Need a different way to transition in FCP
 

Is there a way to transition clips in a way that does not reveal unwanted frames? for example, if I have two clips butt-fitted together like this:

[34567][34567]
(numbers represent time)

When I do a transition it does this:

[3456789
1234567]

In the process of blending it reveals frames 8,9 and 1,2 -- all frames that I didn't want to show. I realize that this is the only way to keep the audio seemless, but without the audio factor, is there a way to pull the clips together like this?

--[34567
34567]--

(Is that clear as mud?)

So it sounds like you want to do a sort of cross dissolve. If you wanted to do a 6 frame cross dissolve just trim 3 frames from the B side of the first clip and the A side of the second clip. Put an audio cross dissolve in along with it and all should be good. I think?

Transitions
 

Dana,

I have to do this sometimes if I am stuck on a live event and neither camera has a good shot but I have to keep the audio running. I use the directional blur dissolve from Nattress Big Box. I have also used the Cross Zoom. Another option is the Dip to Color. Set the color to white and it will look like a bright flash. Or you can simply use keyframes and fade each clip out before the bad frames start then fade the other in when the good frames start.

Hope this helps some.

Jonathan Schwartz
CA Video Productions

Unlink the clips on the timeline. Set the transitions for the video track and audio tracks separately, change the transition duration if needed and re-link the clips.

Great ideas!

I rarely use the cross zoom, but it makes sense because the frames are usually bad because of movement anyway.

Trimming frames also makes sense. I recently discovered the individual frame trimmer, so these shouldn't slow me down much.

I usually edit video separate from the audio because of the kind of videos I produce.