Editing a clip in After Effects can involve many tasks, such as trimming, adding effects, adjusting properties, or combining footage. A fundamental editing action is cutting or splitting a clip into multiple parts. After Effects offers several ways to achieve this.
One common and straightforward method to cut a clip precisely is by using the Split Layer function. This allows you to divide a single layer (which represents your clip in the timeline) at a specific point, effectively creating two separate layers from the original.
How to Cut a Clip Using Split Layer
To cut your clip using the Split Layer method, follow these simple steps:
-
Select the Layer: In the Timeline panel, click on the layer that contains the clip you want to cut.
-
Position the Timeline Indicator: Drag the Current Time Indicator (CTI), also known as the playhead, to the exact point in time where you want to make the cut. You can also use the timecode display or keyboard shortcuts to navigate precisely.
-
Perform the Split: With the layer selected and the CTI in place, go to the After Effects menu bar.
- Navigate to Edit.
- Select Split Layer.
Alternatively, you can use convenient keyboard shortcuts:
| Operating System | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| PC (Windows) | Ctrl + Shift + D |
| Mac | CMD + Shift + D |
Using the shortcut is often faster once you are familiar with it.
After performing the Split Layer command, your original layer will be divided into two layers at the CTI's position. The portion of the clip before the CTI remains on the original layer, and the portion after the CTI becomes a new layer placed directly above the original in the timeline. You can now edit these two layers independently.
This method is essential for breaking up longer clips, inserting other footage, or applying different effects or transformations to specific segments of a clip within your After Effects composition.
