There's supposed to be something here... right?

willpower

I just upgraded from version 3.7 or so to the latest version, and I'm happy with it so far.

The Video Effects window has changed a little though, and correct me if I'm wrong, but is there supposed to be a preview in this blank space on the right in the below image?

No matter which video clip or image I select, if I go into Video Effects this area on the right is always blank. I'm 99% sure it's supposed to be a preview, like in previous versions. Is this a bug? Or is this space meant for something else?

borate

No, this isn't a preview window; it's an effects-plot window. Add an effect by clicking the green arrow at the top-left.

Then click the squiggly lines to the right of each parameter, to see the plot. Add keyframes with the small green +.

[deleted]

When you add an effect to a clip (by clicking the "FX" on the timeline ), VP opens this window. The list of effects can be obtained by clicking the the green plus sign. The area you refer to on the right (which can be hidden or revealed by clicking the small black arrow ) is where you set up the keyframes for your chosen effect. The effect is monitored using the Clip Preview window. Note: If you have enlarged the effects pane (as you seem to have done) the Clip Preview pane may be covered up.

The white area does not hold the clip image. It shows the graph line (or lines) relating to the parameters of the chosen effect and the red cursor line in this window is used to select points along the clip where effect parameters can be changed and fixed in the clip using keyframes. Moving this cursor line also moves the cursor line in the Clip Preview window so you can see where your effect is being placed.

As a quick example you might use the Transparency effect to completely fade out a clip.

With your clip on the timeline click the FX button at the left end. This will open the effects pane.
Click the green plus and from the list select Transparency.
Slide the red cursor to the left side of the white graph pane which is the start of the clip.
Set the Opacity value to 100% (Slide it to the right i.e. 0% transparent))
Click the smaller button with the green cross top left of the white area. This will fix a keyframe
Slide the red cursor line to the right side of the white pane. This represents the end of the clip. (Check the clip preview pane)
Set the Opacity value to 0% (Slide it to the left i.e. 100% transparent)
Click the small green plus sign again to set a second keyframe.

Your effects pane should now look like this:

The graph line slants down from 100% opacity to 0% opacity between the start and finish of the clip. (i.e. it fades out) The timeline will show the change in transparency. The keyframes are shown by the small blue squares at the start and end of the graph line. You can make keyframes in this way with different values at any point along the clip, making the clip fade in and out by different values in different places. The blue keyframe markers can also be grabbed and moved to different points to change the shape of the graph. More keyframes can be added by grabbing the graph line at any point with the cursor and dragging the line up or down or left to right.

The effect is created in real time and you finish by closing the effects window. Most effects work in this way - some with several parameters. Multiple effects can be added to a clip and all are set up in the same effects window and are listed one below the other. Any effect can be cancelled by clicking the white cross at the right hand end of the that particular effect's header bar.

Hope this helps

Nat

willpower

Oh, I get it now! The video effects window was indeed always covering my clip preview window when I had it open, so I didn't see any sort of preview like previous versions had. I also see now that you can click directly on the clip preview to manipulate the effects.

I fiddled around with it and I also see how that empty space works as a plotter for the effects. Thank you both for your replies, that definitely cleared things up!

Ivan187

That was introduced since version 4.30, I think.