True Seamless Transitions?

[Graham Bernard]

[eric adler] “I currently use dissolve/fade in vegas pro but whether I select 1.00, or .20 or .12 it’s either jerky or I see the dissolve.”

Hi Eric. And after render?

* Grazie

Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX60HS Bridge

[Dimitrios Papadimitriou]

Can you show us an example of what you consider a seamless transition. Every transition is there be it longer or shorter effect. Obviously a jump cut would be the most seamless because there is no transition. You could go for a slight cross fade of a few frames. Other than that you are looking at some sort of masking movement or distortion leading into the next clip. So if you want that to be quick and minimalist. The roll transition from newbluefx is not bad when used with a 1/3 of a second of transition time (10 frames for 30fps 20 for 60fps). Even with 3rd party plugins when it comes to transitions VEGAS is probably the weakest out of the NLE space. The built in transitions with VEGAS aren’t bad but aren’t great. You might like the crosseffect a/b blur but it will still be noticeable.

[George Dean]

Hi Eric,

With no disrespect intended, first a clarification, I’m neither a millennial, a gamer, or a geek. I’ve actually been around a long time, longer than I ever felt possible, and perhaps that is my problem, because I have never heard off, used, or seen a transition I couldn’t see, or cannot tell is there!

So, I suppose I’m missing something! I’ve seen dissolves, fades, flips, wraps, warps, particles, wipes, and some other flippy do things, and all of them I can see going from one scene to the other. But I have never not seen a transition. I sure would like to see one though!

Now that I have had my fun, any dissolves or fades I have used in Vegas and other NLE’s are seamless compared to a jump cut or hard cut. They may not be when previewing during NLE playback, but all look good after rendering. Or, they look good when using Dynamic RAM preview and prerendering.

If you are talking about the difference between a not so smooth playback in Vegas as compared to the smooth play when viewing a render, then that probably is an issue with the horsepower of your CPU/GPU used.

Am I way off in understanding your issue?

Best Regards……George

[Eric Adler]

Yes I can give you guys an example, sorry for not making this more clear.

And I’m talking about how it appears post render, I just have dissolve as my default transition and have plenty of gpu power. Playback is smooth it’s just that the transition is noticeable.

Here is an example of what I see to be seamless transitions, it’s in the first part of this trailer so you don’t have to watch too long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Ltg-wv714

would you consider those jump cuts? I have tried rendering without transitions and it’s too jerky. I shoot simply talking videos with a single camera so for me the jump cut is very apparent and jerky.

Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!

This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.

[George Dean]

From the NEON sign scene to the Filmnation logo, that is a hard cut out of NEON to a blank fade in to Filmnation. The same transition is used going from Filmnation to Hammer (title), hard cut from Filmnation to black fade in to Hammer. And again from the Hammer title to the first scene of driving/road in the winter.

For the next 7 scenes they are all hard cuts, no transitions, up the the car pulling up to the lodge. I think this is what you are referring to a seamless. From the car pulling up to lodge scene to the women walking away using two sticks, that is a fade out to black , then fade in from black transition. I did watch it any further.

So in the 7 scenes of the actors at the beginning those are just hard cuts, no transitions whatsoever. However what may make it appear to be seamless is the color grading match of all the scenes.

Best Regards……George

[Dimitrios Papadimitriou]

Just to concur with George. The only “transitions” I saw were cuts to black followed by immediate fade in. To have the same effect in VEGAS have the following clip fade in by dragging the cursor from the top left of the clip on the timeline. This is with no transition applied. The length of the drag should be only a few frames to have the same effect but it can be as long as you want. Another way to achieve the effect is by overlaying a solid color plane and fading it in or out, this can sometimes be a better solution depending on how many layers you are dealing with.

[Eric Adler]

So yes I was I guess referring to hard cuts, which according to you guys is not a transition. Just when I see it done in the trailer and on other shows it looks very smooth as oppose to when I try it it comes out amateurish and jerky.

[Francois Pénzes]

Hi Eric

There are another elements to consider.

The choice of images you are fading from and to. A fade can look fluid going to a long shot but feel jerky if you’re going to a close up (or vice versa). If you’re the shooter, this is were planning ahead pays off once in edit.

The other element is rythme. Just like a piece of music, if you brake the rythme of your edit, it won’t feel right. Especially with fades and cuts.

Cheers !

PC Win 10 Pro 64-bit 16gb Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz
Cameras: Canon XF305 + Canon XH-A1
Blackmagic HyperDeck Studio Mini
Vegas Pro 16, User since Vegas 3.0

\’\’When the cutting stops, the editing begins…\’\’

[Graham Bernard]

[eric adler] “So yes I was I guess referring to hard cuts, which according to you guys is not a transition. “

Well, not exactly so. It’s more complex and more crucial to film making.

If you think about it Video/Film is ALL a series of Transition-ing from Scene A to Scene B to Scene C …. Scene n. And like Bread or Pastry making it is the Craft of how you hold Air together with Flour! So here, with our Craft it’s how we make a watchable, viewable Video eliciting the emotional response we wish – “JAWS”, with the Scene where Roy Schneider is subjected to that Crash Zoom; “Apocalypse Now” where Martin Sheen is seen staring up at that Whirling ceiling fan which in turn become the blades of a Helicopter and so on…. so in all of this it is the Transition from Scene A to Scene B. This is where a “piece” is made or where, as you’ve found, a piece fails and falls down. Add to this the Audio Track/s and how they assist the Transition then we can recognise just how complex and effective this “other” vector of Videography becomes crucial. Another example: Colour Correction and Colour Grading can be used to move the Video along to allow the Viewer that experience you want or NOT want.

I truly applaud you for recognising the importance and value of Transition. You’re asking the best questions. It’s not solely that group of Features (the Transitions) that come with any NLE. Personally, if I use anything other than a straight cut or timed fade thru’ Black, and that’s my OWN fade through Black it’s months if not years.

Here’s a little task for you: turn down the Audio of any TV program, film or especially an Advert and “note” how the film/editor maker got from Scene A to Scene B and try and nail what the motivation of the Editor was. Doing this you will begin adding to your own Filmic Lexicography, your own awareness of this most important aspect to Film making.

You’ve asked the very BEST questions. Keep doing so, it’s exactly what I do.

* Grazie

Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX60HS Bridge

[George Dean]

Very good write up Graham.

Eric @ “I currently use dissolve/fade in vegas pro but whether I select 1.00, or .20 or .12 it’s either jerky or I see the dissolve.”

Because of this line I felt Eric was referring to a transition effect applied and I think others did as well with their initial replies such as “And after render?“.

Nonetheless, your points should be well taken and part of editing 101, as well as, the DP delivering the shots necessary dependent on the story line.

Best Regards……George