Google Video-Editing Cheatsheet
Identify your specific tool first. This cheatsheet covers the common Google-based editing environments used at Atomic Shelf. Verify which one your campaign uses.
| Tool | URL | Primary use |
|---|
| Google Vids | vids.google.com | AI-assisted video editing (available in Workspace) |
| Google Drive + third-party editor | drive.google.com | Storage + upload to approved editor |
| WeVideo (Google-integrated) | wevideo.com | Cloud-based multi-track editing |
Currently Verified Capabilities
| Feature | Google Vids | WeVideo | Fallback |
|---|
| Import MP4/MOV | ✅ | ✅ | Upload to Drive |
| Trim clips | ✅ | ✅ | Built-in trim |
| Sequence timeline | ✅ | ✅ | Manual ordering |
| Text overlays | ✅ | ✅ | — |
| Captions | ✅ (auto + manual) | ✅ | Manual transcription |
| Audio mixing (2+ tracks) | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ | Single track + levels |
| Transitions | ✅ (basic) | ✅ | Cut only |
| 9:16 project preset | ✅ | ✅ | Manual resize |
| Export MP4 | ✅ | ✅ | — |
| Frame rate control | ❌ | ⚠️ Limited | Use 30fps |
| Color correction | ⚠️ Basic | ✅ | Adjust in Symphony |
| Multi-cam sync | ❌ | ✅ | Manual alignment |
Document your tool's limitations and the approved fallback for each.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Google Vids
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Split clip | S |
| Delete clip | Delete |
| Undo | Ctrl/Cmd + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Z |
| Play/Pause | Space |
| Trim start | Ctrl/Cmd + [ |
| Trim end | Ctrl/Cmd + ] |
| Add text | T |
| Add transition | Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + T |
| Export | Ctrl/Cmd + E |
| Zoom in timeline | Ctrl/Cmd + = |
| Zoom out timeline | Ctrl/Cmd + - |
WeVideo
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Split clip | S |
| Delete clip | Delete |
| Undo | Ctrl/Cmd + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl/Cmd + Y |
| Play/Pause | Space |
| Add text | T |
| Add transition | Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + T |
| Export | Ctrl/Cmd + E |
| Mute track | M |
| Volume slider | V |
Project Setup
1. Create New Project
- Open the approved editing tool
- Select New Project
- Apply the agency template (if available)
- Set project settings:
| Setting | Value |
|---|
| Format | Custom / 9:16 |
| Width | 1080 px |
| Height | 1920 px |
| Frame rate | 30 fps |
| Pixel aspect ratio | Square (1:1) |
2. Name the Project
BOOKSLUG_VIDEO01_CONCEPT01_v01
3. Import Assets
- Navigate to your
07_Broll-Approved/ folder
- Upload all approved clips
- Upload the cover from
02_Source-Metadata/
- Verify all imports succeeded
Timeline Workflow
Assembly
Step 1: Drag scenes to timeline in storyboard order
Step 2: Trim each clip to storyboard duration
Step 3: Remove dead time at start/end of each clip
Step 4: Add transitions (cut only, unless cross-dissolve needed)
Step 5: Add book cover at the storyboard-specified moment
Step 6: Add text/captions
Step 7: Mix audio
Step 8: Preview at full-screen mobile proportions
Trimming Precision
- Cuts should be on action — cut during movement, not stillness
- Match the beat — if your script says a line at 3.5s, the cut should land near there
- Remove silence — trim out dead air between spoken lines
- Check edges — zoom in to frame edges to catch stray frames
Transitions
| Transition | When to use | Duration |
|---|
| Cut | Standard, 90% of cases | Instant |
| Cross-dissolve | Time passage, memory, dream | 0.5–1s |
| Fade in/out | Beginning/end of video | 1–2s |
| No transition | Hard cuts for tension | N/A |
Avoid: Wipes, zooms, spins, page-turns, cube rotations
Audio Workflow
Track Layout
Track 1: Voice-over (-12 to -6 LUFS)
Track 2: Music (-18 to -12 LUFS)
Track 3: Sound effects (-20 to -15 LUFS)
Audio Steps
- Import voice-over into Track 1
- Set VO level — play and check LUFS meter
- Import music into Track 2
- Set music level — at least 6dB below VO
- Enable audio ducking if available (music lowers during VO)
- Import SFX into Track 3
- Place SFX at exact visual moments
- Listen on speakers and headphones
Audio Ducking (if available)
- Select the music track
- Enable "Ducking" or "Auto-duck"
- Set ducking amount: 6–10 dB
- Set attack/release: 0.1s / 0.3s
- Test — VO should always be clear
Captions Workflow
1. Add Caption Track
- Place at the bottom of the timeline
- Set to the caption-safe zone
2. Timing Guidelines
| Caption length | Minimum duration |
|---|
| 1 word | 0.8s |
| 1 line | 1.2s |
| 2 lines | 1.5s |
| 3 lines | 2.0s |
3. Styling
| Property | Setting |
|---|
| Font | Inter or system sans-serif |
| Size | ≥108px (6% of 1920) |
| Color | Paper white (#F8F6F2) |
| Background | Semi-opaque black bar |
| Position | 15% from bottom |
| Contrast | 4.5:1 minimum |
Export Settings
| Setting | Value |
|---|
| Format | MP4 |
| Codec | H.264 |
| Resolution | 1080 × 1920 |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 |
| Frame rate | 30 fps |
| Bitrate | 8–12 Mbps (VBR) |
| Audio codec | AAC |
| Audio bitrate | 128 kbps |
| Audio sample rate | 44.1 kHz |
Naming Convention
Master: BOOKSLUG_VIDEO01_MASTER_v01.mp4
TikTok: BOOKSLUG_VIDEO01_TIKTOK_APPROVED.mp4
Instagram: BOOKSLUG_VIDEO01_IGREELS_APPROVED.mp4
YouTube: BOOKSLUG_VIDEO01_YTSHORTS_APPROVED.mp4
Thumbnail: BOOKSLUG_VIDEO01_THUMB_APPROVED.jpg
Export Steps
- Go to File → Export (or Download)
- Select MP4 format
- Verify resolution is 1080×1920
- Verify frame rate is 30 fps
- Verify audio is included
- Name the file correctly
- Export to
09_Exports/
- Play the exported file — verify it's not corrupted
- Check for watermarks — none should be present
- Save the project file to
08_Editing-Project/