Fading to black is the smoothest dissolve transition there is, but it’s not just for endings. Let’s explore its versatility.
If you’re an editor, you know that the best editing is invisible. The audience should be fully immersed in the story, and any jarring cuts can ruin that experience. But what about fading to black? It seems unnatural, yet it works so well. Why is that?
In his book In The Blink of an Eye, Walter Murch (editor of Apocalypse Now) argues that editing should follow natural human reactions. If a character looks at a noise off-screen, we should cut to the action just like we would turn our heads. If a character slides a hidden note to our protagonist, we should cut to a closeup of the message. But what about fading to black?
In an interview with FilmSound.org, veteran editor Walter Murch explains that editors can choose to make the transition conscious or unconscious. Fading to black is a conscious transition, but it can still be smooth and seamless. It’s all about finding the right balance.
When to Fade Out
So when should you use a fade-to-black transition? In part, it’s a nod to theater tradition. In theater, a fade-out/fade-down (also called a fade-to-black) is used to signify the end of a chapter and give the crew time to change sets. But in filmmaking, it’s also the visual conclusion of a chapter. It works best when transitioning from the end of one theme to the beginning of another, from one character’s narrative to another, or into a later date.
Take a look at any blockbuster trailer and you’ll see these principles in action. Scenes that look chronologically close to one another are cut together, while scenes that take place at different times or in different locations get a fade-out. These cinematic traits tell us that we’re transitioning to a later moment in the story—either thematically, temporally, or geographically.
Premiere Pro
- Expand the thumbnail height, use the Pen tool (P) to create two opacity keyframes, and lower the further keyframe to 0% opacity.
Or
- Open the Effects panel, and drag the Dip to Black transition to the end of your clip.
Note: Using the transition preset will also affect the adjacent clip by fading it from black. To only affect one clip, you must make sure there’s at least a 1-frame space.
DaVinci Resolve
- Drag the white handles at the beginning and end of every clip. This will create a fade-in or -out, with a duration determined by how far you’ve brought the handles in.
Or
- Use the Dip to Color video transition. However, this transition requires the user to fully implement the parameters of the transition in the inspector panel. This is good for further customization, but not optimal for a fast-and-easy fade-to-black.
Now that you know the basics of the fade-to-black transition, try it out in your next project. And for more filmmaking tips and tricks, check out our other articles.
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