Search

How to Add Transitions to Videos in Photoshop

  • Thread starter LukeLewis
  • Start date
LukeLewis

LukeLewis

Member
Joined
May 7, 2021
Messages
134
Reaction Score
0
Points
21
  • #1
If I had to guess, I’d say that out of all the tasks those of us who want to complete in a video editor, adding a transition between clips would be the highest on the list. Think about it. Sure, you want to import the clip, edit it and then export it. But really, it’s the transitions that folks think of when they’re editing. I’ve worked on a lot of different video with a lot of different people and it’s always the same. They want to know all about the different transitions that are available. Even when I was back in college working in Microsoft Powerpoint. The transitions mattered.

How to Add a Fade Transition to a Video Clip in Adobe Photoshop​

In today’s post, I’m going to give you a really quick tutorial that will cover how to add a transition to a video in Adobe Photoshop. After you read through this post, you’ll wonder how you didn’t already know the steps. You’re going to love it.

Opening the Clips Into Photoshop​

If you aren’t already sure how to open a video file into Adobe Photoshop, I encourage you to read through this post:

5 Ways to Open Video Files into Adobe Photoshop

For today’s post, I’m going to open both clips into their own files in Photoshop. Then, I’ll drag one of the clips over into the other tab and I’ll break them out of the video group they’re currently in. In the end, I’ll have two clips that are independent on the timeline. I’ll have no problem adding a fade transition now.

video-clips.jpg

Accessing the Video Transition Panel​

Okay, now that everything is set up correctly, I can make sure the clip I’ll be transitioning to (the bottom clip) is overlapping the one that’s being transitioned from (the top clip). Take a look at what I’m referring to here below.

transition-point.jpg

To move a clip, all you need to do is to click on the blue somewhere. After that, just drag it back or forth and let go when you’re finished.

If there was no overlap, the fade I’m going to add would become transparent and then the video would abruptly jump to the second clip. Since both clips now overlap, the top clip can fade out and the bottom one will be there to be faded into.

To access the available transitions, I’ll go ahead and click the Transitions icon that sits towards the beginning of the timeline.

transition-icon.jpg

In the screenshot above, you can see how the transitions panel popped up.

Applying a Transition​

Applying a transition to a clip is super simple. To do this, I’ll click on the transition I want to add, which, in this case, is the Fade transition. I’ll then drag it down to the clip that I’d like to add it to. Be careful with this step – you can’t just drag the transition down into the blue clip and let go. You have to drop it either at the beginning of the clip or at the end. In my case, I’ll be dropping it at the end, so when I drag the transition, I’ll bring it to the end and drop it after I see a black outline appear.

black-outline.jpg

I had to stretch out the timeline a bit so you could clearly see the black outline. Since the transition was set to be only one second long, the black outline that displayed that length of time was very narrow.

Once I drop the transition on the clip, a small indicator will appear, telling me that I’ve completed the task.

fade-transition.jpg

Setting the Length of the Transition​

There are a few different ways to change the length of time it takes for the transition to complete transitioning. The first method is to set the time before you drag and drop the transition on the clip. If you take a look at this next screenshot, you’ll see a small drop-down box inside of the transition panel. If I click that drop-down, you’ll see a slider that controls the length of the transition.

transition-duration.jpg

The next method for adjusting the length of the transition is to drag one side of the small indicator after it’s been dropped. This is just as simple as the first method, so it’s up to you. Just be aware that when you roll your mouse over the indicator, the pointer will change into something else, so you’ll know when to begin dragging.

Right-Click For More Options​

If I right-click on the transition indicator, I’ll see a small panel appear. Inside this panel are the same controls as the initial panel included. The difference is that I can alter an already applied transition through this panel.

right-click.jpg

So, if I wanted to switch what type of transition I applied, I could do that right through this smaller panel and if I wanted to alter the length of time it takes for the transition to complete, I could do that as well.

Once the transition is applied and set, I can go about finishing up anything else I need to do.

Applying a transition to a video clip in Adobe Photoshop is easy. I hope I thoroughly and clearly explained the process. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this post, please let me know in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!

COMMENT: Thank you very much for your post which is well explained. I am using CC 2017 and followed all the steps. The transition shows once i play it. But here my problem: once exported (safe for web/ GIF – looping forever – transparency dither…) the GIF shows as a still. Would you have any advice on the export settings that would export the fade as well in GIF?

COMMENT: I can’t be sure about this since I don’t ever create animated GIF images, but the transition might not be supported for that type of file. That’s a lot to ask of a GIF.
 
LukeLewis

LukeLewis

Member
Joined
May 7, 2021
Messages
134
Reaction Score
0
Points
21
  • #2

Applying a Cross Fade Transition to a Video Group in Adobe Photoshop​

If you have perfectly edited video clips, you can add them right into what’s called a Video Group inside of Adobe Photoshop. Basically, a video group is a collection of clips that line up in one space on the timeline. They butt up against each other; the end of the first clip to the beginning of the second and so on. Inside of Photoshop’s Timeline panel, there’s an option to add a Cross Fade in between these clips, which will give you a nice, smooth transition from one to the next.

Yesterday, I wrote a post where I discussed adding Fade transitions to multiple clips. If you’d like to read that post to get some background on transitions all together, please click through below.

How to Add a Fade Transition to a Video Clip in Adobe Photoshop

For today’s post, I plan on showing you two things. First, I’ll explain how to add one clip to another that’s already opened in the Timeline panel in Photoshop. The second clip I’ll add will be contained in the same group, therefore, its beginning will touch the end of the first. Second, I’ll demonstrate how to go about adding a cross fade transition between the two clips. This tutorial will be just as straightforward as the previous one, so there’s nothing advanced to concern yourself with here.

Creating a Video Group​

I already opened up a sample clip and resized it to match the next one I’ll be adding. Due to the resizing, I was forced, by Photoshop, to convert the regular layer to a Smart Object. That’s not a problem, but it did turn the object on the timeline from blue to purple. I just wanted to let you know why there is purple down there in the screenshot below.

smart-object-video.jpg

If you take a look over at the Layers panel, you’ll see that there is currently only one layer in it.

layer.jpg

To add a clip and create a Video Group, I can click on the “+” symbol that sits at the right side of the timeline, in the same row as to where I’d like to add the clip.

add-clip.jpg

When I click that, a window will appear, where I can navigate to the file I’m interested in. I’ll find the file, double-click on it and the clip will be added to the timeline. Doing this will also create a group in the Layers panel that will contain both clips.

video-group.jpg

Now let’s take a look at the timeline.

two-clips.jpg

That’s perfect. So, like I mentioned above, if I had edited clips and wanted to line them all up like this, one after another, I could easily follow the same actions I just took above to accomplish the task.

Adding a Cross Fade Transition Between the Video Clips​

Applying a cross fade transition in this post is just as easy as it was in the post I wrote yesterday. All I have to do is to click on the transition icon in the Timeline panel to open up the Transition panel. From there, I’ll select Cross Fade.


cross-fade-transition.jpg

Once I select the proper transition from the panel, I can drag it down to the timeline and drop it right between the two clips. When I roll over this area with the transition, a black outline will appear, telling me where the transition will occur.

cross-fade-marker.jpg

When I let go of my mouse button, the transition icon will be attached to the video clip.

transition-icon-1.jpg

Deleting a Transition​

I forgot to mention this in yesterday’s post, but if you’d like to delete a transition from the timeline, all you need to do is to click on the transition icon itself and then press the Delete key on your keyboard. That will get rid of it.

Adjusting the Duration of the Transition​

To learn how to adjust the duration of the transition, please review my previous post. I cover all the steps necessary, as well as discuss others not mentioned here.

——

See? It’s that easy. I hope I clearly explained how to add a cross fade transition to a video timeline in Adobe Photoshop. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this post, please leave them in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!
 
LukeLewis

LukeLewis

Member
Joined
May 7, 2021
Messages
134
Reaction Score
0
Points
21
  • #3

Creating a Video Transition Using Masks in Adobe Photoshop​

This is going to be a good post. If you produce video and have ever taken advantage of transitions between scenes, you’re in for a treat. I’m going to show you have to make one specific type of transition from scratch. Step by step. I’ll be taking advantage of masks, so if you aren’t up to snuff on them, you can easily learn all you need to know in this post:

What are Layer Masks in Adobe Photoshop?

Of course, I have many more posts that talk about using masks in Photoshop, so if you’re interested in that topic, simply type “Photoshop Mask” in the search bar at the top of this website. You’ll find everything you need.

In today’s post, I’m going to walk you through the steps of applying a mask to a video layer and then animating that mask by using keyframes in the Timeline panel of Adobe Photoshop. In effect, the mask will act as a shield that will hide one layer and slowly reveal that layer as the playhead moves down the timeline. After you read this post and see all the parts in motion, I think you’ll agree that the concept of creating an animated transition effect is rather simple. Even the steps are simple, so please read on down below to get started.

Setting Up the Video Clips​

I already have both demo video clips set up in Photoshop. I had to resize one and drag it over into the other video tab, so by altering the size of the one I moved, Photoshop made me change the layer into a Smart Object. This is normal and it isn’t an issue. Just in case you’re wondering why one clip on the timeline is purple and the other is blue, this is the reason. Here’s a screenshot of part of the Timeline panel.

two-video-clips.jpg

As far as the layers over in the Layers panel go, there are only two of them and they aren’t grouped. Here is a screenshot of them.

layers-panel.jpg

I think I’m ready to go. I already moved the top clip in the Timeline panel so it overlaps the bottom clip a bit. This is necessary because as the transition slides across the screen, both clips will be in view for a bit. Remember, everything I do below is completely adjustable. It’s the process you want to keep your eye on, not the specifics.

Adding a Layer Mask​

I have two video clips. The first one plays through and towards the end, it begins to fade into nighttime darkness. It also gets sort of blurry towards the end. The second clip begins anew in daytime. I overlapped the daytime clip for just a few seconds, while the other clip fades. Basically, I want to add a layer mask that will hide part of the daytime clip and that will wipe across the screen so the transition between clips is much smoother. So, the second step of this process, after setting the clips up like I did above, is to create a layer mask that’s attached to the second, daytime, clip. You’ll get what I’m saying below.

To create the mask, I’ll first make sure the proper layer in the Layers panel is selected. I’ll click on that to be sure. Then, I’ll use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to select that entire layer. I can either draw the selection out or I can simply use the keyboard shortcut of Ctrl+A to select all. Either way, the entire layer will be selected and the marching ants will be visible. Take a look. You can see the marching ants along the outer edge of the image.

marching-ants.jpg

Next, since I want this particular layer to be hidden, I’d like a layer mask that’s black. With this in mind, I’ll head up to the Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All and click.

layer-mask-hide-all.jpg

Once I do that, I’ll see the image of the daytime video disappear to be replaced by the one below it. The one that’s currently ending.

hidden-layer.jpg

I’ll also notice that the black layer mask icon appeared on the selected layer in the Layers panel.

black-layer-mask.jpg

Really, all I’ve done so far is basic layer masking 101.

What are Layer Masks in Adobe Photoshop?

How to Quickly & Easily Invert a Layer Mask in Adobe Photoshop

Using Layer Masks For Video in Adobe Photoshop

How to Adjust Layer Masks by Color Range in Adobe Photoshop

Unlinking & Moving the Mask​

Since this mask will be animated, I will need to unlink it from the layer it’s currently attached to. Doing this is really easy. To unlink a mask from a layer, all I need to do is to click on the small chain icon that sits to the left of the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel.

chain-link.jpg

I circled the chain link in red in the above screenshot.

Once I unlink the mask from the layer, the chain link will disappear. Also, I’ll be able to move the mask independently from the layer itself. I’ll go ahead and slide the mask around a bit so you can see what I’m talking about.

NOTE: If you find that you can’t move the layer mask, even after unlinking the mask from the layer, you may need to create the mask using a different method. Again, make your selection the same way I did above. This time though, instead of using the menu up top to create the mask, hold down the Alt key on your keyboard and click on the Create Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. This will create a black mask. Not pressing the Alt key create a white one. In the next screenshot, I circled the mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel as well as moved the mask as an example.

moved-mask.jpg

Feathering Edges & Transforming Mask​

The next thing I’d like to do is to feather the edges of the mask, so when it slides across the screen, it’s nice and soft. To do this, I’ll double-click on the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel. Once I do that, the mask Properties panel will open up. Inside the panel is a Feather slider. I’ll push this slider to the right until I hit the 50px mark. You may have to choose a different value depending on your video dimensions. In the screenshot below, you can see the Properties panel and the feathered edge.

feathering-edges.jpg

This is great, but there’s one problem. When I feathered the edges, Photoshop decided to reveal more of the right edge than I wanted it to. Basically, once the playhead hits the mark on the video where the mask becomes present, part of the second video will show immediately. I don’t want that. So, to hide all of the video and keep the mask feathered, I’ll need to transform the mask so it’s a bit wider. To do this, I’ll use the Free Transform keyboard shortcut of Ctrl+T and click and drag the right side of the transformation box until I can’t see any feathering anymore.

free-transform.jpg

When I’m finished, I’ll press Enter on my keyboard to accept the transformation.

Animating the Mask​

Okay, all the pieces are in place to begin the animation. All that’s left is to do some work down in the Timeline panel.

First, I’ll make sure the playhead down in the Timeline panel is set so it’s right at the beginning of the second clip. Then, I’ll position the layer mask so it’s hiding all of that clip. I shouldn’t be able to see any of it at all. After that, I’ll click the small arrow that sits to the left of the layer name before the timeline itself. Doing this will reveal the animations options.

arrow.jpg

Since everything else is set up, I’ll go ahead and click the Layer Mask Position option to create a keyframe.

keyframe.jpg

The first keyframe is set. That tells Photoshop that an animation is about to occur. Since I’d like a four second transition, I’ll push the playhead to the right by four seconds.

moving-playhead.jpg

Finally, I’ll make sure the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel is still selected, hold down the Shift key on my keyboard to restrict the movement of the mask laterally and use the Move Tool to drag the mask all the way over to the left until it’s not visible anymore. When I do all this and then let go of the mouse pointer, a new keyframe will appear on the timeline automatically. This tells Photoshop to stop the animation.

both-keyframes.jpg

If I click on the Play button in the timeline, I’ll see the animation in action. The second video will appear from right to left and it’ll show via a soft transition. As I mentioned above, all of this is adjustable after the fact. If I want to somehow change the movement of the mask, I can do that. If I want to shorten the transition itself, I can click and drag the keyframes. All the necessary elements are now in the file and I can do what I please with them. It’s that easy.

——

While this type of project takes some getting used to, once you do it a few times, it really becomes second nature. In this case, the toughest part was getting used to using a mask in an animation. Photoshop has no issue with this type of thing at all, so you just need to know the steps. Anyway, I hope I clearly explained how to create a video transition effect using Adobe Photoshop. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this post, please leave them in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!
 
Last edited:
LukeLewis

LukeLewis

Member
Joined
May 7, 2021
Messages
134
Reaction Score
0
Points
21
  • #4

How to Adjust Video Clip Transition Length in Adobe Photoshop​

On this website, I’ve already talked a bit about how to add transitions to video clips inside of Photoshop. This feature is really easy to take advantage of. I’ve used video editing software in the past that has truly made me scratch my head. To this day, I don’t have a solid idea of how to use certain aspects of those pieces of software. Photoshop is different. It’s well thought out and is easy on the fingertips. Each and every thing you want to accomplish only take a few mere clicks.

In today’s post, I’d like to demonstrate how to use one particular area of the transition feature of Adobe Photoshop. In this project, I’ll go about setting up some video clips in the Timeline panel and then I’ll add a variety of transitions to the beginnings and ends of them. From there, I’ll show you how to adjust the length of those transitions, which really only takes a click or two. It’s so easy.

Demo Videos​

I’m going to show you four screenshots here. They are all food related, so the final movie will be a simple montage that includes each one. I’ll show them to you in the order I’ll place them on the timeline. I’ve also cut each clip so each one is only ten seconds long.

table.jpg tea.jpg grill.jpg boiling-water.jpg

Setting the Video Clips Up on the Timeline​

As I stated above, I’ve already gone ahead and placed each clip into the same timeline in the same tab. I trimmed each one to ten seconds as well.

How to Trim, Split & Slip Video Clips in Adobe Photoshop

Here’s what the current timeline looks like. If you have any questions about how I set things up like this, please ask them in the comment area below.

video-timeline-panel.jpg

Adding Fade With Black Transitions​

I think it’s a good idea to begin this video with a fade from black. I also think it would be nice to fade to black at the end. To do this, I’ll click on the Transitions icon located in the Timeline panel. From there, a pop up box will appear. I’ll click on the Fade With Black option and drag it down to the side of the clip I’d like to either fade from or fade to. For instance, since I want the first clip in the video to fade from black, I’ll drag the fade option to the left side of the clip in the Timeline panel. Since I want the last clip to fade to black, I’ll drag the option down to the right side of the clip. I’ve circled everything I just discussed in this paragraph below.

fade-icons.jpg

Adding Cross Fade Transitions​

Next, I’ll add cross fades to each area between the clips. To do this, I’ll select and drag the Cross Fade option down and between each clip. I’ll then drop it there. I took a screenshot as I was doing this to the first one.

cross-fade.jpg

I’ll go ahead and complete another one as well.

Adjusting the Duration of the Transitions​

Okay, we’re getting to the meat of things. There are a few ways to customize the duration of a video transition in Photoshop. The first method is to simply adjust the transition timing before you drag and drop it on the timeline. To do this, just drag the Duration slider to the left or to the right to the number of seconds that you would like the transition to last for. You can even type the exact duration into the box if you would like. I’ve circled the location of this tool below.

duration-slider.jpg

The second method is to roll your mouse over the transition marker in the clip on the timeline and wait for your mouse pointer to change into a bracket. When that happens, you can click and drag that transition to the left or to the right. That will alter its duration, but this method won’t offer nearly the accuracy of the previous method. Take a look at the screenshot below. I really dragged the cross fade transition as far as it would go to the right.

long-cross-fade.jpg

The Final Video​

Okay, let’s take a look at the final video. Let’s see those transitions in action.


Pretty cool, huh? I’d say that looks good. And as I stated above, all this is very easy to accomplish.

——

I hope I clearly explained how to adjust the duration of a transition while working on video in Adobe Photoshop. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this post, please leave them in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!
 
LukeLewis

LukeLewis

Member
Joined
May 7, 2021
Messages
134
Reaction Score
0
Points
21
  • #5

How to Add a Blur Filter Transition to a Video Clip in Adobe Photoshop​

If you’re into creating video content, you probably already know that transitions between clips are an extremely important aspect of what you do. It’s rare that you have one long video file that was perfectly recorded. In reality, you most likely have multiple clips that you need to somehow merge together as one. It’s the merging that I’d like to cover here.

In today’s post, I’m going to walk through a process of adding a bit of something extra to a regular basic transition. I’ll import two video clips into Adobe Photoshop and set things up in such a way as to have the first clip fade into the second. While that’s fairly straightforward and while I’ve already discussed basic video clip transitions on this blog, in this post, I’d like to add a filter to the transition as well. The filter I’ll be using will add a blur to the end of the first clip, the the two clips will transition into one another and finally, the second clip will be blurred and that blur will smoothly fade out to the sharp remainder of the second video. So in sequence, things will go like this: The first clip will be sharp and will eventually fade into a blur. Then, the two clips will transition into one another using a fade. Finally, the second clip will be blurry and that blur will fade out into the sharp video. So while a traditional cross fade is what’s expected, I’ll construct more of a technical set of fades that will add a snazzy element of blurriness that should bring things to the next level.

Also, I would like to impress upon you that while I’m choosing to go with a blur filter today, you can choose any filter that makes sense for you. You would follow the same process as I lay out today.

The Two Video Clips​

These are the two clips I’ll be using for this project. I took screen captures of them both and placed them in one file.

video-clips.jpg

Duplicating Layers & Converting to Smart Objects​

Okay, let me give you a snapshot of what I’m working with. I’ve got both video clips in the same workspace. I also have the Timeline panel opened up with the clips set up so they’re each on their own layer in that panel, meaning, the clips aren’t grouped in the Layers panel.

timeline-panel-clips.jpg

Since I’m not going to be working with fades directly on these layers because of the blur filter factor, I’ll need to duplicate these layers and convert them to Smart Objects before doing anything else. You’ll see why I have to do this below. Video layers need to be Smart Objects to have filters applied to them.

So, to duplicate each layer, I’ll simply click and drag the layer I’d like to duplicate down to the Create a New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers panel. Here’s what the Layers panel will look like after I do this.

layer-copies.jpg

Next, I’ll right-click on the duplicate layers and convert them to Smart Objects.

convert-to-smart-object.jpg

At this point, I’ve got both types of layers clearly laid out in the Timeline panel, nice and clean.

layer-set.jpg

Adding the Blur​

The next step is to blur the Smart Object layers. To do this, I’ll select each one, one at a time, in the Layers panel and then head up to the Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur menu item and click.

filter-blur-gaussian-blur.jpg

When the Gaussian Blur dialog box appears, I’ll choose a Radius value of 15 pixels. Then I’ll click the OK button and move onto the next step. Remember, I did this for both Smart Object layers, so they’re both completely blurred.

gaussian-blur-dialog-box.jpg

Adjusting & Fading the Smart Object Layers​

Now that I’ve got all the layers set up the way they’re supposed to be, I need to move into the more logistical aspects of things, meaning how much of the blur I’d like to see and where things will begin to fade and end fading. That sort of thing.

I’ll work on the clips that are earlier in the timeline first. What I’d like to see here is the original (non-Smart Object) clip start off in focus. Then, a few seconds from the end of that clip, I’d like to fade into the blurry version of it (the Smart Object one). So, to shrink the Smart Object version of the first clip down, I’ll hover my mouse over the leading edge of it and then click and drag it to the right. I’ll stop a few seconds short of the end.

reduced-time.jpg

Next, I’ll add a fade to the beginning of this purple clip, so it fades into the blur smoothly. If you’re interested, you can read all about fades in one of my previous posts.

fade-timeline.jpg

I made it so this fade lasts for one second.

Next, I’ll go ahead and set the second Smart Object clip up the same exact way, but opposite. I’ll reduce the length of this second clip so it shows for just a few seconds at the beginning after the final transition.

Take a look. If you’ll notice, I added the second fade to the end of the clip, so the blur fades out into sharpness.

fade-out-blur.jpg

Adding the Transition Fade​

Since all the heavy lifting is completed, all I need to do now fade-wise is add a basic transition fade to the beginning of the second Smart Object clip. This fade won’t only introduce the second blurry clip, it’ll introduce the second clip altogether. Again, this is a one second fade.

transition-fade.jpg

Cleaning Things Up​

Okay, let’s see where I stand as of now. I have a sharp video clip that moves along the timeline until it reaches a blurry one. When the playhead does reach that next clip, the first fade begins and things appear blurry. After that, the playhead continues to move until it reaches the second blurry clip. A second fade begins and brings us into the second group of clips. Things remain blurry until the next fade brings us back to clarity. We then finish up the video like that.

This is great, but there is one problem. The spot where these two clips meet contains an abrupt change. The second transition doesn’t begin until after the switch from the first to second clip, so that will need to be addressed.

What I’ll do to rectify this situation is click to select both of the second clips so they are both highlighted. Then, I’ll drag them to the left so they overlap the first set of clips by one second. After that, so only the second blurry clip shows as the fade progresses, I’ll click and drag the beginning of the second regular clip to the right, to trim off one second of video. Take a look at the screenshot so what I just wrote makes more sense.

final-adjustments.jpg

I know this got confusing toward the end, so if you have any questions, please just ask.

Anyway, if I render this video out and upload it to Youtube, this is what we’ll see. Pretty neat, right?

Adding a Blur Transition to Video Clips in Adobe Photoshop



And that’s it! That wasn’t too difficult, was it?

I hope I clearly explained how you can create custom transitions between video clips in Adobe Photoshop by using Smart Objects, filters and fades. If you have any questions regarding this post, please ask in the comment section below. If you’d like, you may also ask in the Photoshop user forum as well. Thanks for reading!
 
LukeLewis

LukeLewis

Member
Joined
May 7, 2021
Messages
134
Reaction Score
0
Points
21
  • #6

Can I Add a Filter to a Transition For Video in Adobe Photoshop?​

The short answer to this question is yes, you can use a filter as part of a transition while editing video in Adobe Photoshop. Actually, you don’t need to “add” the filter to the transition. You can leave the traditional transition out of it and just use the filter itself. Transitions from video clip to clip oftentimes look better and are more graceful when set up with fades, but that’s up to you and what your project calls for. I actually wrote a post recently that covers this topic. It’s all about fades, filters and transitions while working with video in Photoshop.

Okay, I’m going to give you the lowdown right now. If you want to learn the specifics for this process, simply click through to my previous post. What I’m sharing here is a brief recap.

To add a filter to a transition follow these instructions:

1. Open your video clips into Photoshop and ungroup them in the Layers panel so each clip is on its own layer in the Timeline panel.

2. Arrange the clips so they are end to end, meaning, just as one ends, the other begins. Or however you would like your video to flow.

3. Duplicate each clip and then convert the duplicates to Smart Objects.

4. Set the duplicates up so they are stacked on top of their original counterparts, meaning, if you have the first original clip as the bottom layer, then arrange the Smart Object copy of that one right above it as the next layer. Then, repeat that process. Again, you can see screenshots of what I’m talking about here.

5. Apply the filter you’d like to use to the Smart Object layers. In my previous post, I used the Gaussian Blur filter, but you can experiment with some others to see what looks good.

6. Reduce the duration of the Smart Object layers so they’re only about two seconds long. You want the first duplicate to sit at the end of the first original video and the second duplicate to sit at the beginning of the first original video.

7. Apply a fade to the beginning of the first duplicate layer in the video sequence and then another fade to the ending of the second duplicate layer in the video sequence.

8. Apply a final fade to the beginning of the second duplicate layer. Basically, as the video progresses, you’ll see the first original clip. Then, you’ll see it fade into the first duplicate that has the filter applied to it. After that, you’ll transition (fade) into the second duplicate clip that has the filter applied to it and than that one will fade out into the second original video clip.

9. Shorten the beginning of the second original clip by about a second so the transition into that is smooth. In my post, you’ll see how I overlapped both clips.

The entire process is actually rather straightforward once you practice it once or twice. Take a look at the example video I made of the result.


If you have any ideas or suggestions for how to add or use filters and transitions for video in Adobe Photoshop, please let us know below. Thanks!
 
Top