Trim

Trimming changes a clip's in or out point, altering how much of it plays without re-cutting from scratch. It is the bread-and-butter refinement of editing: shave a few frames off a shot's head, extend a tail to let an action finish, or tighten a pause. Basic trims drag an edit point; more specialized trims like ripple, roll, slip, and slide control what happens to neighboring clips and overall length. Editors live in trim mode to fine-tune pacing and rhythm, often working a few frames at a time using keyboard shortcuts for frame-accurate nudges while watching playback. Trimming requires available media beyond the current cut (handles) to extend, which is why editors leave breathing room when first assembling a sequence. Good trimming is where a cut goes from functional to polished.