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drferry
Known Participant
March 8, 2019
Answered

Can't apply effects to my timeline

  • March 8, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 34414 views

I'm a novice Premiere Pro user who usually imports and exports single clips, so today when I am trying to assemble a file from multiple clips, I tried to include transitions.  I tried to drag and drop transitions from the video effects panel onto my timeline, but I get a small icon overlaid by a circle with a diagonal line, indicating that the action can't be done.  I've looked at the Adobe support page and this should be a no-brainer, but I can't figure out this simple thing.  I have tried rendering the file, but this didn't solve the problem.  I am able to apply Lumetri color adjustments to the clips as usual.

What gives?  What simple thing am I missing?

Running OS 10.14.2 on an iMac.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer big_chill

    I'm doing that Ann, I've been using PP for months.  The the grab fist has a no entry sign on it as soon as I try to drag an effect.  When I drag it to a clip on the timeline the effect disappears from my cursor altogether.


    I think I've found the problem, I had older versions of PP installed.  Now that I've uninstalled those, it appears to be working normally again.

    Thanks for your help

    1 reply

    R Neil Haugen
    Legend
    March 8, 2019

    Sounds like you're trying to apply a transition to 'full length' clips. Transitions normally need "handles" to use for the transition.

    That is ... you need a second or two of unused clip before and after the parts you've put in the timeline for fades/cross-dissolves to use. A cross-dissolve needs to start showing media a second or two before it gets to the 'cut' line. If that following clip doesn't have "extra" frames for that second or two, there's nothing to show in the dissolve. Same with the clip that's leading ... it has to have frames after the 'cut' line between it and the next frame to use for the dissolve-out process.

    Neil

    Everyone's mileage always varies ...
    drferry
    drferryAuthor
    Known Participant
    March 8, 2019

    Here's a screen grab of my timeline.  The total duration is 2 minutes 58 seconds. No single clip is shorter than 20 seconds.  Would this be a problems?

    R Neil Haugen
    Legend
    March 8, 2019

    Which transitions? You do seem to have handles there ... my first (deleted!) response made before engaging brain had it backwards. Little triangles in the corner indicate end-of-clip, and you don't have any, so there should be handles for applying transitions.

    I'm wondering if perchance you have the sequence locked ... is the little padlock icon to the far left of the Sequence header block gray and open ... or closed and blue?

    Neil

    Everyone's mileage always varies ...