Timeline
Also known as: editing timeline, sequence, track
The main workspace of a video editor, where clips, audio and effects are arranged in order along a horizontal time axis to build the final video.
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What it means
In almost every editing app, the timeline runs left to right, from the start of the video to the end. Clips sit on video tracks stacked above each other, music and sound sit on audio tracks below, and titles or effects sit on their own layers. Moving, trimming and layering clips on the timeline is what editing mostly is.
Upper video tracks usually cover lower ones, so a title on track two appears over a clip on track one. The playhead marks the current frame, and markers flag important moments such as beats in the music or the start of a new section.
Professional editors call a timeline a sequence, and one project can contain several.
How it works in practice
Start by laying down the music on an audio track, then place raw footage clips roughly in story order on the video track. Rough first, refine later: a rough cut on the timeline shows the overall shape before you polish every cut.
Set the timeline frame rate and resolution to match your main footage or delivery format before adding clips. Most editors do this automatically from the first clip, which may not be what you want if that clip is a slow-motion or vertical one.
Keyboard shortcuts for cutting, trimming and moving along the timeline save enormous amounts of time on long edits.
What to watch out for
Timeline editing of hours of action footage is slow. Scrolling through long clips to find a few seconds of action can take far longer than the edit itself. Logging the best moments first, or using tools that find them through automatic highlight detection, helps.
Mixed frame rates and resolutions on one timeline can cause stutter, black bars or soft images. Conform clips or choose timeline settings carefully.
Cluttered timelines with dozens of tracks become hard to manage. Keep a clear structure: one track for main footage, one for B-roll, separate tracks for music and effects, so changes stay quick.
How RawClip handles it
With RawClip there is no timeline to manage. You upload your clips, choose the length, and the AI finds the best moments, cuts them to the beat of the music and delivers a finished highlight in 4K and 1080p.