DARA’S GUIDE: How to "FADE" Characters

Please visit my website for more templates and guides!
https://www.dara-amarie.com/

Hello everyone!

I had a lot of people asking me how to fade out characters or change their opacity. The answer is “you can’t” because it is not yet possible to change the opacity of a character. BUT there is a trick to make is appear as though your character is fading in/out, and I will show you how to do that.

THE TRICK:
Upload a background image as an overlay and change the opacity over your character(s).

You can use a photo editing app/site to change the background image to a PNG image.
NOTE: Test overlay opacity out in the app! The web previewer does not show this properly.
*This works with all styles.

“Ghost-like” Characters

  • DARA is placed at layer 1 and BOYFRIEND is placed at layer 3.
  • The background overlay is set at layer 2 so that it’s between DARA and BOYFRIEND.
  • To make DARA see through, I changed the opacity of the overlay to 0.5

EXT. SEINE RIVER - NIGHT

@cut to zone 3
@DARA moves to layer 1 and BOYFRIEND moves to layer 3

@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 create
@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 to layer 2
@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 opacity 0.5 in 0

Fading OUT Characters

  • DARA is placed at layer 1 and BOYFRIEND is placed at layer 3.
  • The background overlay is set at layer 2 so that it’s between DARA and BOYFRIEND.
  • To make DARA fade out, the overlay needs to be set at an opacity of 0 at the beginning of the scene, then I will change the overlay’s opacity to 1

EXT. SEINE RIVER - NIGHT

@cut to zone 3
@DARA moves to layer 1 and BOYFRIEND moves to layer 3

@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 create
@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 to layer 2
@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 opacity 0 in 0

@pause for 2

@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 opacity 1 in 2

Fading IN Characters

  • DARA is placed at layer 1 and BOYFRIEND is placed at layer 3.
  • The background overlay is set at layer 2 so that it’s between DARA and BOYFRIEND.
  • To make DARA fade in, the overlay needs to be set at an opacity of 1 at the beginning of the scene, then I will change the overlay’s opacity to 0

EXT. SEINE RIVER - NIGHT

@cut to zone 3
@BOYFRIEND moves to layer 3

@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 create
@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 to layer 2
@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 opacity 1 in 0

&DARA walks to spot 1.28 100 20 in 2 and DARA moves to layer 1

@overlay RIVER_ZONE_3 opacity 0 in 2

AND THAT IS HOW YOU MAKE CHARACTERS “FADE”!
HAPPY DIRECTING!

293 Likes

image

54 Likes

Oh my god! This is absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for this!!

8 Likes

Thx so much I really need this for hopefully future story after the one I’m working on :heart_eyes:

4 Likes

Hey so I tried doing what you explained but it didn’t seem to work for me:

INT. ROYAL BABY TURRET - DAY with BABYOV at layer 3
@overlay BABYOV opacity 0.5 in 0
@FAYLEN changes into FAYLEN_gown
@MAXINE changes into MAXINE_afterbaby
&MAXINE moves to layer 2 and FAYLEN moves to layer 4
&MAXINE spot 1.280 164 -43 AND MAXINE faces right AND FAYLEN stands screen center AND FAYLEN faces right
&MAXINE is dance_slow_neutral_loop AND FAYLEN is dance_slow_neutral_loop_rear
@overlay BABYOV shifts to -51 -71
@overlay BABYOV scales to 1.415 1.415
@overlay BABYOV opacity 1 in 5

3 Likes

How is it not working ?

2 Likes

One of the characters won’t show up at all.

1 Like

Are you using the web previewer?

1 Like

I’m using both web and mobile.

1 Like

Your character still doesn’t show up when you test it in the app?

2 Likes

Yeah, That’s why I’m confused.

Did you try testing the scene without the overlay to see if your character is there?

2 Likes

Yeah she’s there without the overlay but whenever I use any overlay (I even got rid of the code and just put on of the baby blankets) the same character is still gone. I think I’m just going to put in a help ticket.

1 Like

Do you think you could send me video of what’s happening? (if you can, can you send me a private message?)

2 Likes

I honestly don’t know how to do this, what do you mean upload a pic, how would I do that.

1 Like

You can upload your own backgrounds and overlays if you create your story in the portal online, not with mobile creation.

2 Likes

It says it is not a valid comand.

2 Likes

That’s just the format and example. You need to change the background and overlay name and the characters to your own

2 Likes

so istead of the word background u use something like INT. BLACK - NIGHT

1 Like

Yes or any background in the art catalog

1 Like