How do you add an effect to a clip in the timeline?

The process of adding an effect to a clip in the timeline involves utilizing the effects palette, which contains a variety of effects to enhance your video. By dragging the desired effect from the effects palette directly onto the clip in the timeline, you can easily apply that effect. This method is intuitive; it allows for a visual and hands-on approach to applying effects, making it simple to see what you’re doing and immediately preview the impact it has on the clip.

Other methods, though they may seem plausible, are less direct or applicable. For instance, right-clicking the clip may provide access to various options, but "Add Effect" is not a standard command in Media Composer’s interface. Keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl + E are not universally defined across all versions or tasks within the software and could lead to confusion. Similarly, the option to click on the clip and choose "Insert Effect" doesn't accurately reflect the typical workflow, as effects are primarily added through the drag-and-drop mechanism for efficiency and ease of use.