How to apply transitions to multiple clips at DVinfo.net

Mark Lewis · September 12th, 2009, 03:14 PM

I put 30 pics end to end in the timeline and want to create a slide show. I try to select them all and drag a simple dissolve, but it only applies to one clip at a time.

Anyone know how to get a transition to apply to all of them? Seems like I am just missing something.
I could make a 5 sec in/out fade preset, set default clip time to 10 secs, create two layers with 10 second clips phased 5 seconds off, the apply the preset to them, but this seems ridiculous...

Adam Gold · September 12th, 2009, 05:41 PM

Only 30 clips? Should take you about 30 seconds to apply transitions individually. Set your default transition to the one you want, and then just PgDn/CtrlD to each.

It gets onerous if you have 15,000 or so, but for just a few this is the best way.

Also, I think here is where "Automate to Timeline" becomes your friend. I think all you do is set your default transition, light up all your clips in the project panel, right-click and from the flyout select "Automate to Timeline" and it does it for you. I think. Read up on it in the help files and let us know if it works.

The short, direct answer to your question is no, you can't apply multiple transitions all at once.

Although to be honest with you, if all you're doing is a slideshow, I wouldn't recommend Premiere. It hates stills and the more you feed it the crankier it becomes. I'd suggest a much simpler program, like WMM or iMovie or any of the bazillion cheap or free slideshow producers out there.

Brett Griffin · September 13th, 2009, 02:35 AM

Ditto Adam.

Set the default transition you want first (by default it is cross dissolve). If you are unsure how to do that, right click on the transition the make it default. Create bins for your photos, then select all within the bin and use Automate to sequence. Easiest way by far!!!

Harm Millaard · September 13th, 2009, 12:06 PM

While I agree With Adam and Brett on the Automate to Sequence approach, this only works if your clips are in the project panel but not in the timelime. Once in the timeline, your best bet is to right click the clip with the effects, select copy, CTRL-drag your mouse over the intended clips to select all of them and then use Paste Attributes.

Battle Vaughan · September 13th, 2009, 02:34 PM

Umm, I think the paste attributes works with effects but not with transitions. With effects, you can just control-drag the group, then select the effect, and it will apply to all the clips, without having to do the paste thing (in cs4 anyway) == But that's effects, again, not transitions. / Battle Vaughan

Adam Gold · September 13th, 2009, 10:33 PM

That's what I thought as well, which is why I didn't suggest it. But I know better than to question Harm's advice -- if he says it's possible I'd seriously check it out.

Harm Millaard · September 14th, 2009, 02:21 AM

Adam,

My mistake. I only considered effects, not transitions. The only sensible way for transitions is the one you indicated, PgDn/CTRL-D.

Should have gone to bed earlier. I make mistakes when I'm tired. Sorry.

Mark Lewis · September 30th, 2009, 02:25 AM

Ctrl-D is much faster.
encore does a great slideshow, but the render process was literally 6 hours for 3 minutes - something not right there. My machine is no slouch...

Stephen Armour · September 30th, 2009, 02:39 PM

Mark, just one more quick comment:

If you do a lot of stills, we've found much better stability by batch converting any JPG's to PNGs before dumping in any project. Since JPG's are compressed/decompressed on-the-fly, Premiere has always gotten weird on us when adding/doing a number of them in a single project.

That has been true since the early days of Premiere and still is true for CS4 as far as we can see. It doesn't seem to make any difference even though we use Cineform and can actually even make it worse sometimes.

Same thing is true of "compressed audio" formats (like MP3). Use WAV and avoid problems.

September 12th, 2009, 03:14 PM	#1
Mark Lewis Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 35	How to apply transitions to multiple clips I put 30 pics end to end in the timeline and want to create a slide show. I try to select them all and drag a simple dissolve, but it only applies to one clip at a time. Anyone know how to get a transition to apply to all of them? Seems like I am just missing something. I could make a 5 sec in/out fade preset, set default clip time to 10 secs, create two layers with 10 second clips phased 5 seconds off, the apply the preset to them, but this seems ridiculous... __________________ Mark Michael Lewis www.TheThriveCoach.com Integrating Prosperity, Pleasure, Purpose. CS5, win7x64, i7-2600, evga x58 16g, Asus z68, Sony HC1

September 13th, 2009, 02:35 AM	#3
Brett Griffin Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 80	Ditto Adam. Set the default transition you want first (by default it is cross dissolve). If you are unsure how to do that, right click on the transition the make it default. Create bins for your photos, then select all within the bin and use Automate to sequence. Easiest way by far!!! __________________ www.griffinvideoproductions.com.au \| Sony Z1 and FX1 \| Windows 7 x64 \| i7-920 OC 3.6GHZ \| 12gb DDR3 \| CS5.5 Master Collection

September 30th, 2009, 02:25 AM	#8
Mark Lewis Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 35	thanks y'all Ctrl-D is much faster. encore does a great slideshow, but the render process was literally 6 hours for 3 minutes - something not right there. My machine is no slouch... __________________ Mark Michael Lewis www.TheThriveCoach.com Integrating Prosperity, Pleasure, Purpose. CS5, win7x64, i7-2600, evga x58 16g, Asus z68, Sony HC1

September 30th, 2009, 02:39 PM	#9
Stephen Armour Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Natal, RN, Brasil Posts: 900	Mark, just one more quick comment: If you do a lot of stills, we've found much better stability by batch converting any JPG's to PNGs before dumping in any project. Since JPG's are compressed/decompressed on-the-fly, Premiere has always gotten weird on us when adding/doing a number of them in a single project. That has been true since the early days of Premiere and still is true for CS4 as far as we can see. It doesn't seem to make any difference even though we use Cineform and can actually even make it worse sometimes. Same thing is true of "compressed audio" formats (like MP3). Use WAV and avoid problems. __________________ http://lightinaction.org "All in the view of the LION"

September 12th, 2009, 05:41 PM	#2
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	Only 30 clips? Should take you about 30 seconds to apply transitions individually. Set your default transition to the one you want, and then just PgDn/CtrlD to each. It gets onerous if you have 15,000 or so, but for just a few this is the best way. Also, I think here is where "Automate to Timeline" becomes your friend. I think all you do is set your default transition, light up all your clips in the project panel, right-click and from the flyout select "Automate to Timeline" and it does it for you. I think. Read up on it in the help files and let us know if it works. The short, direct answer to your question is no, you can't apply multiple transitions all at once. Although to be honest with you, if all you're doing is a slideshow, I wouldn't recommend Premiere. It hates stills and the more you feed it the crankier it becomes. I'd suggest a much simpler program, like WMM or iMovie or any of the bazillion cheap or free slideshow producers out there.

September 13th, 2009, 12:06 PM	#4
Harm Millaard Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands Posts: 1,832	While I agree With Adam and Brett on the Automate to Sequence approach, this only works if your clips are in the project panel but not in the timelime. Once in the timeline, your best bet is to right click the clip with the effects, select copy, CTRL-drag your mouse over the intended clips to select all of them and then use Paste Attributes.

September 13th, 2009, 02:34 PM	#5
Battle Vaughan Trustee Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Miami, FL USA Posts: 1,505	Umm, I think the paste attributes works with effects but not with transitions. With effects, you can just control-drag the group, then select the effect, and it will apply to all the clips, without having to do the paste thing (in cs4 anyway) == But that's effects, again, not transitions. / Battle Vaughan

September 13th, 2009, 10:33 PM	#6
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	That's what I thought as well, which is why I didn't suggest it. But I know better than to question Harm's advice -- if he says it's possible I'd seriously check it out.

September 14th, 2009, 02:21 AM	#7
Harm Millaard Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands Posts: 1,832	Adam, My mistake. I only considered effects, not transitions. The only sensible way for transitions is the one you indicated, PgDn/CTRL-D. Should have gone to bed earlier. I make mistakes when I'm tired. Sorry.