Video Editing Introduction

Lightworks is a great video editing program. It can be intimidating upon first starting the program.
Check out my other topics related to video editing.

Lightworks is versatile, yet quickly becomes complicated with multiple video and audio tracks.

Lightworks edit with five video tracks and four audio tracks.

I'm going to run through a few simple commands that are the basis of Lightworks.

 The image below denotes commonly used button/commands.

The first step is importing your video. You may want to run your video through Handbrake, or you may use it unaltered. Click the import button.

Click the import button.

Depending on the size of your video, it may take a few minutes to import. Once import is complete, double click the video.
 

Double click your imported video.

Click the new edit button. The active edit is denoted by the red border around the video and timeline. The red vertical cursor or playhead is where new video clips will be inserted.

Click the new edit button.

 Click back to your imported video to activate the window. This window should be bordered in blue. You will load video sections from this window into your working edit.

The in and out buttons.

 The in and out buttons are the key to Lightworks as they mark clips you will move or delete. Set the red cursor at the beginning of your imported video. It may be at the very beginning, or you may trim the first few seconds. Hit the in  button (the blue diamond shape highlighted above to the left). Move the cursor to the end of your video and hit the out button (the blue diamond shape highlighted above to the right).

The selection has been marked and is ready for import
into the working edit.

 Now click the insert clip button. The clip will be inserted into your working edit. Do this with all of your clips until all of them are in your working edit. Set your in and out, insert the clip into your working edit and repeat. You need to set your playhead in the working edit where you want each clip to insert, so that your clips will be in the desired order, your working edit.

Insert clip button.

You can insert videos, still images, and audio clips. You can insert audio clips at the end of your edit and drag them.
To add additional audio tracks, to include both dialog and music, click the gears image at the top right of the timeline. Select audio track, set the number to 2, then add the track.

The gears image, highlighted towards the right
allows you to add additional video and audio tracks.

Trim your videos, cutting out any dead space at the beginning and the end by marking the in and out. 
 

The section has been marked and is ready to be trimmed.

Then click the delete marked section button. Repeat this until all unwanted footage is removed. You may want to rearrange the order of your clips. You may have noticed that deleted clips are sent to your clipboard.  You can delete the clip you want to rearrange, then activate the clipboard, set the in and out, then insert it at a new position in your timeline.

The delete marked section button.

 You can add transitions between clips, by right clicking between the clips, and clicking add under Transitions.
 

Transitions can be added between clips to fade, push, or wipe.

 Once your video is finished, click the export button. You can upload the exported clip directly to youtube if you choose.

Click the export button.

This is the introduction to Lightworks. Lightworks has a lot more features- split screen, color grading, green screen, etc. Look for more tutorials in the future.

Also, search the Lightworks forum, you can found a lot of answers through searching.  Lightworks site also has a quick start guide and a hints and tips guide.

If all else fails, post your question in the comments below and I will provide an answer.