> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://fastpix.com/docs/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://fastpix.com/docs/_mcp/server. # Clip and trim videos FastPix lets you extract clips from existing on-demand assets for content repurposing and social sharing, pull highlights, promotional snippets, or chaptered segments without re-uploading the source video. Clips are useful for promotional snippets, social cut-downs, chaptered highlights, and ad-supported segment extraction from longer HLS assets. This guide explains how to create shorter video clips from media that's already uploaded to FastPix. You can extract any segment from a video by specifying a start time and end time. \ ## Prerequisites * A FastPix account with an active workspace ([Activate your account](/getting-started/activate-your-account)). * Your **Access Token ID** and **Secret Key** from the FastPix Dashboard → API Settings. FastPix uses these for HTTP Basic authentication. * A source `mediaId` in the same workspace. A `mediaId` is the unique identifier FastPix assigns to every on-demand asset when you upload or create it. * A decision on `accessPolicy`. The `accessPolicy` field controls who can play the resulting clip: `public` means anyone with the `playbackId` can stream it, and `private` restricts playback to signed URLs. \ ## How clipping works FastPix treats every clip as a new on-demand asset derived from a parent `mediaId`. When you create a clip, FastPix transcodes the requested segment, generates its own HLS renditions, and assigns a fresh `mediaId` and `playbackId`. The `playbackId` is a separate, access-controlled identifier used to build the stream URL `https://stream.fastpix.com/.m3u8`. Both the source and the clip must live in the same workspace. FastPix cuts on the nearest keyframe (GOP boundary) to your requested `startTime` and `endTime`, so the resulting duration can differ from the exact values you send by a few hundred milliseconds depending on the source GOP size. \ ## Create a clip using the API 1. You need the media ID of the video you want to clip. You can find it in the [FastPix dashboard](https://dashboard.fastpix.com/) under **Products > Media**, or retrieve it programmatically from a previous API response. A media ID looks like this: `5cfe8b2d-1c3a-4685-bd05-10fbc54c0015` 2. Send a `POST` to `https://api.fastpix.com/v1/on-demand`. In the `inputs` array, set `type` to `video` and `url` to `fp_mediaId://{Media_ID}`. Provide `startTime` and `endTime` in seconds. Omit them to clone the full source duration. **Request body:** **`Request`** ```json Request { "inputs": [ { "type": "video", "url": "fp_mediaId://{Media_ID}", "startTime": 0, "endTime": 60 } ], "accessPolicy":"public" } ``` > **NOTE**\ > In the request, replace `{Media_ID}` with your source `mediaId`. | Parameter | Type | Description | | -------------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `type` | string | Set to `video`. | | `url` | string | Source reference in the form `fp_mediaId://`. | | `startTime` | number | Clip start in seconds. Defaults to `0`. | | `endTime` | number | Clip end in seconds. Defaults to the source duration. | | `accessPolicy` | string | `public` or `private`. Controls playback access on the resulting `playbackId`. | **Response:** FastPix returns the new `mediaId`, the `sourceMediaId` (your parent asset), and an array of `playbackIds` with their access configuration. **`Response`** ```json Response { "success": true, "data": { "id": "1cb4c22f-d9f6-4019-8905-30e6784ec87b", "sourceMediaId": "5cfe8b2d-1c3a-4685-bd05-10fbc54c0015", "trial": false, "status": "Created", "createdAt": "2025-12-22T09:06:14.849415Z", "updatedAt": "2025-12-22T09:06:14.849435Z", "playbackIds": [ { "id": "652d5f58-5080-4459-b0bf-4250e9b71060", "accessPolicy": "public", "accessRestrictions": { "domains": { "defaultPolicy": "allow", "allow": [], "deny": [] }, "userAgents": { "defaultPolicy": "allow", "allow": [], "deny": [] } } } ], "mediaQuality": "standard", "title": "5cfe8b2d-1c3a-4685-bd05-10fbc54c0015", "sourceAccess": false, "maxResolution": "1080p", "inputs": [ { "type": "video", "url": "fp_mediaId://5cfe8b2d-1c3a-4685-bd05-10fbc54c0015", "startTime": 0, "endTime": 60 } ], "optimizeAudio": false } } ``` > **NOTE**\ > You can create an unlimited number of clips from a single source `mediaId`. Each clip is a new on-demand asset, so on-demand video pricing applies for encoding, storage, and delivery. \ ### Wait for the clip to become `ready` Clip encoding happens asynchronously. The clip's `status` starts as `"Created"` and changes to `"Ready"` when it's available for playback. The most reliable way to detect when a clip is ready is with webhooks. Listen for the `video.media ready` event on your webhook endpoint. See [Set up webhooks](/webhooks/set-up-webhooks) for instructions. Alternatively, poll the [Get media by ID](/video-on-demand-api/manage-videos/get-media) endpoint and check the `status` field. Don't poll more than once per second. \ ### Play the clip After the clip status is `"Ready"`, create a playback URL using the playback ID from the response: ``` https://stream.fastpix.com/{PLAYBACK_ID}.m3u8 ``` You can use this URL with any HLS-compatible player, including the [FastPix player](/web-player/install-the-fastpix-web-player). \ ## Create a clip using the FastPix dashboard If you prefer a visual interface, you can create clips directly from the FastPix dashboard without writing any code. To create a clip from the dashboard, you need to: 1. [Select your video](#select-your-video). 2. [Define the clip segment](#define-the-clip-segment). 3. [Choose the access policy](#choose-the-access-policy). 4. [Create and verify the clip](#create-and-verify-the-clip). \ ### Select your video 1. Open the [FastPix dashboard](https://dashboard.fastpix.com/) and go to **Products > Media**. 2. In the media list, select the video you want to clip. ### Define the clip segment 1. On the **Manage media** page, click the **Create Clips** tab. 2. Enter the **Start time** and **End time** for your clip in seconds. * Use the **Preview Clip** button to watch the exact segment before creating it. * Drag the **red** (start) and **green** (end) timeline handles to fine-tune your selection. * Use the **Zoom In (+)** and **Zoom Out (–)** buttons to adjust the timeline view for more precision. ![Fields for selecting clip start and end times](https://static.fastpix.com/fp-new-ui-create-clip-tab.png) ### Choose the access policy 1. Choose your **access policy** from the dropdown next to **Create as Public Clip**: * **Public**: Anyone with the playback URL can stream the clip. * **Private**: Access is restricted according to your workspace access policy. ![Access setting selector with Public and Private options](https://static.fastpix.com/fp-new-ui-create-clip-set-access.png) ### Create and verify the clip 1. Click **Create Clip**. FastPix processes and encodes the segment. ![Clip ready confirmation screen](https://static.fastpix.com/fp-new-ui-create-clip-ready.png) 2. The clip appears in your **Media list** as a new entry. Select it to view its **Playback IDs** and confirm its access settings. ![Clipped video generated in media list](https://static.fastpix.com/fp-new-ui-create-clip-media-list.png) \ ## Retrieve all clips for a source media Call the [Get all clips of a media](/video-on-demand-api/manage-videos/get-media-clips) endpoint with the source `mediaId` to list every clip derived from that parent. The response returns each clip's `id`, `duration`, `status`, `thumbnail`, and its `playbackIds` with `accessPolicy`. Replace `{ACCESS_TOKEN_ID}` and `{SECRET_KEY}` with your actual values. **Request:** ```bash curl -X GET 'https://api.fastpix.com/v1/on-demand/{MEDIA_ID}/media-clips' \ --user '{ACCESS_TOKEN_ID}:{SECRET_KEY}' ``` **Response:** **`Response`** ```json Response { "success": true, "data": [ { "id": "80906e5f-2909-4191-bbbb-b7280413022d", "duration": "00:00:05", "status": "Ready", "thumbnail": "https://images.fastpix.com/11d81d70-615c-4d5c-a93a-28c5de14d117/thumbnail.png", "createdAt": "2025-10-29T09:58:21.828358Z", "playbackIds": [ { "id": "11d81d70-615c-4d5c-a93a-28c5de14d117", "accessPolicy": "private" } ] }, { "id": "2aea2dea-f67d-4839-bd26-4337baa95141", "duration": "00:00:05", "status": "Ready", "thumbnail": "https://images.fastpix.com/9417aa80-da6b-44bf-95ef-816bd7e494b4/thumbnail.png", "createdAt": "2025-10-29T09:58:17.776712Z", "playbackIds": [ { "id": "9417aa80-da6b-44bf-95ef-816bd7e494b4", "accessPolicy": "public" } ] } ], "pagination": { "totalRecords": 2, "currentOffset": 1, "offsetCount": 1 } } ``` \ #### Frequently asked questions FastPix cuts on the nearest keyframe (GOP boundary) to the `startTime` and `endTime` you provide. The final clip duration can differ from the exact requested values by a few hundred milliseconds depending on the source GOP size. For tighter cuts, re-encode the source with a shorter GOP before clipping. Each clip is an independent on-demand asset with its own `mediaId`, `playbackId`, and stored renditions. Deleting the source `mediaId` does not delete existing clips, and deleting a clip does not affect the source. No. One `POST` to the create media endpoint produces one clip. To create clips in bulk, issue one request per segment — typically in parallel from your application code. Each clip is billed as a separate on-demand asset. Yes. Once a live stream has produced an on-demand recording with a `mediaId`, you can clip it the same way as any other source asset using `fp_mediaId://`. \ ## What's next? * [API Reference: Create media](/video-on-demand-api/upload-and-import-videos/create-media) * [API Reference: Get all clips of a media](/video-on-demand-api/manage-videos/get-media-clips) * [Create clip recipe](/recipes/create-clip-from-existing-media) * [Secure playback with signed URLs](/video-security/generate-jwts-for-secure-media)