Get vertical League clips ready before you open CapCut
Record wide, get a list of the moments worth clipping, build each one as a 1080×1920 vertical file, and only then open CapCut for the finishing touches. CapCut is good at the polish. The slow parts are finding the fight and fixing the frame, and that is the work you can hand off before CapCut ever opens.
Most CapCut tutorials start with a clip already in the timeline. That skips the part that eats the evening: sitting through a two hour recording to find the 30 seconds that matter, then cropping a wide picture into a tall one. This guide is the bit before the tutorial.
The workflow in four steps
- Record wide. Record in a wide frame so it can become any shape later. TCG Machine takes any MKV or MP4, whatever the resolution. The horizontal or vertical guide explains why recording wide is the safer choice.
- Find the moments. Run each candidate through the five question test. By hand that means scrubbing the whole file. TCG Machine does it by reading your K/D/A counter on the League scoreboard and opening a clip every time your kills or assists go up.
- Build the vertical frame. Each clip needs a 9:16 frame. TCG Machine builds either the facecam split or full gameplay on a blurred background, and exports each approved clip as a vertical 1080×1920 file. Each clip gets its own folder with the video and the thumbnail.
- Finish in CapCut. Open the exported files in CapCut for captions, music, effects, sound effects or anything else you like to add.
What CapCut still does better
I use CapCut's own guidance as the benchmark here. CapCut's vertical video guide recommends 1080×1920 at 9:16 and says to keep the subject centered. Checking the result and polishing it are finishing jobs, and they stay with you.
- Captions and text styling. Spoken captions are not in the first beta of TCG Machine, so CapCut is still the place for them today.
- Music, sound effects and transitions. TCG Machine doesn't try to be a full editor.
- Games other than League. TCG Machine reads League of Legends today.
- Frame by frame control. In TCG Machine you control each clip. In CapCut you control each frame.
What this saves
It saves the two jobs before the edit: finding the moment and building the frame. I can't give you a minutes saved number, because I haven't published a processing time and your recordings will differ. What I can say is that on my own channel I went from 1 to 2 posts a week to 2 posts a day, and that is my result, not a promise for yours.
It works the way CapCut exports do
TCG Machine's exports are normal video files in a normal folder. Open the clip's folder from the app and you'll find the video and the thumbnail, the same way a CapCut export lands as a file you can open anywhere. CapCut takes MP4 and MKV files, so the clips go straight in.
TCG Machine is in free beta now. Join the beta for a key and the download, or see how it works.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get League clips into CapCut?
Open the clip's folder from TCG Machine and import the video file into CapCut as you would any video. Each approved clip is exported as a vertical 1080×1920 file, with its thumbnail beside it, so it arrives already in the Shorts shape.
Do I still need CapCut if I use TCG Machine?
Only if you want what it does best, such as caption styling, music and effects, and CapCut is free to use. TCG Machine finds the moments, builds the vertical frame and drafts titles and descriptions. It doesn't try to replace a full editor.
How do I find the best moments in a long League recording?
By hand, you scrub the file and judge each moment with the five question test. TCG Machine reads your kill and assist counter on the scoreboard and opens a clip each time it goes up, then you approve or skip each one.
What size should a vertical League clip be?
1080×1920, which is 9:16. That is the size CapCut's vertical video guide recommends and the size TCG Machine exports.
Should I record vertical so I can skip the cropping step?
Usually not. A wide recording can become a vertical clip, but a vertical recording can't give you the wide frame back. The full guide has the numbers.
Can TCG Machine add captions?
Spoken captions are not in the first beta. If you want captions today, add them in CapCut or your usual editor.
Does TCG Machine work on Mac?
TCG Machine is a Windows app, and the site doesn't list a Mac or Linux version.
Is TCG Machine out yet?
Yes, as a free beta, and it's open now: join the beta, confirm your email, and you'll get a key and the download link while places last.