3x Speedup Transcode Job for Kdenlive

Somehow Ffmpeg is the Chuck Norris of video processing, not least for speeding up raw video footage. However, better tame it through Kdenlive's transcode jobs. This way, speeding up video footage is only a single click away. And it is neatly integrated into the Kdenlive project workflow.

Taming Chuck Ffmpeg Norris

Luckily, Kdenlive users can easily create new transcode jobs using Ffmpeg. Simply choose «Settings», then «Configure Kdenlive...» from the main menu.

Adding a new 3x transcode job.

Next, goto the «Transcode» section in Kdenlive's configuration dialog. You should now see the list of existing jobs.

Simply define a new Ffmpeg transcoding job (called «profile» in Kdenlive) by filling in the input fields below this profile list. The make sure to click on «Add Profile». For a 3x speedup without sound, enter this:

1. Name: Speedup 3x
2. Description: Speedup 3x without audio
3. Extension: mp4
4. Parameters: -an -filter:v setpts=(1/3)*PTS

That's it. As for the extension you may choose another extension as well. Make sure to click on «Add Profile». Close the configuration dialog.

Using the Speedup 3x Profile

Now, in any Kdenlive project simply right click on a suitable video clip. Choose «Transcode». If this menu choice is missing then your clip is not eligible for Chuck Norris, err, ffmpeg.

You'll next see a dialog allowing you to change the file name for the speedup video. As the source clip is already an «.mp4» file and our profile also specifies «.mp4» as the desired extension, we end up with Kdenlive proposing «.mp4.mp4». Simply change this to something more useful, such as «x3.mp4».

Hit «OK» to run the transcode job. Depending on the clip's size you should soon get the completed newly transcoded clip added to your project. Sweet, isn't it?