This is lesson 7 for Final Cut Pro X from the Weyland certification book. Very helpful for individual and class purposes.

1. Lesson 7: Applying
Transitions
Apple Pro Training
Series
Final Cut Pro X
Instructor: Sam Edsall

2. Transitions to
Refine Edits
Edit to edit
• Changes the look of your video
• Changes the sound of your audio
When
• Smooth an abrupt audio or video edit
• Convey a passage of time
• Create a certain visual style

3. Transitions to
Refine Edits
What kind
• Dissolves have move a story
seamlessly from one clip to the next
• If the project’s style needs
something bolder, then
color, shapes and animation would
be appropriate

4. Preparing the Project
Start up the FCP External
Drive:
Find your APTS FCP X
drive and double click to
start it up.

5. Preparing the Project
Load up Lesson 7:
From the APTS FCP X
drive open the lesson 7
folder.
If you like you can move
the folder to the root folder
for easier access like
lesson 6.
Put lesson 6 back into the
lesson folder.

6. Cuts vs. Dissolves
Load up a project:
Open ‘Delicious
Peace_CUTS’ project.
Play the project
-- no transitions yet for
video or audio.
Now open ‘Delicious
Peace_Trans’ and see how
it looks with transitions.

7. Duplicating a Project
Make a copy:
Open ‘Delicious Peace_CUTS’
project.
2-finger (CTRL) click the project
and duplicate it.
Save the copy to your hard drive
rather than the external.
Rename the duplicate ‘Delicious
Peace_Backup’ and open this
project.

8. Applying Transitions
A couple of ways
• Drag the transition to the edit point
• Select the edit point, then apply
the transition with a few mouse
clicks
• Select the edit point and use the
shortcut Command T

9. Applying Transitions
Add a cross dissolve:
In the timeline zoom into and
play the first 2 clips
‘Bumper_delicious’ and ‘map of
africa’
Select the edit point between the
two clips.
Choose Edit > Add Cross
Dissolve
Play the new dissolve transition.

10. Transition Icon
The Transition Icon
• Gray transition icon
between the the two clips
• Faint diagonal line
appears over the edit
point
• The project may be
shortened by one second
depending on settings
• Transition icon is the
same for all transitions
regardless of type

11. Transition Mechanics
How it works
• Default transition is one second
Two ways
• FCP will use available media
beyond the edit point (handles)
to do the transition
• No change to project duration
• FCP will overlap the clips for the
duration of the transition
• Project duration shortened by
the length of the duration

12. Transition Mechanics
The orange bar
• Indicated the need to
render the transition so
it can play in real time
• FCP automatically
begins a background
render as you continue
to work
• A render clip is added
to the Events / Render
Files folder

13. Applying Transitions
Use a keyboard shortcut:
Select the edit point
between ‘coffee plant’ and
‘coffee buds’
Press Command T
Play the transition.

14. Transition Preferences
Don’t change duration
• Sometimes you want to use
transitions, but don’t want the
project duration to change
• Like a commercial
Adjust with Preferences
• Change the transition setting
so it uses media handles
rather than content in the main
storyline

15. Transition without
Duration Change
Undo the last edit cross dissolve
by pressing Commend Z.
Select Final Cut Pro >
Preferences (Command ,)
In the Transitions section from
the ‘Apply transitions using’ pop-
up menu, change the setting
from ‘Full Overlap’ to ‘Available
Media’

16. Transition without
Duration Change
Select the edit point
between ‘coffee plant’ and
‘coffee buds’ again.
Press Command T
Play the transition.
This time the project
duration did not change.

17. Transition without
Duration Change
When this
doesn’t work
• If the clips do not
have enough
media outside the
edit point (handles)
then Overlap is the
only option

18. When Transition without
Duration Change doesn’t
Work
Play the clips between
‘woman picks beans’ and
‘man picks beans’
Click the left edit between
them, then click the right
edge.
-- left bracket = media
handles
-- red bracket = no media
handles

19. When Transition without
Duration Change doesn’t
Work
Press Command T
Dialogue box appears informing
you you don’t have enough
media handles and offered the
alternative ‘Full Overlap’
transition.
Note where the project currently
ends, then click ‘Create Full
Overlap’
Notice that the project shortened
by one second.

20. A Word of Caution
Full Overlap Transitions
• If you add a full overlap transition, your project
will be shortened by the default transition length
• 1 second by default
• If you delete the transition, the project will STILL
be as short
• If you decide you don’t want the transition, then
Command Z to undo it or after you delete the
transition, trim the edit points to their original
length

21. Adding a Transition to
Both Ends of a Clip
Add two
transitions at
once
• Instead of selecting an
edit point, select the
clip
• When you press
Command T, both
ends of the clip will
get the default
transition

22. Double Whammies
In the timeline find the
‘man roasts beans’ clip and
select it.
Press Command T
The default transition is
added to both sides of the
clip.

23. What About the Audio?
Audio in a
transition
• When two video clips
are combined with a
transition, the audio
automatically does a
cross fade

24. The Transitions Browser
Transitions library
• A gallery of effects
• Many made in Motion
• Thumbnails allow you
to preview the effect
before you use it
• Skim over the
transition to see how
it works

25. Prepare a Project for
Transitions
From the project library
open the Zero to Hero
project and duplicate it.
Save it to your hard drive
and load into the timeline.

26. Transitions Browser
Transitions
Browser
• Transition categories
are on the left
• Thumbnails of the
transitions in that
category are on the
right
In the toolbar, click the
Transitions Browser
button.

27. Transitions Browser
In the Category pane, click
Dissolves.
Move your pointer over the
Cross Dissolve thumbnail
to skim the
transition, which appears
in the Viewer.
Then try out the Fade To
Color transition.

28. Transitions Browser
Hide:
Click the All category again.
In the lower-left corner click the
Show/hide button to hide the
categories pane.
Search:
In the search field, type ‘comic
book’, clear the search and type
‘pan’ to see all the transitions
that match your search criteria.
Clear the search field.

29. Applying a Transition
A couple of ways
• Drag the transition to
an edit point
• Select the edit point
and double-click on
the transition

30. Applying a Transition
In the Zero to Hero
project, select the edit point
between Tony Schumacher and
army start (@47 seconds).
In the Wipe category, skim over
the Letter X transition to preview
it.
To apply this transition, double
click it in the Transitions
Browser.
Play it in the Timeline.

31. Applying a Transition
Navigate the the 2nd edit point
in the project, between
‘crowd ots’ and ‘crowd wide’
and select the edit point.
From the Lights
category, skim Lens Flare
then double-click to apply it to
that edit point.
Play the clip.

32. Applying a Transition
Select the edit point
between the 6th and 7th clip
‘Tony Pedregon’ and
‘crash’
In the Replicator/Clones
category, skim over Video
Wall then double click to
add it to the selected edit
point.

33.  MWF

34. Replacing a Transition
A couple of ways
• Drag the new
transition from the
browser onto the
timeline transition you
wish to replace
• Select the old
transition, then
double-click the new
one in the transition
browser

35. Replacing a Transition
In the Lights category drag
the Bloom transition into
the timeline and over the
old Lens Flare transition
between ‘crowd ots’ and
‘crowd wide’
When the pointer changes
to a green circle with a plus
at its center, release the
mouse.

36. Replacing a Transition
Switch it back:
Select the Bloom transition
in the Timeline and double-
click the Lens Flare
transition in the browser to
restore it.

37. Modifying a Transition
A different look
• Most transitions can
be modified beyond
just their duration
• Done though controls
in the Timeline or
onscreen controls
directly in the Viewer

38. Modifying a Transition
Re-open the ‘Delicious
Peace’ duplicate project
we were working on into
the Timeline.
--clicking back on the history button
in the timeline may work if you have
not shut down FCP since you last
worked on this project.

39. Modifying a Transition
In the timeline select the
1st cross dissolve and
hover the pointer over the
dark gray area on either
side of the cross dissolve
icon.
When the Trim icon
appears, drag the
transition edge away from
the center as far as
possible.

40. Modifying a Transition
Indicators
• The amount of
duration change is
indicated in the pop-
up box
• In this case +6 frames
(not much)
• If you see a red
bracket you have
reached the limit of
the clip’s media and
can’t go any further

41. Modifying a Transition
Set a specific
duration
• Two-finger click or
CTRL click the
transition and choose
Change Duration
• Select the transition
and press Control D

42. Modifying a Transition
2-finger click this transition
and choose ‘Change
Duration’
When the Dashboard is
highlighted in blue, type 45
and press Return
-- 45 = 45 frames
1:15 = 1½ seconds

43. Modifying a Transition
Reload the ‘Zero to Hero’
project we were last
working on.
-- again, the history arrow will bring
you back if you haven’t shut down
FCP since you last had it up.
Turn on the Timeline Index
and in the search field type
‘letter X’ to select the the
wipe transition used in this
project.

44. Modifying a Transition
Viewer onscreen
controls
• Once you have the
transition selected in
the Timeline with your
play head over the
transition, controls for
that effect are
available in the Viewer

45. Modifying a Transition
In the Viewer move your
pointer to the circle and
drag to the center of the X
so it’s over Tony’s nose.
Play the transition.

46. Modifying a Transition
In the Viewer move your
pointer to the square at the
end of the control line.
Drag outward to the edges
of the X more diffuse.
Drag inward to reduce the
blur and sharpen the
transition and leave it at
this setting.

47. Yellow Timeline Pins
Where did these
come from?
• Controls that help you
change the frames
associated with the
transition
• Moving the frames will
change what you see
in the transition

48. Modifying a Transition
In the Timeline Index
search field, type ‘vid’ to
search for the Video Wall
transition.
Select it in the list, then
select the transition.
--notice the two yellow circles
numbered 1 and 2.

49. Modifying a Transition
Drag pin 1 to the left and
onto the ‘crowd ots’ clip
and find the frame where
the man with the
binoculars has turned to
face left.
Drag pin 2 anywhere in the
‘crowd wide’ clip.
Play the transition.

50.  T-TH

51. Modifying a Transition
Using the
Inspector
• Some parameters for
a transition can only
be changed in the
Inspector

52. Modifying a Transition
Find the Letter X transition again in the project and select it.
Click the Inspector button or press Command 4

53. Modifying a Transition
Click the edge of the
transition in the timeline
and pull out so the duration
in the Inspector indicates
1;00

54. Modifying a Transition
Click the disclosure triangle
next to Edge Treatment.
From the Edge Type pop-
up menu choose Solid
Color.
Drag the Border slider to
choose an edge thickness.
Play the transition.

55. Modifying a Transition
Select the edit point between
John Force and army prep, at
@42 seconds.
In the transitions
browser, click the Movements
category, then double-click to
apply the Multi-flip transition.
Skim to the midpoint in this
transition and press M to set a
marker.

56. Modifying a Transition
In the Inspector’s color
section, click the black color
well to open the Colors
window.
Click each color interface to
see the various methods of
making color choices.
Choose the color wheel and
select the magnifying glass
and click on the green color in
one of the John Force
thumbnails.

57. Modifying a Transition
Close the Colors window, and
in the Transition
Inspector, select Use Image
Well.
Click once in the Image Well.
The Select Source Clip
window appears. Click a
frame in the ‘crowd wide’ clip
on the timeline and then click
Apply Clip.
Check out your new transition.

58. Transitions and
Connected Clips
Must be a
storyline
• Transitions can only
be added to clips if
they are on a story
line
What about
connected clips?
• Not until the
connected clips are
turned into its own
storyline

59. Adding Transitions to New
Storylines
In the Project library
duplicate the Mobileviz
Minutes project to your
hard drive and open it in
the timeline.

60. Adding Transitions to New
Storylines
Select the 4 adjacent clips in the middle of the project from
‘alex at monitor’ though ‘robot composite’.
2-finger click the selection and choose Create Storyline or
press Command G

61. Adding Transitions to New
Storylines
Select the 1st edit point
between ‘alex at monitor’
and ‘actress leaves car’
and add the default cross
dissolve by pressing
Command T.
2-finger click the transition
(CTRL click) and change
the duration to 20 frames.

62. Copying Transitions
A couple of
ways
• Select a transition
and copy, then
select a new edit
point and paste
• Option drag the
transition to a new
edit point

63. Copying Transitions
With the same transition
selected, Option drag the
transition to the next edit
point between ‘actress
leaves car’ and ‘composite’
-- same transition, same
duration in another spot

64. Adding Transitions
Drag it:
From the Lights
category, drag the Flash
transition directly to the
next edit point between
‘composite’ and ‘robot
composite’

65. Grouping Connected Clips
Grouping for
transitions
• Connected clips
cannot have
transitions
• Group connected clips
into a compound clip
so they occupy the
same space, then
create a storyline from
the compound clip.

66. Combining Tracks into
One Storyboard
Select the three stacked
tracks to the left of the
storyline ‘mocap robot med’
and the other two mocap
clips on top.
2-finger click (CTRL click)
and choose New
Compound Clip.

67. Combining Tracks into
One Storyboard
Click the compound clip
and Command click the
secondary storyline’s shelf
next to it
-- not the Alex clip, but the
black part (the shelf)
2-finger click the compound
clip and choose Create
Storyline

68. Adding Transitions
Select the edit point
between the compound clip
and ‘alex at monitor’
From the Lights category
double-click the Static
transition.
Play the new transition.

69. Audio Transitions
Audio in a video
transition
• Automatically does a
cross-fade from
outgoing to to the
incoming clip
Audio clip to
audio clip
• To add a transition,
the clips need a
storyline

70. Audio Transitions
Open the Zero to Hero
project we have been
working on.
Listen to the music at the
last part of the project.
-- the cut is pretty rough
-- a cross fade should
smooth
this out

71. Audio Transitions
Zoom way in on the edit point
between these two audio
tracks.
There is a slight gap that may
prevent us from making a
storyline out of these audio
tracks.
Select ‘Discipline’ and drag
left so it connects with the
other audio clip.

72. Audio Transitions
Select these two audio
tracks, then 2-finger click and
choose ‘Create Storyline’
--shortcut Command G
Deselect the clips, then select
the edit point between these
two audio clips and press
Command T
Increase the transition
duration as long as possible
by pulling on the edge of the
transition.

73. Audio Transitions
Fade the music out at the
end of the project by
dragging the fade control to
the beginning of the last
video transition in the
project.

74. Shortcuts:
Command T • Apply default cross dissolve
Command , (comma) • Open Preferences window
Control R • Render selection
Command Z • Undo
Shift ? • Play around edit point
Command 4 • Open/close the Inspector
Command G • Create storyline
Option G • New compound clip

75. Homework Assignment:
Your job is to tweak out this project with transitions to suit
your taste.
Share as an Apple iPhone and save as (your name)
Lesson 7.m4v to iTunes U.

76. Lesson 7: Applying
Transitions
Apple Pro Training
Series
Final Cut Pro X
Instructor: Sam Edsall