How to Edit Video in Photoshop

Today we'll learn how to edit videos in Photoshop. Yes, you heard it right—Photoshop can edit video without the need for Adobe's flagship video editor, Premiere Pro. If you're just starting out in video editing, this could be a great way to get familiar with fundamental editing processes such as color correction, cuts, transitions, and music mixing.

Getting Started

To begin, switch to the "Motion" workspace. You can find this option in the drop-down menu located at the top right corner of your screen. Upon selection, you'll see the timeline where your footage will be sequenced.

Creating a Video Timeline

Select "Create Video Timeline," and a new layer will be created. This is only temporary as Photoshop needs at least one layer active for this to function properly. To add your footage, click the plus icon and locate all your clips in the window.

Managing Video Clips

When you import more than one video, the video clips will be placed on a single video strip as a video group. In most cases, you want them separate, so drag the clips out of the folder in the Layers panel and then delete the folder. Now your clips have independence, and you can arrange them in order.

A common mistake is that when you reposition clips vertically, they lose independence and become grouped again. To combat this, drag and hold the video you want to move, wait for the singular line to appear, and then release the video. Remember, you can always use CTRL+Z to undo any mistake you make in Photoshop.

Enhancing and Exporting Video

If your video is lagging, you can drop the resolution to 50% or 25% using the settings icon. From here, you can add elements like a curves adjustment layer to one video at a time or make it global by positioning your adjustments on top of everything.

You can also add text and keyframe the endpoint by dragging your text layer away from the composition and then adding the start point. This will animate the text on the screen when you play back the video.

You can paint things out, although these actions are limited to one frame at a time. Consider this like a stop-motion workspace where every frame represents 30 images that you have to manually adjust.

Once you're happy with your edits, go to File > Export > Render Video. Don't worry about anything other than the name and location, as the H.264 settings are universally accepted everywhere.

I hope you found this quick overview helpful. Now is your chance to spend some time with it and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

This was Design Dummy.

Keywords

Photoshop
Video Editing
Motion Workspace
Video Timeline
Curves Adjustment Layer
Keyframing
Export Video

FAQ

Q1: Can Photoshop be used for video editing?

A1: Yes, Photoshop can be used for basic video editing including color correction, cuts, transitions, and adding music.

Q2: How do I create a video timeline in Photoshop?

A2: Switch to the "Motion" workspace from the top right corner drop-down menu, then select "Create Video Timeline".

Q3: How can I import and manage multiple video clips in Photoshop?

A3: Use the plus icon to import clips. To manage them separately, drag the clips out of the video group folder in the Layers panel and delete the folder.

Q4: What should I do if my video lags during playback?

A4: Reduce the resolution to 50% or 25% by using the settings icon.

Q5: How can I export my edited video from Photoshop?

A5: Go to File > Export > Render Video. You only need to worry about the name and location, as the H.264 settings are universally accepted.

Feel free to drop any additional questions in the comments!