What is a vertical clip?
A vertical clip is a short moment cut from a long video, like a sermon, a podcast or a livestream, and delivered in 9:16 for Reels, Shorts and TikTok. A good clip makes sense on its own, outside the original context, opens with a hook and comes captioned, because many people watch without sound.
Also called: clip, short, short-form clip
One long video, many clips
An hour-long episode yields clips of different types, each with its own score and length.
Why vertical clips work
They take the best of long content to people who will never watch a full hour. One service, one episode or one class can fill a week of posts.
The hard part is finding the moments that stand on their own and getting each one ready: vertical, with the right person in frame, captions and a strong start.
Clips in FilmScribe
Upload a video or paste a YouTube link and we find 4 to 60 clips, each with a score from 0 to 100 and a moment type. You adjust the start and end word by word and download in 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, 16:9 or the original format, with the camera on the speaker, captions and a template.
Paid plans have no watermark. Clips run up to 15 minutes on Pro and have no limit on Studio and Agency (25 minutes with captions). Audio does not produce clips.
Automatic clips The best moments of your video scored 0 to 100, vertical and captioned, ready to post. See the clips →Picking clips that stand alone
- 01
Watch it as a stranger
If the clip needs the previous five minutes to make sense, or mentions “what I said earlier,” trim it or pick another moment. Someone scrolling has none of that context.
- 02
End on the payoff
Cut right after the punchline, the answer or the conclusion. A clip that drifts into the next topic ends flat and gives people no reason to watch it again.
- 03
One clip, one idea
If a moment covers two points, split it into two clips. Each one gets a cleaner opening, a clearer ending and a title that says exactly what it is about.
Related terms
See all terms →Frequently asked questions
How long should a clip be?
It depends on the content. Hooks and humor work in 30 seconds or less; stories and teaching need 60 to 90 seconds to land. In FilmScribe, you pick the length range at upload.
Are a clip and a snippet the same thing?
A snippet is the speech as it was recorded. A clip is the snippet prepared for social: vertical, with captions, a template and the camera on the speaker.
Can I make clips from a YouTube livestream?
Yes. Paste the livestream link: it is processed once the replay is available. Pick just the part you need so you do not spend hours on the rest.
Captions, clips and paper edits. All in one place.
Upload a video or paste a YouTube link. We transcribe every word with its timing, and you take the result to social media or to your editor.
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.