Source: 爱上MAC | Software download link: Movavi Video Editor Plus 2020 for Mac
Movavi Video Editor Plus 2020 for Mac is a non-linear video editing software designed for home and semi-professional users. With its intuitive interface, rich effects and templates, and a relatively low learning curve, it helps users quickly complete video trimming, enhancement, and creation. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of its core interface, complete workflow, and practical tips.
I. Detailed Explanation of the Core Interface and Workspace
After launching the software, the main interface is primarily divided into the following core areas:
- Top Menu Bar and Toolbar: Includes standard menus such as File, Edit, and View, as well as shortcut action buttons (such as Import, Undo, Play, etc.).
- Media Library Panel (Upper Left): Used to manage all imported assets (video, images, audio), and provides category tabs such as “Effects,” “Transitions,” “Titles,” and “Stickers,” making it easy for users to quickly find and drag them onto the timeline.
- Preview Window (Upper Right): Real-time preview of the editing effects on the timeline. Below the window are playback control buttons, mark in/out point buttons, and a screenshot button.
- Timeline Workspace (Bottom): This is the core area for editing. By default, it contains multiple tracks:
- Main Video Track: Place your primary video and image assets here.
- Picture-in-Picture/Overlay Track: Located above the video track, used to add overlay videos, images, text, or stickers.
- Audio Track: The audio that comes with your video will be displayed here. Below it, there is also a separate “Background Music” track for placing additional music and sound effects.
In the upper left corner of the timeline, there is a “Zoom Timeline” slider and a “Snapping” toggle button.
II. Complete Workflow from Creation to Export
Step 1: Create or Open a Project
After launching the software, a project selection window will pop up. You can:
- Create a New Project: Click “Create Project” and set the project name and save location in the pop-up window.
- Open an Existing Project: Click “Open Project” and navigate to a project file in
.mepformat.
Shortcuts: Create a new project Cmd + N; Open a project Cmd + O.
Step 2: Import Media Assets
In the “Media Library” panel, click the “Import” button in the upper left corner (or use the shortcut Cmd + I) to select video, image, and audio files from your computer. All imported assets will be displayed as thumbnails in the media library.
Step 3: Add media to the timeline and perform basic editing
Drag the desired media directly from the media library onto the corresponding track in the timeline.
- Adjust order and length: Drag clips directly on the timeline to adjust their order. Move the mouse to the start or end edge of a clip; when the cursor changes to a double-headed arrow, drag to trim the length.
- Split media: Move the playhead (the red vertical line on the timeline) to the position where you need to split, click the “scissors” icon below the preview window (or press the shortcut
Cmd + B) to split the clip into two. - Delete media: Select the clip on the timeline and press the
Deletekey.
Step 4: Add effects and transitions
- Transitions: Click the “Transitions” tab in the media library, choose your preferred transition effect (such as fade in/fade out or slide), and drag it between two video clips.
- Filters and effects: Click the “Effects” tab and drag your preferred visual effects (such as old film or color correction) directly onto a video clip in the timeline. Double-click a clip with an effect applied to adjust parameters in the properties panel that appears on the left.
Step 5: Add titles and stickers
Click the “Title” or “Sticker” tab in the media library, choose a style and drag it onto the “Picture-in-Picture track” in the timeline. Adjust its length and position on the timeline. Double-click the title/sticker to edit the text directly in the preview window, and adjust the font, color, animation, etc. in the properties panel on the left.
Step 6: Handling Audio
Drag the music file onto the “Background Music” track. Click the audio clip on the track, and a volume line will appear above it. Drag the control points on the line to create volume fade-ins and fade-outs. Right-click the audio clip to select “Audio Adjustments” for noise reduction, speed changes, and other operations.
Step 7: Exporting the Final Video
Click the “Export” button in the upper right corner of the interface. In the pop-up window:
- Select the export format (e.g., MP4, MOV) or a device preset (e.g., iPhone, YouTube).
- Set parameters such as video quality, resolution, and frame rate.
- Choose the save location and name for the output file.
- Click the “Start” button and wait for rendering to complete.
Shortcut: Open the export window with Cmd + E.
III. Advanced Tips for Common Features
- Picture-in-Picture and Green Screen Keying: Drag a video onto the overlay track above the main video track to create a picture-in-picture effect. Double-click the clip, find “Chroma Key” in the properties panel, enable it, and use the eyedropper to pick a color (e.g., green) to achieve keying and compositing.
- Keyframe Animation: Add motion and scale animations to titles, stickers, or picture-in-picture videos. In the clip properties panel, find parameters such as Position and Scale, click the “clock” icon next to them to enable keyframes, and set different parameter values at different points in time; the software will automatically generate smooth animations.
- Quick Preview and Render Selection: If you only want to preview or export a certain part of the timeline, you can first use the playhead to mark an in point (
I) and an out point (O), then press the spacebar to preview only that region. When exporting, check “Export selected region only” in the export window.
IV. Common Problems and Solutions
- Problem 1: Playback stutters after importing video
- Solution: This may be caused by the source video having too high a resolution or too complex an encoding. Try adjusting the preview quality to “Draft” or “Automatic” in the lower-right corner of the preview window. The final export quality is not affected by this setting.
- Problem 2: Exported file size is too large
- Solution: When exporting, select “MP4” under “Format,” then choose a lower bitrate from the “Quality” drop-down menu (for example, 8-10 Mbps for 1080p), or directly select the “Optimized for Network” preset, which can effectively reduce file size.
- Problem 3: Not enough timeline tracks
- Solution: Right-click the blank area to the left of any track and select “Add Track” to add video overlay tracks or audio tracks.
- Problem 4: After adding a transition, the beginning or end of a video clip is automatically trimmed
- Solution: This is the default behavior because transitions require overlapping frames. Before adding a transition, make sure both clips have enough extra material (unedited original content). Alternatively, in the “Editing” options of “Preferences,” you can disable “Automatically trim video to add transitions.”
V. Keyboard Shortcuts Summary
| Function | Mac Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| New Project | Cmd + N |
Create a blank project |
| Open Project | Cmd + O |
Open an existing project file |
| Import Files | Cmd + I |
Add media to the media library |
| Save Project | Cmd + S |
Save current editing progress |
| Undo | Cmd + Z |
Undo the previous action |
| Redo | Cmd + Shift + Z |
Restore the undone action |
| Split Clip | Cmd + B |
Split the selected clip at the playhead position |
| Delete Selected Item | Delete |
Remove the selected media from the timeline |
| Play/Pause | Spacebar |
Control preview playback |
| Mark In Point | I |
Set the start time of the selection |
| Mark Out Point | O |
Set the end time of the selection |
| Zoom In Timeline | Cmd + Plus (+) |
View clips in greater detail |
| Zoom Out Timeline | Cmd + Minus (-) |
View a longer time range |
| Open Export Window | Cmd + E |
Access video export settings |
Note: This article is based on Movavi Video Editor Plus 2020 for Mac. Interface and features may vary slightly between minor versions. Mastering the above workflow and shortcuts will significantly improve your video editing efficiency.
