Transitions Overview
Transitions smooth the visual jump between clips. For screencasts, use them sparingly — a clean cut is often more professional than an overused dissolve.
Kdenlive has two types of transitions:
- Compositions — between clips on different tracks (V1 and V2 overlapping)
- Mixes (Same-track transitions) — between two adjacent clips on the same track
For screencasts: use Mix Clips (U) for quick dissolves, Wipe for chapter transitions.
When to Use Transitions in Screencasts
| Situation | Recommended transition |
|---|---|
| Chapter break (topic change) | Wipe or Dissolve |
| Cut between takes of same content | None (hard cut is fine) |
| Intro card → main content | Dissolve / Fade from black |
| Outro → black | Fade to black |
| B-roll overlay over main | Composite+Transform |
| Slow content → fast content | Hard cut |
Less is more. Hard cuts are what professional screencasters use 90% of the time. Add transitions only at real structural breaks — chapters, intro/outro.
Same-Track Mix (Easiest)
The quickest dissolve between two adjacent clips on the same track:
Method 1 — Keyboard:
Position playhead at the boundary of two clips
Press U → Mix Clips dialog appears
Set duration (e.g., 15 frames) → OK
Method 2 — Double-click:
Double-click the boundary between two adjacent clips
→ Mix Clips dialog appears automatically
Mix Clips requires two clips to be adjacent (touching) on the same track. The playhead must be at or near the boundary.
Composition Transitions (Different Tracks)
For transitions between overlapping clips on V1 and V2:
Step 1: Place Clip A on V1 (ends at time T)
Step 2: Place Clip B on V2 (starts before time T — overlap by ~15 frames)
Step 3: Add composition to the overlapping region:
Method 1: Hover bottom-right corner of clip on V1
→ "Click to add composition" appears → click
→ Wipe added by default
Method 2: Right-click clip on V1
→ Insert a Composition → choose type (Wipe, Dissolve, etc.)
Available Composition Types
| Composition | Effect | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Wipe | One image wipes over another | Chapter transitions |
| Dissolve | Cross-fade blend | Soft topic transitions |
| Composite+Transform | Layer with position/size control | Overlays, PiP |
| Alpha Over | Blend using alpha channel | PNG overlays |
| Slide | One clip slides over another | Lower-third entry |
Adjusting a Composition
Once a composition is added:
Click the composition bar (between the two clips) → select it
→ Effect Stack shows composition parameters:
Direction (for Wipe)
Softness / Edge
Duration
Progress keyframes
To delete a composition:
Click composition bar → press Del
Fade In / Fade Out
The simplest transitions — fade from or to black:
Via Effect:
Select clip → Effects panel → search "fade"
→ "Fade In" or "Fade Out" → double-click to apply
→ Adjust duration in Effect Stack
Via mouse (shortcut):
Hover top-left corner of clip → drag red triangle = Fade In
Hover top-right corner of clip → drag red triangle = Fade Out
Fade duration triangle drag is the fastest method for quick fades.
Transition Best Practices for Screencasts
Intro to main content: Dissolve, 15–24 frames (0.5s)
Chapter breaks: Wipe, 24 frames (1 second)
Outro fade: Fade to black, 30 frames (1 second)
Between takes: Hard cut (no transition)
B-roll cut-in: Hard cut
Keyboard Reference
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Add same-track Mix | U |
| Select composition | Click composition bar |
| Delete composition | Select → Del |
| Select clip | + |
| Select transition | Shift++ |
| Deselect clip | - |
| Deselect transition | Shift+- |
Hands-On Practice
1. Open project with 2 clips adjacent on V1
2. Add a Mix transition:
Position playhead at clip boundary
Press U → set 15 frames → OK
Preview with Space → see the dissolve
3. Add a wipe composition (two-track method):
Move second clip to V2
Extend first clip so it overlaps second clip by 20 frames
Hover bottom-right of first clip → click to add composition
→ Wipe added
Click composition bar → adjust direction in Effect Stack
Preview with Space
4. Add fade in to first clip:
Click first clip → Effects → search "Fade In" → double-click
Set duration to 24 frames in Effect Stack
Preview
5. Add fade to black on last clip:
Hover top-right corner → drag red triangle left = fade out
Preview from 30 frames before end
6. Ctrl+S → save