THE HITFILM WISHLIST: What Features Do You Want?



  • @Triem23 Will do.

  • Stargazer54Stargazer54 Moderator
    edited November 2017

    As far as I can tell, in HF 2017 Pro, there is no provision for selecting clips from the media bin and going directly to Export.

    You can however select multiple clips, drag those onto the timeline and right click each one individually and select "Add to Export Queue".  But for 20 or more clips this is very cumbersome.

    Perhaps this may be addressed in a future version?

    Moving on, once your Queue list is complete then go to Export Contents and "Start Exporting".  That works like a champ.  Although preserving the same filename with this method is going to be an issue.  

    For example:  I transcoded a clip from my GH4 using the above method.  The clip was named P1010074.MOV and the resultant Cineform file was automatically named P1010074.MOV (00;00;00;00 - 00;00;19;00).avi.   Not a huge issue but I would rather it be named P1010074.avi.

    Again for the sake of efficient workflow,  selecting multiple clips in the media bin and being able to transcode directly, without having to play the game with selecting each one by one on the timeline would be preferred.

  • edited November 2017

     "On the other hand, Cineform is a SMPTE standard mezzanine codec, and is now open source."

    Well, VC-5 is the SMPTE thing and it is not truly 100% compatible with Cineform or visa versa. Slight changes. VC-5 was probably never going anywhere because of that and now that Cineform is open source VC-5 is really dead meat.

    "Hitfilm isn't as efficient as a dedicated transcoder. "

    It could be. A transcoder does not have to go through the graphics pipeline. aka GPU, OpenGL in the Hitfilm case. No OpenGL readback. In transcode you go straight from the decoder to the encoder. The real question is what kind of UI and features should a Hitfilm transcoder have.

    Really the Hitfilm proxies should have a Cineform/Prores option. The Mac should have Cineform as an option (MOV of course).

    I've always thought that FxHome had ideas on their proxies having options beyond the lossless one is started with. Why would anyone have an option to not use proxies when exporting. 

    Presumably one created a proxy because a render of some comp was slow. HF makes it sooo easy to do really nasty stuff. A proxy is lossless so why would one want the export to go slower by not using the proxy. If you had lossy proxies, well then, such an option makes some sense. Otherwise it seems ridiculous.

    First we got proxies and they were lossless. Then next HF version we get quality intermediate capability. So now it makes sense that the next HF version offers proxies the option of using the quality intermediate.

  • @NormanPCN ;

    "Hitfilm isn't as efficient as a dedicated transcoder. "

    "It could be."

    Could be, but isn't yet. I learned that from your data. :) 

  • edited November 2017

    Make the text box show partial letters when the font size is only slightly bigger than the box, instead of showing nothing at all. 

    E.g. create large text box and add some text. Then select the bottom right corner adjustment 'widget' and make it smaller. When the box is smaller than one letter high, all the letters disappear.  If there is more than one word, shrinking the box to slightly less than two words high and slightly narrower than the last word can be drawn fully, then it will be wrapped to the line below...where it can't fit, so disappears. Shrink the box to be smaller than the width of each word and it will also disappear.

    This can also happen when you select a font that is larger than one that just fits inside the box as you cycle through the available fonts.

    I know the whole text area can't get a major upgrade because of backwards compatibility, but drawing partial letters would be very useful, while also hopefully not breaking anything. Too much... :)

  • "Make the text box show partial letters..."


  • We need to be able to change the Scaling units from percentage to pixels.

    If other Transform controls are in pixels, we should be able to scale in pixels as well.  If I'm on the clock, pro-rating to the minute, how can I charge my client for my time using-a-calculator-to-figure-out-the-percent-to-scale-to-produce-a-certain-pixel-size.  

  • I think you might be waiting a while for that one, so in the meantime: Spreadsheet with a few simple calculations in it: Type in one number, get the other and vice versa, according to the size of the Layer.  Or print out some common sizes.

    I'm surprised anyone would be using pixels at all TBH and everything should be in percentages if you're writing an app for multiple platforms.

  • edited November 2017

    Make Text layers visible on the Layer Tab
    The Layer Tab is currently only useful for masking and tracking (and making you think you've gone mad when you forget to switch back to Viewer). Other than that it's never used (and not often needed for masking either). It can't even be used to look at the effects on a layer at the bottom of a stack that's used as a source layer for something else, like a fractal layer for a Set Matte with a Grade Layer above it.

    With the inability to Solo layers it's very difficult to select and change a text layer, or tweak any other type. You could say "get it right first time" but sometimes you want duplicates with all the effects and features you've added to a text layer. Plus just accidentally clicking in the wrong place deselects even a newly created layer, and getting access to it again is...frustrating.

    Just make Text act like any other layer (I know it's not, but cheat. You're clever guys.) so we can edit it even when it's rotated, in 3D, Quad Warped, in front of, or behind other (also text?) layers etc. etc. Instead of seeing the flat 2D highlighted selection 'shape' over something that doesn't even look close to how the text looks unless you just left it alone in 2D.

    Click on the Text layer in the comp, select the Layer tab, edit it: Result! :D

    Optionally Show Effects on the Layer
    How about as well as just showing the raw layer image, the Layer Tab also has the ability to display the Effects on that single layer on a toggle?

    Do this and you can put off soloing layers for a bit longer. ;)

    No, you can't really. That's still needed. But this would help. :)

  • edited November 2017

    Lock to a single Axis when moving with Mouse
    When using the mouse to move shapes/layers around on the Viewer, or adjust keyframes on the timeline when the Value Graph is open, it's pretty much impossible to only move in one direction at a time, so you have to fiddle with the numbers directly.

    Solution: hold down SHIFT when moving the mouse and it only moves along one axis.

    Q: How does only one key do that when you have 2 axes that could be affected?
    A: Easy. The larger of the first two directions you moved in becomes the 'free axis' and the other becomes locked. ;)

    E.g. You want to move something left on the screen, you select it and attempt to slide left, but inevitably you also move up/down slightly. Well, as you moved mostly left, that's the way you wanted to go; so when you hold down SHIFT at any time before releasing the mouse button - including at the start, Hitfilm would work out which axis you wanted to move and which to lock, and reset one of them back to where it was before you moved.  Obviously, once you start going left, you can also go right. It's the axis that's locked, not the direction.

    Even if you're particularly clumsy at moving the mouse you'd still manage to make one of the movements larger than the other, so Hitfilm will always be able work out what you intended. If not, there is always Undo and try again. ;)

    To do this, all it has to do is store the coords just as you press the LMB and start to move (which it is already doing for undo) and then compare them to the current position and work out which has moved the most. Release the SHIFT key before releasing the LMB and it would spring back to 'normal' in case you changed your mind. A bit like resizing layers changes the result when you flip between SHIFT and CTRL and ALT when you've grabbed a corner.

    Release the LMB to lock the coords to your choice of position state.

    Would save time and frustration having to keep on drilling down to Transform>Position to just adjust something a little bit. Having to seek out the little Red'n'Green arrow is not always easy or practical.

    Value Graph ease of use
    Would also mean you can move keyframes about when in Value Graph mode, where it is virtually impossible to just slide a keyframe left/right without it also going up/down a bit.

    Perfect Diagonal Movement with Mouse
    Once that is in place you've also got the ability to lock both axes together. Hold down ALT (or CTRL? I'm easy) and the smaller of the two values when you first move would then adjust to the same relative offset as the larger one, so you're now moving diagonally, as whatever movement you make is translated to be adjusting them both together by using the distance of the larger of the two offsets as the 'leader' - which would keep alternating as you wiggle the mouse in an approximate diagonal.

    Release ALT and it would go back to normal, press SHIFT and it would do the 'single' axis lock thing.

    All possible by just using that first coord position when you press the Left Mouse Button, which is already stored as part of the undo history. :)

  • I'll +1 all that. 

  • Mouse constraining would be useful.

    I once suggested this in relation to the NLE volume and/or opacity bar. They are terribly sensitive to movement. Can't really move one of those keyframes left/right without also changing the volume (vertical). We cannot set an exact value via the NLE keyframe bar (i.e. like a right click on keyframe), so now we have to go to the control panel just to get the keyframe value back to what it was in the first place before we wanted to move it. You can get the job done, but why would you want to. Just use something else. 

    Vegas example. Ctrl constrains vertically and it also is less sensitive in this mode/modifier to movement (value changes more slowly) making it super easy to hit a very precise volume/opacity setting. Even with a skinny track. Alt constrains left/right. Of course there is also a right click menu with lots of useful options to manipulate the keyframe.

  • edited November 2017

     Yes, forgot about everything in the Editor. Just tried fading out the end of some audio and it's pretty tricky. 

    I could drop on a fade effect, but that's not practical for audio ducking around speech.

  • @Palacono

    I tried editing audio last night for a project. I ended up editing the audio in DaVinci Resolve 14.

  • edited November 2017

    I am currently a Adobe CC subscriber who is migrating away from CC because of PR and software issues. Spending a lot of money for a company who just don't care.

    Before digging into HitFilm, I gave Pinnacle Studio 21 a try. And although they include tons of effects. I wasn't impressed because I felt like the software was limiting in what I could do. Spoiled by pro quality NLE's

    So, I recently downloaded hitFilm 2017 Express and I am liking it. I can do video compositing and motion graphics in one app. (something Adobe can't figure out... geeze)

    However, one of the things I did like about one of Pinnacles features was the Morph Transition video effect.

    You can see it here...

    It uses paths (bezier line) to set what part of each clip will be morphed.

    BTW... Keep up the great work!!! Somebody needs to step up and challenge that ridiculous subscription model.

    I am aiming to purchase the pro version once I discontinue my CC subscription in Spring of 2018. 

  • Being a motion graphic designer; one thing that is critical for me is support for creation and importing of vector formats (svg, eps).

    i.e. Vector paths that can edit points and make 2D graphics as well as extruding it to make 3D.

    When designing logos and artwork for clients, taking their art and inserting it into HF would be nice to create branded motion graphics.

  • edited November 2017

    Speaking of Resolve. For constraining in the keyframe graphs they are very similar to what @Palacono suggested where the initial mouse movement determines the constraining direction. A modifier key (shift) selects the constraint mode.

  • @pixelinkmedia I note for you the Boris add on can import vector files. Sorry, my computer is two continents away, but, if you check the Boris docs for the 3D unit it should list compatible formats. Boris is a $50 add-on for Express, and is included in Pro.

    If you have Pinnacle you can do a morph there and bring it to Hitfilm for further editing. Or, Winmorph is free.

    @ToddGroves @Palacono audio is still Hitfilm's weakest area, but, they do improve with each revision. That said, I do my audio editing in Vegas Pro. :) 

  •  Is it possible to have an actual like button for the wishlist instead of saying +1.   I also would think that having a like button would be more efficient for the devs to pinpoint ideas instead of having to scroll down the forum 

  • +1 on having a "Like" button instead of posting "+1". Heehee.

  • Just checking on one of Palacono's wishes and a +1 for the return of a Like button.

  • We need to ability to merge our clips together in methodical order that it is on the timeline without wasting time by dragging each clip together individual so no spaces are left inbetween.

  • edited November 2017


    Do you mean dragging multiple clips into the timeline at once and have them next to each other without gaps?

  • edited November 2017

    #HLUC "Hitfilm"please we need, it is very important, improve this comments section so we can add "Likes" and "Unlikes" to other comments, that way we do not repeat same ideas or opinions others have posted. In fact I do invite to all to start their comment with (Hitfilm Likes Unlikes Comments) a tag #HLUC like I did, to support this idea.

  • #HLUC I have tested many videos by now and it is incredible how fast the Hitfilm editing response is with Cineform (medium quality) videos. Could you do to save (convert) the proxy files in that format? Using a proxy which in fact is a Cineform convertion would be a great push for Hitfilm video editing. May be you could even give the option to save Proxy, which in fact would be the video in cineform format.

  • @CJDeeVlogs Name your clips methodically so they sort in the order you want, multi-select and drag and drop, 

  • #HLUC Why beeing Hitfilm and advanced program it does not allow in the Duration, let us write what we need and interpret accordingly? Example, if it is 00:10:12 , and we write 1200, it is clear they are frames, not time, so Hitfilm should interpret that, and viceversa, if it is 3610, and we write 00:09:04, of course it is time, not frames. Even the time we could write it 12.19 and it is 00:00:12:19 . Very basic functionality found in many pro programs. Of course the final Duration expresed as we had selected previously, and not change every time we access it, as you do in the case of Composite Shots, you always revert to time.

  • edited November 2017

    I need an option in the lightsword effect to be able adjust the roundness of the tips. It looks very unrealistic when the lightsaber effect spills onto the prop hilt. That also makes it look as if the lightsaber wasn't actually there in the scene, rather it was pasted onto the video in post production.

     I hope it's possible to add this feature.

  • I'm not sure if any of mine have been mentioned, so forgive me if they have.

    1) I'd love it if the EDITOR tab stayed in sight, on top so I didn't have to scroll back through my comp tabs to find it once done adjusting a comp.

    2) I'd love to lock an audio track down so that nothing could overwrite it.

    3) A play at half speed or slow motion would help me immensely. Right now, I use scrub, but I'd really love to be able to play at half speed or quarter speed when seeing if my syncs are right.

  • @DLKeur +1 on the editor tab staying on sight, I totally agree, especially if you have a lot of comps to deal with.  It can slow you down to go back to the editor timeline

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