Editing Video > Editing clips > Changing clip duration and speed
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Changing clip duration and speed


The duration of a video or audio clip is the length of time it plays--the difference in time between a clip's In point and Out point. The initial duration of a clip is the same as it was when the clip was imported or captured. If you alter the beginning and ending of a clip by editing the source In and Out points, its duration changes. You can also set the duration of a clip by specifying a length of time from its current source In point. A still image can also have a duration if you want to display it for a specific length of time. You can set the default duration of the still images you import; see Importing still images.

The speed of a clip is the playback rate of the action or audio compared to the rate at which it was recorded. Speed is initially the same as it was when the clip was imported or captured. Changing a clip's speed alters its source frame rate and may cause some frames to be omitted or repeated. In addition, changing the speed of a clip requires playing the same number of frames for a different length of time, which also changes the duration (moves the Out point) of the clip. Changing the speed to a negative value (such as -100) causes the clip to play in reverse. When you change the speed of a clip containing interlaced fields, you may need to adjust how Premiere treats the fields, especially when the speed drops below 100% of the original speed. See Processing interlaced video fields.

Note: When playing back a reversed (negative speed) .AVI clip in Premiere for Windows, you cannot use the Loop or Play In to Out buttons in the Clip window or Source view.

To change the duration of a clip or still frame:

1 In the Timeline or Project window, select a clip.

2 Do one of the following:
  • To change duration numerically, choose Clip > Duration, type a new duration, and click OK.
  • To change duration visually in the Timeline, move the selection tool over the edge of the clip, and drag either end of the clip. If you are making the clip longer, the source clip must contain enough additional frames beyond its source In and Out point to accommodate the adjustment.

    • As you move the selection tool over the edit point between two clips, the icon changes, depending on which clip it is over and whether that clip has additional frames available.

    The icon changes to show that it affects the left clip (A) or the right clip (B). The arrows indicate which way a clip can be trimmed: either left (C), right (D), or both directions (E).

    To change the speed of a clip in the Timeline only:

    1 Select a clip, and do one of the following:
  • To change speed numerically, choose Clip > Speed. Type a percentage or new duration (or type a negative value to play a clip in reverse), and click OK.
  • To change speed visually, select the rate stretch tool () and drag either end of the clip.


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    To change the speed of a clip that is not in the Timeline:

    1 In a Project or Bin window, select a clip.

    2 Do one of the following:
  • To specify the new speed in terms of percentage or duration, choose Clip > Speed. Type a percentage or new duration (or type a negative value to play a clip in reverse), and click OK. Applying this command to a clip in a Project or Bin window won't affect clips already in the Timeline.
  • To specify a new speed by changing the frame rate of the source clip, choose Clip > Advanced Options > Interpret Footage. Click Assume This Frame Rate, type a value in frames per second, and click OK. Premiere redistributes all of the clip's frames to create the new speed. If there are Timeline instances and duplicate clips based on the clip, their frame rates and durations change accordingly.

    • If you set a clip in the Timeline to the duration you require, but you don't like where the clip begins and ends in relation to the clips before and after it, you can use the slip tool to adjust the clip without changing the clip's program In and Out point or duration. See Editing a clip that exists between other Timeline clips.

    Editing Video > Editing clips > Changing clip duration and speed