With vertical editing, you combine multiple stacked layers of one timeline track into a single output. You can create complex effects using vertical transitions and soft effects.

All edits done with vertical editing are soft, so you can modify them at any time. By adding soft effects to your clips, you can create an entire edit without having to leave the timeline or process intermediate results.

Vertical editing can only be done between layers; it cannot be done between tracks.

If you import a multilayer clip from another Visual Effects and Finishing product, any compositing and soft effects between the layers are preserved. If you load the clip back to another Visual Effects and Finishing product, all original edits are preserved as well as edits from Smoke.

The illustrations in this chapter are of the EditDesk record timeline. There may be some differences with those of the BFX timeline.