Wipes and irises: transitions with a shape in Video
Barn doors, clock, Venetian blinds, spiral boxes, paint splatter and heart or star irises: the wipe and iris transitions in Video by Zaweba and their uses.
A wipe replaces one shot with the next by sweeping a line or shape across the frame. An iris does it with a shape that grows from or shrinks to a point. Both are more visible than a dissolve, so they announce themselves, and that is exactly what makes them fun. Video by Zaweba has a wide range: wipes in any direction, barn doors, clock, radial, wedge, pinwheel, Venetian blinds, checker, bands, random blocks, spiral boxes, zig-zag, inset, gradient and paint splatter, plus round, box, diamond, cross, star and heart irises.
Straight wipes and their cousins
A plain wipe moves an edge across the frame in any direction you choose. It has a long history in film and television, and it still feels lively and deliberate. Barn doors open or close from the middle like a pair of doors. Inset brings the new shot in as a box within the frame. Bands and Venetian blinds use several strips at once.
Wipes with a twist
Clock sweeps round like the hand of a clock, which is a natural choice for showing time passing. Radial and wedge sweep from a centre point. Pinwheel uses several blades turning together. Spiral boxes winds inward in a spiral of blocks. Checker and random blocks reveal the next shot in squares, a classic retro television look. Zig-zag uses a jagged edge.
Gradient wipes replace the hard edge with a soft one, so the change rolls across the frame more gently. Paint splatter reveals the new shot through splashes of paint, which suits playful, artistic and children's content.
Irises
An iris opens or closes a shape. A round iris closing in on a character is the old cartoon ending, and an opening one is a classic way to begin. Box, diamond and cross irises are more graphic. Star and heart irises are playful: a heart iris suits a wedding film or a valentine message, and a star iris fits celebration, children's videos and game footage.
Settings that shape the result
Wipes and irises in Video by Zaweba come with settings where they apply: length, direction, softness, border and colour, count, centre and reverse. Direction decides where the wipe travels. Softness blurs its edge, turning a hard line into a gentle blend. A border with a colour draws a line along the edge, useful for a bold graphic look or to match a brand colour. Count sets how many strips, blocks or blades appear. Centre moves the origin of an iris or radial wipe, so a heart can open from a character's face rather than the middle of the frame. Reverse runs it the other way.
Alignment on a cut can be centre, start at or end at the cut, so you can choose whether the transition straddles the edit or sits wholly on one side of it. The Effects tab has a search, so finding a particular wipe among the 87 transitions is quick.
Using shapes with purpose
Wipes work best when they connect to something in the picture. A wipe that follows a person walking across the frame, a clock wipe on a scene about waiting, or an iris centred on the subject's face all feel motivated. A random diamond iris between two unrelated interviews just looks dated.
They suit certain kinds of video well: children's programmes, retro and comedy styles, presentations, game videos and anything playful. In a serious drama or documentary they usually stand out in the wrong way.
Mistakes with wipes
Using too many types is the classic mistake, the slideshow look where every change is a different shape. Choose one wipe style that suits the piece and repeat it.
Hard borders in clashing colours can also look cheap. A soft edge or a border in a colour already in the shots blends better.
Lastly, give the transition room. Like all transitions, wipes need footage beyond the cut point. If a clip has no spare frames at its end, adjust the alignment so the wipe draws on the clip that does.
Chosen carefully, the wipes and irises in Video by Zaweba add energy and personality that a plain cut can't.
