Lets talk crossfades/dissolves

[CrackTheSky]

Ever since I saw Paper Image by Koopiskeva, I've started to really dislike crossfades, because there was a drama video that did without them completely, and was still entirely effective as a drama video. Since then I've just really started to do all I can to avoid them in my own editing. Usually I'm all about gray area and compromise, but this has become a major issue for me. 90% of the time I just don't like them, period, and their use can completely ruin videos for me. I feel like hard cuts actually give a video better flow most of the time - but I will say that it's not always easy to make them work. Crossfades make the editing easier, but the end result just smacks of laziness to me.

Call me jaded (you'd be right if you did), but that's how I feel. This is actually one of the major reasons I feel I've become so cynical about AMVs in the past years, because it indicates a larger issue at hand that I won't go into here because I don't want to de-rail this thread. In any case, pure hard-cut videos are still relatively rare, because they are harder to do well - but I feel that simply making it a habit to do hard cuts where you would normally do crossfades will make you a more creative editor, and will force you to pay closer attention to your scene selection, because you'll find that where a crossfade looks okay a hard cut simply doesn't work and you'll see that the video doesn't really flow - the crossfade effect just covers up the disconnect between two otherwise visually unrelated scenes.

[Ileia]

I don't have a problem with cross-fades, personally. Any sort of transition can be used badly, cross-fades don't really stick out in my mind as being the primary no-no. It's interesting that recently I've read so many people talking up using hard-cuts exclusively, when just a few years ago, I'd get harped on for doing that same exact thing. The times, they are a-changin'. Haha, anyway, these days I'll get people upset about my use of crossfades, or regular fades, or the hard-cuts, etc, etc. There's no definite people-pleaser, so I just go with what looks good to me. If I were getting paid and I needed to please my client/director, then it would be a different story, but for now, I'm just a-makin' da AMVs, so I'm not too overly concerned.

[Pwolf]

While people keep referring to paper images as an example of how to do a drama video with only straight cuts, I disagree. Paper Images, while still a good video, I think it's one of Jay's worst videos. The straight cuts are erratic and jarring to me during the slower first half. Wile that was his purpose, the video feels random and too forced into the "I'm going to only use straight cuts" idea. Having not seen the show, I don't "get it". If Jay hadn't decided to only use straight cuts, I think the video would've been way better, at least for me (although that would've gone against his whole concept).

That's not to say a drama video can't use straight cuts, I just think Paper Images is a bad example, at least from my point of view. Either way, in the end it doesn't really matter, it's all based on a preference really. Some people hate em some people love em. You can't please everyone so just please yourself as an editor. Do what ever the hell you want

[lloyd9988]

While people keep referring to paper images as an example of how to do a drama video with only straight cuts, I disagree. Paper Images, while still a good video, I think it's one of Jay's worst videos.

Totally agreed. I love hard-cut videos but Paper Image isn't one of Koop's best. (A personal favorite, but not one of his best)

I don't hate crossfades myself... but I just find hard-cuts so much easier to work with, especially with fast-paced videos (Despite the fact I don't post many videos >.>). Anyway, it really is mostly about how the song flows. If the song is soft, then its a better choice to go with cross-fades and dissolves. If the song goes fast, well... Hard-cut it

Anyway, I think a good example of hard-cuts at its best would be Devil Shin's Dark Sun:

[MycathatesyouAMV]

I have basically come to a point where I can't stand crossfades. No matter where I see them, about the majority of them look choppy to me. More and more lately, I have increased my amount of hard cuts and sometimes use very very fast crossfades. I find that only if the two scenes blend really well together the crossfade can look nice. I was also wondering if some editing programs or certain settings have better looking crossfades than others.

[Zarxrax]

I was also wondering if some editing programs or certain settings have better looking crossfades than others.

Traditionally, crossfades were a linear thing. But nowadays, pretty much all software supports non-linear crossfades. I think vegas was one of the first to promote this, doing non-linear fades by default. Premiere Pro actually lets you drag around the handles and adjust the curve of the fade however you want.

[Nya-chan Production]

I was also wondering if some editing programs or certain settings have better looking crossfades than others.

Traditionally, crossfades were a linear thing. But nowadays, pretty much all software supports non-linear crossfades. I think vegas was one of the first to promote this, doing non-linear fades by default. Premiere Pro actually lets you drag around the handles and adjust the curve of the fade however you want.

So can Vegas, but it's a bit trickier and it includes two timelines :>

[JaddziaDax]

Actually in Vegas you don't even need two timelines to change the shape of the curve, you just right click and choose something like "fade type" or "transition type" i forget which, but you can then choose what kind of cross-fade you like.. however if you want more control over it of course using two timelines is always better.

[Emong]

I don't have a problem with crossfades or cuts per se. I only have a problem with how many people mix them up rather randomly and keep switching from one type of transition to another. For example the timeline could look something like fade-fade-cut-cut-cut-fade-cut-fade-fade-cut etc even though the song doesn't call for such switching. Except for some videos, which somehow manage to make it work, I find that it really interrupts the technical flow of the video. My approach to editing is kind of a neo-fascist one: I like order and discipline. So basically I keep my sync patterns consistent within certain parts of the song. For example if I decide to do fades for the verses of a song I really will do only fades for the verses. No compromises.

Also, I like it when people modify the fades rather than just using simple linear or semi-linear fades. For example letting the opacity fall between the transition can look really good. Using some kind of overlays with crossfading might actually look good too if done carefully.