Open the video and find the moment you want

1. Select a clip and press Space.
2. Move the pointer over the timeline beside the video. You can see the image at that point without playing the video.
3. If you move away from the timeline without clicking, the video returns to its previous position.
4. Click where you want on the timeline. The video plays from the moment you chose. Click the same point again to pause.
5. You can also move along the timeline with the mouse wheel or trackpad.

Moving the pointer less than 24 pixels after clicking won’t interrupt playback. If you marked the start of a scene with I, clicking the timeline sets that point as the end of the scene.

When the timeline is selected, arrow keys move back or forward one second; Shift + arrow moves one frame. ↑ / ↓ also go back / forward. In other areas of preview, arrow keys move between clips, so make sure the timeline is selected when working with time.

Above the video

Moving the pointer over the video doesn’t stop playback or change the image. This lets you use the controls below comfortably.

• Click the video to play or pause.
• Use the timeline to move forward or backward in the video.

Hear audio while moving along the timeline

If audio is on (A), you’ll hear it while moving along the timeline. Audio goes quiet when you move very quickly. This feature doesn’t work for clips longer than 20 minutes or clips whose audio information isn’t ready yet.

Speed, audio, and view

• The Speed button is on the lower row, to the right of the counter. Each click moves to the next speed: 1× → 1.5× → 2× → 1×. The speed lasts for the session; when you reopen Merceq, it returns to 1×. J / K / L use the same speed setting.
• J / K / L work in both the large preview and Lens. J slows down; at normal speed it rewinds (up to 5 seconds, or one-fifth of a short clip). K pauses and returns to normal speed. L plays; while playing, it increases speed to 1.5× or 2×.
• A turns audio on or off. The setting lasts for the session; the starting value comes from Open previews muted.
• Use Z to enter or exit full screen. The timeline and side panels are hidden in full screen.
• H opens focus view. The Focus switch at the bottom of the panel does the same thing (“Dim the edge and the panel so only the video remains”). Your choice is remembered. In the ⌘K window, it’s called Hide / show panels.

Press Space or Esc to close preview. You can also click the dark area outside preview.

Esc first closes whatever is currently open. The order is: frame selection → open scene start → Info or Speech section → full screen → preview itself.