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What special transition effects should I use in my video?
HUNDREDS OF SPECIAL EFFECTS! OVER 1,000 UNIQUE TRANSITIONS! MORE SFX TRANSITIONS! Stepping into the world of video editing can be confusing to say the least, especially when it comes to all the advertised claims about how many special effects / transitions / and SFX a particular product may include. So let's start with some very basic terminology and then focus on the transitions. SFX, or special effects, can apply to any of the following: an entire video clip (also referred to as a 'shot' or 'element'), specific portions of a clip, or the transition between two clips. This article focuses on transitions. A transition is simply the way the one clip flows into another. There is a tendency for a beginner to incorporate a wide variety of interesting, not-so-interesting, and downright annoying transitions into their first productions. It becomes obvious to folks viewing the video that somebody is 'playing with' a video program, rather than telling a story. For this reason, it's essential that you step back and take a look at what is commonly used in production, and why. By far the most common is a cut, also called a 'take' in live television production. A cut is where one clip ends and immediately changes to another. Say, from a wide shot of a storefront to medium shot of someone walking up to and entering the door. The reason this is the most common with successful video makers is because it allows the viewer to concentrate on the actual storyline, instead of drawing attention to the transition between the story elements. It's also the easiest to accomplish technically, but many times harder for a budding video editor, because choosing the right clips with proper timing can be time consuming. The second most used transition is a dissolve, also called a crossfade, or mix. This is where one clip fades into the next, showing one full screen clip being 'mixed' into the next one for a period of time from just a few fractions of a second to as long as 5 seconds or more. This effect is particularly useful in slowing the pace of a video, showing the passage of time, or adding a mood to the progress of the video. Also, this is a great way to join montages of numerous pictures in succession. Slower dissolves give the viewer's eyes a chance to relax and refocus without the harshness of a cut. When used to transition titles or smaller picture elements onto the screen, the transition prepares the viewers eyes for a change to occur, rather than simply 'attacking' the eye with a new on-screen element. The least used transitions, yet the most expensive and most advertised, are the thousands of special effects transitions. So why are special effects so expensive and promoted so much? Well, simply because they are 'cool' if used properly and can provide drama. There is a strong danger, however, that the overuse of a cool effect makes it trite or annoying. For instance, transitioning using a lightning bolt effect, along with a crackling sound effect can certainly enhance the presentation of an on-screen surprise. But the effect is completely lost if every other transition is a similar dramatic effect. Even a beautifully executed and curled page turn gets old if used every time. On the other hand, if an effect such as a slow page turn is used to represent a new chapter, with many cuts and/or dissolves within each chapter, the viewer will come to expect each page turn to represent a new chapter, and will add clarity and consistency to the production. Then there are some transition effects which are absolutely in the novelty category, and may only be used once in your career, or never at all. Editing packages advertising thousands of special effects typically include thousands in this category. Unfortunately, most are not useful at all, and many new editors waste a lot of time just looking for ways to use sheep dropping out of the sky, or for rocketships flying towards the screen and blowing up into a new image. So what's the bottom line? If you're both shooting and editing, spend the extra time on the shooting side. Consider that various shots that will fully tell your story and naturally progress it through creative angles and varying distances. Take the earlier example of simply walking in the door. If all you have is one clip of someone walking up to and into a door, then on the inside, they're talking to the shopkeeper, then you'll be tempted to make up for the lack of good clips by dropping in a fake door opening transition between them. On the other hand, thinking ahead and creating a series of short clips that move the story along quickly requires no special effects, and is much more effective. This series could include 1. a wide shot of the storefront; 2. a medium shot of a customer approaching the door; 3. a closeup of the door handle turning or being pulled; 4. the shopkeeper looking up anticipating greeting a customer; 5. a side shot of the customer beginning to talk with the shopkeeper; and so forth. This series of shots will be both more interesting, and take less time in the final product. So skip the SFX hype, and concentrate on the storytelling. You AND your audience will be glad you did!
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Contributor's Note
Please note that this is intel is quite technical for those who want to gain or improve their skills in editing videos from a highly experienced video production expert. Please be sure to rate it in that light. I don't sell video production products, I'm just passing along time-proven intel. If you do not fully understand the terminology of the content, please do not attempt to rate it just to gain points. Thank you.
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