YouTube is full of raw, unedited gameplays nobody wants to watch. And that’s a shame because with just a little bit of time and effort, many of them could be turned into engaging clips and attract lots of viewers. (If you didn’t want views, you wouldn’t be uploading your gameplay videos to YouTube in the first place, would you?)

The truth is, sometimes people don’t want to watch your entire gameplay. Their attention span is short, and they either need to solve a specific problem when they’re stuck in a game or they just want to get entertained by the most epic moments. And how do you deliver that? By editing your gameplay video and making it helpful and enjoyable.

In this article, we’ll show you how to edit gaming videos for free. We’ll walk you through the preparation process step by step and show you how to perform basic gaming montage. Plus, we’ll give you a few tips for producing a better video. Finally, we’ll also review free game video editing software you can use for your project.

Which gaming video editor should you use?

Good news. There are a lot of decent free NLEs (non-linear video editors) out there that can become your game video editing software of choice.

For the purpose of this tutorial, we’ll be using VSDC Free Video Editor. It’s recommended by many gaming YouTubers because it’s free and lightweight (works even on low-spec PCs). Plus, it brings screen and webcam recorders on board which comes in handy if you want to record yourself while playing.

Note that VSDC works on Windows only. You can download it from the official website.

If you’re on Mac or Linux, we’ll provide you with alternative game video editing software in a few paragraphs. Stay tuned!

Before you get to edit your gameplay video: step-by-step preparation plan

If you want to create a Let’s Play or a walkthrough, there will be very little editing involved – mostly, cutting and merging. However, if you’re working on a guide or a supercut of the best moments in the game, you’ll need to go beyond basic editing.

The tips we’ve put together below should help you with any project, be it a walkthrough, a gameplay, a trailer, a gag with fun moments, or a Let’s Play.

Without further ado, let’s dive right in.

Step 1. Plan your gameplay production ahead

We know, we know. You probably can’t wait to start playing. But hold your horses – having a plan is key.

You might not need a detailed scenario with a script for voice commentaries, but you should have a clear idea of what you’re producing. Start by answering these questions:

Which genre will your gaming video be?

Are you recording a walkthrough or an LP? A gag or a game review? Once you make that choice, stay focused. Imagine a YouTuber promising to show you how to do something in a game and taking way too long to get to the point wandering around and talking off-topic. That’s annoying. Don’t be that guy.

What’s your goal?

Are you doing it for fun or you want to maximize the number of views? The answer to this question will help you decide which game to choose and what exactly to show in the video.

If you couldn’t care less about the views and getting found on YouTube – go ahead and just do what you love. But if your goal is to grow the channel and attract viewers, you might want to do a quick research and find out what people are actually looking for. By producing a gaming video that meets viewers’ requests, you get higher chances to be indexed by the YouTube search engine and show up among the first results where all the eyeballs are.

For keyword research, use free tools like Answer The Public (above), Online Keyword Tool, or just check related searches in Google. For example, you can type “name of your game of choice + walkthrough” and see what comes up at the bottom of the page.

What will you choose for a soundtrack?

This might sound like a simple question, but you should dedicate a couple of minutes to it before you start recording. For instance, if you’re planning to use voice comments, you should make sure your microphone works properly. And even if you’re planning to add background music, you might need the sounds of the game too. Forgetting to record the sound of the game is one of the most common rookie mistakes!

And that brings us to the next step: installing video capturing software and recording the game.

Step 2. Record the gameplay

Whether you’re using your gaming laptop, or you’re a lucky owner of the latest PlayStation, there are dedicated apps and devices to help you record gameplays.

Now, finding the right software for laptops is easy. OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is a free screen capture program you’ve probably already heard of. Plus, there are many other screen recording tools for both Windows and macOS computers (including VSDC Free Screen Recorder, Apowersoft, Screencast-O-Matic, and others).

If you’re using a console though, you should consider buying a gameplay capturing device. It will help you connect your TV to the computer and record everything happening on the screen – to later upload the footage to a game video editor quickly and easily. Keep in mind that the ideal device should allow you to record both – the game sound and live commentaries via a microphone or a headset.

And in case you were wondering – no, recording your TV screen with a camera is rarely a good idea. Don’t do that.

Step 3. Get yourself a soundtrack or record voice comments

You’ve made it this far – good job! Now, before you upload the footage to the game video editor of your choice, there is one tiny detail left. The audio.

If you were recording the game and making voice comments in real-time with your headset – skip this part. But if you need to create a voiceover, you’ll need to do it separately either before or after editing the gameplay video.

Background music is also a great idea, it helps make videos more engaging. You can’t add just any music to your gameplay though because of the music copyright law. The easiest option will be to find a nice tune in the YouTube music library. All tracks there are royalty-free and available at zero cost. Plus, there are sound effects there too!

Step 4. Download game video editing software

Now you have everything to start editing the gameplay. Time to choose your tool.

Depending on which OS you’re using, here are the free gaming video editors to consider:

VSDC – free gaming video editing software for Windows

VSDC is a lightweight, newbie-friendly video editor for gameplay footage. It works even on PCs with limited RAM, allows for importing and exporting any video format, and brings all the essential features you’d expect from a gameplay video editor.

VSDC has a Pro version that boasts advanced tools like masking and motion tracking. However, chances are, the feature set of the free version will be sufficient for you at the beginning. In a couple of paragraphs, we’ll show you how to edit a gameplay video in VSDC.

iMovie – free gaming video editing software for macOS

iMovie is a great choice of a gaming video editor if you’re using Apple products. It’s available for free, and you can use it seamlessly across devices. That means you’ll be able to edit mobile gameplays right on your smartphone or tablet. Or you can start editing a video on your tablet and continue on your Mac (thank Apple for smooth synchronization!).

Kdenlive – free gaming video editing software for Linux

Kdenlive is an open-source, cross-platform program that works on any OS, but it has gained its fame by being the most popular video editor for Linux. Kdenlive is a user-friendly program with a minimalistic interface, fast project rendering, and a set of convenient keyboard shortcuts. Like any open-source project, Kdenlive has a lot of community support, so if you get stuck, there are dedicated forums and YouTube tutorials created by more experienced users.

How to use VSDC, free game video editing software

Once you download VSDC Free Video Editor to your PC, launch it and use the Import content button to upload your gaming footage. When you use this option, the software automatically detects the settings of your video and adjusts the project settings accordingly.

1. Cut out the boring stuff

The first step is to get rid of all the unnecessary footage. If you’re aimed at creating a clip with the best (the funniest, the most epic) moments, make sure those are the only ones you leave. At times, you’ll be tempted to keep more footage than needed, but that’s exactly when your script comes in handy. Remember your initial idea and stick to the course.

To cut your gameplay video in VSDC, place the cursor where you want to make the cut and hit the razor icon at the top.

The footage will split into two parts. Repeat the action as many times as needed to cut out the unwanted pieces. Then click anywhere on the scene to unselect the entire file.

Finally, select the pieces you want to remove and hit “Delete”.

2. Merge what’s left and add transitions (or don’t)

In VSDC, you can merge videos just by dragging them and docking together. The program also offers a few transitions, but the truth is, gaming videos don’t need fancy effects between scenes. There is a lot happening on the screen already!

That’s why the best option will be either to use no transitions at all or to apply minimalistic transitions like FadeFX. To apply FadeFX, place the cursor at the end of a scene (make sure that the piece of the video you want to apply the transition to is selected on the timeline). Open the Video Effects menu, proceed to Transitions, and select FadeFX.

3. Add audio to your gameplay footage

To add an audio file to the project, either hit the Shift+A combination or use the Add object button and choose Audio. Then select the desired file from your computer.

You’ll be able to edit your audio track to make sure it sounds the way you want. Cut out unwanted pieces, change the volume of the audio, or apply audio effects, such as Fade in or Fade out.

4. Add yourself to the video (picture-in-picture effect)

If you’re wondering how to make your gameplay video more engaging, consider bringing yourself to the picture (quite literally). With the picture-in-picture effect, you can place the footage of yourself playing or commenting over the gameplay video.

This is what it’s going to look like:

To recreate this, you can either record yourself while playing or capture yourself watching and commenting on the resulting gameplay video – similarly to how reaction videos are created.

Once you have the footage of yourself ready, import it to the project using the Shift + V hotkey combination or use the Add object menu and select Video. Make sure to place the footage of yourself above the gameplay video layer on the timeline, then resize it and drag it to the corner.

If you need more detailed guidance, check our picture-in-picture effect tutorial.

5. Add titles and captions

VSDC brings a full-featured text editor on board, so you can easily add a title, a tooltip, or captions. You can also make them appear at the right moment and stay in sight for as long as you need.

To add text to a video, place the cursor at the moment on the timeline when you want the title to appear. Then open the Add object menu and select Text. An editing menu will open at the top – use it to adjust the style of the text to your liking. Next, stretch or cut the text layer on the timeline to change its duration in the scene.

To create a smooth appearance, make a right mouse click on the text layer, go to Video effects, select Transparency >> Fade In.

If you want the text to follow an object in a video, check out the motion tracking module available in VSDC Pro. Motion tracking is very helpful if you need to create captions for various objects in a video and make sure they stay attached even when the objects are moving.

6. Highlight the best moments

Earlier we said that video effects are redundant when it comes to editing gameplay videos. However, they might look appropriate if you want to emphasize particular moments in the game or drive viewers’ attention to an object in the scene. This is clearly optional, but if you’re planning to turn gameplay montage into a hobby, you might eventually want to add a few cinematic effects here and there.

Here is what you can try:

1. Create suspense with a freeze - frame effect. The freeze-frame effect involves taking snapshots of the selected frames and using them to “freeze” the video for a second for creating suspense or adding written comments. The effect is unbelievably easy to apply. Check this tutorial if you’d like to master it.
2. Change colors to set the mood. A drastic change of colors – when the video becomes black-and-white, for instance – will help create a dramatic effect and make a visual emphasis on the scene.
3. Focus on an object. If you want to create precise focus on an object in a video, you can apply the crop zoom approach or the blurred background approach – depending on what type of a gameplay video you’re working on.

7. Create intro for your gameplay video

Before you upload your masterpiece to YouTube, we recommend going the extra mile and creating a short intro. Gaming intros don’t need to be fancy, but if you have one, it will help your video stand out. Plus, you can use it to add a call to action and encourage viewers to subscribe or follow you on social media.

You’ll only need to create an intro once. Then you’ll be able to save it as a template and use it whenever needed. There are many beginner-friendly intro tutorials available on the VSDC channel – make sure to check them out.

Wrapping up

By now, you should have an idea of how to edit gameplay videos.

Has at least one of these tips helped you with your goal of growing a gaming channel? If you’ve just answered yes – that’s epic.

Now, why stop there? Go ahead and spread the word about your launch, ask for feedback, and find fellow creative thinkers. If you aren’t a member of any community for gaming YouTubers yet, make sure to check out NewTubers, YouTube gaming, and Let’s Play subreddits. You’ll surely find a lot of support and inspiration there.

You may think that the page turn transition isn’t the most mind-blowing effect, especially given that it’s available in every slideshow creator. Well, get ready, because you’re about to change your mind.

It’s true that the page turn effect, in its basic version, has been around for a while. But guess what? Even such a simple transition can be taken to a whole new level if you have the right tools at hand. For instance, when you use the page turn effect in VSDC, you can get really geeky about the angle, the curl, the shadows, and other little details.

Now, you may be wondering if that can create a real difference. Fair question. See it for yourself.

In the tutorial below, we’ll show you how to achieve a similar result using completely free video editing software for Windows, named VSDC. Before starting, make sure to download it here.

How to quickly apply a basic Page Turn effect in VSDC

The page turn transition can be created within a couple of clicks. Then, using the advanced settings, you’ll be able to make it look like a post-production masterpiece.

So, let’s start with the basics. To quickly add the page turn transition, do the following:

1. Import your footage and place a cursor at the moment where you want to start the transition.
2. Select the file you want to apply the transition to with a left-click. Further in the tutorial, we’ll be referring to this file as a “turning page” or “page”.
3. Go to the Video Effects menu at the top, proceed to Transitions and select Page turn.

And this is it. The basic version of the page turn effect is ready. Use the video preview feature to see how it looks.

In the following paragraphs, we’ll show you how to tweak the settings and make the effect look exactly the way you want.

Page turn effect settings

First, go ahead and make a double-click on the video you’ve applied the transition to. When you do that, you’ll see the Page turn effect layer. Right-click on the layer and select Properties from the menu. The Properties window will slide in from the right-hand side, and that’s where all the major settings are located.

The Properties window includes 4 sections:

• Common settings
• Effect adjustment settings
• FadeFX settings
• Advanced settings

Let’s take a closer look at each set of parameters.

The Common settings section allows you to create a title for the effect layer, manually set the moment when it should appear and the exact duration of the transition.

The Effect adjustment settings allow you to change the transition transparency level of the footage you apply the effect to.

The lower the transparency value is, the darker (more transparent) the footage gets. By applying this parameter, you can control how soon the following scene will be entirely visible to the viewers.

The transparency level can be set up to change gradually as the transition progresses. In other words, at the beginning of the page turn transition, the page can be completely non-transparent, and at the end of the turn, the page will fade out.

To see what it looks like, let’s open the transparency level dropdown menu, set the initial value at 100% and the final value at 10%.

Initial value – 100%. The footage is absolutely non-transparent when the page turn transition kicks in.

Final value – 10%. At the end of the transition, the level of transparency will only be 10%, and you’ll start seeing the following image entirely even before the transition is over.

The FadeFX settings bring two modes: simple and advanced. When the Simple mode is selected, it allows you to choose:

• whether the page should be folding or unfolding (“Directly”: False or True)
• whether the page will fold completely by the end of the transition (“Transition levels”)
• from which corner the page starts to fold (Parameter named “Type”)
• how many folding cells the page will be divided into (“Cell width divider” and “Cell height divider”).

Finally, the Advanced settings menu allows you to set the shadow from the turned page and adjust its intensity.

Once you switch the Mode in the FadeFX settings menu to “Advanced”, additional parameters will appear. Let’s review them in detail.

Page turn effect in VSDC: Advanced mode

The key advantage of the advanced mode is the ability to precisely change the appearance of the effect: the page turn angle, antialiasing, and shadows. All these parameters allow you to achieve a more realistic illusion of a turning page.

For instance, the Page angle settings allow you to change the angle at which the page will fold over. If the Page turn value is equal to 0⁰, the page will be folded vertically. If you set the Page angle value at 90⁰ – it will fold horizontally.

If you want to create the effect of uneven folding, you can set different values for the beginning and the end of the transition.

For the illustration below, we’ve set the following values:

• Page angle, initial value: 10
• Page angle, final value: 125

The next parameter is called Antialiasing, and it helps you smooth the edges and curves of the object during the transition. There are three options in the Antialiasing menu:

• None – nothing will be applied.
• Vertical – only the vertical lines will be smoothed.
• Full – edges and curves of the entire object including its shadows will be smoothed.

Page turn advanced settings overview

When the FadeFX settings mode is switched to the Advanced mode, the Advanced settings menu at the bottom of the Properties window gets a plethora of new controls you can play with. We’re going to review each one and explain what happens when you change their values.

The following four parameters define the size of the shadow produced by the page fold. Their values are calculated as a percentage of the file width, and you can set different values for the beginning of the transition and the end of it by adjusting the “Initial value” and the “Final value”.

Max empty space shadow size

This parameter allows you to change the size of the shadow that appears under the page because of the fold.

Max shadow size from turned page

Unlike the previous parameter, this one helps you adjust the size of the shadow that appears on the video you’re applying the transition to.

Max bright area size

The bright area is the most prominent zone of the fold that is typically brighter than the rest of the page because light hits it. And yes, you can change the size of it, too!

Max inner shadow size

The inner shadow is the shadow on the outer side of the fold right next to the bright zone.

Inner shadow left size

Now, if you look at the inner shadow – the parameter we’ve just described above – you’ll see that it is essentially a gradient. And you have control over the left-hand side of that gradient  – specifically, the area that goes from the light zone to the darkest zone. The value here is calculated based on the inner shadow size.

Page curl offset

How strong should the page curl be? By changing this parameter, you can imitate a more dramatic curl as well as a barely noticeable one.

Page curl deformation

The page curl deformation parameter is paired with the curl offset to help you achieve a more prominent, realistic page curl. Its value determines where the maximum page curl offset is located on the page fold.

Empty space shadow intensity

We talked about the empty space shadow a few paragraphs earlier. It’s the shadow on the area under the page that’s being folded. By changing its intensity, you can make it lighter or darker.

For instance, if its value is equal to 255, you’ll get the darkest shadow possible. If the value is equal to 0, there will be no shadow visible at all. To get a better idea, check out the illustration below.

Bright area intensity

Similarly, the bright area intensity defines how bright the edge of the fold will be.

For example, if the bright area intensity equals 255, that’s the maximum brightness you can achieve. If the value is 0, there will be no bright area.

Inner shadow intensity

Need to darken that shadow next to the bright zone? This is the parameter you need.

If you set the inner shadow intensity at 255, the shadow will be the darkest possible. At the value equal to zero, there will be no inner shadow visible.

Turned page shadow intensity

The last shadow in this menu is the one displayed on the page under the fold, and you can decide how visible it will be. Check the illustration above to get a better idea of where it’s located. Again, 255 is the maximum value that will produce the darkest shadow possible, and 0 will remove that shadow completely.

Ready to create the most sophisticated page turn effect possible?

Chances are, you won’t need to use all these settings when working on your page turn transition effect. However, being able to fine-tune them at such a high level certainly opens a lot of possibilities for you as a creator!

There is a way to visualize a slow, smooth page turn, and there’s a way to create a harsh, impulsive page turn. By playing with the shadows and the bright zone, you can imitate pages being turned in a dark room or a well-lighted place.

Which one will be the best option for your video? That’s up to you. The VSDC tools are absolutely free, so make sure to use them to your advantage.

The new version of VSDC Video Editor allows you to easily synchronize video effects, animation, text, or image appearance to the beat of your audio.

Wondering what it may look like? Then imagine an audio visualizer that reacts to each sound beat, or a heart image pumping to the rhythm – you’ve surely seen them on music channels. In the same manner, you’ll be able to synchronize any image or effect to your audio track and make it “react” to the frequency and intensity of the sound.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here is an example. If we add an image to the scene, apply the Zoom effect to it, and then synchronize the effect to the beat, the image will be “zooming in and out” based on the rhythm of your soundtrack. Check out the video below to see what it looks like (sound on!).

The new VSDC Pro tool that allows you to achieve this effect is called “Edit the beat” and it’s available in the version 6.4.5.

If you’re curious how it works, here is a quick breakdown. When you activate the Edit the beat mode, VSDC scans the waveform of the selected audio and generates a rhythm graph based on the sound values - such as frequency and intensity. Each value is represented by a control point. The rhythm graph is then applied to the values of the effect of your choice.

For instance – let’s go back to the Zoom effect example – if you choose to synchronize the level of the Zoom effect to the beat, in the resulting video, the louder the sound is, the higher the zoom level will be. Meanwhile, during the moments of silence, the image will appear in its original state.

That was a very basic example to give you a general idea of what it means to synchronize video effects to music. With the Edit the beat feature, you’ll be able to use automatic synchronization presets or adjust the graph manually. And in this article, we’ll show exactly how to do it

Before getting started, download the latest version of VSDC Video Editor here.

If you prefer a video tutorial to the text version, feel free to check out the one below.

How to activate the Edit the beat mode

First of all, import your footage to VSDC. You can either use a music video with the original audio track or add an audio file separately.

Next, you need to decide which effect you would like to synchronize to the sound. For our example, we’ll add Zoom to make the video “pump” to the beat. To add the effect, select the video layer on the timeline, open the Video effects menu, proceed to Transforms >> Zoom. Go through the Object’s position settings window to confirm the position of the effect on the timeline and hit Ok.

Once you’ve added the effect to the scene, make a double-click on the video file. Then right-click on the effect layer and select Properties from the menu.

The Properties window contains the Zoom effect parameters. At this point, you need to decide which parameter you want to synchronize to the music beat. Typically, you want to use the key parameter of the selected effect – the one defining its intensity. For Zoom, that will be the parameter called “Levels”.

To synchronize the selected parameter to the sound, click on the three-dot icon as illustrated below and choose Edit the beat from the Templates menu above the timeline. Then hit the button titled “Create points”. You’ll see a new graph on the timeline with points distributed based on your audio waveform values. Again, the higher a point is located on the timeline, the higher will be the value of the Zoom level at this particular moment.

Most times, however, you’ll want to adjust the distribution of the points – simply because the abundance of sounds and their values jumping up and down may create an unwanted effect. Below, we’ll show you how to do it.

Edit the beat: rhythm graph generation

Once you’ve selected the Edit the beat mode, a new window named “Edit the beat settings” will pop up. This is where you can adjust the parameters of the template.

First, in the Audio object menu, you can select an audio file that will be used for scanning and generating the rhythm graph. It can be either the soundtrack from your video or any other audio file you’ve added to the project.

What deserves your attention next is the dropdown list called “Beat preset” with several options of how you want the graph to be generated.

Here is a brief overview of the available presets:

• Maximum sensitivity and frequency range – the graph will be generated precisely based on the audio frequency and detection of every minor sound change.
• Maximum sensitivity – the graph will be generated based on sound changes while the audio frequency will be ignored.
• Merge nearby points – control points with similar frequency values will not be treated as dynamic changes and will be connected in the form of a straight line.
• Skip low-power sounds – low-power sounds won’t be included to the graph.
• Prefer powerful beats – the graph will mainly contain powerful beats.
• Only powerful beats – the graph will be generated based on the powerful beats only.

Choose any of these templates and generate the graph based on your needs. You’ll further be able to adjust the distribution of the points and other details.

Edit the beat: settings overview

The easiest way to show you how to fine-tune the rhythm graph is to go over each parameter in the Edit the beat settings window.

First, you need to decide whether you want to apply the effect to the entire project or just to the area where the effect overlaps with the audio. For the latter option, make sure the “Overlapped only” box is checked.

The“Selected area only” option means that the effect will only be applied to the piece you’ve selected manually on the timeline.

Next comes an especially important parameter, called Silence value. It is the initial value of the effect you’re applying, and it will be used during the moments of silence.

By default, the silence value is often equal to zero, and that means the effect isn’t applied at all.

Amplitude is the parameter that sets the deviation of the effect from its silence value. In other words, this parameter helps you control the maximum effect value applied at sound peaks.

For example, if the Silence value is 100, and the Amplitude value is 30, at sound peaks the effect value will be 130. At the negative sound peaks, the minimum effect value will be 70. For the Zoom effect we’ve applied previously, that means that the image will be “pumping” to the beat, and the Zoom levels will be changing between 70 and 130.

Time between points helps you set time gaps between control points. There are two options here: minimum or maximum. By changing these parameters, you can set the minimum and the maximum possible distance between control points.

The tricky part is that the software will generate control points based on the “Time between points” value even if the audio track does not exactly correspond. For example, if you set 5 sec. as the maximum time between points, and there is a whole minute of silence in the audio, VSDC will still place control points on the rhythm graph every 5 seconds despite the silence and the absence of dynamic sound changes.

Priority frequency is a menu for advanced audio frequency detection setup. It allows you to change the following parameters:

• Range – sets minimum and maximum values of the detected audio frequency.
• Preset – contains templates with audio frequency variations for different goals.
• Reset frequency – allows you to reset the Priority frequency value to the default minimum (0 Hz) and the default maximum (22050 Hz).

Sensitivity – determines how accurate audio frequency detection will be. The higher the value here is, the more points the graph will have. That means the effect will react to every slightest frequency change.

Max dropout limit – is a percentage of the maximum sound value. It sets the bar below which all the points will not be syncing to the effect.

For instance, at Dropout limit = 50%, the values lower than half of the maximum sound value will be ignored, and all the points located below the graph will form a straight line. The straight line will be gradually increasing to the point where it reaches the indicated dropout limit.

Max interpolation threshold – this is the value at which peaks of similar intensity will form a straight line. To determine which values should be considered similar, the Interpolation threshold (% max) sets the possible point value deviation.

Right above the Max interpolation parameter, you’ll notice the Keep peaks checkbox. Make sure it is ticked to keep the peak points in their original locations. If you don’t do it, you’ll lose the dynamic changes of the effect value.

Below, you can set a Scale factor value. The scale factor is a multiplier that allows you to increase or decrease the value of the applied effect for all points at once.

Here is how it works. If the scale factor equals 1, the effect is applied with the original values – based on the audio waveform. If you increase the scale factor to 2, all the effect values will be doubled.

Finally, Point distribution mode is a dropdown menu where you can choose point distribution variations.

Here are your options:

• From silence value to peaks up. If you choose this option, the points will be distributed increasingly starting from the Silence value.
• From silence value to peaks down. Points will be distributed decreasingly starting from the Silence value.
• Vibrations according to silence value. The points get distributed equally in both directions from the Silence value.
• Inverted vibrations according to silence value. The same equal distribution in both directions as described above – but inverted.
• Increased vibrations according to silence value. The points get distributed equally in both directions and their values are maximized.
• Inverted and increased vibrations according to silence value. The points get distributed in both directions – but they are inverted, and their values are maximized.

Go ahead and try the new tool available in VSDC!

Synchronizing video effects to music is an advanced level of post-production involving a steep learning curve – especially if you’ve never worked with sound adjustment before! But once you get the hang of the new feature, you’ll be able to create captivating videos where the visuals are perfectly synced to the music – and that is a huge step forward from the amateur editor level to the level of a post-production professional.

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Download VSDC Free Video Editor

As we continue our series of tutorials for those who want to master the art of post-production on a budget, it’s time to talk about the famous drop shadow effect.

The drop shadow effect allows you to create a natural-looking shadow for any object you add to the scene – including moving objects.

If you’re serious about video editing, you will want to have this effect in your arsenal. Just look at the difference a drop shadow makes to the moving text title! It practically creates a 3D effect without you having to deal with 3D.

From the tutorial below, you’ll learn how to add a perfect drop shadow to a text title using the free version of VSDC Video Editor for Windows. In the last part of the tutorial, we’ll quickly show you how to add a shadow to a moving object in a video using VSDC Pro.

You’ll find out how to achieve the result that will look as natural as possible by adjusting:

• the size of the drop shadow,
• its distance from the text,
• the color and intensity,
• and even the light angle.

Basically, we’ll show you how to create a shadow that makes a text object look like it belongs to the scene. Of course, you’ll be able to later apply this knowledge to add a drop shadow to any other clipart used in a video including images, icons, and graphic objects.

Sounds exciting? Then download VSDC Free Video Editor and let’s get started.

How to add drop shadow to text in a video

Once you launch VSDC and import your video, add a text object to the scene using the left-hand side menu or the “Add object” button at the top.

To add a drop shadow to the text, take the following steps:

1. Make a click on the text object on the timeline to select it.
2. Open the Video Effects menu at the top, proceed to “Special FX” and select “Shadow”.
3. In the «Object’s position settings» pop-up window, you can select the position of the shadow on the timeline. The default “From cursor position” option means that the shadow effect will appear from the moment currently defined by the cursor. If you aren’t planning to change that, just click “Ok”.

Useful tip. Note that the “Position locking to parent duration” section can help you automatically lock the effect to the beginning or the end of the text appearance in the scene.

How to set up the drop shadow effect in VSDC

Now that we have added the drop shadow to the text, let’s go over the settings to see how to make it look exactly the way you want.

To open the Shadow effect settings, make a double-click on the text layer on the timeline – then right-click on the Shadow effect layer and select “Properties” from the context menu.

The Properties window for the Shadow effect includes 3 sections:

• Common settings.
• Effect adjustment settings.
• Shadow effect settings.

The Common settings section allows you to create a title for the shadow layer, set the moment when it should appear in the scene and its exact duration.

The Effect adjustment settings allow you to fine-tune the shadow transparency level. Moreover, by using the fields titled “initial value” and “final value”, you can set different levels of transparency for the beginning and the end of the effect. That means the drop shadow will gradually become more transparent or lose transparency during the playback – depending on the values you choose.

To see this in action, let’s set the following transparency parameters:

• Initial value – 100%. That means the shadow will be absolutely non-transparent when it first appears in the scene.
• Final value – 20%. At the end of the effect appearance in the scene, the level of transparency will only be 20%.

As a result, the drop shadow will be gradually fading out in a video:

Finally, the Shadow effect settings are the most exciting section because this is where you turn your shadow into perfection. You’ll be able to adjust the light angle, the distance between the object and the shadow, the intensity, the noise – and a gradual change of all these features over time. Below, we’ll have a closer look at each parameter and show you what you can achieve by changing them.

1. Light angle

The “Light angle” parameter allows you to change (you guessed it!) the light angle so that the drop shadow would look more natural in a video with a clear location of the source of light. If you need to set different light angles for the beginning and the end of the shadow appearance in the scene, the initial and the final values should be set up respectively.

In the example below, the shadow is gradually moving around the object from the initial angle (set at 45 degrees) to the final angle (set at 225 degrees).

2. Shadow distance

By changing the “Shadow distance” parameter, you can control the distance between the object and the shadow. Again, you can set it as a permanent value, or you can add a bit of dynamic to the effect by playing with the initial/final value parameters.

For example, if the source of light in your video is moving, the shadow distance is expected to be gradually changing too.

Useful tip. You can manually move the shadow around the scene by grabbing it in the center and dragging while holding the left mouse button pressed. If you can’t see the center of the shadow, use the “Show/hide center” button in the Properties window.

3. Shadow max size

If you’d like the shadow to appear blurrier, simply increase the “Shadow max size” parameter. The higher its value is, the bigger and less sharp the shadow becomes. Note that if the shadow max size value is equal to 0, the shadow is completely absent from the scene.

4. Intensity

This parameter helps you control the intensity of the shadow color. The higher the value is, the more visible the shadow appears. Under the Intensity menu section, you can also change the color of the shadow and add noise. The latter makes the shadow look grainy and textured.

If you want to add noise to the drop shadow, open the dropdown menu and make the switch: False >> True. Next, you’ll be able to set the noise level (strength) and select the dynamic noise type if you want the noise to be constantly changing during the playback.

How to add a drop shadow to a moving object in a video

Now that you know how to create a perfect drop shadow effect, let’s do a quick recap of our motion tracking tutorial and see how to make both the object and the shadow move along the desired motion path using VSDC Pro.

This is what the result might look like.

Once you’ve added the shadow to your text, go back to the main scene on the timeline and follow these steps:

1. Make a left mouse click on the video layer and select “Create movement map”.
2. Next, place the tracking frame over the object you want to track in the video.
3. Create the movement map and save it on your PC as suggested by the program.
4. Make a double-click on the text layer on the timeline to open it.
5. You’ll notice that the Shadow effect is already applied to the text. All we need to do now is to apply motion.
6. Use the “Add object” button located at the top. Proceed to Movement >> Movement map.
7. Select the map you’ve just created and preview the result.

Adding a drop shadow effect to a moving object is barely any different from using this effect on a still object. As you can see, both effects are applied in the same tab on the timeline where you can manually adjust their starting points or duration if needed.

Ready to take your videos to professional level?

Now that you’ve learned another mind-blowing post-production trick, go ahead and try it for yourself! Make sure to check our roundup of motion tracking ideas and download the latest version of VSDC from the official website.

Whether you’ll be using the free or the Pro version - you get plenty of tools to visualize your ideas.