what is/ how do you make a transparent event?

s k r o o t a y p wrote on 1/31/2006, 12:45 PM
i was under the impression that with VMS i could run at least 2 video tracks simultaneously with (levels of) transparency akin to that of a cross fade (so you can see them both at the same time) but not using a crossfade. i thought that was what the overlay track (and text track) were for, but anything i place on those tracks blocks out the primary track immediately as the cursor goes by it. i looked in the quick start manual on p. 31, [what is a track?].
but i do not completely understand when it says:

"images and media can be put onto this track [video overlay track] but any media that is not at least partially transparent will completely obscure anything in the third [primary] track."

what is partially transparent? are there degrees of transparency? and how do i make the media for an event transparent or at least partially transparent so it does not completely block out other tracks running at the same time?

i would greatly appreciate ANY insight! THANKS!
tayp

Comments

GerryLeacock wrote on 1/31/2006, 1:58 PM
OK, you have 2 video tracks, one on top of the other. Go to the top track, and anywhere down the track, put the cursor at the very top and a little hand will appear. Slide the hand down, and you'll see a caption saying Opacity = whatever %, The more you drag the line down, the lower the percent number and the more you can see right through the top video. Play around with it a bit to achieve the desired effect.
dwoodward wrote on 1/31/2006, 2:22 PM
I think what you're talking about is the "level" setting for each video track. You can do two things.

1. Change the opacity for the entire track

2. Change the opacity for a single clip/image.

CHANGE OPACITY FOR TRACK

1. Place a video or still image on the primary track.

2. Place a video or still image on any other video track (text, overlay, etc.)

3. On the secondary video track (text, overlay, etc.), just under the track title, you should see a slider that is labled "level".

4. Drop the level on this track. This will change the opacity of the track. If you drop it all the way to 0%, only the primary track will be visible. If you leave it at the default 100%, only that track will be visible. If you put it somewhere around 50%, you will have a blend between the two tracks, simulating a crossfade (but not an actual crossfade since the videos/images are on separate tracks.

CHANGE OPACITY FOR SINGLE CLIP/IMAGE

1. On the top/secondary track, put the cursor at the top of the clip until you see the "hand". It will display "opacity 100%".

2. Lower the bar, changing the opacity for that clip. As you lower the bar, the percentage will decrease, simulating a crossfade.

I hope that makes sense.
s k r o o t a y p wrote on 1/31/2006, 3:02 PM
extremely helpful!! fantastic! i'm ecstatic! just what i was envisioning.

unless i'm losing it that is nowhere in the quickstart manual (which is all I have). it ought to be in there just as you spelled it out.

thanks both of you for taking the time to help!

t a y p
Chienworks wrote on 1/31/2006, 3:52 PM
You can learn an awful lot just by moving the mouse around and clicking or dragging things. That's how i've learned most of what i know about Vegas. Look carefully for when the mouse pointer changes; when it does, you've found a particularly interesting tool you can explore.
Myles Strous wrote on 1/31/2006, 9:41 PM
It's in the full manual, available for download here:
http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/download/step2.asp?DID=629
and I think the full manual was on the CD also - don't have the CD with me right now to check.

Regards, Myles.
IanG wrote on 2/1/2006, 2:02 AM
If you drag in from the top corners you can adjust the fade in / out of a clip, too.

Ian G.