[TheIceMan]

Ok this is my first post in the A/V forum. What's up guys/gals. Gotta question I hope you can help. Can someone walk me through (step by step) how to extract a short clip from a movie? I want to extract a 2min. 50 sec clip from a movie (it's in .avi format). But since I'm A/V clueless I thought some of the experts in here might know. Thanks.

[KeyLimePi]

Hello. We'll need some more specifics. I'm guessing you don't know what codec was used in this AVI file, so answer this: will it play in Quicktime Player?

More importantly, what exactly do you mean by 'extract' a clip? Do you need to take 2:50 out of your current movie (making your original 2:50 shorter) or are you trying to create a new, stand-alone clip that is 2:50. If it's the latter, do you want your new short clip to also be an AVI file? Will it be played on computers or is it going into another format?

Macs and AVI files are a contentious relationship but this shouldn't be too difficult. Just fill in some of the blanks for us and maybe we can help.

[TheIceMan]

KeyLimePi:

1) It will play in Quicktime.
2) I'm trying to create a new, standalone clip that is 2 min. 50 sec.
3) Yes, I would like the new short clip to also be in AVI
4) This will be played on my PowerBook

Thanks

[KaosDG]

Do you have Final Cut Pro/Express available to use?

Probably easiest to use those... BUT:

I dunno if iMovie can do it, but you can try to import the movie into it, and then where you want to do the edits, choose "split clip here" or something to that efffect (i'm at work now.. no mac access , plus I don't really use iMovie since I got FCE)

then you just export it into the format you want.

[TheIceMan]

KaosDG:

Unfortunately, I do not have Final Cut Pro/Express and do not know how to use it.

I tried iMovie but it would not let me import the movie (AVI format) into it.

[Old Toad]

You can do it in Quicktime Pro.

1-In the QT Player window you will see two small tabs at the far left of the time line.
2-Drag them to the start and finish of the clip you want to extract.
3-Under Edit do a Copy.
4-Then under File open a New Player.
5-Then, again under Edit, do a Paste. You should have your clip as a spearate entity.
6-You can then Export the clip to AVI.

Good Luck.