> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mottostreaming.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Highlight clipping

## Introduction

Highlight clips are short video assets that were generated based on a longer video. Clips can be generated from any Motto
live-stream or VOD, or from any externally hosted video content that has a valid HLS or Dash [playlist](/glossary/playlist).

The clipping feature can generate a new video [asset](/guides/assets/introduction) from any *start* and *end* points of the original video,
such that you are able to download an mp4 file. Optionally, it can also generate a new [video](/glossary/video) and [playlist](/glossary/playlist) for you, so that
it can be played by your viewers in any video player.

Highlight clips also work in tandem with the [stitching](/guides/streaming/highlights/stitching) feature, which allows you to create a
a single video from a collection of clips.

## Get Started

Motto offers highlight clipping and stitching in various ways:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Via the API">
    To generate a highlight clip using the Studio API, follow these steps:

    #### 1. Determine your playlist URL

    If you are using Motto for your live-streams and VODs, then this is the `public_url` on the [playlist](/reference/studio-api/streaming/playlists/v1/get-playlist) (and the playlist ID can be retrieved from the [video](/reference/studio-api/streaming/videos/v1/get-video).
    Alternatively, you can find it in the [Video Manager](/glossary/video-manager):

    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/motto/cBpRj-PyqIlSlCJu/images/video-manager-playlist-url.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=cBpRj-PyqIlSlCJu&q=85&s=4e308ebc8405949a8b8cc9eab9d1bf68" width="1232" height="134" data-path="images/video-manager-playlist-url.png" />

    If you are using an external source, this can be any valid and accessible HLS playlist.

    #### 2. Create a clip

    Call the [create clip](/reference/studio-api/streaming/clips/v1/create-clip) endpoint with your playlist URL from step 1.

    #### 3. Retrieve the asset

    With the `reserved_asset_id` in the response from the previous step, you can [retrieve the asset](/reference/studio-api/streaming/assets/v1/get-asset-url) for the clip once the clip reaches `STATE_READY`. This may take a bit of time, depending on the length and complexity of the clip.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Via the Studio">
    Generating a highlight clip via the Studio's Video Manager is an indirect operation.
    Rather than indicating which exact parameters should be used for creating a clip, you simply *annotate* (or: *tag*)
    your video by indicating what happens at certain points in your video, and let the system figure out what kind of clip should be
    generated based on this information.

    For example, if you indicate that a "Goal" just happened, the system may be pre-configured to generate a clip that starts 20 seconds before the goal and ends 20 seconds after the goal.

    This approach is generally recommended, as these video tags can be used in other contexts as well (e.g. to draw a goal inlay in your stream, or trigger a webhook call to your OTT website/app to update the UI accordingly).

    #### How to annotate

    1. Go to the [Video Manager](/glossary/video-manager) and select the video you want to annotate.
    2. Switch to the "Video tagging" tab.
    3. Click any of the tag buttons to add a tag to the video at the current time of the video player.
       The kinds of tags that are available are fully configurable; they are not bound to the kinds shown below. Please [reach out](mailto:info@mottostreaming.com) for help with setting up different kinds of tags.

    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/motto/cBpRj-PyqIlSlCJu/images/video-manager-annotations.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=cBpRj-PyqIlSlCJu&q=85&s=350af29f8bcb0d6c4bca63e95a0c5b86" width="1870" height="784" data-path="images/video-manager-annotations.png" />

    <Warning>
      This feature is currently available to a select few customers, but if you are interested in using this feature, please [contact us](mailto:info@mottostreaming.com)
    </Warning>
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

Now that you have generated one or more highlight clips, Motto recommends looking into the [stitching](/guides/streaming/highlights/stitching) feature.
For most organizations that live-stream sports, the ability to auto-generate highlight reels for fans to watch right after
the match is done is a powerful value addition.