Adding Transitions to Final Cut Pro?

macmaniacttt said:

Hi all,

I'm making essentially a slideshow and I'm using Final Cut Pro (need some of the more advanced features). One of my friends has a few of the Slick transition sets. I was wondering...

Is there anyway to add extra transitions to Final Cut?

Thanks so much,

-d

Click to expand...

Google all over the place. You can also use the Slick sets on iMovie and export to FCP. IMO, lot's of fancy transitions for a slideshow can get cheesy on you, quickly. Less is usually more. My 2¢. Good luck.

see next post, this one was an error.

best transitions are handmade.

when you see and hear Apple Sound Loops, Apple Motion Loops and Apple LiveType animated text on all types of local commercials, and even MANY high priced commercials by big name companies, it should make you NOT want to use that crap.

I mean its a bit OT, but there is so much PORN that is cut with FCP and LiveType its just disturbing. And its like they are too busy with one hand to actually take the time to use the BUILT-IN stuff as a STARTING point and not the end point of an effect.

Seeing the same color, same size and shapes used over and over gets so boring.

macmaniacttt said:

yeah the thing is its for a bar mitzvah montage, so we need some cool transitions to keep people hooked - do Slick transitions really export to FCP?

-d

Click to expand...

Again, i'd say that most people will probably be watching for content, not fancy transitions. Less is more, my friend.

Sdashiki said:

best transitions are handmade.

when you see and hear Apple Sound Loops, Apple Motion Loops and Apple LiveType animated text on all types of local commercials, and even MANY high priced commercials by big name companies, it should make you NOT want to use that crap.

I mean its a bit OT, but there is so much PORN that is cut with FCP and LiveType its just disturbing. And its like they are too busy with one hand to actually take the time to use the BUILT-IN stuff as a STARTING point and not the end point of an effect.

Seeing the same color, same size and shapes used over and over gets so boring.

Click to expand...

how would i go about making my own transitions?

i've lately been keyframing effects and such to make psuedo-transitions, but it would be cool to acually make my own...any suggestions?

I'v made many slideshows for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and other events and trust me, you don't need any fancy transitions. People are really paying more attention to the content.

IMO, the most important thing is to have a good soundtrack. Make sure that the music matches up with the pictures and don't play songs too long. I would try to not use more than about 1:15 of a song. By the way, the reason I say use more songs, is just because I personally find it more interesting. I have watched a hell of a lot and ones with different songs and types of music keep you much more interested.

a hand made transition is one you make.

a transition is nothing more than auto keyframing. the computer sets the keyframes for specific actions.

a wipe is just a mask moving across the video, revealing the underneath video. or it can just be you crop the upper layer video completely in one direction, keyframe it, and then a few seconds later keyframe it 100% unncropped.

a dissolve, is an opacity change

I mean complicated transitions like video mosaics etc, yes those are better left alone and used as they are. but every transition needs tweaking, and if you made you're own you know how it works and how to tweak it just right.

transitions like STAR WIPE and cube flip and all that crap ARE NEVER USED, like EVER? When was the last time you saw one used except for maybe a presentation?

You might find this site interesting. In the "albums" tab there are some Quicktime downloads - slideshows of albums. While they are slideshows of wedding albums they might give you some ideas (along with the ideas on the "Bar-mitzvah" tab - which unfortunately are not in a slideshow). BTW I don't particularly like their soundtracks but everyone to his/her own.

(The pages of samples start with "blanks", and the images follow)

You will notice that all the transitions are uncomplicated and complement the photos rather than distract from them.

I have used a couple of the ideas from their layouts - building up a complicated layout like the Bar Mitzvah "Colonial" example starting from the "dreaming" background and overlaying the other photos. Not too many in a single slideshow, but interspersed with simple "fade through black" transitions of single photos can be very effective. Say, one "built up" overlay effect to every 10 to 15 single photos.