To change the blend mode in Final Cut Pro, you'll adjust the compositing settings of your video clips. Here's how:
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Select the clip: In the timeline, click on the clip you want to apply the blend mode to. This is typically the clip that's on top of another clip.
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Open the Video Inspector: If the Inspector isn't already open, click the Inspector button (it looks like three sliders) in the top-right corner of the Final Cut Pro window.
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Navigate to Compositing: In the Video Inspector, scroll down until you see the "Compositing" section.
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Choose a Blend Mode: Locate the "Blend Mode" pop-up menu. Click on it and choose the blend mode you want from the list. The default is typically "Normal," which means the top clip completely covers the clip below.
Different blend modes will interact differently with the clips beneath it. Experiment with options like:
- Multiply: Darkens the image, often used for shadows.
- Screen: Lightens the image, often used for highlights.
- Overlay: Combines Multiply and Screen modes, making dark areas darker and light areas lighter.
- Add: Adds the color values of the two layers together, generally creating a brighter result.
- Difference: Shows the difference between the color values of the two layers.
The effect of the blend mode will depend on the colors and brightness levels of the clips you are blending. You can also adjust the opacity of the clip in the Compositing section to fine-tune the blend.
