To slow down a video strip in Blender, you typically apply a Speed Control effect strip to the video clip you want to adjust. This allows you to alter playback speed independently of the original clip's frame rate.
Here's how to do it, based on the process for creating a slow-motion effect:
Steps to Slow Down a Video Strip
Slowing down a video strip in Blender is straightforward using the built-in video sequencer tools. Follow these steps:
- Select Your Video Strip: In the Video Sequence Editor timeline, left-click on the video strip you wish to slow down. It will become highlighted.
- Add the Speed Control Effect: With the video strip selected, go to the Add menu in the Video Sequence Editor header, then navigate to Effect and select Speed Control. Click to place the new Speed Control strip directly above your video strip.
- Access Properties: Ensure the newly added Speed Control strip is selected. Press the N key on your keyboard to open the Properties panel, which usually appears on the right side of the editor.
- Adjust Effect Settings: In the Properties panel, locate the Effect Strip section.
- Uncheck "Stretch to input strip length": This option is typically enabled by default. It's crucial to uncheck this box when you want to change the duration of the output based on the speed factor. If left checked, changing the speed factor would only affect which frames are played within the original strip's length, not extend the strip to accommodate slower playback.
- Set the "Speed factor": This value determines the playback speed relative to the original.
- A factor of
1.0is normal speed. - A factor less than
1.0will slow down the video (e.g.,0.5for half speed,0.25for quarter speed). - A factor greater than
1.0will speed up the video.
- A factor of
Once you set the Speed factor to a value less than 1.0, the output strip (which represents the effect of the Speed Control on your original video strip) will automatically extend in length on the timeline to accommodate the slower playback.
Key Settings Explained
- Speed Control Effect Strip: This is the specific tool in Blender's VSE designed for changing the playback speed and duration of other strips.
- Stretch to input strip length: When checked, the output strip maintains the same length as the input strip, potentially dropping or repeating frames to fit the new speed. Unchecking this is essential for slow motion as it allows the output strip length to change based on the speed factor, showing every frame at the new speed.
- Speed factor: The multiplier applied to the original playback speed. A value below 1.0 results in slow motion.
By following these steps and adjusting the "Speed factor" property, you can effectively slow down your video strips in Blender's Video Sequence Editor.
