Effective use of Black Color Clips in the Time Line

[bob733]

I find myself using black Color Clips in the time line and have overlay tracks appearing over them.

First, is this a good practice, or should i put a more of those clips I have been putting on the overlay track(s) onto the main time line.

Second, if I do use the black clips, is it better to use the default size and keep adding them to increase the duration, or is it better to use one and stretch it as far as the one clip can go, and then add another clip if more black time is necessary?

[Clevo]

Hi Bob733, What you are doing works fine but you'll find if you wanted to add transitions between two adjoining video or a video adjoining a colour block you can't as transitions only work in the video track.

So it's not considered "best" practice but if you are happy with your production no urgent need to change what you are doing. It's not something you "must" do for straighforward work. And doing it your way you can do some clever effects with certain attributes on the overlay tracks. So it's good to be familiar with both techniques anyway.

Those black (or any colour) blocks stretch as long as you need them. from 1 frame to the duration of your project. But how you are doing it is fine too.

In some cases, like with "ripple" editing, I will add two black blocks at the begining of the project incase I need to ripple to the left.

You can also set the default duration of a colour block (or any still) you drag down to the library in the File/Preferences panel.

[sjj1805]

Why are you placing black clips on the video track and then videos on the overlay track? You don't need to butt end several, one long one will do - but back to my first remark - why are you doing what you are doing?

At the moment only you can answer your own question, creating a video is like giving an artist a paint brush and a blank canvass. If he were to then ask "Should I paint a Tree or a Ship?" - again only he can answer.

[bob733]

As I mentioned in the subject, thanks for the quick response.

This program is sure a lot more fun with all those crashes behind me.

Anyway, why was I putting black color clips on top, images on top etc and videos on the overlay?

For example, on one part, I have a picture of a lake (which I put on the video top line) and I wanted to superimpose a swimming crocodile (swimming within the boundaries of the lake). I had to chromo the water around the crock, so that it would blend in with the lake's images water (make it somewhat transparant).

So, I had the lake image in the video time line, and the chromoed crocodile in the overlay track swimming in the lake. Also, I will admit that even though I messed around a lot with it, I never could get the water in the croc video to go away, and leave a good crock swimming (it was affected by the chromo like the water).

[Black Lab]

You don't have to put a color clip in the main track. Simply change the default background color (in Preferences). Of course, if you wanted to change colors as the project went along you would have to put color clips in the timeline.

[bob733]

that is good to know, thanks Jeff

[gordonwd]

Why are you placing black clips on the video track and then videos on the overlay track? You don't need to butt end several, one long one will do - but back to my first remark - why are you doing what you are doing?

I can't speak for the OP, but I do this to make a mosaic out of several clips. For example, I put four clips in four overlay tracks, then resize them to 1/4 size and arrange them in a square pattern. Or take 2 clips and crop them by 50% to make a side-by-side effect (with no aspect distortion).

Anyway, I figure putting the black color clip in there doesn't hurt anything, even though it never directly shows.

[Black Lab]

I can't speak for the OP, but I do this to make a mosaic out of several clips. For example, I put four clips in four overlay tracks, then resize them to 1/4 size and arrange them in a square pattern. Or take 2 clips and crop them by 50% to make a side-by-side effect (with no aspect distortion).

Anyway, I figure putting the black color clip in there doesn't hurt anything, even though it never directly shows.

As I stated earlier, the background will be whatever color you select in Preferences. In this instance you wouldn't need a color clip.