Working with handles in BFX

Hello all,

Is there a way of working on all the frames (including the handles) on a bfx within the timeline without opening up the segment on a new layer.

Yup. You have 2 options.

Both options begin with you choosing Options / Media Range.

Option 1, allow BFX to go into negative numbers. It used to be the case that some modules didn’t like negative frame numbers, like the Stabilizer. I honestly don’t remember if that was ever addressed. This keeps the Media Range in sync in relation to your current timeline segment, and doesn’t require slipping anything in the timeline when you are finished.

Option 2, don’t allow BFX to go into negative numbers by double tapping on the Source clip, and resetting its Timing Offset to zero with a Control + Click. This makes frame 1 of your BFX equal to Frame 1 of your background clip. Very handy. Do your work, then notice that your resulting timeline segment in the timeline needs to be slipped back to be in sync with your offline, and Fran’s Your Nan.

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I sometimes realize I need to work on the full clip after I have done some work on timeline range. I then select the source clip and add a lower level bfx on the timeline within the bfx. This gives me the entire clip without messing with ranges on the upper level.
I know nested bfxs used to have problems but I find it more stable with the recent releases.

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Sorry, what does that mean?

Select you source clip in the bfx. Click on the timeline tab below the screen and you access the entire clip with the entire handles. Adding another bfx will let you go one more level deeper. I call it “inception bfx”

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The two recursions of BFX is the best timeline hack when using BFX—so much so that on the rare occasion that I use BFX I’ll immediately go two levels just to have those handles taken care of.

The secret benefit of two levels for me, beyond working on the full duration is that if the comp is in level two you can exit, process that clip in level one on the BFX timeline and then do paint work over it in level one at enormous speed.

It’s a cache mechanism basically… one that works pretty well.

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inception GIF

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Just to add one thing to all this, that people may not be aware. When you are in the timeline inside batch or BFX if you right click on the timeline tab you can open your BFX timeline as a sequence and do full editing.

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