Transform

The Transform effect is automatically applied to each clip, layer and group as well as to the entire composition. Depending on which panel you're looking at, the Transform effect is there to adjust the position, scale, rotation or anchor point.

In this article we'll explore all features of the Transform and Slice Transform effect. Let's start by exploring the Transform's parameters.

The Transform Effect

Position
Adjust where your content's center point is on the X and Y axes. The range of this parameter depends on your GPU and is generally either 16384(16k) or 30720(32k).

Scale
Adjust the size of your content, proportionally to its original size. Expanding the parameter will let you scale the width and height individually.

Rotation
Measured in degrees, this will let you rotate your content around its anchor point. Expanding the parameter will let you rotate along each axis individually. Note that changing the X or Y rotation will disable the use of the Transform Widget.

Anchor Point
The Anchor Point is the point from which your content will be rotated. Think of your content as a postcard and the anchor point is the pin you use to stick it to the wall.

Depending on where you put the Anchor Point(the pin), when you now rotate your content (the postcard), it will rotate around that point.

Note that changing the Anchor Point will disable the use of the Transform Widget.

Instead of using the transform parameters, you can use the Transform Widget to transform your content directly in the monitor. This feature will be enabled by default on all non-composition monitors but can also be enabled on composition monitors through the monitor cogwheel menu.

The widget is used to move, rotate and scale the content of a clip, layer, group or composition. Using the right mouse button on the widget will open up a menu with additional options among which the option to reset all transformations.

Note that the Transform Widget is disabled when you have manually changed the X/Y rotation or any Anchor Point parameter. Additionally, the Transform Widget is not available on the Crossfader(A, B & Mix) and Advanced Output monitors.

The Transform Widget in Action

Multiple Transforms

You can apply more than one Transform!

Transform is available as an effect in the Effects list, and you can apply it anywhere in the effect chain.

This way, you can do crazy stuff like first scale down and move a layer to the left half of the screen, then apply a mirror effect, and finally position the result of this in the bottom right of the composition. Options galore!

Any transform you apply after the first one, will have its own Opacity and Blend Mode, just like an effect. This way, you can control how the Transform blends with the input texture.

The very first Transform in each panel can not be deleted.

Transform Presets

Each Transform setting can be saved as a preset. This gives you quick access to PIPs and scalings that you often use.

Slice Transform

In Resolume Arena, you get access to a the Slice Transform effect.

It's available in the effect panel, but the best way to access it, is to open the Slice panel via View > Show Slices.

The Slices panel will show you all the screens and slices you currently have available in the Advanced Output.

Now, by dragging the Screen onto a clip, a layer, a group or the whole composition, you can instantly place content in every slice in that screen.

The Slice Transform effect works with regular slices, polygon slices and fixtures, takes into account the orientation of the slice, and respects any input masks applied on the slice.

Changing the slice in the Advanced Output will update the scaling of the content automatically.

Scaling

Fill

By default, the content will be scaled to Fill within the slice. This will fill the slice with the content, and crop the sides or top and bottom if the aspect ratios don't match.

Fit

You can switch to Fit, in which case it will scale the content to be completely visible in the slice, possibly adding empty pixels on the sides or top and bottom.

Stretch

By using Stretch, the content will be warped to match the shape of the slice exactly.

Mask & Invert Mask

Using the mask modes, you leave the content as it is, and essentially use the Slice Transform as a mask to show and hide specific parts of it.

Bypass/Solo/Delete

You can use the B toggles to temporarily hide content for that specific slice. The S button will Solo that slice and hide the others.

If you don't need content to show in a particular slice, you can hit X to get rid of it.

If you realise you needed it after all, you can simply drag the slice back in from the Slices tab.

Orientation

You can use the Pacman icon to toggle each slice through 4 orientations: Regular, Mirrored Horizontally, Mirrored Vertically, Mirrored Horizontally and Vertically.

Layering your Stage

Of course, instead of dragging the whole screen to create the Slice Transform effect, you can also drag a selection of slices instead.

This is a great way to assign content to specific areas of your stage. For instance, you can show the DJ name, set to Fit on just the main screen and DJ booth, while showing the promoter logo behind it, set to Fill on the main screen and on the tiles on the roof. Background content can be shown everywhere, masked on every slice.

Because Slice Transform is an effect, you can use it to apply these looks on specific clips. This way you can have multiple instances of a clip, each with a specific look.

Also, you can create presets to quickly recall specific looks and switch between them.

Missing Slices

Because Slice Transform works with the slices in your Advanced Output, it might be that a particular slice can't be found. Maybe you accidentally deleted it, maybe you've loaded in another preset.

Whatever the reason, Resolume doesn't panic. It just lets you know something is missing by highlighting the slice in red. Any remaining slices will continue to display just fine.

This is done to give you an indication that something is up. You can then go in to Advanced Output to do what needs to be done to correct it, or just delete the slice from the effect if you don't need it anymore.

When you accidentally deleted a slice in the Advanced Output, undoing it will bring it right back, both in the Advanced Output and in the Slice Transform effect.