All the ones that keep getting recommended have a UI like a cockpit of a Boeing 747 (kdenlive, shotcut, openshot, DaVinci resolve) which is so overwhelming, all I want is just make some cuts, blur a face, or something on the screen, and maybe add some subtitles.
I just want something simple, I am not gonna make the next Avatar movie.
I have a feeling there is nothing like this on linux but hey maybe one of you actually knows of one.


# CUT (fast, keyframe-aligned, no re-encode) ffmpeg -ss 00:01:30 -to 00:02:10 -i input.mp4 -c copy cut.mp4 # CUT (accurate, re-encode) ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -ss 00:01:30 -to 00:02:10 -c:v libx264 -c:a aac cut.mp4 # MERGE / CONCATENATE (same codecs, no re-encode) printf "file 'a.mp4'\nfile 'b.mp4'\n" > list.txt ffmpeg -f concat -safe 0 -i list.txt -c copy merged.mp4 # MERGE (different formats, re-encode) ffmpeg -i a.mp4 -i b.mp4 -filter_complex \ "[0:v][0:a][1:v][1:a]concat=n=2:v=1:a=1[v][a]" \ -map "[v]" -map "[a]" merged.mp4 # TRANSITION (video crossfade, keep audio from first clip) ffmpeg -i a.mp4 -i b.mp4 -filter_complex \ "[0:v][1:v]xfade=transition=fade:duration=1:offset=4[v]" \ -map "[v]" -map 0:a transition.mp4 # ADD TEXT (overlay) ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf \ "drawtext=text='Hello world':x=20:y=20:fontsize=32:fontcolor=white" \ -c:a copy text.mp4 # ADD AUDIO TRACK (replace existing audio) ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i music.mp3 \ -map 0:v -map 1:a -c:v copy -shortest out.mp4 # ADD AUDIO TRACK (mix with existing audio) ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i music.mp3 -filter_complex \ "[0:a][1:a]amix=inputs=2:duration=shortest[a]" \ -map 0:v -map "[a]" out.mp4 # CHANGE SPEED (2x video, drop audio) ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "setpts=0.5*PTS" -an fast.mp4 # SCALE / RESIZE ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=1280:720 resized.mp4 # SUBTITLES (burn in) ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf subtitles=subs.srt out.mp4Check out the docs for more https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-doc.html
Very interesting, but seems way more complicated than just using a UI. 😂
I super agree. I try to do as much as possible on Linux via GUI because I can remember where a button is, but I can’t remember all the flags and parameter quirks of each command.
I just enjoy looking shit up for strangers on the internet and being a smartass …
I have no problem using the terminal, its very useful, but trying to edit a video like that seems like an exercise in masochism.
for me even typing “sudo pacman -Syu” is masochism compared to just pressing the “Update” button in the gui package manager.
for one video, absolutely. for fifty? it’s a lifesaver.
Nice, I’ll be adding some if these to my recipes.