How to Speed Up a Clip in After Effects (Step-by-Step)

Adobe After Effects is a powerful tool that allows creatives to edit, enhance, and animate their video content in dozens of ways. One common feature used by video editors is the ability to speed up a clip — useful for time-lapses, fast-forward effects, or compressing lengthy footage into a shorter timeframe without losing essential visual content. Knowing how to efficiently speed up a clip in After Effects can raise the production value of your project significantly.

TL;DR: Speeding up a clip in After Effects is a straightforward process. You’ll need to import your clip, place it in a timeline composition, and then use Time Stretch or Time Remapping features. The Time Stretch method is more straightforward, while Time Remapping offers more control over speed changes. Follow the steps below to improve your editing skills and achieve a dynamic, fast-paced effect in your videos.

Step 1: Import Your Footage

Begin by launching Adobe After Effects and importing the video clip you want to speed up.

• Open your project or create a new one.
• Go to File > Import > File.
• Select your video file and click Open.

The video will now appear in your project panel, ready for use.

Step 2: Create a Composition

Once your clip is imported, you need to create a composition from it:

• Drag the video clip from the Project panel to the New Composition icon at the bottom of the panel.
• This will automatically match the composition settings to your video’s parameters (resolution, frame rate, duration).

Your video is now placed in a timeline where you can begin making speed adjustments.

Step 3: Choose a Speed-Up Method

There are two primary ways to speed up a clip in After Effects:

1. Time Stretch
2. Time Remapping

Each method has its strengths. We’ll cover both so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

Method 1: Time Stretch (Quick and Simple)

This method is best when you want to apply a uniform speed change to an entire clip.

1. Select your video layer in the timeline.
2. Right-click the layer and choose Time > Time Stretch.
3. In the Time Stretch dialog box, reduce the Stretch Factor below 100%. Lower numbers make the video faster. For example, 50% doubles the speed.
4. Click OK.

After completing these steps, your video will play at a faster rate. Voice or audio will also be sped up—note that speeding audio can cause it to sound unnatural if not adjusted accordingly.

Method 2: Time Remapping (Flexible and More Advanced)

If you want greater control, for example speeding up only a part of the video while keeping other parts at normal speed, use Time Remapping:

1. Right-click the video layer and select Time > Enable Time Remapping.
2. You’ll see a new property called Time Remap with keyframes at the start and end of the clip.
3. To speed up a certain section, add keyframes by moving the timeline playhead and clicking the diamond icon (Add Keyframe).
4. Adjust the timing between keyframes. The closer the keyframes are, the faster that section will play.
5. Drag keyframes closer together to increase speed between them.

This approach gives you precise control over speed variations, allowing you to create dramatic effects like gradual speed-ups or slowdowns within a single clip.

Step 4: Smooth Out Playback (Optional)

If your footage looks choppy after speeding it up—especially if you used time remapping—you can try enabling frame blending:

• Click the Frame Blending switch (it looks like a series of overlapping film frames) on the timeline for your video layer.
• Also toggle frame blending in the timeline’s main switches panel so that After Effects calculates and blends intermediate frames.

Frame blending helps smooth transitions between frames in high-speed sequences.

Step 5: Adjust Audio (Optional)

Speeding up video affects associated audio. If you want to adjust or retain audio pitch:

• Consider separating the audio from the video.
• Edit the audio in a dedicated audio editing tool like Adobe Audition or Audacity to correct pitch and tempo.
• You can also import a different, faster-paced soundtrack that matches your video’s new timing more naturally.

Note that After Effects isn’t designed for extensive audio work, so using external tools for audio modifications is best.

Step 6: Preview and Export

Before finalizing your changes, preview the clip to ensure smooth playback:

• Press the spacebar or use the RAM Preview functionality to test playback in real-time.

If you’re satisfied with the result, proceed to export your edited video:

1. Go to File > Export > Add to Render Queue.
2. Set your render preferences (format, output module, destination).
3. Click Render to generate the final video.

Tips for Professional Results

Here are some additional tips for speeding up clips in After Effects more effectively:

• Use frame rates that match the look you want: Higher frame rates can smooth out motion if you’re speeding up a clip dramatically.
• Avoid over-processing: Use speed-ups judiciously. Too much or unnecessary speed variation can be jarring.
• Visual cues help: Pair your speed effects with zooms, cuts, or graphics to emphasize action or narration.

Conclusion

Speeding up a clip in After Effects can have a significant impact on the pace and energy of your project. Whether you’re creating time-lapse content, shortening a long scene, or adding excitement to an otherwise slow segment, mastering this technique is essential for any video editor working in After Effects.

By understanding both the Time Stretch and Time Remapping methods, and combining them with careful audio and visual design, you can confidently manipulate time in your videos while maintaining quality and creative control.

Take the time to experiment with different speeds and transitions to see what works best for your content—and don’t hesitate to use frame blending and advanced keyframing techniques to polish your final result.