Overwrite Edit

An overwrite edit places a clip at the playhead and writes over any existing material for its duration, leaving the overall sequence length unchanged. Unlike an insert, it does not push downstream clips later; it simply replaces what was there. Editors rely on overwrite when fitting a shot into an exact slot, replacing a section of B-roll, or covering a portion of an interview without disturbing the timing of everything that follows. It is typically the default drag-to-timeline behavior and is bound to a key such as the period in many systems. Because it destroys whatever it lands on, editors check that the region underneath is truly disposable, and keep the duration in mind so they do not erase a wanted shot just past the edit point.