Video clipping using API

Did you know? Over 70% of online videos are clipped into shorter highlights for social media and promotions. For developers, the challenge isn’t just creating these clips, it’s doing it at scale, integrating with existing workflows, and ensuring reliability under heavy workloads.

In this blog, we’ll dive into why video clipping is a critical feature for modern platforms, how APIs simplify complex workflows, and how FastPix can help. We’ll also explore how leveraging data and AI can help you create smarter, more impactful clips.

What is video clipping and why you need an API

Video clipping is the process of extracting shorter segments from a longer video whether it’s creating a highlight or isolating specific moments for repurposing. For developers building video platforms, this capability is crucial for use cases like live sports highlights, webinar recaps, or promotional teasers. But achieving this efficiently, especially at scale, is no easy task. That’s where a Video Clipping API becomes essential.

Manually doing it videos involves using traditional editing tools, which is time-intensive, error-prone, and doesn’t scale well for platforms handling large volumes of content, like User-Generated Content (UGC). Imagine moderating a library of thousands of videos the ability to trim specific scenes quickly and accurately is non-negotiable for maintaining efficiency and content quality.

A Video clipping API automates the process, enabling developers to:

• Streamline workflows: Automate the isolation of relevant video segments directly within your application, avoiding the need for external editing tools.
• Scale effortlessly: Handle large video libraries or real-time content (like live streams) without introducing bottlenecks.
• Reduce errors: Leverage precise, programmatic controls to eliminate the risks of human error.
• Enhance compliance: Quickly extract sensitive or non-compliant content to ensure adherence to guidelines.

For example, with an API, extracting a highlight of the last goal from a live sports broadcast or isolating a key moment from a lengthy webinar can happen in seconds, with no manual intervention. This not only saves time but ensures a consistent and reliable output.

Challenges of video clipping for developers

It may seem simple, but it’s filled with challenges, especially for developers. Here’s why:

• Keyframe dependency: Videos are encoded in chunks called keyframes. The start and end times for clips rarely align perfectly with keyframes. Fast clipping starts at the nearest keyframe, often leaving unwanted seconds at the beginning or end. This inaccuracy can’t always be ignored.‍
• Balancing speed and accuracy: Accurate clipping requires transcoding, which is slow and resource-heavy. While transcoding trims extra material to match exact timestamps, it’s impractical for large-scale workflow.
• ‍Quality issues: Clipping video edges without re-encoding can cause visible quality loss. Keeping clips sharp and accurate demands advanced techniques
• ‍Scaling problems: Managing large numbers of videos or processing clips in real-time needs better infrastructure. This is especially tough for platforms handling UGC or live events.
  

How FastPix can help with these challenges

FastPix Clipping API is designed to tackle these challenges head-on. It combines speed, accuracy, and ease of integration, helping developers extract precise video segments without compromising on quality or efficiency.

‍Step-by-Step guide to creating video clips with FastPix

Step 1: Upload your video to FastPix

Before you can create a clip, you first need to upload a video to FastPix. Follow these steps to upload your video:

1.     Sign up for FastPix:

2.     Get your API access token:

• After signing up, log into your FastPix dashboard.
• Navigate to Org Settings and generate a new Access Token (This is needed to authenticate your requests).

3.     Upload your video:

• You need the Media ID of the video you want to clip. Here’s how to upload:
• Use the following POST request to upload the video:

curl -X POST 'https://v1.fastpix.io/on-demand' \  --user {Access Token ID}:{Secret Key} \  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \  -d '{    "inputs": [      {        "type": "video",        "url": "https://static.fastpix.io/sample.mp4"      }    ],    "metadata": {      "key1": "value1"    },    "accessPolicy": "public",    "maxResolution": "1080p"  }'

4.     Response:

• After the video is uploaded, FastPix will return a Media ID in the response. You’ll use this ID to reference the video for clipping.
• Example Response:

Step 2: Create a clip from the uploaded video

Once you have your video uploaded and the Media ID, follow these steps to create a clip:

1.     Clipping requirements:

• Make sure the original video and the clip are in the same workspace.
• You need to use the Media ID of the uploaded video with the prefix fp_mediaId://.

2.     Set start and end time:

• Choose the start and end times for your clip (in seconds). For example, if you want to clip the first 30 seconds, use startTime: 0 and endTime: 8.

3.     Make the request to create the clip:

• Use the following POST request to create a clip from the uploaded video:

curl -X POST 'https://v1.fastpix.io/on-demand' \  --user {Access Token ID}:{Secret Key} \  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \  -d '{    "inputs": [      {        "type": "video",        "url": "fp_mediaId://0dde8722-278b-49e2-b0c8-52b57aaf2843",        "startTime": 0,        "endTime": 8      }    ],    "metadata": {      "key1": "value1"    },    "accessPolicy": "public",    "maxResolution": "1080p"  }'

• Replace the Media ID with the one from your uploaded video, and set the startTime and endTime for the clip you want to create.

Step 3: Handle the response for the clip

Once you submit the request, FastPix will process the clip and return a response containing a new Media ID and Playback ID for the clip.

Example response for a created clip:

{  "success": true,  "data": {    "id": "6a205f8b-ef52-4c4a-8fe8-33d4564454eb",    "status": "created",    "playbackIds": [      {        "id": "87d9774a-96f0-4254-8326-77aafb065731",        "accessPolicy": "public"      }    ]  }}

• Media ID: 6a205f8b-ef52-4c4a-8fe8-33d4564454eb (New clip ID)
• Playback ID: 87d9774a-96f0-4254-8326-77aafb065731 (ID used for playback URL)

Step 4: Watch your clip

To watch the video clip, you need to generate a playback URL using the Playback ID returned in the response.

Example of a playback URL:

https://stream.fastpix.io/87d9774a-96f0-4254-8326-77aafb065731.m3u8

‍

Step 5: Manage clips

You can create as many clips as you need from the same original video. However, each clip is treated as a new media entity in FastPix and will incur separate costs for storage and delivery.

To delete or manage your clips, refer to the FastPix API documentation for managing media and playback IDs.

Different use case of video clipping API

Sports streaming highlight:

Clipping is ideal for sports, where match highlights flood social media moments after a game. Platforms can capture and share thrilling gameplay, like a dramatic last-minute basketball win, showcasing player skills and engaging the gaming community.

Games steaming highlights:

Streamers can use video clipping to effortlessly extract their best moments like epic wins or funny fails from long gameplay sessions. This feature allows them to create engaging clips for social media and highlight reels, keeping their audience entertained and boosting their online presence.

Short-form video creation:

UGC platforms can significantly enhance user engagement by integrating a clipping API into their product. This functionality empowers users to create and share short, captivating videos seamlessly.

For example, Snapchat’s success can be attributed to its video editing features and filters, which are the main reason in driving user interaction. Similarly, a clipping API allows users to quickly produce and share engaging short-form content. By incorporating a clipping API, short-form video platforms can enhance user experience and boost platform usage, driving more interactive content creation.

Educational content:

Teachers can transform their educational content by cutting out key segments from longer lectures, creating concise, focused videos that highlight important topics and examples. These clips can be shared on learning platforms or social media, reaching a wider audience. Students also benefit as it allows them to focus on crucial concepts, making learning more efficient and enabling easy review of key information without unnecessary content.

Live streaming:

During a live stream, streamers can instantly create clips of key moments, like exciting gameplay or special interactions, and share them on social media to attract more viewers. Known as live clipping, this allows streamers to highlight the best parts of their session without interrupting the flow. It also provides shareable content to engage new audiences who may have missed the live broadcast.‍

Video data and In-Video AI: Maximizing clipping impact

Video data analytics and in-video AI are a powerful combination for creating impactful, shareable clips. Video data allows you to analyze viewer engagement and pinpoint the moments that resonate most with your audience. For example, if analytics show that a fight scene is particularly popular movie, you can easily extract that moment and share it on social media, attracting new viewers and keeping your current audience engaged with content they enjoy.

In-video search takes clipping to the next level by allowing viewers to find specific moments through natural language queries. For example, a user could ask, "Show me the part where Tom Cruise is running," and instantly access the relevant clip, making it easier to find and create precise, engaging content.

Object detection enhances this process by identifying and tagging visual elements, such as products or characters, within the video. For instance, an online store could use object detection to scan product demo videos, clip sections featuring a new smartphone, and share them on the product page, boosting customer engagement and supporting marketing campaigns.

Wrapping up…

Video clipping is essential for creating engaging, shareable content at scale. With a powerful API like FastPix, developers can streamline workflows, maintain high quality, and handle large volumes of video efficiently. By incorporating AI and data insights, you can create smarter clips that captivate your audience and drive greater engagement.