Video track automation

Video track envelopes allow you to vary compositing levels or fade a track between two colors.

A track envelope will always affect all events on the track. This means that any event envelopes will be calculated after the track envelope.

To adjust track automation using the controls in the track header, select the Automation Settings button . When Automation Settings is not selected, the Level slider adjusts static (trim) levels, and the Fade slider is not displayed.

TIP Choose a fade type from the Video default drop-down list on the Editing tab of the Preferences dialog to set the default fade type that will be used when you add fade-to-color, composite level, and event velocity envelopes. This setting is not used for track motion or keyframe envelopes. For more information, see Editing Tab

Applying mute automation

  1. Select a video track.

  2. From the Insert menu, choose Video Envelopes, or right-click in the track list and choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu.

  3. From the submenu, choose Mute. A check mark is displayed next to the command, and an envelope is added to the timeline.

  4. You can adjust the automation by editing the envelope in the timeline or by clicking the Mute Automation button in the track header. For more information, see Adjusting envelopes

    Click the Automation Settings button in the track header to toggle between Mute and Mute Automation modes.

    NOTE

    When you apply mute automation to a track, it's possible to have a track that is muted and soloed simultaneously if you use the Mute  and Solo  buttons in the track header. The mute state overrides the solo state:

    • If a track's Solo button is selected, the track is included in the solo group, but it will be muted whenever the mute automation is set to mute the track.

    • If the track's Mute button is selected, the track is muted regardless of the mute automation settings.

Applying composite-level automation

Composite-level automation allows you to vary the opacity/transparency of a video track and has a similar effect to adjusting the Level slider in the track header.

The Compositing Mode button determines how the transparency in a video track is generated. Since lower tracks show through higher tracks, it is the compositing mode of the higher track that determines how much of the lower track shows though. The compositing mode of the lowest video track has no effect on a project. For more information about compositing, see Compositing and masks

  1. Select a video track.

  2. From the Insert menu, choose Video Envelopes, or right-click in the track list and choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu.

  3. From the submenu, choose Track Composite Level.

    If the track already contains a composite level envelope, it will be removed. If the track does not contain a composite-level envelope, it will be added with a setting of 100% for the duration of the track.

  4. If you want to change the track's composite level throughout the track, edit the envelope in the timeline. For more information, see Adjusting envelopes

  5. If you want to change the composite setting by recording automation, select the Automation Settings button in the track header. The slider thumb is displayed as a in automation mode.

  6. Drag the Level slider.

    The slider behaves differently if the track has a composite level envelope and when you change the track automation recording mode. For more information, see Recording track envelope and keyframe automation

    • When the track automation mode is set to Off, the slider adjusts the composite level of the entire track. In this mode, the automation control acts as a second trim control.

    • When the track has a composite level envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the slider will follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.

    • When the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the slider edits the envelope setting at the cursor position. If the track does not have a composite level envelope, an envelope will be added when you adjust the slider.

Applying fade-to-color automation and set fade colors

Fade-to-color automation is used to fade a track between two colors. It can be used to fade a track to or from black, and if applied to the top video track, you can fade the entire project.

Adding the envelope

The fade color is chosen by moving the envelope towards the top or bottom of the track. You can add points (nodes) to automate the fade.

  1. Select a video track.

  2. From the Insert menu, choose Video Envelopes, or right-click in the Track List and choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu.

  3. From the submenu, choose Track Fade to Color.

    If the track already contains a fade-to-color envelope, it will be removed. If the track does not contain a fade-to-color envelope, it will be added with a setting of No Color (0%) for the duration of the track.

  4. If you want to change the fade-to-color setting throughout the track, edit the envelope in the timeline. For more information, see Adjusting envelopes

  5. If you want to change the fade-to-color envelope by recording automation, select the Automation Settings button in the track header to display automation controls. The Fade slider is available only in automation mode.

  6. Drag the Fade slider.

    The slider behaves differently when you change the track automation recording mode. For more information, see Recording track envelope and keyframe automation

    • When the track automation mode is set to Off, the slider adjusts the fade level of the entire track.

    • When the track automation mode is set to Read, the slider will follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.

    • When the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the slider edits the envelope setting at the cursor position.

Setting fade colors

The default fade colors are determined by the Track fade top and Track fade bottom controls on the Video tab of the Preferences dialog. For more information, see Video Tab

  1. To change the Top or Bottom color for a track, right-click the track header and choose Fade Colors from the shortcut menu.

  2. Choose Top or Bottom from the submenu. A color picker is displayed.

  3. Use the color picker to specify the new color.

  4. Click OK.

Hiding envelopes

From the View menu, choose Video Envelopes and select the envelope you want to hide.

Hiding an envelope simply removes the line from the timeline while retaining automation properties.

TIP From the View menu, choose Show Envelopes (or press Ctrl+Shift+E) to toggle the display of all envelopes in the timeline.

Locking envelopes to events

From the Options menu, choose Lock Envelopes to Events if you want envelope points and position to move with an event when it is moved along the timeline.

NOTE This option also locks track-level keyframes to the events on the track. When keyframes are locked, you can move events along the timeline, and their associated keyframes move with them.