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Lightworks 2026 Dummy Major Release Event

Lightworks Team — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:49:18 GMT

Overview

The Lightworks 2026 Major Release Event marked a significant milestone in the evolution of the platform, introducing a new generation of editing tools designed to streamline professional workflows, improve performance, and expand creative flexibility for editors across all levels.

Hosted as a global digital presentation, the event focused on showcasing the latest version of Lightworks, along with a series of enhancements aimed at modern post-production demands, including faster timelines, improved media handling, and deeper collaboration capabilities.

Key Announcements

Next-Generation Timeline Engine

A rebuilt timeline architecture was introduced to improve responsiveness when working with complex projects. Editors can now navigate large sequences more efficiently, with reduced lag and smoother playback during real-time editing.

Enhanced Media Management

The new release features an upgraded media bin system with improved organization tools, smarter search capabilities, and better handling of large asset libraries. This allows teams to manage footage more intuitively, even in high-volume production environments.

Performance Improvements

Optimizations across decoding, rendering, and caching systems contribute to faster project load times and more stable playback, particularly when working with high-resolution footage and multiple layered effects.

Collaboration & Workflow

A major theme of the event was collaboration. The new release introduces workflow improvements that support distributed teams, including:

Project sharing enhancements
More reliable version tracking
Improved synchronization between collaborators
Better integration with cloud-based workflows

These updates are designed to reduce friction when multiple editors, assistants, and stakeholders are working on the same project.

Creative Tools & Effects

The event highlighted several upgrades to the creative toolkit:

Expanded effects library with refined controls
Improved keyframing for animation and motion adjustments
Enhanced color grading tools with more precise control over tonal ranges
Faster previewing of applied effects within the timeline

These improvements aim to give editors more control while maintaining a streamlined interface.

User Experience Improvements

The interface received subtle but meaningful refinements focused on usability:

Cleaner layout with improved visual hierarchy
More accessible tool panels
Reduced clutter in primary editing views
Improved responsiveness across different screen sizes

The goal of these changes is to reduce cognitive load and allow editors to focus more on content rather than navigation.

Community & Ecosystem

The event also acknowledged the broader Lightworks ecosystem, including users, partners, and contributors who continue to shape the direction of the platform. Demonstrations included real-world workflows from professional editors, highlighting how Lightworks is used in film, broadcast, and digital content production.

Closing Remarks

The Lightworks 2026 Major Release Event positioned the platform as a forward-looking editing solution, emphasizing performance, collaboration, and creative control. With this release, Lightworks continues to evolve in response to modern production needs, offering tools that support both individual creators and distributed teams working on complex projects.

Future updates and roadmap directions were briefly teased, suggesting continued investment in performance optimization, cloud integration, and expanded editing capabilities.

Lightstor Guide #6

Lightworks Team — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:54:43 GMT

Welcome to the fourth and final part of our exclusive interview with Scott Hill, ACE, a renowned film editor with an impressive career in the industry. In this segment, Scott delves into integrating VFX in Bruce and Evan Almighty, including the iconic fast-typing scene, and shares his methods for maintaining an organised workflow using Lightworks.

Scott discusses the importance of cutting with performance in mind, adjusting edits based on VFX feedback, and the efficiency of using Lightworks for complex editing tasks. Whether you're an aspiring editor or a seasoned professional, this interview is packed with valuable insights and behind-the-scenes stories that will inspire and inform your editing journey.

Video

Interview

This transcription has been lightly edited for clarity.

Chris Wells: So one of the other kinds of things I was thinking of to bring it back to Bruce Almighty, especially on those experiences, was, obviously, there's a lot of special effects in that film, right?

Scott Hill: A lot of special effects shots.

Chris Wells: The one that I always remember was the bit where he's typing on the keyboard. He does it like really fast.

Scott Hill: Yeah. That one's quite easy. I was actually able to do the initial layout for that. I did it right in Lightworks.

Chris Wells: Did they get Jim Carrey just to type for a long time? Because I can imagine that.

Scott Hill: Oh, he types, and he types very fast. And then, you know, we're like, let's kick it up a notch or kick it up 20 notches. And I just sped it up. Those are the easy ones. But yeah, there are many different films where I'll do lots of visual effects.

Chris Wells: Were there ever ones where the visual effects altered the way you have to edit a scene?

Scott Hill: Well, you go with the performance. Cut it how the director feels for the pacing and timing, then send it out.

Once we start getting the initial temps back from the VFX house, adjustments happen. Sometimes dynamics change and cuts need to move. We go back and tweak the scene.

Chris Wells: Does that happen often?

Scott Hill: In my experience, not major reworks. On Evan Almighty, we worked with Rhythm & Hues and ILM, so the concepts were close to begin with.

Chris Wells: What does a “handle” mean?

Scott Hill: A handle is extra frames before and after a shot so you can adjust timing without redoing VFX.

If VFX happens after picture lock, houses prefer zero handles so they don’t render unnecessary frames.

Chris Wells: Any underused Lightworks features?

Scott Hill: The frame counter and asymmetric trimming are huge time-savers. One-click fixes keep tracks in sync and save hours.

Chris Wells: That efficiency theme really stands out.

Scott Hill: Speed gives you time to experiment creatively, not finish sooner.

Chris Wells: Anything you’d like to say to editors?

Scott Hill: Edit everything you can. Theory helps, but cutting footage is how you really learn.

Part one | Part two | Part three

Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to stay updated.

Additional Resources

Visit Lightworks Resources for tutorials and community insights.

Transform your video editing journey with Lightworks. Download now and start telling better stories.

Lightstor Guide #5

Lightworks Team — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:45:49 GMT

Video

Interview

This transcription has been lightly edited for clarity.

Scott Hill: A lot of special effects shots.

Chris Wells: The one that I always remember was the bit where he's typing on the keyboard. He does it like really fast.

Scott Hill: Yeah. That one's quite easy. I was actually able to do the initial layout for that. I did it right in Lightworks.

Chris Wells: Did they get Jim Carrey just to type for a long time? Because I can imagine that.

Chris Wells: Were there ever ones where the visual effects altered the way you have to edit a scene?

Scott Hill: Well, you go with the performance. Cut it how the director feels for the pacing and timing, then send it out.

Once we start getting the initial temps back from the VFX house, adjustments happen. Sometimes dynamics change and cuts need to move. We go back and tweak the scene.

Chris Wells: Does that happen often?

Scott Hill: In my experience, not major reworks. On Evan Almighty, we worked with Rhythm & Hues and ILM, so the concepts were close to begin with.

Chris Wells: What does a “handle” mean?

Scott Hill: A handle is extra frames before and after a shot so you can adjust timing without redoing VFX.

If VFX happens after picture lock, houses prefer zero handles so they don’t render unnecessary frames.

Chris Wells: Any underused Lightworks features?

Scott Hill: The frame counter and asymmetric trimming are huge time-savers. One-click fixes keep tracks in sync and save hours.

Chris Wells: That efficiency theme really stands out.

Scott Hill: Speed gives you time to experiment creatively, not finish sooner.

Chris Wells: Anything you’d like to say to editors?

Scott Hill: Edit everything you can. Theory helps, but cutting footage is how you really learn.

Part one | Part two | Part three

Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to stay updated.

Additional Resources

Visit Lightworks Resources for tutorials and community insights.

Transform your video editing journey with Lightworks. Download now and start telling better stories.

Lightstor Guide #4

Lightworks Team — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:43:50 GMT

Video

Interview

This transcription has been lightly edited for clarity.

Scott Hill: A lot of special effects shots.

Chris Wells: The one that I always remember was the bit where he's typing on the keyboard. He does it like really fast.

Scott Hill: Yeah. That one's quite easy. I was actually able to do the initial layout for that. I did it right in Lightworks.

Chris Wells: Did they get Jim Carrey just to type for a long time? Because I can imagine that.

Chris Wells: Were there ever ones where the visual effects altered the way you have to edit a scene?

Scott Hill: Well, you go with the performance. Cut it how the director feels for the pacing and timing, then send it out.

Once we start getting the initial temps back from the VFX house, adjustments happen. Sometimes dynamics change and cuts need to move. We go back and tweak the scene.

Chris Wells: Does that happen often?

Scott Hill: In my experience, not major reworks. On Evan Almighty, we worked with Rhythm & Hues and ILM, so the concepts were close to begin with.

Chris Wells: What does a “handle” mean?

Scott Hill: A handle is extra frames before and after a shot so you can adjust timing without redoing VFX.

If VFX happens after picture lock, houses prefer zero handles so they don’t render unnecessary frames.

Chris Wells: Any underused Lightworks features?

Scott Hill: The frame counter and asymmetric trimming are huge time-savers. One-click fixes keep tracks in sync and save hours.

Chris Wells: That efficiency theme really stands out.

Scott Hill: Speed gives you time to experiment creatively, not finish sooner.

Chris Wells: Anything you’d like to say to editors?

Scott Hill: Edit everything you can. Theory helps, but cutting footage is how you really learn.

Part one | Part two | Part three

Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to stay updated.

Additional Resources

Visit Lightworks Resources for tutorials and community insights.

Transform your video editing journey with Lightworks. Download now and start telling better stories.

Lightstor Guide #3

Lightworks Team — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:43:23 GMT

Video

Interview

This transcription has been lightly edited for clarity.

Scott Hill: A lot of special effects shots.

Chris Wells: The one that I always remember was the bit where he's typing on the keyboard. He does it like really fast.

Scott Hill: Yeah. That one's quite easy. I was actually able to do the initial layout for that. I did it right in Lightworks.

Chris Wells: Did they get Jim Carrey just to type for a long time? Because I can imagine that.

Chris Wells: Were there ever ones where the visual effects altered the way you have to edit a scene?

Scott Hill: Well, you go with the performance. Cut it how the director feels for the pacing and timing, then send it out.

Once we start getting the initial temps back from the VFX house, adjustments happen. Sometimes dynamics change and cuts need to move. We go back and tweak the scene.

Chris Wells: Does that happen often?

Scott Hill: In my experience, not major reworks. On Evan Almighty, we worked with Rhythm & Hues and ILM, so the concepts were close to begin with.

Chris Wells: What does a “handle” mean?

Scott Hill: A handle is extra frames before and after a shot so you can adjust timing without redoing VFX.

If VFX happens after picture lock, houses prefer zero handles so they don’t render unnecessary frames.

Chris Wells: Any underused Lightworks features?

Scott Hill: The frame counter and asymmetric trimming are huge time-savers. One-click fixes keep tracks in sync and save hours.

Chris Wells: That efficiency theme really stands out.

Scott Hill: Speed gives you time to experiment creatively, not finish sooner.

Chris Wells: Anything you’d like to say to editors?

Scott Hill: Edit everything you can. Theory helps, but cutting footage is how you really learn.

Part one | Part two | Part three

Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to stay updated.

Additional Resources

Visit Lightworks Resources for tutorials and community insights.

Transform your video editing journey with Lightworks. Download now and start telling better stories.

Lightstor Guide #2

Lightworks Team — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:42:29 GMT

Video

Interview

This transcription has been lightly edited for clarity.

Scott Hill: A lot of special effects shots.

Chris Wells: The one that I always remember was the bit where he's typing on the keyboard. He does it like really fast.

Scott Hill: Yeah. That one's quite easy. I was actually able to do the initial layout for that. I did it right in Lightworks.

Chris Wells: Did they get Jim Carrey just to type for a long time? Because I can imagine that.

Chris Wells: Were there ever ones where the visual effects altered the way you have to edit a scene?

Scott Hill: Well, you go with the performance. Cut it how the director feels for the pacing and timing, then send it out.

Once we start getting the initial temps back from the VFX house, adjustments happen. Sometimes dynamics change and cuts need to move. We go back and tweak the scene.

Chris Wells: Does that happen often?

Scott Hill: In my experience, not major reworks. On Evan Almighty, we worked with Rhythm & Hues and ILM, so the concepts were close to begin with.

Chris Wells: What does a “handle” mean?

Scott Hill: A handle is extra frames before and after a shot so you can adjust timing without redoing VFX.

If VFX happens after picture lock, houses prefer zero handles so they don’t render unnecessary frames.

Chris Wells: Any underused Lightworks features?

Scott Hill: The frame counter and asymmetric trimming are huge time-savers. One-click fixes keep tracks in sync and save hours.

Chris Wells: That efficiency theme really stands out.

Scott Hill: Speed gives you time to experiment creatively, not finish sooner.

Chris Wells: Anything you’d like to say to editors?

Scott Hill: Edit everything you can. Theory helps, but cutting footage is how you really learn.

Part one | Part two | Part three

Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to stay updated.

Additional Resources

Visit Lightworks Resources for tutorials and community insights.

Transform your video editing journey with Lightworks. Download now and start telling better stories.

Lightstor Guide #1

Lightworks Team — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:53:27 GMT

Video

Interview

This transcription has been lightly edited for clarity.

Scott Hill: A lot of special effects shots.

Chris Wells: The one that I always remember was the bit where he's typing on the keyboard. He does it like really fast.

Scott Hill: Yeah. That one's quite easy. I was actually able to do the initial layout for that. I did it right in Lightworks.

Chris Wells: Did they get Jim Carrey just to type for a long time? Because I can imagine that.

Chris Wells: Were there ever ones where the visual effects altered the way you have to edit a scene?

Scott Hill: Well, you go with the performance. Cut it how the director feels for the pacing and timing, then send it out.

Once we start getting the initial temps back from the VFX house, adjustments happen. Sometimes dynamics change and cuts need to move. We go back and tweak the scene.

Chris Wells: Does that happen often?

Scott Hill: In my experience, not major reworks. On Evan Almighty, we worked with Rhythm & Hues and ILM, so the concepts were close to begin with.

Chris Wells: What does a “handle” mean?

Scott Hill: A handle is extra frames before and after a shot so you can adjust timing without redoing VFX.

If VFX happens after picture lock, houses prefer zero handles so they don’t render unnecessary frames.

Chris Wells: Any underused Lightworks features?

Scott Hill: The frame counter and asymmetric trimming are huge time-savers. One-click fixes keep tracks in sync and save hours.

Chris Wells: That efficiency theme really stands out.

Scott Hill: Speed gives you time to experiment creatively, not finish sooner.

Chris Wells: Anything you’d like to say to editors?

Scott Hill: Edit everything you can. Theory helps, but cutting footage is how you really learn.

Part one | Part two | Part three

Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to stay updated.

Additional Resources

Visit Lightworks Resources for tutorials and community insights.

Transform your video editing journey with Lightworks. Download now and start telling better stories.

Content Manager

Lightworks Team — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:39:38 GMT

Overview

A Lightworks project is used to organise all your media, it holds all the information about assets, including clips, subclips and sequences. Once a project is created, it never needs saving, this is because Lightworks saves your project every few seconds to make sure you never lose any of your work for whatever reason.

You will not find a 'Save' or 'Save as…' within Lightworks because it is simply not required. The Lightworks 'Projects' folder can be found in the default location below:

Windows:  C:\Users\Public\Documents\Lightworks\
macOS:  /Users/USER ACCOUNT/Lightworks/
Linux:  /Home/USER ACCOUNT/Lightworks/

Tip: You can right click a project on the project browser and choose Reveal which will open the folder project location on the operating system you are using.

Creating a New Project

Click on the 'Create a new project' link.

When the dialog box opens:

Type a name for your project in the Name text box.
Optional: Click the Advanced tab to define custom Asset or Marker metadata.
Optional: Add notes relevant to your project.
Click Create.

A new, empty project is created and will open with the Edit tab selected. A tooltip will display, prompting you to take a quick tour of the application (strongly recommended).

Opening an Existing Project

In the Project Browser, double-click on the tile representing the project you want to open.

If there are too many projects to display on screen at once:

Use the scroll bar at the right-hand side to reveal projects hidden from view.
Use the Sort by dropdown option to sort by Name, Creation Date or Modification Date.
Hold down the CTRL or CMD key and scroll with the mouse wheel to change the size of the thumbnail images.
Click on the Search icon, type your search criteria in the open text box, and press Enter.

Importing Local Files

Make sure you have the Log, Edit or Assemble tab selected.

Click on the 'Import clips' button. The Import panel will open.

To filter content that is displayed:

Click the Filter arrow and select which content to filter.
Toggle between List or Tile view using the view icon.
Click on a clip to select it for import, or hold down Shift/Ctrl to select multiple clips.

Select the import method from the drop-down list:

Create Link: Keep the imported file in its original location and format.
Copy Local: Copies the file into the 'Material' and 'Sound' folder without transcoding.

Closing a Project

To close a project and return to the Project Browser, click the Exit button at the top left of the Project window.

Remember, a project does not need saving, all changes have already been saved automatically.

Deleting a Project

In the Project Browser, click on the Settings icon (three vertical dots) for the project you want to delete.

From the menu that opens, click Delete.

Warning: Your project is about to be deleted and you may lose data. Click Yes to confirm the deletion, or No to cancel the operation.

When deleting a project any media that was imported using the 'Copy local' or 'Transcode' option will be deleted from the 'Material' and 'Sound' folders unless the media has been copied to another project.

Recapping 'Learn From The Best': A Month of Invaluable Insight

Lightworks Team — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:53:00 GMT

Video

Interview

This transcription has been lightly edited for clarity.

Scott Hill: A lot of special effects shots.

Chris Wells: The one that I always remember was the bit where he's typing on the keyboard. He does it like really fast.

Scott Hill: Yeah. That one's quite easy. I was actually able to do the initial layout for that. I did it right in Lightworks.

Chris Wells: Did they get Jim Carrey just to type for a long time? Because I can imagine that.

Chris Wells: Were there ever ones where the visual effects altered the way you have to edit a scene?

Scott Hill: Well, you go with the performance. Cut it how the director feels for the pacing and timing, then send it out.

Once we start getting the initial temps back from the VFX house, adjustments happen. Sometimes dynamics change and cuts need to move. We go back and tweak the scene.

Chris Wells: Does that happen often?

Scott Hill: In my experience, not major reworks. On Evan Almighty, we worked with Rhythm & Hues and ILM, so the concepts were close to begin with.

Chris Wells: What does a “handle” mean?

Scott Hill: A handle is extra frames before and after a shot so you can adjust timing without redoing VFX.

If VFX happens after picture lock, houses prefer zero handles so they don’t render unnecessary frames.

Chris Wells: Any underused Lightworks features?

Scott Hill: The frame counter and asymmetric trimming are huge time-savers. One-click fixes keep tracks in sync and save hours.

Chris Wells: That efficiency theme really stands out.

Scott Hill: Speed gives you time to experiment creatively, not finish sooner.

Chris Wells: Anything you’d like to say to editors?

Scott Hill: Edit everything you can. Theory helps, but cutting footage is how you really learn.

Part one | Part two | Part three

Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to stay updated.

Additional Resources

Visit Lightworks Resources for tutorials and community insights.

Transform your video editing journey with Lightworks. Download now and start telling better stories.

Boost Your Editing Speed with Custom Shortcut Keys! A Lightworks Tutorial

Lightworks Team — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:52:21 GMT

Video

Interview

This transcription has been lightly edited for clarity.

Scott Hill: A lot of special effects shots.

Chris Wells: The one that I always remember was the bit where he's typing on the keyboard. He does it like really fast.

Scott Hill: Yeah. That one's quite easy. I was actually able to do the initial layout for that. I did it right in Lightworks.

Chris Wells: Did they get Jim Carrey just to type for a long time? Because I can imagine that.

Chris Wells: Were there ever ones where the visual effects altered the way you have to edit a scene?

Scott Hill: Well, you go with the performance. Cut it how the director feels for the pacing and timing, then send it out.

Once we start getting the initial temps back from the VFX house, adjustments happen. Sometimes dynamics change and cuts need to move. We go back and tweak the scene.

Chris Wells: Does that happen often?

Scott Hill: In my experience, not major reworks. On Evan Almighty, we worked with Rhythm & Hues and ILM, so the concepts were close to begin with.

Chris Wells: What does a “handle” mean?

Scott Hill: A handle is extra frames before and after a shot so you can adjust timing without redoing VFX.

If VFX happens after picture lock, houses prefer zero handles so they don’t render unnecessary frames.

Chris Wells: Any underused Lightworks features?

Scott Hill: The frame counter and asymmetric trimming are huge time-savers. One-click fixes keep tracks in sync and save hours.

Chris Wells: That efficiency theme really stands out.

Scott Hill: Speed gives you time to experiment creatively, not finish sooner.

Chris Wells: Anything you’d like to say to editors?

Scott Hill: Edit everything you can. Theory helps, but cutting footage is how you really learn.

Part one | Part two | Part three

Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel to stay updated.

Additional Resources

Visit Lightworks Resources for tutorials and community insights.

Transform your video editing journey with Lightworks. Download now and start telling better stories.