Redacting video in Clearance

2023-09-08Last updated

To reduce the time required to redact videos, use the face detection function to detect faces, then manually adjust the masks if required.

What you should know

The analytic process begins to search and detect faces whenever a new redaction process is started.
  • When the process is complete, a thumbnail image of each detected face is then displayed, these thumbnails can be used to select the individuals that should be redacted from the scene.
  • Masks are applied to all parts of the scene where a face is identified.

The processing time for auto face detection can vary depending on the video file size and will be affected by the resolution, length, frame rate, and other factors related to video. The success of the auto face detection can vary depending on the quality of the video and whether the subject is facing to the front or the side.

Performing video redaction (Auto Face Detection) on a mobile device is not supported.

Procedure

To redact a video file:
  1. From a case, click the icon after the filename () in the Files field, and click Trim and Redact.
    Tip: You can also start a redaction from the File page or from the Evidence preview window when previewing evidence in a case.
    The Trim video window opens.
To trim a video file:
  1. (Optional) Move your cursor over the start or end of the file timeline and drag the its borders to fit your desired time range or adjust the From and To time values.
  2. Click Continue.
    The Video editor page opens.
  3. The face detection search begins automatically.
    The Video editor redaction page showing a video with face detection in progress.
    • Detected faces are displayed as thumbnails in the Mask faces section of the Faces tab.
    • Detected faces are assigned a unique identifier to help identify them and assign masks individually. For example, Person #01.
    The Video editor redaction page showing a video with face detection in completed.
  4. In the Mask video section, select one or mores face that you want to mask by clicking the Mask face icon or select Mask all.
    The Mask video tab Faces detected section with the Mask all check box highlighted.
    Tip: Clicking a mask in the list immediately identifies where in the scene that person was detected. This helps you navigate to and review the required segment more efficiently.
  5. Select a mask in the list and click Play video ().
    1. Use the timeline slider, zoom controls, or your mouse scroll wheel to position the timeline slider at the section of video that you want to redact.
      Tip: Use the thumbnail previews in the timeline to help identify the exact point in the video that you require. To zoom in or out on the timeline, hold click and drag the timeline zoom slider.
  6. (Optional) Click Mask settings () to specify the mask type that you require.
    1. Select either Black box or Blurred.
    2. If you specified Blurred, select a blur level. Click or drag the slider to either Low, Medium, or High to preview the blur level.
      The Mask type menu showing the types of mask that can be applied.
  7. To resize the mask, use your mouse at the lower-right corner of the masking box.
    The mask window shown on a video with the corner used to expand the window highlighted.
  8. If the person or object you must redact is moving in the video scene, you can adjust the mask location using the tracking tool, as follows:
    1. Next to the masking box on the video preview, click and hold the tracking button ().
      The mask window shown on a video with the corner used to move and play the window highlighted.
    2. As the video plays, move the masking box to keep the mask covering the person's face, the object, and so on.
    3. When the mask is no longer required on the video, release the tracking button ().
  9. To change the duration of the mask, adjust the start and end points of the mask in the timeline.
    The video timeline showing the mask applied and the start and end points highlighted.
    Tip: You can also adjust the start and end points by dragging the timeline bar to a specific point in the video and clicking Start mask at current time () or End mask at current time ().
  10. (Optional) Delete masks.
    • Click delete () in the mask list to remove any mask that you no longer require.
    • Click Delete mask () in the timeline controls to delete the currently selected mask.
  11. (Optional) Click New mask to create additional masks as required.
    This function is typically used to redact a person missed by the face detection, or to redact an object or other content in the scene that needs to be redacted.
  12. Click Create video to generate the redacted file.
    1. (Optional) Click View details to track the progress.
      The Video saved notification showing the new file name and case the file was saved to.
    2. (Optional) Click Hide details to close the progress dialog.
  13. After the redacted video is created, choose one of the following:
    • Save the redacted video to an existing case.
    • Save the redacted video to a new case.
  14. (Optional) To save the redacted video to an existing case.
    1. Enter a case ID or name in the Search field or click enter to see a list.
      The redacted video showing the continue editing or save options.
    2. (Optional) To check that you have the correct case click View case.
    3. (Optional) Click Continue editing to return to the video editor and make more changes.
    4. Click Save to create a redacted copy of the video file.
      The Video saved notification showing the new file name and case the file was saved to.
      Tip: Click View file to change the file name before closing the dialog, so that others can easily find the file.
    5. Click Close.
  15. (Optional) To save the redacted video to a new case. For example, when you want to share redacted evidence with someone who must not have access to the original case.
    1. Click Create a case.
      The Save redacted video to new case window showing the options to save or continue editing.
    2. Enter a name for the new case.
    3. Select a department from the Department list.
    4. (Optional) Click Cancel to return to the previous dialog panel.
    5. (Optional) Click Continue editing to return to the video editor and make more changes.
    6. Click Save to create a redacted copy of the video file.
      The Video saved notification showing the new file name and case the file was saved to.
      Tip: Click View file to change the file name before closing the dialog, so that others can easily find the file.
    7. Click Close.
The edited clip is saved as a separate video file. The original file and the edited file are both associated with the case.

Example

Watch this video to learn more. Click the Captions icon (CC) to turn on video captions in one of the available languages.

After you finish

Before sharing the case with third parties or guests, restrict access to the original file by changing the access policy for the file.