Jiaying Tool (剪映工具)

Overview

Jiaying (CapCut) is Xiaohongshu's preferred video editing tool - a free, feature-rich app that enables creators to produce professional-quality short videos with effects, transitions, subtitles, and music optimization for mobile viewing.

When to Use

Use when:

• Creating short videos for Xiaohongshu (under 5 minutes)
• Adding effects and transitions to video clips
• Adding subtitles or text overlays
• Adding background music or sound effects
• Adjusting video speed or applying filters
• Creating before-and-after comparison videos

Do NOT use when:

• Need advanced color grading (use DaVinci Resolve)
• Editing long-form video over 10 minutes (use Premiere/Final Cut)
• Need complex 3D effects (use After Effects)

Core Pattern

Before (raw, unedited footage):

❌ Single long take, boring
❌ No subtitles, hard to understand
❌ Poor audio, inconsistent volume
❌ No effects or transitions

After (professionally edited):

✅ 15-60 seconds, tightly edited
✅ Clear subtitles and text overlays
✅ Balanced audio with music
✅ Smooth transitions and engaging effects

8 Core Editing Features:

1. Trim & Cut - Remove unwanted footage
2. Text & Subtitles - Add captions and titles
3. Music & Audio - Add background music and sound effects
4. Effects & Filters - Color grading and visual effects
5. Transitions - Smooth cuts between clips
6. Speed Control - Slow motion or time-lapse
7. Stickers & Overlays - Add decorative elements
8. Auto-Captions - AI-powered subtitle generation

Quick Reference

Feature	Shortcut	Use Case
Split	Tap clip → Split	Cut out mistakes or pauses
Delete	Tap clip → Delete	Remove unwanted footage
Text	Text button	Add titles, subtitles
Music	Audio → Music	Add background music
Effects	Effects button	Add visual effects
Transitions	Between clips	Smooth cuts
Speed	Speed button	Slow mo or timelapse
Export	Export button	Save final video

Implementation

Step 1: Import and Organize Footage

Open Jiaying:

1. Download Jiaying app (App Store or Google Play)
2. Tap "Start Creating" (开始创作)
3. Select video clips from camera roll
4. Tap "Add" (添加) to import

Organize clips:

• Drag to reorder clips
• Preview full sequence
• Trim unwanted parts (see Step 2)

Step 2: Trim and Cut Clips

Basic editing:

1. Trim start/end: Tap clip, drag yellow handles
2. Split clip: Tap clip → tap "Split" (分割) at playhead position
3. Delete section: Tap unwanted section → tap "Delete" (删除)

Pro tip: Trim to 15-60 seconds for optimal Xiaohongshu performance (attention spans are short).

Step 3: Add Text and Subtitles

Add title:

1. Tap "Text" (文字) button
2. Choose text style (recommended: bold, white with black outline)
3. Type title text
4. Adjust size and position (center top or bottom)
5. Set duration (when text appears/disappears)

Add subtitles:

1. Tap "Text" → "Auto Captions" (自动识别字幕)
2. Let AI transcribe audio (free feature)
3. Edit mistakes if needed
4. Choose subtitle style (white text, black outline recommended)
5. Position at bottom (don't cover important content)

Text overlays:

• Use sparingly (3-5 text overlays max per video)
• Key info only (product names, prices, key tips)
• Keep on screen 2-3 seconds minimum (readable)

Step 4: Add Music and Audio

Add background music:

1. Tap "Audio" (音频) → "Music" (音乐)
2. Browse or search for music
3. Tap "+" to add to project
4. Adjust volume (10-20% of voice volume)
5. Trim music to match video length

Volume balancing:

1. Tap "Volume" (音量) icon
2. Set original audio to 100%
3. Set music to 10-20% (background, not distraction)
4. Preview to ensure voice is clear

Sound effects (optional):

1. Tap "Audio" → "Effects" (音效)
2. Add transitions sounds (whoosh, pop, etc.)
3. Use sparingly (1-2 per video)

Step 5: Apply Effects and Filters

Color correction:

1. Tap "Filters" (滤镜)
2. Choose filter (recommended: "Natural" or "Bright")
3. Adjust intensity (50-70% for subtle enhancement)

Effects (optional):

1. Tap "Effects" (特效)
2. Browse categories (beauty, blur, artistic, etc.)
3. Tap effect to preview
4. Adjust intensity if available

Pro tip: Less is more. Subtle effects look more professional than heavy filters.

Step 6: Add Transitions

Between clips:

1. Tap transition icon between two clips
2. Choose transition type:
   • "Fade" (淡入淡出) - subtle, professional
   • "Dissolve" (叠化) - smooth, elegant
   • "Wipe" (擦除) - dynamic, engaging
3. Adjust duration (0.3-0.5 seconds recommended)

Pro tip: Use consistent transitions throughout video (don't mix many types).

Step 7: Adjust Speed (Optional)

Slow motion:

1. Tap clip → tap "Speed" (变速)
2. Choose speed below 1x (0.5x = half speed, 0.25x = quarter speed)
3. Use for: dramatic moments, detailed demonstrations

Speed up:

1. Tap clip → tap "Speed"
2. Choose speed above 1x (2x = double speed)
3. Use for: boring parts, processes, time-lapses

Pro tip: Use speed changes sparingly. Most content should be normal speed (1x).

Step 8: Export Video

Final preview:

1. Watch full video from start to finish
2. Check for: smooth cuts, clear audio, readable text, appropriate length
3. Make adjustments if needed

Export settings:

1. Tap "Export" (导出) button
2. Resolution: 1080p (recommended) or 4K if footage supports
3. Frame rate: 30fps (standard) or 60fps (smooth motion)
4. Codec: H.264 (standard, compatible)
5. Tap "Export" to save

Upload to Xiaohongshu:

1. Open Xiaohongshu app
2. Tap "+" → select video from camera roll
3. Add title, description, hashtags
4. Post!

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Why Happens	Fix
Video too long	Want to show everything	Cut to 15-60 seconds
Too many effects	Trying to be creative	Use 1-2 effects max
Music too loud	Sounds better in editing	Reduce to 10-20% volume
Subtitles too small	Aesthetic choice	Use large, readable text
Inconsistent transitions	Didn't plan ahead	Choose 1 style, use throughout

Real-World Impact

Well-edited videos (real examples):

• 15-second tutorial → 50K views (clear, fast, valuable)
• 30-second before-and-after → 100K views (dramatic, engaging)
• 60-second product review → 30K views (informative, well-structured)

Poorly edited videos:

• 3-minute unedited take → 200 views (boring, slow)
• No subtitles → 500 views (hard to understand, many mute)
• Music too loud → 300 views (annoying, closed quickly)

Key metric: Well-edited videos get 5-10x more views than raw footage.

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Related Skills:

• REQUIRED: short-video-production (complete video creation workflow)
• REQUIRED: script-writing (plan video content before editing)
• graphic-content-creation (create image content)
• cover-design (create video thumbnail)
• audio-processing (advanced audio editing)