Three-Point Editing

Three-point editing is the core method for placing a clip precisely. An edit has four possible marks: source in, source out, timeline in, and timeline out. You set any three and the software derives the fourth from the known duration. For example, mark a source in and out plus a timeline in, and the clip lands at that timeline point with its exact chosen length. Or mark a timeline in and out plus a single source in, and the system back-times the footage to fill that gap. Editors use this to drop interview answers into specific slots, fill a music section with exactly enough B-roll, or backtime an action to hit a beat. Mastering three-point editing makes assembling a cut fast and frame-accurate rather than approximate.