Hockey video editing guide

How to turn game film into a hockey highlight reel.

Start with your game footage, select the shifts and plays you want, trim each clip, identify your player, then arrange and export the reel.

QuickShifts brings that workflow into a video editor for Windows and Mac. This guide covers the editing decisions that make a reel easier to watch.

1. Start with your game footage

Choose the game film you want to edit. If you use LiveBarn, start with footage you have saved and have permission to use. Keep your original recording so you can return to it when you need a different play.

2. Find your player’s shifts

Review the footage and select the stretches when your player is on the ice. Look beyond goals: assists, defensive recoveries, good passes, and smart positioning can all make useful clips.

3. Trim each play with enough context

Begin a clip just before the action develops and end it after the play finishes. Cutting too tightly can make a good pass or defensive play difficult to understand. Remove long waits between plays.

4. Add a player marker

A wide rink view can make a player hard to spot. Place a marker so viewers know who to follow. Review the clip to make sure it points to the right player and doesn’t distract from the action.

5. Arrange the clips and add music

Start with a strong play. Group similar moments or vary the action to keep the reel moving. For a season reel, collect clips from multiple games and select the moments that best show the player’s skills.

Use music you have permission to include. Keep it underneath any commentary or rink audio you want people to hear.

6. Export and watch it through

Export the reel and watch the finished file from start to finish. Check the first and last frame of every clip, player markers, sound levels, and any text before sharing it.

Can I edit hockey videos on a Mac or Windows computer?

QuickShifts has versions for both platforms. Its hockey workflow includes shift selection, clip trimming, player markers, and highlight reel assembly with music.