help with certain effect in FCP
 

I'm trying to cheat the look of someone walking quickly across the screen...while using it also as a transition. it would basically look like a black blur going across the screen while wiping to the next scene. I hope thats an accurate enough description. (think shallow DOF)

I've been playing w/ shapes, mattes, and edge wipes but nothing seems to make the cut. I've seen this done before.

I also have AE, but it would be nice to keep this workflow within FCP.

Any ideas?

[dan]

You're barking up the right tree with a wipe transition. Doing this well usually requires a feathered edge on your wipe. I'm pretty sure that you have that option in FCP...

yes, but i really want an extremely feathered black shape to wipe across the screen. The wipe transition ALMOST has that option but not quite. I have created a decent make-shift transition but it takes a lot of time, and I'm curious if anyone has ever figured out a faster way (or if there's simply an option i'm missing in FCP)

Also, I can never seem to get a great enough feather. The edges still seem too defined. I know I can fix this in AE, but still...doing it in FCP would be nice.

I've done this effect before a few times. Once in a 70's cop show type effect where a cop car drives in profile across the screen, acting as a transition to the next shot.

I did it also in another piece where a hooded man walks across the frame very close, also acting as the transition.

I used the Eight-Point Garbage Matte and mask around the edges of the object you want to move across the screen, and keyframed the mask to fit the object's movements. With this clip masked and on a video track above your desired cut between scenes, that should do the trick i hope?

I probably wouldn't use this effect in FCP anymore but it certainly worked a treat back in student days.

Hope that helps.

Cheers.

P.S This isn't a Da Vinci Code sequel you're working on is it? (sorry you must get that a lot!)

Use the generate gradient pulldown in the viewer to make a gradient of the wipe you want to do...make sure you leave room to scale it up a bit in the other window. Set it as a luma mask between two tracks then keyframe it to move across the screen.