Experience with shotcut

Hello everyone,

First, thanks to all developers for making the Shotcut free software and available for GNU/Linux (in binary form).
It is fairly easy to use, and very stable (portable version 19.01.27) on Ubuntu Studio 16.04.

So, I’ve made music video with Shotcut (I’ve posted link in „Made with Shotcut“ section) and during that time a came across few shortcomings.
Here are my suggestions for improvement (some of them are on developers „to do“ list, but I’ve listed them anyway):

  • export range – select a range in timeline for export
  • select all clips in tiimeline, multiple selection in timeline for moving
  • markers – possibly on M keyboard shortcut, snap to markers
  • keyframe view: pressing delete deletes entire clip not selected keyframe, that was unexpected
  • video filters are not working on the extended parts of the clip – if clip is extended after adding filters some of them don’t work on it (chroma key, color grade)
  • blend modes on clip basis (not just on tracks)
  • thin horizontal line across clips in timeline – when thumbnails and waveform are off there is some thin horizontal line left on the clip. It is confusing for me. It reminds me on rubber band for keyframes. Maybe remove it.
  • always changeing the timeline view at playhead position after some action – this was disrupting
  • global on/off switch for filters – turning all fitlers on/off for: clip, track, timeline
  • open clip from timeline in source view to see in/out points – I don’t know if this is already possible, didn’t find way to do it.
  • native size of the video for scale, size and position filters – my project was 720p. I had 1080p and 4K source material. When I used scale or size and position filters it seams to me that video was scaled to project size, and then scaled again to value in filters. I couldn’t get native size of the video. Scaling up produced pixelated picture. I could not take advantage of larger source video for panning, cropping.
  • deselecting clip after changing its properties – e.g. If I disable audio for a clip in properties it gets deselected, so I have to select it again to continue work on it.

Overall Shotcut was very usable, and easy to work with. It has some new and strange concepts for me, but that was not an issue. Working in timeline is as expected.
I guess, for GNU/Linux, it is best (free software) choice at the moment.

Sorry for the long post.
Thanks again.

TImeline > menu > Copy Timeline to Source > mark in/out > Export

open clip from timeline in source view to see in/out points

Edit > Copy (also on clip context menu, timeline toolbar, and shortcuts).

When I used scale or size and position filters it seams to me that video was scaled to project size, and then scaled again to value in filters.

No, it is not. It scaled from the source res, but it is expressed/adjusted in project res. That will not change. It does take advantage of higher source res, and that is automatic and builtin without having to do anything. You were deceived by something.

Most other things are known Suggestions or on the Road Map. Thanks for the feedback.

select all clips in tiimeline

done in 19.09

keyframe view: pressing delete deletes entire clip not selected keyframe, that was unexpected

There are no keyboard shortcuts for full/advanced keyframes yet. Simple is getting some in the next version 19.10. Even when done, I do not expect Del or Backspace to work here because that requires the UI to understand and show panel focus, which I am intentionally trying to avoid.

video filters are not working on the extended parts of the clip

fixed over a couple of recent versions

blend modes on clip

done in v19.09

thin horizontal line across clips in timeline – when thumbnails and waveform are off

I just made this change for the next version 19.10.

deselecting clip after changing its properties

fixed in some recent version

Hi,

I noticed the changes you’ve made, I like them, and thank you for that.

Funny thing happen. After being annoyed because of the compositing rendering issues, and not having multiple selections etc., I started to consider maybe to try some other NLE. I’ve installed Davinci Resolve, since it has Linux version and is free of charge, and I was pleased that it works on my PC. I thought maybe to switch to it, and then, bam — the new Shotcut update came, and all my problems where gone. :slight_smile: That was funny moment for me.

Anyway, Shotcut is coming great, and I would like to stick to it. Thanks for your effort.

I’ve tried Davinci, and it is of course great NLE. To complex for my needs, but one thing really delighted me, a that is the responsiveness of the timeline and playback. That is what I wish for Shotcut. To have that level of responsiveness of the timeline and playback (even with effects). I guess Davinci uses GPU to solve this problem (playback).
Playback is great in Shotcut when there are no effects in use.

Playback is not that big issue, I have no problem with exporting parts of the video to see the results, but the responsiveness when doing trimming, moving clips, changing the position of the playhead, zooming in/out etc. It’s a must.

  • Responsiveness drops with the complexity of the project.
  • Snap needs to be more flexible, and somehow not to depend on the zoom level.
  • When I try to trim I need to move mouse a bit before it starts, which is sometimes okay, sometimes not. Sometimes it needs long mouse move before it starts.
  • Automatic transitions when approaching another clip happens most of the time. Undo does not work that well in this situations of accidental transition makings.

Sorry for another long post, thanks again for developing Shotcut.