What is the purpose of the timeline in Avid Media Composer?

The timeline in Avid Media Composer serves as the primary workspace where video clips, audio tracks, and other media elements are assembled and edited. By organizing individual clips on the timeline, editors can manipulate the sequence of events, combine multiple audio and video tracks, and create a cohesive final product. The timeline provides a visual representation of the narrative or project structure, enabling precise control over timing, transitions, and effects. This organizational aspect is essential for effective storytelling in video editing, allowing the editor to see how clips interact with one another temporally.

Other functions mentioned, such as storing media assets, project settings, or mixing adjustments, are important in the editing process, but they are not the main purpose of the timeline itself. The timeline is fundamentally about the arrangement and timing of the clips, which plays a crucial role in the editing workflow.