert Long Videos to Short Videos
Short video clips are popular because they quickly grab attention and go viral. They're fast-paced, compelling, and memorable. That's why content creators are always looking to make a lot of video shorts with minimal effort.
Recently, people have been converting long video to short videos to make shorts quickly. Do you also want to know how to do it?
In this guide, we’ll explain Wondershare Filmora's long video-to-short video converter and how to use it stepwise. We'll also give many tips for adjusting video formats, adding subtitles to grab viewers' attention, and editing each video to the optimal length for several platforms.
Before cutting the long video into a short one, it is essential to understand what you are doing. So, let's start from here.
Extracting Multiple Short Clips Using Long-to-Short Video Converter
Due to AI, everything is happening so fast. Using tools such as Filmora, you can extract multiple short clips that grab people's attention from long videos.
This is a game-changer for all influencers, marketers, and content creators. They can put only the best parts of their long videos on their TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts. Powered by AI, the Smart Short Clips feature automatically scans your long video for the most exciting parts. You can make long video to short video with just a few clicks.
Why Smart Short Clips in Filmora Work Differently
- Instant Clip Generation: Filmora offers a one-click solution for producing multiple clips from a single lengthy video. This allows you to focus more on creativity and less on the mechanics.
- AI-Powered Highlights: The tool's AI pinpoints highlight and pivotal moments, so your final clips will only feature the most dynamic scenes.
- Smart BGM Suggestion: Filmora Smart BGM Generation enriches your clips with mood-fitting audio suggestions. The tool finds tracks that fit your content and adds an emotional value layer.
- Easy Customization: Trimming, cutting, or reordering clips has never been easier. Filmora adjusts every clip to your style with tools such as text, stickers, cool filters, and much more.
- Smoother social media sharing: The software lets you post over social networks. Your ready-for-audience clips are just a few clicks away from TikTok, Vimeo, and YouTube.
Steps to Convert Long Video to Short Videos with Filmora
Step 1: Start Filmora and Smart Short Clips
Open Filmora and make sure it's updated. Select “Smart Short Clips” from the main screen to process your footage.
Step 2: Import Your Long Video
Import the video you want to convert from your device. You can even directly pull its content with a URL if you use YouTube videos.
Step 3: Adjust to Taste
Customize all the settings according to your desired outcome. Additional options include Language, Duration, Theme, and Aspect Ratio (9:16 for YouTube Shorts). Enable Smart BGM Generation to add audio to the clips and add keywords.
Step 4: Clip Refining
Scroll down and select a suitable template for your shorts. After that, click on Generate to begin processing.
Step 5: Export Or Edit
Once Filmora has generated your clips, click the “Edit” icon for further editing. You can also click on “Export” to save them.
Step 6: Share on Social Media
You can save the shorts locally or upload them directly to social media. Click on the “Social Media” section and upload them to TikTok, YouTube, or Vimeo for instant reach.
It was easy, right? Filmora will automatically add text overlays and captions to explain your point quickly. Even if nobody's wearing headphones, they can help clarify anything given to the audience.
Let's give you some more tips. We'll now show you how to refine your short clips further.
Fine Tuning and Tweaking Your Best Shots
After you have chosen one or two good moments in your long video, the real work begins. Now comes the refinement of the clips to make them attention-grabbing videos. After Filmora makes short clips, click on the “Edit” button as shown above. Filmora video editor will open with your video.
Now, use these editing techniques to move your videos from good to great:
- Color Grading: Sometimes, simply fine-tuning the color can dramatically change your video's mood. Bold, bright colors will give your video an energy boost. Darker and more muted tones create a cinematic, dramatic effect.
- Audio effects: The effect of sound is beyond words. Perfectly timed sound effects or background audio enhance the emotional flow of your video. Carefully select and add these effects.
- Transitions: Smooth transitions are significant to look at and support the content flow. They can fade, wipe, or have a sharp cut. With them, the video would look cohesive. So, use transitions if your video has more than one scene.
- Visual Effects: Sometimes, a dash of personality can make all the difference. Stickers, emojis, and funky filters bring playfulness and creativity to clips. Use them to provide the much-needed spark that will capture one's attention.
Implementing these editing techniques will ensure your content stands out on social media. Your audience won't just watch your video; they'll feel it, remember it, and, most importantly, share it.
Now, let's see how to approach different long videos while making shorts.
Understand the Purpose of Your Short Video
Knowing why you are making that short video helps you make the right decisions as you edit the final product. Short videos serve many purposes.
Here are some of the more common uses for short videos:
- Promotional Content: Short videos perfectly highlight a product, service, or event. They show just enough not to keep the viewer's information manageable.
- Educational Snippets: Short videos are brilliant at breaking down just one concept or step if you're creating informational content. The content becomes digestible as it guides the viewer smoothly from one point to the next.
- For social media sites: Short videos quickly grab attention, making people view, like, or share them. This format is most effective in increasing engagement rates.
- Showing Key Moments: Short clips summarise the message by focusing on critical moments. This allows viewers to understand the point of interviews, events, or discussions without sitting through the entire content.
- Entertainment and Engagement: Some of the short videos are simply for entertainment. That alone is enough. Funny, mesmerizing, or even dramatic videos build a loyal audience.
Now, let's discuss a very easy method for making short clips. If you have a long video, you can easily convert it into multiple shorts using Filmora.
Best Practices to Convert Various Video Types into Short Clips
When converting long videos to short videos, just cutting the fat isn't enough. No, no, this is all about strategy. All types of videos, like interviews, tutorials, events, or vlogs, require different approaches.
Let's break it down.
- Interviews: Leave small talk behind and keep it tight, focused, and powerful. Use moments that deliver considerable insight or sharp opinions. Think of critical quotes, impactful pauses, or reactions that make the viewer say, "Wow."
- Tutorials: Zoom in on one critical tip/trick/advice that solves a problem. Your audience does not need lectures; shorts are easily absorbed and followed.
- Event Footage: An event video is all about energy. Capture the pulse, the rush, and the electricity of that moment. It can be the crowd's roar, the highs and lows in performances, or those infamous reactions.
- Vlogs: Choose funny, heartwarming, or visually striking moments with a creator's personality as the primary focus. These are the moments you want to bring out to the ground.
- Product reviews: The briefer and more meaningful the shorts, the better. Find the essential features of the product. What is distinctive about it? What will set it apart from others? Use only those moments.
Conclusion
The short form has become the pulse of social media. If you don't participate, you risk missing the boat.
Wondershare Filmora has introduced an AI long video to short video convertor. It’s called Smart Short Clips. With this new feature, you can slice through long videos and automatically convert them into exciting short clips. So take all your long videos and turn them into snappy and shareable clips now.
FAQs
Q1. How do I find the best moments to cut a long video into short clips?
Selecting the right moments is essential for making short clips. You have to balance the visual and emotional aspects. Look for bits and pieces that contain action, humor, or a striking statement. You must select clips that tell a story independently, even if somebody came across them out of context.
- For tutorials: find those actionable moments that give the viewer immediate value.
- For interviews or vlogs: look for the moments that make your audience smile or laugh.
Q2. What is a good length for a short video clip?
Typically, such clips range from 15 seconds up to 1 minute. You want to drive home your point, deliver value, and have them desiring more. However, the optimal length depends upon the platform involved. For:
- TikTok or Instagram Reel clips: Keep it short. 15 to 30 seconds works well.
- YouTube Shorts: Ideally, aim for 15 to 60 seconds. Shorter videos (15-30 seconds) often perform better as they quickly grab attention.
- Facebook Reels: The sweet spot is 30 to 60 seconds.
- Twitter/X: Video clips should be concise and impactful. The recommended length is up to 45 seconds.
Q3. How can I automate the process of converting long videos to short videos?
It has features like Smart Short Clips within Filmora, which makes it straightforward. AI powers this feature. It examines your long video, recognizes the highlights you want to turn into short clips, and analyzes them. After that, you will receive complete shorts within minutes. You don't have to make any complicated editing. You can save time, work more effectively, and ensure your clips are tailored perfectly for social media.