Final cut
Also known as: final edit, locked cut, picture lock
The finished version of an edit, after the structure is locked and cuts, color, sound and titles are complete, ready to export and share.
Updated
What it means
The final cut is the version that gets exported and published. In professional work, the edit is first locked, called picture lock, meaning no more changes to the order or timing of shots. Then color grading, sound mixing, titles and effects are finished on top of that locked structure.
The term is also a famous editing software name, but in general use it simply means the finished edit as opposed to a rough cut.
Reaching a final cut means making decisions: what stays, what goes and when the edit is done, rather than endlessly tweaking.
How it works in practice
Before calling an edit final, watch it in full on the type of screen your audience will use, such as a phone for social clips and a TV or laptop for longer films. Check the opening seconds, the audio levels, the color consistency and any text for typos.
Export with an appropriate export preset and a solid bitrate, and keep a high-quality master copy. Platforms recompress uploads, so a clean master gives the best result.
Archive the project with its media, so you can make changes or new versions later without searching for missing files.
What to watch out for
Changing the structure after color and sound work is done means redoing that work. Lock the picture first, then polish. Make a note of the locked version so you can return to it if later changes go wrong.
Endless tweaking delays publishing and rarely improves the result meaningfully. Set a deadline and accept that every edit could be better. Viewers notice a strong story far more than a perfect frame.
Forgetting to check the export is a classic mistake: black frames at the end, audio out of sync or the wrong resolution. Watch the exported file before sharing it, not only the timeline preview, ideally on the device your audience will use.
How RawClip handles it
RawClip delivers a finished highlight rather than a draft: the AI picks the moments, cuts them to music and exports the result in 4K and 1080p. Download it and share your highlight directly.