That's called a dissolve. Sometimes a cross fade or a lap dissolve.

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

Yh I had a feelin it was called a slow cross disolve, but I thought I would check just to be sure because I didnt want to call it one thing if it's actually another.

Thanks again, im greatful as allways

Cleary.

www.myspace.com/b31_film_productions

Dissolves are usually used to indicate the passage of time Cleary. As a rule, a viewing audience usually feels time has passed when they see one, a minute, a sec, two days, a year. They are part of film grammar, so be sure you know why you are using one. If you are doing a music video or something, it's not so much a big deal so you can play visually. But with narrative film, you must have a reason to dissolve. Sometimes it can be very effective to plan for a dissolve. Say for example an actor on a beach exits frame, leaving just water in the frame, you then dissolve to another frame of...um... say... someone lighting a fire place. The dissolve effect could be quite beautiful, but most importantly it could suggest or symbolize something about your characters or story. Maybe a couple are so different from each other they are - like fire and water? Not the best example but you get the idea. Make sure your shots are locked down and solid or you'll get a messy dissolve. There was a time when dissolves were very hard to do, you had to do them optically with film, playing both strips of film, then cross fading them while exposing them on a new piece of film. Some European filmmakers who could not afford this process did some very innovative editing. They would cut to black for a second or so, then cut back up on a new scene, a new day etc. And you still got the sense that time had passed. Nowadays you can do dissolves in a split second on FCP.

Dissolves can also be used to "vanish" objects in frame. By dissolving your scene with an object in frame to the SAME SCENE without the object, you will see that setpeice or actor slowly fade away like a ghost... (Dr. Who's TARDIS, for example.) Just remember to lock the camera down. No panning, or tilting, and use a solid tripod, to get the best effect.

It can also be used to comic effect as in Space Balls.

"Nice dissolve."

RJSchwarz

When I was starting out, people used to say: If you can't solve it, dissolve it. (Figured I'd throw in a little post production humor.)

Go here: www.filmmakingstuff.com

jajaja too much people say that, it's an easy way to solve problems, but not always the better solution.

--MiL--