HOW TO apply a transition or effect to one clip without effecting the clips layered below it??

I am rather new to video editing so my apologies if lingo is off..

I have been tasked is to make a video syncing others 'lip synging' a friends song.

What effect I am trying to do (if its even possible) is applying a transition effect to just one video clip that is layered on top of others (or below others). For example lets say I am trying to use the page peel effect. 

I'd like to have the 'peel' only appear over the area that specific clip is taking up - but instead the peel effect animates over the entire space.

Or I downloaded a slicer transition effect- I'd like to control just the space in which it 'slices' instead it goes from one side of the screen to the other, forming in the end over where I placed the clip.

I tried masks, I tried crops, but neither worked.

Just wondering is it possible to do (without having to apply the transition at the begining of the clip  > export it > then import back into the main project (since I am trying to time lip singing I am trying to keep it simpler than editing the clips separate like that.