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There Is No Such Thing as an Asymmetrical Dissolve Transition.
I’ve had a change of heart. After some technical “research” I now conclude that there is no such thing as an asymmetrical dissolve.
The only way to have an asymmetrical transition is with a discrete A/B cut with opacity/level fades of varying lengths. All you’re doing with an “asymmetrical” dissolve is shifting the cut point between your two clips. Think about it… keep thinking for a while before you reply. 🙂
A 30f “dissolve” is using a symmetrical amount of A/B media. The only thing you change with an “asymmetric dissolve” is the edit point. Here’s an example from an ancient thread…
lets say you wanted a 30 frame transition, but wanted it to be asymmetrical in that you wanted it to start 10 frames before the edit point and then continue on for 20 frames after the edit point. That would be the same thing as rolling the edit point in 5 frames to the right, and then putting a centered transition. The start and end frames used in both instances would be identical
Jerry is correct, the others are wrong.
You can change the perceived symmetry of a dissolve by changing the ease in/out amounts of the dissolve effect, which, of course you can do easily in X. It is still symmetrical though. Having the ability to adjust the mid-point of a dissolve effect without moving it is nice visually, but that’s all it’s really good for. Simply sliding a centered dissolve effect in the timeline accomplishes the exact same thing.
So, to sum up. There is no such thing as an asymmetrical dissolve transition effect. Not in Pr, or FCP 7, or X or anything. The only way to do an asymmetrical transition, one where say, the A side fees out quickly and the B side fades ups slowly, using an unequal number of frames on either side, is by doing a discrete A/B overlap and adjusting the fade handles asymmetrically. As I have done here. Using a dissolve effect on 2 clips in the same track or storyline is always symmetrical.
I look forward to your (incorrect) responses. 😉
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~ My FCPX Babbling blog ~
~”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.”~
~”The function you just attempted is not yet implemented”~ -
94 Replies
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ah charlie you poor soul. You’re trying so very hard there, to equate S-curve setting on your fade, with the ability set, in a keystroke or two, an audio dissolve say of 15 frames on the left, and three frames on the right. You don’t know how to do that in X, because you can’t – so you do that really tortuous thing where you expand clip components and do the 12-15 keystrokes jeff outlined.
man, you really having difficulty here aren’t you? I think it’s maybe melting your head a little bud. 🙂
https://i.imgur.com/574uWB1.jpg
https://vimeo.com/user1590967/videos http://www.ogallchoir.net promo producer/editor.grading/motion graphics
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The only equivalent I can think of is a lap dissolve.
Tim
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[Aindreas Gallagher] “man, you really having difficulty here aren’t you?”
It is you having difficulty Aindreas. Think about it. “an audio dissolve say of 15 frames on the left, and three frames on the right.” is not asymmetric. it’s an 18 frame dissolve, but sliding a centered dissolve so the transition midpoint occurs in the same place as your dissolve with an off-center edit point is exactly the same thing. Think harder. 😉
—edited for typos and unclear description.—
————————————————————-~ My FCPX Babbling blog ~
~”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.”~
~”The function you just attempted is not yet implemented”~ -
ah god love you. What are you trying to convince yourself of charlie?
The basic issue that’s been kicking around is the workflow necessitated by its absence in X.Now you seem to be trying to say the feature somehow doesn’t semantically exist or something??
dear lord. You need to relax bud, warm up a nice snack or something.https://i.imgur.com/574uWB1.jpg
https://vimeo.com/user1590967/videos http://www.ogallchoir.net promo producer/editor.grading/motion graphics
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[Charlie Austin] “it’s an 18 farm dissolve, but sliding a centered dissolve so the midpoint occurs on the same frame as your dissolve with an off-center midpoint is exactly the same thing.”
also, what does this sentence even mean? I’m pretty certain it makes no sense though.
I don’t think you maybe totally understand what you’re talking about there charlie.Apart from anything else – you can’t slide the centre point of the dissolve in X. that’s the whole point. Are you trying to say that the X symmetrical dissolve is functionally no different from the asymmetrical dissolves available in ppro and 7? because you tried this before below, and it didn’t work out too well.
https://vimeo.com/user1590967/videos http://www.ogallchoir.net promo producer/editor.grading/motion graphics
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[Aindreas Gallagher] “Now you seem to be trying to say the feature somehow doesn’t semantically exist or something?? “
No. I’m saying it doesn’t physically exist unless you split out the A/B clips. This isn’t about what is or isn’t in FCP X. It has nothing to with it really other than the discussion inspired the thought. The topic I referenced was actually discussing FCP “classic” (no asymmetric dissolves!!!) VS. Avid. I know your views on FCP X. 😉
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~ My FCPX Babbling blog ~
~”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.”~
~”The function you just attempted is not yet implemented”~ -
[Aindreas Gallagher] “the asymmetrical dissolves available in … 7”
which ones would those be out of interest?
never been able to track those down.
Simon Ubsdell
tokyo-uk.com -
[Aindreas Gallagher] “symmetrical dissolve is functionally no different from the asymmetrical dissolves available in ppro and 7? “
Where are those in 7 again? I can have a dissolve with an odd frame count, but I can’t adjust the mid-point within the transition. And all the “start on/ end on” alignment does is move the start/end point of the dissolve. these are exactly the same, despite what the little triangles may lead you to believe. 🙂
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~ My FCPX Babbling blog ~
~”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.”~
~”The function you just attempted is not yet implemented”~ -
You guys are apples and oranging it, aren’t you? Charlie, you are making the point that an “asymmetrical” edit, in the traditional sense, really isn’t, because all its doing is moving the center point of the cut within the transition as opposed to on the timeline, and Aindreas is pointing out the convenience of having a tool, vis a vis the transition, to do that.
Yes, I’ve always felt that the naming of an “asymmetrical” transition was misguided, and yes, the only way to make it truly asymmetrical would be separate, unmatched overlapping transitions, that would generally have the effect of adding black to one of the sides.
Aindreas, on the other hand, is pointing out the usefulness of having the positioning built into the transition, itself, which is something I agree with.
Or, am I missing something?
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[Chris Harlan] “Aindreas, on the other hand, is pointing out the usefulness of having the positioning built into the transition, itself, which is something I agree with.”
I have to say, I’ve never really understood why this is a feature that anybody would actually want since it’s purely cosmetic rather than functional. And a lot of the editors I’ve worked with have been confused about what it actually happening here which is far less sophisticated than they are usually thinking.
Simon Ubsdell
tokyo-uk.com
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