User Manual

Table Of Contents
Cut
This key will set a simple cut at the Timeline edit point, as shown by the Smart Indicator. If there
is another transition already present there, it will replace it.
DIS (Dissolve)
This key will add a one second dissolve centered between the two shots at the Timeline edit
point, as shown by the Smart Indicator. If there is another transition already present there, it will
replace it.
SMTH CUT (Smooth Cut)
This key will add a Smooth Cut transition centered between the two shots at the Timeline edit
point, as shown by the Smart Indicator. If there is another transition already present there, it will
replace it.
Smooth Cuts are special-purpose transitions designed to make short jump cuts in the middle of
a clip unnoticeable. This is done by using optical flow processing to match the same features on
either side of a cut in order to automatically morph a subject from one position to another over
the duration of the transition.
The Smooth Cut effect works best on clips such as sit-down interviews and close-up head
shots with a minimum of background and subject motion, and where the subject’s position on
either side of the cut is not significantly different. A good example of when Smooth Cut is
effective is when you’re cutting pauses, partial repeats, filler sounds such as “um” or “you
know,” or other speech disfluencies out of an interview clip to tighten the dialog, and you want
to eliminate the little “jump” that occurs at the cut without having to cut away to B-roll. Applying
a short two or four frame Smooth Cut transition to the edit can make this kind of edit invisible,
as long as the speaker doesn’t change position significantly during the cut. The more motion
there is in the background of the shot, and the more the speaker changes position, the harder it
will be to get a useful result using Smooth Cut. Although the default duration for any transition is
one second, you’ll find that Smooth Cut transitions may work much better when they’re short;
2- to 6-frame Smooth Cut transitions often work best to disguise jump cuts.
TRANS DUR (Transition Duration)
Holding down this key when a transition is under the Smart Indicator will allow you to change
the duration of the transition using the Search dial. Turning the dial left will shorten the
transition, and right will lengthen it. Once the duration is correct, release the button.
TIP: Multiple transitions can be changed at the same time by holding down Command
and selecting the transitions on the Upper Timeline, then pressing the appropriate
transition key ( CUT, DIS, SMTH CUT).
Chapter – 24 Using the DaVinciResolve Editor Keyboard with the Cut Page 487