I'm wanting to add transitions to my text without it affecting the rest of the clips. The only way I can find to do this is to make the text a compound clip. The problem is that it creates a black background that hides the clips below.
Is there a way to use transitions with text so that nothing but the text is affected?
I've been wondering about this same issue for ages and came across this incredibly simple, but genius solution in a Youtube video from Ben Halsall. The basics of the method are as follows:
1. Extend your text layer a little past the point where you'd like the transition to appear
2. Blade the text layer at the point where you want the transition to appear
3. Add the transition to the new cut you've just created in that text layer
4. Lower the opacity of the first section of the bladed text layer (ie the part before the transition) to "0"
Obviously if you want the transition at the end of the clip the steps are the same, but then you'd be lowering the opacity to zero at the extra section after the transition
Here's the video if I wasn't clear enough:
I've been wondering about this same issue for ages and came across this incredibly simple, but genius solution in a Youtube video from Ben Halsall. The basics of the method are as follows:
1. Extend your text layer a little past the point where you'd like the transition to appear
2. Blade the text layer at the point where you want the transition to appear
3. Add the transition to the new cut you've just created in that text layer
4. Lower the opacity of the first section of the bladed text layer (ie the part before the transition) to "0"
Obviously if you want the transition at the end of the clip the steps are the same, but then you'd be lowering the opacity to zero at the extra section after the transition
Here's the video if I wasn't clear enough:
There is another simple solution. Put the text underneath the video and apply any transition you want. Select the video that’s on top and apply the Behind blend mode to make it appear under the text.
Easy solution for the black background issue when using compound clips to isolate a transition for your title. When inside the compound clip, right click on your transition and uncheck "transition to/from black".
Hopefully this helps someone with the same issue!
Tom's solution is a great one. It allows you to work with the transition as is.
One other possibility is to take the matter into your own hands and use Motion to adapt the transition to work the way you want - that is, assuming you have Motion (which you should) and are willing to try a bit. Don't worry, it is nondestructive. That is where the "Open a COPY in Motion" is very handy.
Each transition is different.
For example, take the "Light Noise" transition: it merely plays a little quicktime movie over your whole frame.
If you open a copy in Motion, you can apply image masks so that the the "light noise" is only visible where the text is.
In the example below, I applied two image masks to the "light-effect" movie, set In and Out points so that the Mask A is applied in the first part (while clip A is visible), and Mask B in the second. Take the source for Mask A to be Transition A (which is the Motion placeholder for the outgoing clip) and the source channel to be Alpha (transparency)), and likewise for B. Works like a charm.
Should add that I tried keying it, but it eats away at the text.
WWhich title? Which transition? They all behave differently.
I assume your text is in titles. Add your first title and create a storyline. You can then add other titles into the storyline and then add transitions. Transparency is preserved and you will see the underlying clip ok.
Sorry the response was meant for the OP. Perhaps a pic will help clarify.
Any in the "lights" transition category.
Thanks for the response. My problem isn't with transparency until I put the transition on the compound clip when it's isolated in its own timeline (hope that make sense, but dbl click on the compound clip and you'll know what I mean). I am able to do what you are suggesting, but I'm trying to use a transition from the "lights" category and they all seem to affect the whole frame and not just the text - unless I make it a compound clip, but that's where it turns the background black instead of transparent as shown in the 2 images I've attached. 1st one is the frame before the transition and 2nd one is the first frame of the transition that was place on the compound clip.
WWhat's the title? None of the lights will work, and there are many other transitions also that won't work, because they require inline elements. The elements change at the cross over point, where the first image disappears. When the first image disappears you're left with black.
sorry for the giant screenshots. Didn't think they were that big.
There are two titles used, but the one with the transition is "the ages". There's a background, and the other title "King" that get hidden behind the black when I add that transition to the compound clip. Just seeing if there's a way to remove the black.
adding transitions to text in fcpx
