Field guide
FanEdit signal pageHow to Make a Velocity Edit
To make a velocity edit, choose clips with readable motion, mark the important beats, place the strongest action on the musical payoff, build speed ramps into and out of those moments, smooth the result with interpolation when needed, and review every frame for clarity.
By FanEdit Editorial Team · Updated Aug 17, 2026
Frame 01
Choose clips that can survive a speed ramp
Velocity works best when the subject and direction of motion remain legible. A blurry pan or hidden face becomes harder to understand when speed changes are added.
- 01Prioritize clear subject motion
- 02Leave handles before and after the action
- 03Avoid stacking several unreadable shots
Frame 02
Build the ramp around the music
Mark the beat, impact, vocal, or silence first. Slow down before the payoff, accelerate through the transition, and let the clearest frame land where the audience expects the hit.
- 01Map the hook, build, drop, and aftershock
- 02Use fewer, stronger ramps
- 03Watch the edit without effects before polishing
Frame 03
Protect image quality and comfort
Frame interpolation can smooth slow motion, but it can also warp faces, hands, hair, text, and fast backgrounds. Inspect difficult frames and reduce the effect when artifacts become the story.
- 01Use source footage with enough frames
- 02Check flashes and shake for accessibility
- 03Preview at the actual phone size