Rockstar Editor

The Rockstar Editor is a feature in Grand Theft Auto V. It is only available in the PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One versions of the game.

Overview
The Rockstar Editor is a successor to the Replay feature seen previously in Grand Theft Auto IV's PC version. The Rockstar Editor was available from launch on the PC version of the game, and was later added to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on 15 September 2015, as part of the Freemode Events Update.

The Rockstar Editor gives the player the ability to create, edit, and share videos of Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online. There are various editing tools at the player's disposal, including camera filters, custom camera placement, and music to complement the recording.

The player can use the various available recording tools to create their own videos, which can be uploaded to YouTube and the Rockstar Games Social Club.

Gameplay in first-person perspective cannot have camera edits made in the editor, and certain Story Mode missions and Random Events will not allow recording at all.

Recording Clips
Unlike previous iterations of the replay recording where backdated clips are captured, the player can begin to record gameplay on demand at any time by pressing F1 (PC), holding +  (Xbox One), or holding  +  (PlayStation 4). Once activated, a HUD element positioned above the radar will indicate the elapsed recording. The length of recording can vary depending on what is going on in the gameplay. For example, a busy scenario, such as a shoot-out in a mission, or a large chase scene in traffic, will cause the elapsed time on the clip to decrease - as such, as the clip will be shorter. Clips in the middle of the desert, or very empty spaces, for example, are much longer, and can last up to 3 minutes. Once a clip has finished recording, another one will immediately begin recording, however, there is a short wait of around half a second before the next clip begins recording, which the player must be wary of in case of action-packed events, that could occur in this period of time. The player can stop recording at any time by re-pressing the record key/buttons.

An Action Replay system is also available which replicates the previous game implementations, and can be enabled by pressing F2 on PC, holding +  (Xbox One) or  +  (Playstation 4).

While Action Replay is enabled, pressing the record key/button combo (e.g. F1) will then save the last moments of gameplay.

Action replay is disabled by pressing F3 on PC or +  (Xbox One) or  +  (Playstation 4)

Editor Features
Once a clip has recorded, the player can edit it in the Rockstar Editor. The player can only access the Rockstar Editor if:
 * They do not have a wanted level
 * They are not inside a vehicle
 * They are not in a mission or random event
 * They are not in ragdoll
 * They are not inside certain interiors

The Rockstar Editor can be accessed in the pause menu - it is the end tab along the menu navigation. From here, the player is presented with a list of options:
 * Create a Project - Creating a new project, where the player can reach their recorded clips and position them on a timeline, and further edit them. They can also add music, effects and text to their project.
 * Load Project  - If the player has already created a project, they can load one here.
 * Director Mode - Access the Director Mode (see next section)
 * Clip Management - Where the player can manage recorded clips, such as marking them for deletion, favoring them, previewing the clip, or sorting them.
 * Video Gallery - Where exported clips are found. Exported clips are ready to be saved to Harddrive Storage (PC), Social Club (All platforms), OneDrive (all platforms linked to Microsoft), and YouTube (all platforms linked to Google).
 * Tutorials - Located here are tutorials to help beginners in getting to grips with the basics and the most intricate areas of the editor.
 * Quit Game - (PC only) Exit the game and return to Windows Desktop.
 * Exit to Story Mode - Return to GTAV story mode.

Creating a Project
Within the project menu, the player has a huge array of options to work on their project:
 * Add Clips - Add recorded clips to the project timeline
 * Add Ambient Track - Add an ambient soundtrack, such as weather sound effects, to the timeline.
 * Add Radio Track - Add a song from any Radio Station; note that some songs may be removed to abide to YouTube and other copyright laws.
 * Add Score Track - Add a soundtrack score - these unique soundtracks play during some missions.
 * Add Text - Add a text overlay to clips

Before the player can begin, the player will need to select the first option; Add Clip. When selected, all recorded clips will be listed, in order of time recorded. These clips will be named in day and numerical order. Once a clip has been selected, it will be added to the project timeline. Here, the player is able to move around the timeline, positioning different clips as they add them. Here, they can also return and add the other options available, such as radio tracks. Clips are represented in a blue color, and are found at the top of the timeline, while radio tracks are represented in purple and score tracks are represented in orange.

While hovering over a clip, the player has the option to duplicate, delete, or edit the clip. Editing the clip at this point will bring the player into the clip editor, which is where a large portion of editing will take place.

In the clip editor, a menu box at the left-top side of the screen lists the available options to edit a clip:
 * Cameras - Edit the camera effects, such as the position and the amount of shake applied to the video.
 * Depth of Field - Position and increase or decrease the level of depth of field to the camera.
 * Effects - Apply filter effects to the clip, and adjust the level of brightness, contrast, and saturation the image has.
 * Audio - Adjust the volume of the game sound effects, dialog, music, and scores, as well as add additional sound effects and adjust the intensity of any score soundtracks added.
 * Speed - Slow down or speed up the clip.
 * Position - Move along the clip timeline.
 * Set Thumbnail - Set the project thumbnail.
 * Transition - Apply a transition to the first or last marker of the clip.

Note that these effects apply to markers added on the clip editor timeline; markers are positions along the clip where the player can edit the aforementioned settings, allowing a diverse range of camera angles, sound-effects, overlay effects and playback speeds along the entire clip.

The player can also add Anchors; anchors are special forms of markers that indicate a point in a clip where other aspects found in the project editor (namely the text, music, ambient, and score tracks) can be positioned to.

Director Mode
Included in the editor pack is a Director Mode which allows the player to play as any one of 277 character models in a Free Mode map that can have many settings customized. These character models vary in their capabilities, with some being unable to enter vehicles or use weapons.

Features added in the Freemode Events Update
For the Xbox One and PS4 release of the feature, new features were introduced, the listed features were also added to the PC version.
 * Ambient Audio and Sound Effects Library: Ambient and atmospheric sound design with a library of audio tracks, or add sound effects from a collection of Foley and other SFX.
 * Snapmatic Integration: The player can export any still frame at a marker point straight to Snapmatic.
 * Director Mode Updates: An enlarged minimap with location blips to highlight preset locations, the power to freeze chosen time of day settings and the ability to spawn air and water vehicles.
 * Copy and Paste Marker Properties: Copy and paste audio settings from any marker to another marker in the clip.
 * New Fonts: There are more style options than ever for titles and credits, tripling the number of fonts available before.

Features added in the GTA Online: Lowriders update

 * A scene creator for Director Mode, allowing players to place props, and save the designs and layouts created by them.

Features added in the Halloween Surprise

 * Ambient music and sound effects, including screams, creaks, groans, and animal sounds.

Glitches

 * A large amount of particle effects will disappear or undo their effect upon rewinding a clip in the editor, this can include:
 * Broken glass, such as windows or bottles.
 * Explosions
 * Tire blow-outs
 * Sparks
 * Car backfiring
 * Helicopter tail-rotor blow-outs
 * Bullets and bullet holes

Trivia
Rockstar Editor Editor Rockstar Rockstar Editor
 * Likely due to licensing issues, a large portion of radio tracks cannot be used in the editor.
 * The Soulwax FM radio track "Palmbomen - Stock (Soulwax Remix)" available in the editor is not the stated remix, but rather the original version of the song.
 * The Self Radio station is completely missing from the editor list.
 * When saving a replay while in a moving vehicle, a message will pop up above the radar stating that the replay is still saving and that it may affect the starting point of the next recording. Keep the vehicle stationary until it goes away.
 * The Rockstar Editor trailer shows Michael De Santa driving a Casco, which is unobtainable in Story Mode.
 * This is the second time he is depicted driving an Online-exclusive car, with the first being a screenshot of him driving a Khamelion before the release of the original versions of the game.