Hi
If you want each clip to automatically fade through black into the next clip 5 seconds before it finishes, try this..
Get all the clips in order onto the Media list.
Click the "Options" tab on the toolbar and then under the "Transitions" section set the default transition duration to 10 (seconds) and the default transition type to "Fade"
Now click the "Add transitions automatically" box.
Return to the main screen and select ALL your clips in the Media list. (Left click the top one and with the shift key pressed, left click the last clip. They will all highlight. Now right click the highlighted list and choose "Add items to the sequence"
Switch into Storyboard mode and you should see each clip with a Fade icon beween them. This should start 5 seconds before each clip finishes and will continue for 5 seconds into the next clip. i.e the duration you choose will be divided between the clips. However this is not exactly what you are wanting but is the nearest automatic way.
If you want a sudden blackout between your clips (ie no fading of the clip) then you will have to manually add a 5 second blank Black frame between each clip.
Note: This can also be added with an automatic fade in/out...see below. The process is a little phaffier....
Add your clips to the media list. Set the Options "Default clip image" duration to 5 seconds. Unclick the Automatic transition box. Under the "Other" tab check that the "Add new clip" is changed to "End of the timeline"
Back in the main screen click the little down arrow to the right of the "Insert blank" tab in the tool bar, and select "Black" (If it adds a blank clip to the sequence just delete it) You should be in Storyboard mode so you can see what is happening.
Now right click each clip on the media list in turn, and add it to the timeline using the second option in the menu that pops up. Now left click the "Add blank" button on the toobar.
Repeat like this until all your clips have been added.
Each clip should play with a sudden 5 second blank between them.
If you find this too sudden then simply set the automatic transition box as described above but with a 1 second duration time for "Fade". This will fade in and out quickly to and from each of your black frames. You can make it longer if you like.
Unfortunately there isn't a way of automatically adding all your clips as well as the blank frames unless you go to the bother of creating a blank black image and add copies in between each of your clips on the media list. 
Nat
