Bill Mills speaks candidly about CMS Wipes Vol.1:

CLICK HERE to play a Windows Media demonstration of several of the transitions that make up CMS Wipes 1.

In the 1990s, it was known as “Toasteritis.” The symptoms were an urge to use as many wild wipes and DVEs in a video as possible, because NewTek gave us plethora with the VideoToaster. Obviously, if you have a tool, you need to use every function, right? I couldn’t believe it the day I actually saw the falling sheep transition used in a broadcast commercial for the Big Fresno Fair.

The original Amiga Video Toaster is no more, but these days NewTek is equipping video producers with the VT[5] and it ships with loads of wipes, DVEs and transitions.

With all the pulls, pushes, spirals and wobbles one can use to transition from one clip to another, I found myself sometimes looking for something simpler. I wanted something fancier than just a cross dissolve, but more subtle than a BIG GOLD BAR wiping across the screen.

The old Amiga Video Toaster “van Gogh” wipe was one of my favorites. I especially liked it for going between still images in documentary. Unfortunately it, like a number of the gentler dissolves included with VT[4] was one of a kind. Using it twice in a row looked overly repetitive, redundant, and like the same thing all over again. I would have loved to have VanGoh from the left, VanGoh, from the right, and a few other directions.

Wanting more than the stock DVEs, we cooked up some of our own gentle dissolves and wipes in groups that that carry a theme. Because they are themed they can be used in series to convey a feel without being exactly the same over and over.

”I couldn’t believe it. We got home from our honeymoon and the DVD was waiting for us. There it was on the big screen, we said our vows, and then a giant green alien hand grabbed us and threw us off the screen! I was mortified! My husband thought it was cool. We argued about it and he went back to live with his mother. My marriage was ruined!”*

* Actual quote from a fictional bride whos marriage was ruined by DVE abuse.

 

Before we knew it, we had put together CMS Wipes Vol. 1. It’s a collection of dissolves and wipes designed to give a bit more pep than just a straight dissolve, but still be less obtrusive than a giant robot arm shooting a laser across the screen. There are a total of 68 transitions in the set, made up of 10 different themes. Within each theme there are a number of transitions which all look similar, but have variations ranging from direction to the simple random patterns that make them up.

CMS Wipes 1 is available on DVD-R from Corinthian Media Services, shipped by US Mail to customers in the United States, for $45. These DVEs are handcrafted in the USA, for 4:3 or 16:9 NTSC use with VT[2], VT[3], VT[4], VT[5] or Speed Edit. Dealer Inquiries Invited.

  • CMS Wipes Volume 1 Themes:
    Hurricane – 5 transitions - a spiraling cloudlike dissolve
    Kerplunk – 5 transitions - like ripples in a pond, starting from different points on the screen
    Oil – 13 transitions - one image is painted on top of the other with rapid, sketch like brush strokes (remember Craypas oil pastels?) Many of these transitions start from one side of the screen and go to the other, or diagonally from a corner. Two are positioned to bring in subjects that are framed with the rule of thirds (see the demo clip.)
    Plasma – 5 transitions - crazy plasma dissolves
    Simmer – 10 transitions - big polkadotty bubbles moving in a variety of directions and speeds bring in the new clip
    Smoke – 10 transitions - whispy, smokey dissolves moving in different directions at different speeds
    Sponge – 5 transitions - sponge like pattern dissolves.
    Squirm – 5 transitions - wriggly, squigly pattern dissolves
    Upwelling – 5 transitions - Much like squirm. Equally squigly, but less wriggly.
    • Web - 5 transitions - blocky, web-like dissolves

CLICK HERE to learn about more CMS Wipes DVE sets for the NewTek VT.

NewTek, Video Toaster, VT[2], VT[3], VT[4] and VT[5] are trademarks of NewTek. Corinthian Media Services and Bill Mills are not affiliated with NewTek, but we do think they are pretty darned cool. Copyright 2005, 2006 Corinthian Media Services, All rights reserved.