How to use scenes to edit in Descript

Introduction

Hey everyone, Ramdi here, and get ready to become directors because today we're going to be talking about scenes. See what I did there? Scenes like scenes in a movie. I'm sorry. Now, scenes are a pretty unique feature that you won't really find in other video editors, so you're going to have to rewire your brain a bit on editing, especially if you're coming from timeline editors like Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut because Descript is a little bit different.

What Are Scenes?

First off, let's start with what are scenes? Well, in Descript, we use scenes every time we want the visuals in our video to change. They kind of work like slides in a presentation, and the best thing about scenes is that it allows you to edit videos while barely needing to touch a timeline.

You know what, I could try to explain how scenes work to you, but I think it would just be better to show you.

How to Create and Manage Scenes

Here we are, got my project all loaded up. For this video, we'll be focusing on the scene rail and the script editor.

Creating a Scene

Let's say in this section where I'm talking about swimming, I want to add some nice b-roll footage. To do that, I'll bring my cursor here and then press slash (/) to create a scene boundary. Then I'll make another one about here. Now if you look at the scene rail, we can see that there are three scenes in my video, and scene two is where I want my b-roll to be. Great!

Now, let's add it.

Adding Media to a Scene

There are a few ways you can add media, and it's the same process if you want to add audio like background music into your scene as well:

1. Click on the little plus icon, click on the file, and add your b-roll that way.
2. Use the media library by going to add files -> file from computer.
3. Use the extensive stock media library.
4. Use the good old drag-and-drop method.

Now if we play back our video, we can see that our b-roll was only applied to scene two, but the other scenes were left unaffected. Look at that, it's like magic.

Punch-ins

This is looking great so far, but now let's say I want to add in a punch-in on our people. I'll bring my cursor to where I want the punch-in to happen and add another slash. As you can see from the scene rail, we have four scenes now. By making sure we have the proper scene selected, we can punch in on our b-roll just like so. Voila!

If we play back, we can see that the punch-in was only applied to our specific scene.

Creating Empty Scenes

You can also create empty scenes, which are super useful if you want to add in a title, a montage, music, or just a really uncomfortable silence.

To create an empty scene, bring your cursor where you want the scene to start, press return or enter until we have a little space, and then add a slash. This creates an empty scene for us to add whatever we want. You can also adjust the scene's length by dragging it in the timeline.

Extending Media Across Multiple Scenes

If you want to extend your b-roll across multiple scenes, that's super simple too. Just go down to our trusty timeline and extend the b-roll as far as you want.

If we play back, we see that even though it's a new scene, the b-roll stays on screen. You can also change the properties of this b-roll by scene. For example, in scene five we want the b-roll to be right here, and if we play back, you'll see that scene four's properties weren't affected, but scene five's were.

Conclusion

Just like that, you can call yourself a director because you are now a scene Master. Get it? Because of scenes like scenes from a movie? I'm sorry, I thought if I tried that joke again it would land. But hey, now you know how scenes work in Descript. If you have any questions, make sure to leave them in the comments down below. Otherwise, go make something cool, funny, or informative, and share it with me, please. I'm really bored. That's it for me! See you guys in the next one. Bye.

Keywords

• Descript
• Scenes
• Video Editing
• Timeline Editors
• Scene Boundary
• B-Roll
• Punch-ins
• Media Library
• Empty Scenes

FAQ

Q: What are scenes in Descript?

A: In Descript, scenes are used every time you want the visuals in your video to change. They work similarly to slides in a presentation and allow you to edit videos without needing to touch a timeline frequently.

Q: How do I create a scene in Descript?

A: You can create a scene by placing your cursor where you want the scene boundary and pressing slash (/).

Q: How can I add media to a scene in Descript?

A: You can add media in several ways: by clicking the plus icon and selecting a file, using the media library, utilizing the stock media library, or simply using drag-and-drop.

Q: Can I extend media across multiple scenes in Descript?

A: Yes, you can extend media across multiple scenes by adjusting it in the timeline.

Q: What is the purpose of empty scenes in Descript?

A: Empty scenes can be used for adding titles, montages, music, or even moments of silence.