FCPX Opacity Levels – Is there a way of keeping the opacity level line on the video clips, just like the audio tracks have?

[James Ewart]

[Bret Williams] “And why wouldn’t you use a dissolve that has both a hot key and the ability to numerically change duration or drag out the duration all without ever opening the inspector?”

I really don’t know. I just like doing it in the Video Animation window and adding keyframes if the basic handles don’t do it. I should try dissolves guess. Just feels like more control but nobody probably notices the difference..

[Bret Williams]

I don’t think anyone would notice because I don’t think there is anything to notice. It’s the same thing. And of course you can combine the two. For example If you have a graphic that is only going to be 80% opacity I’d set that in the inspector, and if you need to fade up on it I would dissolve into it. Anytime you can avoid key framing it’s a good thing.

[Andy Neil]

[Bret Williams] “But why would you think you could add them with their tabs open? Nothing else in X works that way. That’s a clip by clip thing. Not a terrible idea though.”

I don’t expect it. OP was bemoaning the ability to have easy access to an opacity bar and I was just illustrating that unfortunately X doesn’t work that way.

Andy

https://plus.google.com/u/0/107277729326633563425/videos

[James Ewart]

[Bret Williams] “I don’t think anyone would notice because I don’t think there is anything to notice. It’s the same thing.”

I’m not sure it is. With keyframes it can be more gradual or a curve. More like the handle fade options. Or no?

[Bret Williams]

I suppose. But the curves just give you ease in, ease out, or ease in/out or linear. A standard dissolve (which you could copy and paste with an option drag) has the same easing controls and an additional ease amount slider. I think you get what you get with the curves. I never use anything but linear. Maybe I’m missing something.

[James Ewart]

[Bret Williams] “A standard dissolve (which you could copy and paste with an option drag) has the same easing controls and an additional ease amount slider. I think you get what you get with the curves”

No maybe I am. Really?

[James Orphan]

Yea there was a toggle on / off button (show / hide opacity levels) at the bottom left of the timeline / editor window (bottom-left of the screen).

[James Ewart]

I absolutely get that I may think I’m changing the “rate” at which the title fades up whereas a simple dissolve would do, if not an identical job, something that was almost identical in much less time.

It’s just a question of habits with me.

[James Ewart]

[Bret Williams] “And why wouldn’t you use a dissolve that has both a hot key and the ability to numerically change duration or drag out the duration all without ever opening the inspector?”

The more I think bouts the more i think you’re right and I’m doing an unnecessary amount of fiddling with keyframes.

I suppose I’m a bit puzzled by the Ease In and Out in the Inspector because I can’t quite “see” what it’s doing in the same ay.

I think I’ll change habits

Thanks for that.