Effects, transitions, adjustment layers and masks

#What it is

Effects change how a clip looks. Transitions change how one clip turns into the next. An adjustment layer puts effects over every clip under it. A blend mode mixes a clip with the ones beneath it, and a mask shows only part of a clip.

#Who can use it

Everyone, on Free and Pro. The app does not check your plan for effects, transitions, adjustment layers, blend modes or masks. The AI Editor opens on a laptop or desktop.

#Cost

Free, no credits. These tools run on your computer.

#Where to find it

• Effects: in the left bar named Editor sections, choose Effects. Its hint says "Looks and filters for the selected clip".
• Transitions: in the same bar, choose Transitions. Its hint says "Smooth changes between two clips".
• On one clip: click a clip on the timeline. In the inspector, the Effects view has Video Effects, Masking and Adjustment Layers. The Motion view has Transitions. The Edit view has Blending.

#Buttons and controls

The Effects panel in the left bar:

The Transitions panel in the left bar:

Video Effects in the inspector (Effects view):

Transitions in the inspector (Motion view, closed at first):

Blending in the inspector (Edit view, for video, image, text, shape and sticker clips):

Adjustment Layers in the inspector (Effects view, closed at first):

Masking in the inspector (Effects view, closed at first, for video and image clips):

#How to add an effect

1. Click a clip on the timeline.
2. In Editor sections, choose Effects.
3. Pick a category, or type in Search effects.
4. Double-click an effect card. You see "Effect applied" with the effect name and clip count. You can also drag the card onto a clip.

If no clip is selected you see "No clip selected": drag the effect onto a clip, or select a clip and double-click.

#How to change or remove an effect

1. Click the clip and open the Effects view of the inspector.
2. Open Video Effects.
3. Change an effect's sliders, move it with Move up and Move down, turn it off with Disable effect, or take it off with Remove effect.
4. To use the same look on another clip, choose Copy effect stack, select the other clip, then choose Paste effect stack.

#How to add a transition between two clips

1. Put the two clips side by side on the same row.
2. Choose Transitions in Editor sections.
3. Click one clip, or both clips together.
4. Double-click a transition card. You see "Transition added". Or drag the card onto the line between the clips.
5. Click the clip and open the Motion view, then Transitions, to change the length.

With one clip selected, the transition goes between it and the next clip. If it is the last clip, it goes between it and the previous clip. If it is the only clip, you get a transition at its end.

#How to set a transition's length

1. Select a clip next to another clip and open Motion > Transitions.
2. Under Clip-to-Clip Transitions, pick the Transition Type you want.
3. Move the Duration slider.
4. If the time is too long, a yellow note says "Insufficient handle frames. Maximum transition duration is" followed by the number of seconds. Lower the duration.
5. Choose Apply Transition. To remove it, choose Remove Transition. You see "Transition Removed".

#How to add an adjustment layer

1. Click a clip, open the Effects view and then Adjustment Layers.
2. Choose Add Adjustment Layer. A layer named Adjustment 1 (and so on) appears and opens.
3. Choose a preset card such as + Brightness or + Vignette, then set its slider.
4. Set Start and Duration to cover the clips you want to change.

Everything under the layer on the timeline gets the effects. Delete the layer to undo it.

#How to set a blend mode

1. Click a clip and open the Edit view of the inspector.
2. Find Blending and choose a mode in Blend mode.
3. Move Blend Opacity to mix the clip in.

#How to mask a clip

1. Click a video or image clip, open the Effects view and then Masking.
2. Choose Rectangle, Ellipse or Polygon.
3. Open the mask with Expand mask and set Feathering, Expansion and Opacity.
4. Choose Mask Normal to flip it to Mask Inverted and show the other part.
5. For a freehand shape, choose Add custom path mask and change the points in Path points. Use Add path point to add one. Each point has an X and a Y in percent.
6. To use another clip's shape, choose Use another clip as a track matte, pick the clip in Matte source, then choose a channel.

#Options explained

Effects in the Effects panel. There is a list of effects in five categories:

• Basic: Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Tonal Balance, Cinematic Punch.
• Color: Grayscale, Sepia, Temperature, Tint, Hue, Golden Hour, Duotone.
• Blur: Blur, Motion Blur, Radial Blur, Soft Focus.
• Creative: Invert, Sharpen, Vignette, Film Grain, Retro Grain, Posterize, Fisheye, Wave Warp.
• Stylize: Drop Shadow, Glow, Chromatic Aberration, Chroma Key, Dream Bloom, RGB Split, VHS, Prism Split, Scanlines, Edge Glow.

The count on each category button tells you how many effects it holds. Each effect has its own sliders in Video Effects, such as Value, Amount, Radius, Angle, Intensity or Opacity. Add Effect also has a Shaders tab with extra looks.

Transitions in the Transitions panel. The panel has one card per transition and also several ready-made variants of the same type, so a category can hold more cards than the names below. The count on each category button tells you how many. The four categories and their main types:

• Dissolves: Crossfade, Dip to Black, Dip to White.
• Wipes: Wipe, Circle Reveal, Radial Wipe, Venetian Blinds, Diamond Reveal, Mosaic Reveal, Split.
• Movement: Slide, Push, Whip Pan, Spin, Flip, Page Turn.
• Stylized: Zoom, Blur Dissolve, Pixelate, Glitch Cut, Flash Cut, Film Burn, Ripple, Color Split.

Variants include Wipe Left, Right, Up and Down, Soft Wipe Left, Soft Wipe Right, Diagonal Wipe, Slide and Push in four directions, Whip Left, Right, Up and Down, Spin Clockwise and Spin Counterclockwise, Flip Horizontal and Vertical, Split Horizontal and Vertical, Page Turn Left and Right, Film Burn, Red Film Burn, Cool Light Leak, Linear Dissolve, Slow In Dissolve, Slow Out Dissolve, Zoom Top Left, Zoom Bottom Right and Punch Zoom.

A transition added from the panel is 1 second long. You can change that afterwards in Motion > Transitions.

Transition types in the inspector. The Transition Type grid in the inspector holds more types than the panel: Crossfade, Dip to Black, Dip to White, Wipe, Slide, Zoom, Push, Circle Reveal, Blur Dissolve, Whip Pan, Radial Wipe, Pixelate, Glitch Cut, Venetian Blinds, Diamond Reveal, Spin, Flip, Split Reveal, Flash Cut, Film Burn, Mosaic Reveal, Ripple, Page Turn and Color Split. Some types add a Parameters group. For example Softness for Wipe, Blur Strength for Blur Dissolve, Slices and Intensity for Glitch Cut, Slats for Venetian Blinds, Rotations for Spin, Tile Columns and Randomness for Mosaic Reveal, Amplitude and Waves for Ripple.

Entry and exit animation presets. None, Fade, Slide Left, Slide Right, Slide Up, Slide Down, Zoom In, Zoom Out, Rotate, Blur, Iris Circle, Iris Rect, Iris Diamond, Iris Star. Easing has Linear, Ease In, Ease Out and Ease In Out.

Handles and length. Between two clips the longest transition is twice the length of the shorter clip. On a single clip it is the length of that clip. The slider starts at 0.1 seconds. The entry and exit duration can be at most half the clip.

Blend modes on a clip. Normal, Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Darken, Lighten, Color Dodge, Color Burn, Hard Light, Soft Light, Difference, Exclusion. In an adjustment layer you also get Hue, Saturation, Color and Luminosity. There the list shows the group of each mode: Basic, Darken, Lighten, Contrast, Inversion and Component.

Adjustment layer presets. Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Grayscale, Sepia, Invert, Hue Rotate, Blur, Sharpen, Vignette, Temperature, Tint, Film Grain. Each has its own slider, for example Rotation for Hue Rotate and Warm / Cool for Temperature.

Mask types. A mask can be a Shape Mask (Rectangle, Ellipse or Polygon), a Drawn Mask (from Add custom path mask) or a Track Matte (from another clip). A track matte has a Channel with three buttons: bounds, alpha and luminance. A drawn mask must keep at least 3 points, so Remove path point is off when it has that many.

Mask sliders. Feathering softens the edge, from 0 to 100 px. Expansion grows or shrinks the mask, from -100 to 100 px. Opacity goes from 0 to 100 percent.

Other sections in the Effects view. The same view also holds Applied, Background Removal, Particle Effects, Chroma Key (Green Screen), Motion Tracking, Green Screen, Picture-in-Picture, Nested Sequences and, for text, Text Behind Subject. Applied lists the recipes and effects already on the clip. Recipes are covered in templates and recipes.

#Limits

• Between two clips, the longest transition is twice the shorter clip. On a single clip, it is the clip's length.
• The transition slider has a lowest value of 0.1 second.
• A drawn mask keeps at least 3 points.
• Mask feathering goes up to 100 px, and expansion from -100 to 100 px.

#When something goes wrong

#Questions

#Do effects change my original file?

No. Effects, masks and adjustment layers are stored on the clip in your project. Remove them any time.

#How do I use one look on many clips?

Put the look on an adjustment layer and stretch it over the clips. Or use Copy effect stack and Paste effect stack on each clip.

#Why can't I see my transition?

A transition needs two clips on the same row with no gap, or a single clip for an intro or outro. Check that the clips touch, then check the length in Motion > Transitions.

#What is the difference between a transition and an entry animation?

A transition blends a clip with its neighbour or the project background. An entry or exit animation moves, scales or fades just this clip.

#Can I mask with another clip?

Yes. Choose Use another clip as a track matte and pick the clip in Matte source.

#Can I apply an effect to text?

Yes. Video Effects and the Effects panel work for video, image, text, shape, SVG and sticker clips.