FCPX Transition not in between clips

I am using FCPX to edit video & photos. I used to be able to drag and drop a transition in between clips, and it worked fine. But in my new video projects, I just CANNOT drag a drop a transition IN-BETWEEN clips.

I went back to my previous project and checked, the transition still works in that video. Transition can be applied in between clips on that video. But in this new project, the transition only can be applied to BOTH-ENDS of a video or a photo. Also , I cannot drag that transition to make it "in-between." WHY??

Can someone share their experience?

Thank you.

Do you have the clip selected when you drag the transition on? Try selecting the vertical line between the two clips and then drag the transition on that. It works fine for me.

Can you post a screenshot of the timeline area where the transition cannot be applied?

Sorry, I won't be in front of my editing workstation until tomorrow. Meanwhile just try clicking on the edge of the shot where you want the transition and drag the transition there. See if that does what you're asking.

alexch wrote: ....I used to be able to drag and drop a transition in between clips, and it worked fine. But in my new video projects, I just CANNOT drag a drop a transition IN-BETWEEN clips...in this new project, the transition only can be applied to BOTH-ENDS of a video or a photo. Also , I cannot drag that transition to make it "in-between." WHY??...

When applying a transition, you may get the warning: "there is not enough extra media beyond clip edges to create the transition". Maybe your previous material had longer head/tail "handles" on the clips, and you did not get this error then.

Since a transition between two clips must have some overlap area for the transition, if insufficient media "handles" exist it must pull media from both clips to make the transition. As implemented, this creates a ripple edit and slightly shortens the timeline. On fixed-length material, this might be undesirable.

This is further complicated by FCPX always putting all transitions "on center" -- IOW you cannot bias the transition toward one side of the clip.

At 33:30 into this video, editor Mike Matzdorff demonstrates a small but very useful trick in FCPX to avoid this. Note the keyboard command he uses to lift the clip and create a gap is OPT+CMD+ up arrow.

Note also once the transition effect is added the clip becomes a secondary storyline and must be dragged by the "shelf" -- the little border on top.

I have the same problem and still couldn't find a solution, here's the screenshot of the screen so you can see exactly what I mean.

That looks like exactly what Joema is describing above to the other poster. Try shortening the end of the leftmost clip and beginning of the rightmost clip by about 10 or 12 frames each, and try applying the transition again. If insufficient handles are the issue, you should get a message in FCPX informing you of that. If so, shorten the clips a bit more and try again - or use the advise given in the above post.

You’re transitioning to nothing. What transition are you using? Some won’t really work in this configuration.

My solution for not having enough material for a transition is to speed ramp both video ends slower so it has more material to work with and doesn't shorten the timeline. Nobody normal can tell what's cleverly happened but another pinhead editor might pick up on it only because, well, editors can be pinheads and look for things like that. The main thing to remember here is that you're editing for pedestrians, not pinheads.

Or you could take 4 seconds and just trim your edits properly, and not insult both your peers and your audience.