Fade To Black between clips is deleting video frames

[ScoDog]

In VideoStudio X10 (Windows 10, 64-bit), when I use the Fade To Black in between two clips, the net result is that the overall video time has decreased by an amount of time equal to the duration of the Fade To Black Effect.

For example, Clip 1 (5 seconds long) and Clip 2 (15 seconds long) on the time line have a total video time of 20 seconds. The matching audio clip for this "project" is also 20 seconds. Then, I add a 4 second Fade To Black effect in between Clip 1 and Clip 2. As a result:

1) The overall video time has decreased by 4 seconds (it is now a total video time of 16 seconds).
2) The initial 4 seconds of Clip 2 is totally missing (the fade in from black effect actually starts at about 4 seconds into Clip 2).
3) The original final frames in Clip 2 are still present (they occur at time 16 seconds instead of at time 20 seconds).
4) The timing of Clip 1 is unaffected; it is all there (all 5 seconds) and I can see the fade out to black during the last few seconds of Clip 1.

In the tutorials, they always show a fade at the beginning or end of a video timeline that contains just a single clip (I never see them insert Fade To Black in between two clips). Am I doing something that should not be done by putting this effect in between two clips? How is this effect very useful in between clips if it destroys/completely removes the initial X seconds of video at the beginning of Clip 2 that you are trying to fade into, and causes your video timeline to no longer match up with your audio time line? Such an effect should be an overlay that does not affect any original timing on the video timeline, right?

The video clips are MPEG-4, H.264 Main Profile, 24 bit, 720 x 480, 4:3, 29.970 fps.

Thanks for the help!

[lata]

Hi

1 / When you apply any transition to the end of a clip that clips duration will remain the same, the transition being applied over the top of the clip.

2 / When we apply a transition between two clips, the clips are overlapped by the duration of the transition, this reduces the overall duration of the clips, the transition being applied over the top of the overlap / joint.

[BrianCee]

All transitions need to overlap the two clips first - by the length of the transition so that throughout the transition the view can "transit" from one clip to another and this will always shorten the total time by the length of the transition

HOWEVER - with the fade to black transition you can put a transition on the end of the first clip and the start of the second setting each to half the required duration and thus avoid the overlapping - it is best if you put the first clip in the timeline and put a fade to black on the end of it - then add the second clip and add a fade to black at the beginning - if you do not do it that way the first transition will default to being across the join and shortening your total length

you can set the length of each transition independently after you have applied them


...

[delaluz]

This is a great explanation of something that I have had problems with in the past. I video a couple of song and dance shows each year using multiple cameras & a dedicated sound track. In the beginning I had a lot of problems with adding fades between clips & keeping the resulting video synced with the audio track until I found out how the fades worked. As a matter of fact Lata & Brian Cee probably clarified this for me 3-4 years ago.

I found that an easy way to preserve "sync" or preserve the length of 2 video clips when doing A/B fades is to use one clip for the main video & the other clip as the overlay video. Once you have your clips in the timeline you can click on the "properties" for the overlay & add a fade in and/or a fade out [NOTE "PROPERTIES" MIGHT NOT BE THE EXACT THING TO CLICK TO GET TO THE FADE IN/OUT OPTION]. When you use this technique the length of the fade in & fade out depends on the length of the overlay clip. The longer the clip the longer the fades. If you want to use a shorter fade split the overlay clip. You will have to ensure that the first part of the split clip has the "fade in" checked & the second part does not have it checked.

I think a good new feature for VS would be to add a new "dip to black" effect that gives you the option to fade out the first clip & fade in the next clip without changing the overall duration of the 2 clips. In other words have one effect you can drop between 2 clips that does what Brian Cee stated here:

"it is best if you put the first clip in the timeline and put a fade to black on the end of it - then add the second clip and add a fade to black at the beginning - if you do not do it that way the first transition will default to being across the join and shortening your total length".

[lata]

Hi

Adding a A/B transition by dragging the clip to the timeline will apply to two adjacent clips, (overlapping the clips) -- hold the CTRL key and it will apply to one of the clips, no overlapping.

If you are using several cameras to record your songs, then Use Multi Camera Editing (X10) to sync your recordings.

[ScoDog]

Thanks everybody for the great tips and explanation of why things are the way they are (though I agree with delaluz that they should "add a new "dip to black" effect that gives you the option to fade out the first clip & fade in the next clip without changing the overall duration of the 2 clips"). All of your tips are working for me, so problem solved. I am amazed I got the answers I needed so quickly on my first post (it's taken me two rounds of Q&A on the Corel Support e-mail to get nothing but frustration). Can't wait to ask my next question on this forum Thanks again all!