Turn a long video into Shorts, Reels and TikToks
How to find the best moments in a long video, cut them into vertical clips with subtitles and post them on every short-video platform.
A one hour video contains a handful of moments that would work on their own. Finding them by scrubbing through the timeline is slow, which is why many creators never repurpose their archive. Here is a method that makes it fast.
What makes a good clip
A good clip stands on its own. A stranger can watch it without context and understand it. Look for passages that contain one of these:
- A strong claim, such as an opinion that people will agree or disagree with.
- A short story with a beginning, a turn and an end.
- A direct answer to a question people often ask.
- A punchline or a moment of real emotion.
Avoid passages that depend on something said ten minutes earlier, and avoid long setups. If the best part starts after thirty seconds of lead-in, cut the lead-in.
Aim for 20 to 60 seconds
Short is better than long, but only to a point. A clip needs enough time to make its point. Most good clips land between twenty seconds and one minute. If a moment needs more, it may be better as a separate longer video.
Reframe for vertical
A landscape video does not fit a vertical screen. Cropping to the centre often cuts off the speaker. The better approach is to follow the speaker's face so they stay in the frame. With two speakers, the frame should switch to whoever is talking.
Add subtitles
Most clips are watched on mute. Burn subtitles into the video, large and word by word, so they cannot be missed. Check them for names and technical words, which are the most common mistakes in automatic transcripts.
Write a first line for the caption
The post caption is the second hook. Start it with the claim or the question from the clip, not with "New episode out now". Put the link to the full video in the caption or in your profile.
A weekly routine
- Record or publish the long video.
- Cut it into clips the same day.
- Pick the five best.
- Post one a day across the week, starting with the strongest.
- Check which clip performed best and look for more like it next time.
How Uma does it
Cut clips takes a link or a file, transcribes the speech, finds self-contained moments with a hook, reframes them to vertical following the speaker, and burns in subtitles. You then preview the clips and download the ones you want. It works best on videos that are mostly talking: podcasts, interviews, lectures and streams. See the podcast clips guide for a full example.