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How to Prepare Footage for Automatic Video Editing

Sort your clips into one clear project, remove unusable files and check formats before uploading to an automatic editor.

Published 2026-09-20

To prepare footage for automatic video editing, put the clips for one event or one goal into a single folder, leave the rest of your archive out of it, and remove files that are obviously unusable. You do not need to cut anything by hand. A clear selection is what helps the editor most.

Automatic editing works best with a tidy set of files, not a random mix of unrelated recordings. When everything in the project belongs to the same event or the same purpose, the tool can follow the story without guessing. Keep your original archive outside the working selection, so you always have the full material if you need it later.

Start with one project, one goal

Before you touch a single clip, decide what the video is for. A short video about one product, one service or one day at your shop is a clear goal. A folder that mixes a family trip, a customer meeting and last month's stock is not.

Give each project its own folder. If you film often, name the folder by date and subject, for example "2024-06-shop-opening". This takes a minute and saves confusion later.

You do not need to rename every file. You only need to know which files belong together.

Remove clips that are clearly unusable

There is no need to edit everything in advance. Just skip the accidental floor shot, the empty recording and the repeated copies of the same moment. This saves upload time and later decisions.

If the editor lets you mark important moments, use it. A short note such as "the owner speaking" or "the new machine" helps more than a perfect file name.

  • Delete or move aside clips of the floor, pockets and accidental starts - Remove empty recordings with no picture or no sound - Drop duplicate copies of the same shot - Keep one version of each moment you actually want - Mark the clips that must appear in the final video - Note the correct names of people and places - Write down the result you want, in one sentence

Write down the correct names, the place and the result you want. A tool cannot know that a quiet shot is the only photo of a specific person. If something matters to you, say it clearly.

Check that the files are technically usable

Open a few files and check that they have both picture and sound. Files you received through a messenger app are often reduced copies. If the original from the phone is available, it is usually better to start with that one.

Before a large upload, check the formats, file size and length limits of the service you plan to use. A small test project shows any problem before you upload the whole album.

Good preparation does not mean more work. It means not carrying unnecessary mess into the editor.

Match the footage to the tool's limits

Every automatic editor has rules about what it accepts. Read them once and keep them in mind while you sort.

Relsko accepts up to 50 files per upload and 200 files per project. A single file can be up to 2 GB, and each video clip should be between 10 and 35 seconds long. It turns your own phone clips and photos into short vertical videos at 1080x1920 for Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

It never adds stock footage or generated scenes. Everything in the final video comes from what you filmed. That is another reason to keep only the clips you actually want to see.

Prepare the information the editor will ask for

After you upload, the assistant asks at most a couple of questions. It then proposes three concepts. You pick one, and Relsko produces three cut variants of that concept. You download the one you like.

This flow is short, so the answers you give matter. Have the correct names ready. Know the place and the goal. If you want text in the video, remember that the interface, assistant, speech transcription and in-video text work in 16 languages, and a finished video's text can be translated into any of the other 15.

A simple order of work

  • Choose one event or one goal for the project - Copy those files into a separate folder - Remove unusable and duplicate clips - Mark the moments that must appear - Write down names, place and the wanted result - Check formats, size and length limits - Run a small test upload first - Upload the full selection only when the test works

When your selection is ready, upload the footage to Relsko. Answer the short questions, choose one of the three proposed concepts, and download the cut variant that fits best. Standard export is available to everyone, and animated captions are in beta. You can register for 30 days of full access without a card, and invitations extend it. After that, a free level with a small watermark remains available.

In short: You do not need editing skills to prepare footage for automatic editing, just one clear project, a few removed files and the right names written down.

Questions people ask next

Do I need to edit my clips before uploading them?
No. You only need to remove files that are clearly unusable, such as accidental floor shots, empty recordings and duplicates. The automatic editor handles the cutting itself.
How many files can I upload at once?
Relsko accepts up to 50 files per upload and 200 files per project. Each file can be up to 2 GB, and video clips should be between 10 and 35 seconds long.
What happens after I upload my footage?
The assistant asks at most a couple of questions and proposes three concepts. You pick one, and Relsko produces three cut variants of that concept for you to download.

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