The Sequence Compositor
Overview
The Sequence Compositor is accessed via the "Compositor" tab at the top of the timeline panel. It provides a linear, track-based view of all sequences in the project, arranged along a shared time axis. Each sequence is represented as a block in the compositor that can be repositioned, trimmed, and re-ordered.
This is conceptually similar to a video editor's timeline — sequences are "clips" that are assembled into a final output.
Sequences vs. Clips
A Sequence is a complete FlashFX project context — its own canvas contents, layer stack, keyframe animation, and duration.
A Compositor Clip is an instance of a sequence placed in the compositor timeline. The same sequence can be placed multiple times as different clips — useful for creating a sequence once and using it in multiple positions in the final output (e.g., a recurring intro sting used between sections).
Compositor Timeline Layout
- -Sequence tracks — horizontal rows, each potentially holding one or more sequence clips
- -Clip blocks — colored rectangles representing sequence instances
- -Global timeline ruler — the time axis for the overall output, independent of any individual sequence's internal timeline
- -Global playhead — controls the composite output preview
Placing Sequences
Drag a sequence name from the Sequence List panel onto a compositor track. The clip is placed starting at the dragged position.
Alternatively: Compositor -> Insert Sequence prompts to choose a sequence and places it at the current global playhead position.
Clip Operations
- -Move: Drag the clip block to a different time position or a different track.
- -Trim In/Out: Drag the clip edges to trim. Trimming does not change the sequence's internal animation — it controls which portion of the sequence is shown in the output.
- -Time Remap on Clip: Each compositor clip can have time remapping applied independently. Right-click the clip -> "Enable Time Remap."
- -Clip Speed: Right-click any clip -> "Set Speed\" to enter a playback speed multiplier (0.5 = half speed, 2.0 = double speed).
- -Duplicate Clip: Right-click -> "Duplicate.\" Creates a new independent clip instance of the same sequence.
- -Unlink from Sequence: Right-click -> "Unlink Sequence.\" The clip becomes an independent, non-synced copy. Changes to the original sequence no longer affect this clip.
Clip Transitions
Between two adjacent clips on the same track, a transition can be applied. Right-click the boundary between two clips -> "Add Transition."
| Transition | Description |
|---|---|
| Cut | Instantaneous switch (default, no actual transition) |
| Dissolve / Cross Fade | Opacity cross-fade between the outgoing and incoming clip |
| Wipe (Horizontal) | A line sweeps from left to right, revealing the incoming clip |
| Wipe (Vertical) | A line sweeps from top to bottom |
| Radial Wipe | A line rotates clockwise around a center point |
| Zoom Cross | The outgoing clip zooms in while the incoming clip zooms in from 0% |
| Slide | Outgoing slides out in one direction; incoming slides in from the opposite direction |
| Dip to Black / White | Fades to black/white then fades in to the next clip |
Transition duration: Set in the transition properties (double-click the transition region between clips). Range: 1 frame to the full duration of the shorter clip.
Transition easing: Transitions have their own easing profile, independent of element-level easing in the constituent sequences.
Multi-Track Compositing
The Compositor supports multiple tracks stacked vertically. Clips on higher tracks render on top of clips on lower tracks at the same time position.
Use cases for multi-track:
- -A persistent watermark or logo clip across the full output
- -A lower-third overlay sequence that appears over several main scenes
- -Background music visualization that runs under all scenes
- -A frame/border overlay that applies to the full output
Track blend modes: Each compositor track has a blend mode property that controls how clips on that track composite with the tracks below it.