Transitions "not working?"

[marvingentry]

I'm using Final Cut Express 4.0.1. When I apply things like crossfade, fade in fade out dissolve, it won't "take." To make it work, I have to trim the beginning and end of each clip. And then, it won't let me control the length of the fade/dissolve.
Ideas? Thanks.

[Dr. Rengers]

If you want a crossfade between clips, you need a few extra frames at the end of the first one and the beginning of the second one.

These frames are then used to create the fade effect.

[treehorn]

I'm using Final Cut Express 4.0.1. When I apply things like crossfade, fade in fade out dissolve, it won't "take." To make it work, I have to trim the beginning and end of each clip. And then, it won't let me control the length of the fade/dissolve.
Ideas? Thanks.

You need to re-think how you visualize transitions.

When you are adding a transition, it is blending footage from the first clip into the second. Thus it isn't starting at the beginning of your second clip - instead it is using footage prior to the beginning of your edit so it ends at that point. If you are adding a 1 second crossfade, for instance, it is starting 15 frames earlier than the end of the clip (and likewise, it is continuing 15 frames AFTER the end of the clip preceding it). Thus you need excess footage before and after each clip in order to implement transitions.