Use dissolves without it affecting the length of the project

[jimswinder]

Scenario:
Editing a wedding video where two cameras were used.
Camera 1in the Video Track
Camera 2 in Overlay 1 Track
I have made "cuts" in both tracks where I want to switch from Camera 1 to Camera 2.
I have removed Camera 1 video from Video Track and replaced it with Camera 2 video from Overlay 1 track, so Video Track now has video going back and forth from Camera 1 to Camera 2 back to Camera 1 etc.
Before I did this I split the Audio from the Camera 1 Video, as it was the best quality, and have it in the Voice Track.

Every where I switch from Camera 1 to Camera 2 I want to put in a 1 second dissolve...but when I do this it shortens the overall length of the video in the Video Track and consequentially, is no longer in sync with the Audio in the voice track.

Is there a way to add a dissolve without it affecting the length of the video so all the cuts stay in place and the video ends up the same length?

Or is there a better and easier way to do what I want to do?

Using Video Studio 2018.

[tletter]

Is there a way to add a dissolve without it affecting the length of the video so all the cuts stay in place and the video ends up the same length?

In VS, a transition effect results in the reduction of the length of the clip on the left of the transition. A couple of suggestions to tryout:

1. If all clips are on the video track then you could ensure that clips are longer by the duration of the transition effect.
2. Put camera 1 clips on the video track and camera 2 clips on an overlap track and add transition effects to each end of all clips.

tletter
https://www.youtube.com/user/tletter

[jimswinder]

so add the transition to the end of the clip in the Video Track before moving the Overlay Track clip into the Video Track?

seems like it should just put half the transition on the ending clip and the other half on the beginning clip...lol

[lata]

Hi
You should try using the Multi Camera Editor
That will allow you to sync your audio to camera 1, select the camera angles you wish to use
Can add transition using mce
Then creates a VSPTemplates-old project file saved to the library
Drag that to the timeline to continue editing

[jimswinder]

Guess I thought that was for "live" video...will give it a try!! thanks!!

[jimswinder]

Tried the Multicamera Editor...it freezes up more often than the KoolAid popsicles my mom made for me as a kid...

[gewb]

Hello Jim -

Sounds like you made your Camera1 (C1) and Camera2 (C2) cuts at the exact frame for transition. That's fine for a hard cut transition but any dissolve transition requires an overlap of C1 and C2. Thus you need to pad the end of each clip that has a dissolve (but not a hard cut).

For example, if you want a 1 second dissolve at the tail of C1/head of C2, cut the C1 tail clip one second past your desired end frame and cut the C2 head one second before the desired start frame.

Obviously you pad both ends of a clip if using a lead-in and tail-out dissolve on a clip.

[lata]

Tried the Multicamera Editor...it freezes up more often than the KoolAid popsicles my mom made for me as a kid...

Make sure that you have Smart Proxy enabled and that the proxy files have been created
Check that before opening the MCE
Smart Proxy files do take a while to create.

If you can get MCE working it is a much better option than manually cutting and deleting clips.

The MCE will also allow you to add a transition although no choice in which one, but once back on the timelines can replace the transition .

[jimswinder]

For example, if you want a 1 second dissolve at the tail of C1/head of C2, cut the C1 tail clip one second past your desired end frame and cut the C2 head one second before the desired start frame.

Well...that's a pain...lol

[jimswinder]

For example, if you want a 1 second dissolve at the tail of C1/head of C2, cut the C1 tail clip one second past your desired end frame and cut the C2 head one second before the desired start frame.

Actually...you add .5 second clip at each end..not a full second.