Fade from/to black

Apologies if this has been asked many times. I'm a newcomer to FCP X and am struggling with a fade up from/to black.
For example, I have clip B straight after clip A and I want clip B to start with a fade from black, I can't just add a cross dissolve to the beginning of it like you can in FCP 7 as the cross dissolve is forced across both clips.
I've even tried turning off the magnetic timeline, isolating clip B, adding the cross dissolve (which works) but when I bring it back to it's position after clip A, the dissolve is again over both clips.
From what I can see, this only works when adding a cross dissolve to the beginning of the very first or the end of the very last clip in the timeline.
Any ideas?

Thanks,

You can use the Fade to Color transition, which defaults to black. You could also edit a gap between the two shots and cross dissolve between the clips and the gap.

Thanks, will give that a go.

Highlight clip. Control V. Composting Opacity.

In addition to Tom's advice, you could also keyframe the opacity of Clip B. Start clip B with 0 % opacity and set a keyframe. Move in your desired amount (i.e 15 frames, 1 sec, 1.5 sec, etc.) and set the opacity to 100%. That second keyframe will be made automatically and remain until the end of the clip.

Thanks both.

Richy2000 wrote: ...I have clip B straight after clip A and I want clip B to start with a fade from black, I can't just add a cross dissolve to the beginning of it like you can in FCP 7 as the cross dissolve is forced across both clips...

At 33:30 into this video, Hollywood editor Mike Matzdorff demonstrates a useful trick 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 just go to my GENERATORS, down to SOLIDS and take the black one (for some reason my black is named "Custom", go figure) and put it on top of everything. Then I put a cross dissolve on that. It's by far the best way to make sure EVERYTHING fades in and out... titles, what's underneath the storyline, everything. It actually goes to and from black, not transparent.

Fading is not FCPX's greatest strength when compared to FCP7.