Adding transitions to home video

Even moderately powerful personal computers can now perform incredibly sophisticated transitions from one clip to the next. 

However, long and complicated transitions between two clips should be used sparingly. Audiences are used to the conventions of film and TV, where a straight cut makes up well over 95% of all transitions. Besides the simplicity of a straight cut, it is also incredibly quick, allowing the story to continue unabated. 

Despite this, there’s fun to be had using special transitions between two clips. Just be aware that people are (or should be) interested in viewing the differing pieces of footage you have assembled, not necessarily the transitions between them.

We're using Premiere Elements for our guide. Here's how to get started...

1Viewing the Premiere Elements transitions

In the Organiser, ensure the orange ‘Edit’ tab is selected. Now choose Transitions from the menu below. The transitions are organised by type: 3D Motion, Dissolve, Iris etc. 

You can opt to display a sub-section of the complete selection by using the drop-down menus above. Alternatively, if you know the name of the transition, enter it into the search box and the selection will diminish accordingly. For example, type ‘wipe’ to see only wipe transitions.

2Previewing a transition

To preview a transition, hover the mouse over a thumbnail. The transition previews with ‘A’ signifying one clip and ‘B’ signifying another. 

To use a particular transition by default between every cut in a project set this by right-clicking the transition and choosing Set Selected as Default Transition. 

Alternatively, to make a transition viewable from the favourites menu (top left drop-down), choose ‘Add to Favourites’.

3Adding a transition

To add a transition between two clips, drag the chosen transition from the Organiser onto the ‘double arrow’ icon between two clips in the Sceneline. This small ‘double arrow’ box will change to an A/B icon to indicate a transition. 

Once a transition is applied, the Monitor Panel adjusts automatically ready for preview. Click the Play button to preview the transition or simply double-click the transition in the Sceneline.

4Editing a transition

Once a transition is applied it can then be edited. Highlight the transition in the Sceneline by clicking it and then click the Edit Transition button at the bottom of the Organiser > Transitions window. 

The Edit Transition window appears in the Organiser. In this window it’s possible to alter the Transition Duration, Alignment, Start and End points and more. The parameters displayed depend upon the transition selected.

5Adjusting transition parameters

Adjustable parameters common to all transitions are the Duration, Alignment, Start / End points and the ability to ‘Show Actual Sources’. This final option is particularly useful as it replaces the A and B icons with the actual footage the transition is working between. 

Click the Show Actual Sources tick box to activate this option. Now tweak the parameters to taste, previewing the effect by clicking the Play button at the top of the window. When happy, click the Done tick button (bottom right).

6Changing a transition in the Sceneline

Once transitions are placed in the Sceneline, it is simple to replace them with another. 

Select the transition to be replaced by highlighting it in the Sceneline (a blue box appears around it). Now right-click and use the menu that appears to browse to a different transition. 

As usual, once the transition is selected, preview it in the Monitor Panel by double-clicking the transition box in the Sceneline.

7Clip parameters

Each individual clip has a variety of properties that Premiere Elements can alter. These include Colour, Motion, Opacity (the ability to fade in and out) as well as the Volume and Balance of a clip’s audio. 

To access and amend these properties, select a clip in the Sceneline, right-click it and choose Show Properties. 

In the Organiser window each of these properties is shown with a disclosure triangle next to them. Click the triangle to reveal the controls.

8Adjusting clip properties

Use the slide controls under each property to adjust it. Alternatively, click the current value (a number underlined by a dotted blue line) and input a value manually. 

Playing with the settings can produce dramatic results. For example, to change a clip to black and white reduce the Saturation (under Image Control) to zero. Or to fade the clip in from a black screen, open the Opacity section and click the ‘Fade In’ button. 

To toggle the effects of a group of parameters click its ‘Eye’ icon. Click Done to confirm the changes.