**TOP 6 NATURAL Transitions | Tomorrow's Filmmakers — Transcript & Summary | SozAI**
Source: https://sozai.app/transcript/top-6-natural-transitions-tomorrows-filmmakers/

Filmmaker Seth of Tomorrow's Filmmakers teaches six natural video transitions: lens flare, natural gradient wipe, drive-by, speed ramping, fill the frame, and blackout.

## Key Takeaways

- Natural transitions work best when the motion, light, or direction matches between the two clips
- Most of the technique is planned during shooting, not just applied as an effect in post
- Subtle effects like gradient wipes and lens flares look more professional than stylized transitions
- Practice and tweaking are essential to master speed ramping and gradient wipes

## What the video covers

- Introduces natural transitions as subtle cuts that keep the video's flow instead of drawing attention to themselves
- Notes that natural transitions can be combined with each other to create more seamless, unique effects
- Lens flare transition: match bright light flares appearing in the same part of the frame across two clips, cropping and aligning the light sources in post
- Natural gradient wipe: uses a highlight-to-shadow gradient to wipe between clips, requiring care in shooting and matching clips with similar motion
- Gradient wipe tip: in Premiere Pro, use the Video Effects folder version for more customization and slightly raise transition softness without making it a cross fade
- Drive-by transition: a fast pass of the camera or subject that hides the cut, requiring the motion direction to be consistent between clips
- Speed ramping: transitions by changing playback speed, shown with handheld footage and with drone shots moving in the same direction, improved through practice
- Fill the frame and blackout are also covered, rounding out the six transitions
- Promotes the Tomorrow's Filmmakers online course with over a thousand training videos, around 100 hours of content, and a lifetime membership for $97

## Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to Natural Transitions
2. 01:18 Combining Transitions and Overview of the Six
3. 02:32 Lens Flare Transition
4. 03:38 Natural Gradient Wipe
5. 04:46 Gradient Wipe Settings in Premiere Pro
6. 07:07 Drive-By Transition
7. 08:15 Speed Ramping Transition
8. 10:22 Practice and Final Tips

Answers

## Questions about this video

What is a lens flare transition?

A lens flare transition uses a bright light flare that covers part of the frame to hide the cut between two shots. The speaker recommends matching the light source position in both clips, often by cropping and repositioning in post, so the transition looks clean and cinematic.

How do you make a gradient wipe look natural?

The speaker explains that gradient wipes need planning during shooting and careful editing, and should be used between clips with suitable matching motion. In Premiere Pro, use the Video Effects version and slightly increase transition softness, but not so much that it becomes a cross fade.

What is speed ramping in this video's context?

Speed ramping changes the playback speed of footage to create a smooth transition, and the speaker recommends pairing clips with matching movement direction, such as drone shots. He notes it takes considerable practice and tweaking to get right.

## Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

00:01

Speaker A

what's up guys this is seth with tomorrowsfilmmakers.com, the largest online film academy in the world, and today we'll be teaching you a topic that I'm super passionate about, and that is the best natural transitions for filmmaking.

00:18

Speaker A

to enhance any video but me personally i don't like transitions that ruin the flow of the video or ones that stand out and just look cool now there's nothing really wrong with those and there's certainly a place and a time for them

00:29

Speaker A

Transitions are a great way to enhance any video, but me personally, I don't like transitions that ruin the flow of the video or ones that stand out and just look cool. Now, there's nothing really wrong with those, and there's certainly a place and a time for them, but I really like the idea of a transition that not only looks good but also naturally flows with the video. Half of the time, you can't even tell that a transition just happened. I use these types of transitions all the time in my videos, and they're not only pretty easy to do, but they look really clean and professional when added into any kind of film project.

00:41

Speaker A

in my videos and they're not only pretty easy to do but look really clean and professional when adding them into any kind of film project if you want to learn even more about enhancing your cinematic projects with different tools

00:52

Speaker A

If you want to learn even more about enhancing your cinematic projects with different tools and assets, like lighting, sound effects, visual effects, and more, we have many courses over on tomorrowsfilmmakers.com that teach you how to step up your filmmaking game and produce the best content that you possibly can. Inside our full course at tomorrowsfilmmakers.com, we have over a thousand training videos and over a hundred hours of content on every single aspect of filmmaking, taught by leading professionals in the film industry. Learn with over 15,000 students in over 50 countries. A lifetime membership to our award-winning 800 Film course is only 97 bucks. If you want to take advantage of this crazy deal, you can check out our website in the link below and head on over to tomorrowsfilmmakers.com to learn more.

01:05

Speaker A

tomorrowsfilmmakers.com we have over a thousand training videos and over a hundred hours of content on every single aspect of filmmaking taught by leading professionals in the film industry learned with over 15 000 students in over 50 countries a lifetime membership

01:18

Speaker A

Now, another thing I want to mention before we jump into this is that all of these transitions can be interchanged and used with each other to produce an even better transition. That's what I love about natural transitions. They're simple yet effective, so it makes it easy to combine them together and create something even more seamless and unique.

01:32

Speaker A

before we jump into this is that all of these transitions can be interchanged and used with each other to produce an even better transition that's what i love about natural transitions they're simple yet effective so it makes it easy

01:43

Speaker A

Today we'll be going through six natural transitions and talking about what they do and the best way to use them. I use all of these in my personal projects, and I love the professional, clean look they provide between clips. The six we'll be talking about today include the lens flare, natural gradient wipe, the drive-by, speed ramping, fill the frame, and blackout.

01:55

Speaker A

love the professional clean look they provide between clips the six we'll be talking about today includes the lens flare natural gradient wipe the drive by speed ramping fill the frame and blackout so let's get started with the first one the classic lens flare now

02:12

Speaker A

So let's get started with the first one, the classic lens flare. Now, lens flares are cool by themselves, but when applied into a transition, they look even cooler. Like most of these, a lens flare transition is very easy and simple to achieve. You just have to make sure you're using it in the right scenario and applying it in the right way.

02:24

Speaker A

and applying it in the right way really quick though if you don't know exactly what a lens flare is it's just when a light comes in front of your camera in a way that produces a bright flare and

02:32

Speaker A

Really quick, though, if you don't know exactly what a lens flare is, it's just when a light comes in front of your camera in a way that produces a bright flare and covers part of the image. This effect then gives you the ability to quickly cut to another lens flare shot next to it for a clean, cinematic transition. I love using them when someone is wearing a headlamp, because when they look across the frame, it creates a really nice flare that is fun to work with for a transition. Same thing with the sun: when I'm driving down the road and the sun is beaming through the trees, I capture a still shot of the trees passing by and the sun beams going across my lens.

02:44

Speaker A

it creates a really nice flare that is fun to work with for a transition same thing with the sun when i'm driving down the road and the sun is beaming through the trees i capture a still shot of the

02:54

Speaker A

A great way to master this effect is to make sure that the flare is happening in the same part of the image. For example, when I was editing these two shots together, I chose to put them next to each other for the transition because the light source was about in the same spot in the frames. All I had to do in post was crop in a bit on one of the clips and move the frame around so I could get the light sources lined up exactly. Doing this makes it look even more clean and provides a very natural transition from one shot to the other.

03:05

Speaker A

these two shots together i chose to put them next to each other for the transition because the light source was about in the same spot in the frames so all i had to do in post was crop in a

03:14

Speaker A

The next natural transition has "natural" in the name, and that is the natural gradient wipe. The reason I'm calling this the natural gradient wipe and not just gradient wipe is because there are a lot of gradient wipe transitions out there that are more stylistic and stand out more, which is fine, but I want to talk about a more seamless, natural-looking one.

03:26

Speaker A

transition has natural in the name and that is the natural gradient wipe now the reason i'm calling this the natural gradient wipe and not just gradient wipe is because there's a lot of gradient white transitions out there that are

03:38

Speaker A

Just to explain again, a gradient wipe is an effect you can apply in post that does a wipe transition between two clips using a highlight-to-shadow gradient. This effect takes some practice to make look good, so don't just expect to drop an effect on and have your transition look perfect. There are things you have to do while actually shooting, plus things to do in post, to really master the look of this effect. Especially if you want it to look clean, you need to make sure you're using it between the appropriate two clips for it to look natural. Even though this shot looks cool, it's not really the professional transitional look we're going for. Something more like this shot looks a lot cleaner, and you really can't tell that a gradient wipe effect was applied. It kind of just looks like witchcraft.

03:51

Speaker A

using the highlight to shadows gradient this effect takes some practice to make look good so don't just expect to drop an effect on and your transition looks perfect there's things you have to do while actually shooting plus things to

04:02

Speaker A

A great example of one that I've done in an edit is this one. It goes from a shot in the waves, with the wave crashing down on the camera, to a shot at a completely different location by a waterfall. I knew right away when I saw these two clips that I wanted to put them together somehow. I loved how the wave movement came down at just about the same speed and direction as the splash of water in the waterfall shot. Like a lot of natural transitions, just putting them side by side and hoping it looked like a transition wasn't going to be enough. I knew I needed to do some work in post. A gradient wipe is perfect for this when a hard cut alone doesn't look clean enough. A gradient wipe helps to mesh the two frames together so it seamlessly goes from one location to another.

04:14

Speaker A

though this shot looks cool it's not really the professional transitional look that we're going for something more like this shot though looks a lot more clean and you really can't tell that a gradient wipe effect was applied it

04:24

Speaker A

Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure the colors and lighting in the two clips are similar. This is true for a lot of natural transitions, but especially if you have a slower gradient wipe like this one. Having the end of clip A have similar colors and lighting as the beginning of clip B will really help the transition as a whole look more clean. Like I mentioned, another thing to make sure of is that the end of clip A has the same speed and direction of movement as the beginning of clip B. This will again help the two clips flow together better.

04:35

Speaker A

different location by a waterfall i knew right away when i saw these two clips that i wanted to put them together somehow i loved how the wave movement came down at just about the same speed and direction as the splash of water in

04:46

Speaker A

If you're editing in Premiere Pro, make sure you're using the gradient wipe effect under the Video Effects folder. There's another one in the Video Transitions folder, but this one doesn't allow as much customization as the one in the Video Effects folder does. Another thing I like to do to make it look more clean is bumping up the transition softness just a bit. You don't want to bump it up too much, or else it starts to look like a cross fade. You still want to have the element of a hard cut, with just a little added help from a subtle gradient wipe. Applying all of these tips will ensure your gradient wipe looks more clean and natural, rather than harsh and stylistic.

04:58

Speaker A

hard cut alone doesn't look clean enough a gradient wipe helps to mesh the two frames together so it seamlessly goes from one location to another another thing to keep in mind is to make sure the colors and lighting in the two clips

05:10

Speaker A

The next one on the list is a very simple and easy transition, yet natural and effective, and that is the drive-by. This one is pretty self-explanatory. It's literally just when you're in a vehicle and you drive by an object or objects to use as transition material. Since the foreground is moving so fast in and out of frame, you can literally just cut to another shot that's doing the same thing and then be at a different location, or just a different focal length of that same shot. This transition also looks really good when the sun is coming through objects like trees, for example, and you cut when a lens flare comes into frame. This is an example of what I was talking about earlier, combining multiple natural transitions to make it look even better. A sun flare while driving past trees is one that I always love to do. There's really not much more explaining to do on this one.

05:22

Speaker A

transition as a whole look more clean like i mentioned another thing to make sure of is that the end of clip a has the same speed and direction of movement as the beginning of clip b this will again help the two clips flow together

05:34

Speaker A

better if you're editing in premiere pro make sure you're using the gradient wipe effect under the video effects folder there's another one in the video transitions folder but this one doesn't allow as much customization as the one in the video effects folder does another

05:48

Speaker A

thing that i like to do to make it look more clean is bumping up the transition softness just a bit you don't want to bump it up too much or else it starts to look like a cross fade you still want to

05:57

Speaker A

have the element of a hard cut with just a little added help from a subtle gradient wipe applying all of these tips will ensure your gradient wipe looks more clean and natural rather than harsh and stylistic the next one on the list

06:09

Speaker A

is a very simple and easy transition yet natural and effective and that is the drive-by this one is pretty self-explanatory it's literally just when you're in a vehicle and you drive by an object or objects to use as

06:21

Speaker A

transition material since the foreground is moving so fast in and out of frame you can literally just cut to another shot that's doing the same thing and then be at a different location or just a different focal length of that same

06:33

Speaker A

shot this transition also looks really good when the sun is coming through objects like trees for example and you cut it when a lens flare comes into frame this is an example in what i was talking about earlier of combining

06:44

Speaker A

multiple natural transitions to make it look even better a sun flare while driving past trees is one that i always love to do there's really not much more explaining to do on this one since the vehicle is doing the movement for you

06:56

Speaker A

all you literally have to do is wait for objects to come close in the foreground point your camera at it and cut it in post to another shot doing the same thing of course making sure that the speed and colors are similar and that it

07:07

Speaker A

makes sense in your sequence is important but that's really it give this one a shot because it's very easy to do and looks great when it's finished the next natural transition is the classic speed ramping this is a very popular

07:19

Speaker A

transition especially in upbeat fast-paced projects to help smoothly go from one shot to another through ramping the speed at the end and beginning of a shot this is a simple effect but looks really clean when done properly and in

07:32

Speaker A

the right scenario this transition is another one done in post production but you always want to shoot knowing that you'll add the transition in later like the saying goes shoot for the edits this helps the transition look more natural

07:44

Speaker A

and less like you just found two random clips that you tried to make transition into one another without the intention of ever doing that while shooting i speed ramp all the time in projects like my travel videos but i've learned over

07:55

Speaker A

the years how to do it properly and when not to do it at all one of the biggest things to remember when speed ramping is to make sure that the two or more shots that you're putting together are all

08:03

Speaker A

going in the same direction one thing i like to speed ramp a lot is drone shots a speed ramp is really one of the only natural transitions that you can apply to drone shots because you don't have the control over the drone camera like

08:15

Speaker A

you do a handheld camera when i'm speed ramping together two or more drone shots to help maximize how clean it will look i want to make sure that the drone shots are moving in the same exact direction and cut them together at the right time

08:27

Speaker A

if i have two drone shots that are doing a pan up movement from the ground i want to check off a few things one is that they're moving at the same speed if they're not i would have to speed up one

08:37

Speaker A

which could work but i personally don't like speeding up a drone shot because you lose that cinematic 24 frames per second plus there might be certain things like cars or waves in my shot that would be moving in fast motion if i

08:49

Speaker A

speed it up and i don't really like the look of that another thing i want to ensure is that the composition of both drone shots are similar like for example if i try to put a shot of a drone

08:59

Speaker A

panning up from a higher altitude with one that is right next to the ground it won't look as good as if they were both shot at higher altitudes or both shot lower to the ground same thing applies to handheld cameras too making sure that

09:11

Speaker A

the movements are the same with the same speed and direction will help it feel more natural and less like you tried to force two clips together that don't have anything in common mastering the flow of a speed ramp in post-production kind of

09:22

Speaker A

just takes a lot of practice and tweaking this is something i got better at with time but there's really no exact way to teach it it all just depends on your two clips and the videos that you're making just keep tweaking it

09:32

Speaker A

until you like how it looks and eventually you'll be able to do it more efficiently the next one i like to call is fill the frame this one is kind of like a camera whip transition but less whip and more natural looking it's one

09:44

Speaker A

of those more subtle seamless ones on the list but does take a bit of practice to perfect let's use this scene as an example in shot one we have someone going to open a door and head outside as

09:54

Speaker A

they're going to open the door we have the camera follow them and then swiftly move around the back of them from right to left all the way to the other side for a few frames in this shot something

10:03

Speaker A

went in from the camera that filled the entire frame those frames are just blurry darkness and this is exactly what we want this sets up a transition perfectly now all we need to do is properly execute it so to continue this

10:16

Speaker A

transition we want the second shot to be of the person walking outside now since they were walking out the door to go outside it'll make sense for them to be outside now but we'll transition it in a creative way so what we'll do is start

10:27

Speaker A

the camera on the right side of them where it started before then we'll get them to start walking and the camera will pass behind them again the camera will go all the way around them like last time and then continue your shot to

10:38

Speaker A

reveal that they are walking outside now make sure that the speed and movement is the same for both clips what these two clips have in common now is that they have the same movement and both have those few frames of blurry darkness when

10:50

Speaker A

it passes behind the person we filled the frame with this element and now we can simply cut these two shots together in post and watch our transition come to life if you did it right all the work has been done while actually shooting it

11:01

Speaker A

and the only thing you have to do while editing is literally just place the two clips next to each other and the transition will happen on its own since those blurry dark frames of both clips look exactly the same you can't see the

11:13

Speaker A

cut that happens and it all just looks like one continuous shot you can do this kind of transition many different ways but always make sure your execution is correct this is a harder transition to master so just be sure that whatever

11:24

Speaker A

movement or shot you do it looks natural and smooth the final natural transition we have is one i like to call blackout this is a unique one and one i haven't used as much as the others but it's

11:34

Speaker A

really cool and very easy to do to do this transition you need to be shooting at night or in a dark place where if the light source went off it would be pitch black here's an example of what this

11:44

Speaker A

transition looks like a light is on and the camera is moving in a certain direction that light source cuts off and it goes to pitch black then a light source comes back on again but we're in a different shot but the camera is still

11:56

Speaker A

moving in the same direction at the same speed this is the key to this transition it's one thing to just turn the light off move the camera to a different spot then turn the light back on it's another

12:06

Speaker A

to do that but actually have the same movement in both shots so it seems like it's the same shot and the angle or location just changed in an instant you can do this to where one shot you're at

12:16

Speaker A

one location and the next shot you're at a completely different location or you can just be at the same location on the same subject and just do something simple like change focal length either way this transition is really clean and

12:27

Speaker A

unique and if you get the movements right in camera there's nothing else you have to do in post to make it look like a transition so definitely give this one a try now these natural transitions look good by themselves but for a little

12:37

Speaker A

bonus tip adding sound effects will almost always enhance it even more sound effects are an incredible tool to use in any kind of project but especially when doing transitions the lens flare speed ramps and drive buys all look professional and clean but

12:52

Speaker A

adding something like a subtle wish sound effect underneath those visuals will make for an even better experience for the viewer as always with sound effects make sure it's subtle and not overpowering it's only meant to enhance the visuals so make sure you adjust them

13:06

Speaker A

properly like i said normal transitions are cool and they certainly have a time and a place to be used but i always try to make my transitions as clean and natural as i possibly can to help the video flow better and not stick out or

13:18

Speaker A

interrupt the sequence in any way try some of these out and even combine them together the good thing about these is that they're pretty easy to do you just have to know when to use them and the best way to do it and we hope that we've

13:28

Speaker A

helped you with that if you want to learn even more about transitions effects and all things filmmaking you can check out our full course at tomorrowsfilmmakers.com we have over a thousand training videos and over a hundred hours of content on every single

13:40

Speaker A

subject of filmmaking that you can imagine if you'd like to join over fifteen thousand other filmmakers just like you pursue their dreams and learn all about film click the link below and sign up for a full academy for 90 off a

13:52

Speaker A

lifetime membership to our award-winning 800 film course for only 97 bucks so click the link in the description and head on over to tomorrowsfilmmakers.com to learn all the skills that you need to succeed [Music]

Topics: video transitions natural transitions lens flare gradient wipe speed ramping filmmaking Premiere Pro video editing drive-by transition film tutorial

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