Any way to apply fade to the rendered result instead of to individual clips?

fReeGenerate

Newbie Joined: Apr 02, 2014 14:33 Messages: 4 Offline

Solved by

Mar 30, 2021 11:51

I made a music video that ends with many video clips on screen split-screen style along with some "borders" separating them. The borders are essentially just single color backgrounds that I sized into thick lines. The borders are covering up parts of the clips because the clips are often just positioned and masked to be right next to each other.

Now, here is the problem I ran into: I wanted the video to fade out. I know that I can apply the same fade to each individual clip, but the clips overlap on screen (primarily because of the borders), which means that as they fade out the parts of clips behind the borders partially show up and the transition looks quite ugly. My video is being uploaded and still shows some of these artifacts that I could share if someone has trouble understanding what I mean.

What I would really like to do is to apply a fade after all the clips have already been composited, like a fade on something like a "master track" for an audio equivalent, but I could not figure out a way to do that and have found no answers searching either.

What I ended up doing, which was a huge pain, was to try to size all my clips in that ending scene just right so that there is no overlap, which is risky because if it isnt just right, either the fade transition looks bad when things overlap, or the clips are not fully connected and the background black shows through.

Anyone have any ideas? I am on PowerDirector 16 by the way.

tomasc

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline

Mar 30, 2021 12:34

Editing can be easier if you remember a few things. Default transitions of the overlap type are 2 seconds long. Simply extend each video clip by two seconds before applying an overlap transition. It may be easier to start all over again. Place only say 3 videos at first, add the transitions, etc. until you get the hang of it. Add another few clips, etc.

fReeGenerate

Newbie Joined: Apr 02, 2014 14:33 Messages: 4 Offline

Mar 30, 2021 12:53

Quote Editing can be easier if you remember a few things. Default transitions of the overlap type are 2 seconds long. Simply extend each video clip by two seconds before applying an overlap transition. It may be easier to start all over again. Place only say 3 videos at first, add the transitions, etc. until you get the hang of it. Add another few clips, etc.

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I didn't mean overlap in terms of time, my clips overlap on screen, and since my borders are fully opaque, it generally looks fine. The problem is, if I apply a fade transition to each of the two overlapping videos, then during that transition the parts that were usually covered up become visible. Instead, I want the final result to fade, which would avoid this problem.

For example: Imagine I have two clips of solid colors: A red background that covers the whole screen, and a black rectangle that only covers half the screen. If the entire output fades as one, the portion covered by the black rectangle would fade in gray. If the two clips fade separately, then the red will show up underneath the black during that transition.

tomasc

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline

Mar 30, 2021 13:39

Quote For example: Imagine I have two clips of solid colors: A red background that covers the whole screen, and a black rectangle that only covers half the screen. If the entire output fades as one, the portion covered by the black rectangle would fade in gray. If the two clips fade separately, then the red will show up underneath the black during that transition.

Thanks for clearing this up. There are ways to accomplish this to fade out only the video. Open the clip in PiP Designer and enable fades. Check either/or fade in/fade out as needed.

Another way would be to keyframe the opacity of a clip from 0 to 100 a second or two at the beginning and vice versa at the end of the clip. You would have a fade in from black or/and fade out to black without affecting the color background on another track. Hope this help...

PowerDirector Moderator

Senior Contributor Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan Joined: Oct 18, 2016 00:25 Messages: 2104 Offline

Mar 30, 2021 17:17

Quote I made a music video that ends with many video clips on screen split-screen style along with some "borders" separating them. The borders are essentially just single color backgrounds that I sized into thick lines. The borders are covering up parts of the clips because the clips are often just positioned and masked to be right next to each........

What I would really like to do is to apply a fade after all the clips have already been composited, like a fade on something like a "master track" for an audio equivalent, but I could not figure out a way to do that and have found no answers searching either.

.

How about a black colour board on the lowest track, fade the opacity from zero up to fully opaque to suit? If I understand you correctly?
Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

fReeGenerate

Newbie Joined: Apr 02, 2014 14:33 Messages: 4 Offline

Mar 30, 2021 23:05

Quote

How about a black colour board on the lowest track, fade the opacity from zero up to fully opaque to suit? If I understand you correctly?
Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

Yes, this does exactly what I was looking for, thanks a bunch! I didnt think about fading from the opposite perspective.