Create a Promotional Video with Shotcut

Edit a 30-second coffee brand promo video using Shotcut's core tools.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

Video editing is one of the most in-demand creative skills today. Every brand, creator, and company needs polished video content, and knowing how to produce it makes you immediately useful.

In this project, you will create a 30-second promotional video for a fictional coffee brand called "Dawn Brew" using free stock footage and the free video editor Shotcut.

What You'll Build

A polished 30-second promotional video featuring multiple clips, smooth transitions, a branded title card, and warm color grading, exported as a professional 1080p .mp4 file.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

  • A finished promotional video exported as a 1080p H.264 .mp4 file ready for any portfolio or social platform.
  • Hands-on experience with Shotcut's core editing workflow including importing media, trimming clips, adding transitions, and applying filters.
  • A complete Shotcut project file (.mlt) showing your full editing timeline.
  • Secret Mission: Add keyframe animation to make your title text fade in and slide up from the bottom of the screen.

Are there any prerequisites?

None. This guide walks you through installing Shotcut and downloading free stock footage from Pexels. All you need is a Windows computer with an internet connection.

Install Shotcut and Gather Stock Footage

Before you can edit a video, you need two things: an editor and footage to work with.

In this step, you will install Shotcut (a free, open-source video editor) and download coffee-themed stock footage from Pexels. By the end, you will have a new Shotcut project ready for editing.

In this step, get ready to:
  • Install Shotcut video editor on your Windows 11 machine.
  • Download 4-5 coffee-themed video clips from Pexels.
  • Create your first Shotcut project with the correct video settings.
Download and install Shotcut
  • Open your web browser and navigate to the Shotcut download page:
https://www.shotcut.org/download/
  • Scroll down to the Windows 10/11 on Intel or AMD CPU section.
  • Click Windows installer to download the installer file.
  • Once the download finishes, double-click the installer file to run it.
  • Follow the installation prompts. Accept the license agreement and keep the default install location.
  • When the installation completes, launch Shotcut. You can check the Launch Shotcut checkbox at the end of the installer, or press the Windows key, type Shotcut, and press Enter to open it.

What should I see?

Shotcut opens to a start screen showing recent projects and a video mode selector. The title bar displays the version number. You should see Shotcut followed by a version number (26.4.30 or similar) in the window title.

Check your Shotcut version by clicking Help in the menu bar, then About Shotcut.

✔️ I see version 24 or higher

You are good to go. Close the About dialog and continue to the next substep.

ⓧ I see an older version

Your existing Shotcut is outdated. The Shotcut installer overwrites the previous version automatically.

  • Go back to https://www.shotcut.org/download/ and download the latest Windows installer under Windows 10/11 on Intel or AMD CPU.
  • Run the new installer. It will replace your older version.
  • Launch Shotcut after the install finishes and confirm the version in Help > About Shotcut now shows 26.4.30.

ⓧ Shotcut isn't installed

No problem. Follow the instructions above to download and install Shotcut from the official download page.

  • Go to https://www.shotcut.org/download/.
  • Click Windows installer under Windows 10/11 on Intel or AMD CPU.
  • Run the downloaded installer, accept the license, and keep the default install location.
  • Press the Windows key, type Shotcut, and press Enter to open it.
  • Confirm the version in Help > About Shotcut shows 26.4.30.

Shotcut won't open or crashes on launch?

Make sure you downloaded the correct installer for Windows 10/11 on Intel or AMD CPU. The ARM version will not work on standard Intel/AMD machines.

If you see a Windows SmartScreen warning, click More info and then Run anyway. Shotcut is open-source software and safe to install from the official website.

Help me troubleshoot why Shotcut won't open on my Windows 11 machine.

Download stock footage from Pexels

You need 4-5 short video clips of coffee-related footage. Pexels is a free stock media platform where you can download videos without needing an account or attribution.

  • First, create the folder where you will store your project files. Press the Windows key, type File Explorer, and press Enter to open it.
  • Navigate to This PC > Videos in the left sidebar.
  • Right-click in the empty space and select New > Folder. Name it DawnBrew.
  • Double-click the DawnBrew folder to open it.
  • Right-click again and create another new folder inside it. Name it footage.

Why this folder structure?

Keeping your raw footage in a subfolder separates it from your project file and final exports. This is standard practice in video editing to avoid clutter as projects grow.

  • Open your web browser and go to the Pexels video search page:
https://www.pexels.com/search/videos/coffee/
  • Browse the results and pick 4-5 clips that look interesting. Good options include: someone pouring coffee, latte art, coffee beans being roasted, a cozy cafe interior, or steam rising from a cup.
  • Click on a video to open its detail page.
  • Click the Free download button (or the dropdown arrow next to it).
  • Select Full HD (1920 x 1080) from the resolution options. If that exact resolution is not listed, choose the option closest to 1080p.
  • Save each clip to your DawnBrew\footage folder.
  • Repeat for all 4-5 clips. Each clip should be 5-15 seconds long.

Pick clips with variety

Choose a mix of close-ups (pouring, beans, steam) and wider shots (cafe interiors, people drinking). This variety makes your final video more visually engaging and gives you more creative options when editing.

  • Confirm your downloads by opening the footage folder in File Explorer. You should see 4-5 video files (typically .mp4 format).

Don't see .mp4 files in your footage folder?

Check your browser's default download location. Many browsers save files to a Downloads folder instead of the location you intended. Move any coffee clips from Downloads into your DawnBrew\footage folder.

Help me find where my Pexels video downloads went on Windows 11.

Create a new Shotcut project

With Shotcut installed and your footage ready, you can now create a project file that ties everything together.

  • Switch back to Shotcut. If you closed it, press the Windows key, type Shotcut, and press Enter.
  • Click File in the top menu bar.
  • Click New.
  • In the Video Mode dropdown at the top of the new project dialog, select HD 1080p 30fps.
  • In the project folder field, click Browse (or the folder icon) and navigate to your DawnBrew folder inside Videos.
  • In the project name field, type DawnBrew.
  • Click Start to create the project.

What is Video Mode?

Video Mode sets the resolution and frame rate for your entire project. HD 1080p 30fps means your video will be 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels tall, playing at 30 frames per second. This matches the footage you downloaded from Pexels and is the standard for most online video.

  • Verify that Shotcut's title bar now shows your project name DawnBrew.
  • Confirm the project file exists by opening your DawnBrew folder in File Explorer. You should see a file called DawnBrew.mlt.

Don't see DawnBrew.mlt in your folder?

Make sure you set the project folder to your DawnBrew folder (inside Videos) before clicking Start. If the file ended up elsewhere, use File > Save As to save it to the correct location.

Help me find where Shotcut saved my project file.

Your editing environment is ready. Next up, you will import these clips into Shotcut and build your timeline.

Import Clips and Build Your Timeline

Your Shotcut project is set up and your coffee footage is ready to go. Now it's time to bring those clips into the editor and assemble them into a 30-second sequence.

In this step, you'll import your downloaded clips into Shotcut's Playlist panel, arrange them on the Timeline, and trim each one down to a tight 5-8 seconds. By the end, you'll have a rough cut of your Dawn Brew promo.

In this step, get ready to:
  • Import your coffee clips into the Playlist panel.
  • Arrange clips sequentially on the Timeline.
  • Trim each clip to 5-8 seconds for a total runtime of approximately 30 seconds.
Open the Playlist panel and import your clips

The Playlist panel is your media library inside Shotcut. It holds all the clips you plan to use before you arrange them on the Timeline.

  • In Shotcut, click View in the top menu bar.
  • Click Playlist to open the Playlist panel. It appears as a panel on the left side of the interface.
  • Open File Explorer and navigate to your footage folder inside DawnBrew.
  • Select all of your downloaded coffee clips (click the first file, then hold Ctrl and click each remaining file).
  • Drag the selected clips from File Explorer directly into the Playlist panel in Shotcut.

You should see all 4-5 clips listed by name in the Playlist panel.

  • Preview a clip by double-clicking it in the Playlist. This loads it into the Source viewer at the top of the screen where you can scrub through the footage.
  • Double-click each clip to preview it and get familiar with your footage.

What is the Playlist panel?

The Playlist is a staging area for your media files. Think of it like a folder of ingredients laid out on a counter before you start cooking.

You can preview, reorder, and select clips here before committing them to the Timeline. The Source viewer lets you watch each clip individually to decide which parts you want to keep.

Don't see the Playlist panel?

If the panel didn't appear after clicking View > Playlist, try pressing Ctrl+4 on your keyboard. You can also click the Playlist icon on the main toolbar at the top of the Shotcut window.

If your entire layout looks different, go to View > Layout > Restore Default Layout to reset everything.

Help me find the Playlist panel in Shotcut.

Add clips to the Timeline

The Timeline is where your video takes shape. Clips placed here play in sequence from left to right, forming the actual video your audience will see.

  • Click on your first clip in the Playlist to select it.
  • Drag it from the Playlist panel down onto the Timeline area at the bottom of the screen. This automatically creates a video track called V1.
  • Drag your second clip from the Playlist and drop it to the right of the first clip on the Timeline.
  • Repeat for each remaining clip, placing them in the order you want them to appear in your video.

Your Timeline should now show 4-5 clips placed end-to-end on track V1. The total runtime at this stage will be 30-40 seconds of raw footage.

What is track V1?

Shotcut automatically creates a video track labeled V1 when you drag your first clip onto the Timeline. Tracks are horizontal lanes that hold your media.

Later in this project, you'll add a second track (V2) for text overlays. For now, all your video clips live together on V1.

Choose your clip order intentionally

Think about visual variety. Alternate between close-up shots (a coffee pour, steam rising) and wider shots (a cafe interior, someone holding a cup). This creates a more engaging rhythm for the viewer.

Clips not appearing on the Timeline?

Make sure you are dragging clips from the Playlist panel, not from File Explorer directly onto the Timeline. The clips need to be in the Playlist first.

If you accidentally dropped a clip in the wrong position, click on it in the Timeline and press Delete on your keyboard to remove it, then drag it again from the Playlist to the correct spot.

Help me get clips onto my Shotcut Timeline.

Trim clips directly on the Timeline

Your raw clips are longer than you need. Trimming removes the unwanted seconds from the start or end of each clip so your final video hits the 30-second target.

  • Hover your mouse over the right edge of the first clip on the Timeline. Your cursor changes to a trim cursor (a bracket with an arrow).
  • Click and drag the edge inward (to the left) to shorten the clip. Trim it down to approximately 5-8 seconds.
  • Repeat this for each clip on the Timeline. You can also trim from the left edge to remove the beginning of a clip.
  • Check your total timeline length in the time display above the Timeline. Aim for approximately 30 seconds total.

What does trimming do?

Trimming is non-destructive. It hides the unwanted portion of a clip without deleting the original file. You can always drag the edge back outward to restore hidden footage.

This is different from splitting (cutting a clip into two pieces). Trimming adjusts where a clip starts or ends on the Timeline.

  • Press Home on your keyboard to move the playhead to the start of the Timeline.
  • Press the spacebar to play through your sequence and check the pacing.

You should see all your clips play one after another, with a total runtime of roughly 30 seconds.

Use J, K, and L for playback

Press L to play forward, K to pause, and J to play backward. Press L or J multiple times to speed up playback. These shortcuts work in almost every professional video editor.

Having trouble trimming?

If you can't see the trim cursor, zoom into the Timeline by pressing Ctrl+= (equals key) a few times. This makes the clips wider and the edges easier to grab.

If a gap appears between clips after trimming, right-click the empty space and select Remove to close the gap.

Help me trim clips on the Shotcut Timeline.

  • Save your project by pressing Ctrl+S.

Your rough cut is assembled. Next up, you'll add smooth transitions between clips and place a title card over the opening seconds of your video.

Add Transitions and a Text Overlay

Your clips are lined up on the Timeline, but right now they cut abruptly from one to the next. Real promotional videos use smooth transitions between shots and branded text to tie everything together.

In this step, you will create cross-dissolve transitions between each clip and add a "Dawn Brew" title card on a separate video track. These two techniques turn a sequence of raw clips into something that feels intentional and polished.

In this step, get ready to:
  • Add cross-dissolve transitions between each clip on your Timeline.
  • Create a new video track and place a text overlay on it.
  • Style and position the "Dawn Brew" title text.
Add cross-dissolve transitions between clips

A cross-dissolve is a transition where one clip fades out while the next clip fades in simultaneously. In Shotcut, you create a cross-dissolve by dragging one clip so it slightly overlaps the previous clip on the same track.

  • In the Timeline, locate the second clip on track V1.
  • Click and drag the second clip to the left so it overlaps the end of the first clip by about 1 second.
  • Release the mouse button.

Shotcut automatically creates a dissolve transition in the overlap region. You will see a diagonal pattern appear where the two clips meet.

  • Repeat this process for each pair of adjacent clips on your Timeline.
  • Drag the third clip to overlap the second by about 1 second.
  • Drag the fourth clip to overlap the third by about 1 second.
  • If you have a fifth clip, drag it to overlap the fourth by about 1 second.

You should now have 3-4 transitions total across your Timeline.

What does a cross-dissolve look like on the Timeline?

Each transition appears as a short diagonal-pattern region where two clips overlap. The overlapping section is typically shown with a cross-hatch or gradient icon between the two clip thumbnails.

The 1-second overlap means your total Timeline runtime decreases slightly (by about 3-4 seconds total) since the clips now share frames during each transition.

  • Press Home on your keyboard to move the playhead to the start of the Timeline.
  • Press Space to play through your video and check that each transition blends smoothly.
  • Save your project by pressing Ctrl+S.

Clips snapping back instead of overlapping?

Make sure you are dragging the entire clip (not just its edge) to the left. If you hover over the edge, you will trigger the trim tool instead of moving the clip.

Click in the center of the clip and drag it leftward until it overlaps the previous clip. You should see the clip "stack" on top of the end of the previous one.

Still stuck? Help me create transitions between my clips in Shotcut.

Add a title text overlay

Your video needs a branded title at the beginning. To overlay text on top of your footage, you will place it on a separate video track above V1.

  • Right-click the track header area (the gray area at the far left of the Timeline where it says V1).
  • Select Add Video Track from the context menu.

A new track labeled V2 appears above V1. Higher tracks overlay everything below them, which is exactly what you want for text on top of video.

  • Move the playhead to the very beginning of the Timeline by pressing Home.
  • In the menu bar, click File.
  • Click New, then click Text.

Why use a separate text clip instead of a filter?

Adding text as a standalone clip on its own track gives you independent control over when the text appears and how long it stays on screen. If you applied a text filter directly to a video clip, the text would be locked to that clip's duration and any other filters would affect both the text and the video.

The Text dialog opens with a large text box and options for the text generator type.

  • Make sure Simple is selected as the text generator type.
  • Clear any default text in the large text box.
  • Type Dawn Brew into the text box.
  • Leave the Background color set to transparent (the default).
  • Click Add To Timeline to place the text clip on the Timeline.

Where does the text clip land?

Shotcut places the text clip at the current playhead position. Since you moved the playhead to the beginning and V2 is the current track, the text clip appears at the start of V2. If it landed on a different track, simply drag it up to V2.

  • Trim the text clip on V2 to 3-4 seconds duration by hovering over its right edge until you see the trim cursor, then dragging it inward.
  • Save your project by pressing Ctrl+S.
Position and style the text

The text is on the Timeline, but it still needs styling to look like a professional title card. Shotcut automatically applied a Text: Simple filter to your text clip, which is where you control the font, size, and color.

  • Click the text clip on track V2 to select it (a red border appears around it).
  • Open the Filters panel by going to View in the menu bar and clicking Filters (if the panel is not already visible).

You should see the Text: Simple filter already listed in the Filters panel.

  • Click on the Text: Simple filter entry to expand its settings.
  • Change the font to a clean, readable font (such as Arial or Segoe UI).
  • Increase the font size so the title is large and clearly readable in the preview window.
  • Set the text color to white by clicking the color swatch next to the font color option.
  • In the preview window above the Timeline, verify the text appears centered on screen.

Centering your text quickly

The Text: Simple filter positions text in the center of the frame by default. If yours has shifted, look for the position preset dropdown in the filter settings and select the center option.

  • Press Home and then Space to preview the first few seconds of your video.
  • Confirm the white "Dawn Brew" title appears over your video footage for 3-4 seconds, then disappears.
  • Save your project by pressing Ctrl+S.

Text not showing up in the preview?

Make sure the text clip is on track V2 (above V1). If it is on the same track as your video clips, it will replace the video instead of overlaying it.

Check that the V2 track is not hidden. Look at the track header on the left and make sure the eye icon (or hide toggle) is not active.

Also verify the playhead is positioned within the first 3-4 seconds where the text clip exists.

Need more help? My Dawn Brew text is not appearing over the video in the preview.

Your Timeline now has polished transitions between every clip and a professional title card at the start. Next up, you will apply color correction to give all your footage a consistent warm coffee-shop tone, then export the final video.

Apply Color Correction and Export

Your timeline is assembled with smooth transitions and a branded title card. The footage looks good, but it still looks like raw stock video. Each clip was filmed under different lighting conditions, so the overall mood feels inconsistent.

In this step, you will apply a warm color correction to every clip for a cohesive coffee-shop tone, preview the full video to confirm everything works together, and export the finished product as a professional .mp4 file.

In this step, get ready to:
  • Apply a Color Grading filter to each clip for a warm, consistent look.
  • Preview the full 30-second video from start to finish.
  • Export the final video as a 1080p H.264 .mp4 file.
Apply color correction for a warm coffee-shop tone

The Color Grading filter in Shotcut gives you independent control over shadows, midtones, and highlights using color wheels. By shifting the midtones toward orange and yellow, you create a warm tone that ties all your coffee footage together visually.

  • Click your first clip on Track V1 in the Timeline to select it.
  • Open the Filters panel by going to View > Filters in the top menu (if it is not already visible).
  • Click the + button at the top of the Filters panel to add a new filter.
  • Type Color Grading in the search box that appears.
  • Click Color Grading in the results to add it to your clip.

You should now see three color wheels in the Filters panel: Shadows (Lift), Midtones (Gamma), and Highlights (Gain).

  • In the Midtones (Gamma) color wheel, click and drag the black dot in the center slightly toward the orange/yellow area of the wheel.
  • Keep the shift subtle. A small movement has a large visual impact on midtones.

What does Color Grading do?

The Color Grading filter applies tonal color correction by adjusting shadows, midtones, and highlights independently. Moving the midtones wheel toward a color pushes that color into the mid-level brightness range where most image detail lives.

For a warm coffee-shop look, you only need to nudge the midtones toward orange/yellow. This creates visual warmth without making the footage look unnatural.

Now apply the same filter to your remaining clips using Copy and Paste Filters.

  • With the first clip still selected, open the Filters panel.
  • Click the Copy Filters icon (two overlapping pages) at the bottom of the Filters panel.
  • Select Copy All from the menu that appears.
  • Click your second clip on the Timeline to select it.
  • In the Filters panel, click the Paste Filters icon (clipboard) at the bottom of the panel.
  • Repeat the paste step for each remaining clip on Track V1.

Speed up with bulk paste

You can also select multiple clips at once by holding Ctrl while clicking each clip. Then right-click one of the selected clips and choose Apply Copied Filters from the context menu to paste to all of them in one action.

Scrub through your timeline to confirm each clip now has the warm orange/yellow tone applied consistently.

Filter not showing on other clips?

Make sure you clicked Copy All (not Copy Current) before pasting. If the Paste icon is greyed out, re-select the source clip, copy again, then select the destination clip and paste.

Why isn't my Color Grading filter pasting to other clips?

Preview your full video

Before exporting, you want to watch the entire video end-to-end to catch any issues with transitions, text readability, or color consistency.

  • Press Home on your keyboard to move the playhead to the very beginning of your timeline.
  • Press the spacebar to play the full video (or press L for forward playback).
  • Watch the full 30 seconds and check three things: transitions flow smoothly between clips, the "Dawn Brew" text is clearly readable, and the warm color looks consistent across all clips.

What to look for during preview

  • Transitions should dissolve evenly without a visible jump or hard cut.
  • White text should stand out against the footage underneath. If it disappears, you may need to reposition it or add a slight shadow.
  • The warm tone should feel natural. If any clip looks significantly more orange than the others, select it and reduce the midtone shift slightly.
  • Make any final adjustments you notice. If a clip's color looks too strong, click it, open the Color Grading filter in the Filters panel, and pull the midtones dot back toward the center slightly.
Export the final video

Your video is complete on the timeline. Now you need to render it into a single video file that any media player can open. This process is called exporting.

  • Click the Export button in the top toolbar of Shotcut.
  • In the presets list on the left side of the Export panel, scroll down and select H.264 High Profile.
  • Verify that Resolution shows 1920x1080 and Frame Rate shows 30.
  • Click Export File at the bottom of the panel.
  • In the Save dialog, navigate to your DawnBrew folder at C:\Users\[YourName]\Videos\DawnBrew.
  • Name the file DawnBrew_Final.mp4 and click Save.

What is H.264 High Profile?

H.264 is the most widely supported video compression standard. The High Profile setting gives you the best balance of quality and file size for HD content. It produces a standard .mp4 file that plays on virtually any device or platform.

  • Watch the progress in the Jobs panel (it appears automatically at the right side of the screen). The export may take 1-3 minutes depending on your system.
  • Wait for the progress bar to reach 100% and show a green checkmark.

Why does exporting take time?

Shotcut performs all rendering on your CPU. It reads every frame of your timeline, applies all filters and transitions, and compresses the result into the final file. A 30-second video at 1080p 30fps means the encoder processes 900 frames.

  • Once the export completes, open File Explorer and navigate to your DawnBrew folder.
  • Double-click DawnBrew_Final.mp4 to open it in Windows Media Player (or your default video player).
  • Confirm the video plays your full 30-second edit with transitions, text overlay, and warm color grading.

Export stuck or failed?

If the Jobs panel shows a red X or the export appears frozen, check that you have enough free disk space (at least 500 MB) in your DawnBrew folder. Close any other heavy applications to free up CPU resources, then try the export again.

If the exported file plays but looks different from your preview (wrong color, missing text), make sure you saved your project before exporting. Go to File > Save, then re-export.

Help me troubleshoot my Shotcut export

Secret mission

Keyframe Animation on Your Title

Your title card works, but it just appears on screen all at once. Professional videos use animated text that draws the viewer's eye. In this mission, you'll learn keyframes to make your "Dawn Brew" title fade in and slide upward from the bottom of the screen.

Clean Up Your Resources

Clean Up Your Resources

Decide whether to keep your resources running, pause them to come back later, or delete them entirely.

This project runs entirely locally, so there are no ongoing costs. The only consideration is disk space.

Resources you used:

  • Shotcut 26.4.30 installation (~200 MB).
  • DawnBrew project folder at C:\Users\[YourName]\Videos\DawnBrew\ (project file, footage, exported video).

Keep everything running

No action needed. Choose this if you plan to continue editing your video or want to use Shotcut for future projects.

  • Your DawnBrew.mlt project file stays in your Videos folder, ready to reopen anytime.
  • Shotcut remains installed and accessible from your Start Menu.
  • Your exported DawnBrew_Final.mp4 is ready to share or upload to a portfolio.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Close Shotcut to free up system memory. Your project files remain on disk so you can pick up where you left off.

  • Close Shotcut by clicking the X button or pressing Alt+F4.
  • Your project file and footage stay in C:\Users\[YourName]\Videos\DawnBrew\ until you are ready to return.
  • To resume later, open Shotcut and go to File > Open File, then select DawnBrew.mlt.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Remove all project files and uninstall Shotcut to reclaim disk space.

  • Delete the DawnBrew project folder. Open File Explorer, navigate to C:\Users\[YourName]\Videos\, right-click the DawnBrew folder, and select Delete.
  • Empty your Recycle Bin to permanently free the disk space.
  • Uninstall Shotcut. Press the Windows key, type Add or remove programs, and press Enter.
  • In the Installed apps list, search for Shotcut.
  • Click the three-dot menu next to Shotcut and select Uninstall. Follow the prompts to complete removal.

Nice Work!

Nice Work!

Nice work! You've just created a portfolio-ready promotional video using Shotcut, taking raw stock footage all the way to a polished 1080p export.

You've learned how to:

  • Built a multi-clip timeline with precision trimming and smooth cross-dissolve transitions between clips sourced from Pexels.
  • Created a text overlay on a separate video track and applied Color Grading filters for a consistent warm tone across every clip.
  • Exported a professional 1080p H.264 .mp4 video ready for any portfolio or platform.
  • Secret Mission: Animated your title with keyframe-driven fade-in and slide-up motion.

Ready to quiz yourself?