Object Effects, Correct Layers, and Stable Colors

TL;DR: this update is about making the editor behave more like a video editor should. Layers should follow the timeline, colors should stay stable when effects are active, media should behave predictably, and common edits should happen where you expect them.

For a while, we were focused heavily on advanced 3D and pro visual tools. We are still building those, but this round also fixes some of our own mistakes and brings more of the basics into shape.

Highlights:

Object Effects: Stack Glow, Blur, Shadow, Stroke, Adjust, Dither, Pixelate, and Wobble on individual clips
Correct Order for Global Effects: New projects apply global effects from lower tracks to higher tracks
Timeline Editing Basics: Drag fade handles directly on clips, see video waveforms, and mute video audio from the timeline
Correct Rendering: More consistent colors, 3D layering, transparent videos, shaders, and export behavior

Object effects on clips

Object effects can now be stacked directly on individual visual clips.

Left: the same rotating 3D object without effects. Right: multiple object effects animated with keyframes.

These are separate from global effects: object effects belong to a specific image, video, text, shape, shader, or 3D object, and they are composed before full-frame timeline effects.

You can combine effects like Glow, Blur, Shadow, Stroke, Adjust, Dither, Pixelate, and the new Wobble effect to build richer looks without leaving the editor. Object effects can also be reordered on the clip, so combined treatments are easier to control.

Wobble adds jittery motion to an individual text clip

Object effects also work across more clip types now, including shader backgrounds and video spheres. That makes it easier to treat background visuals, 3D clips, and foreground media as part of the same visual system instead of switching between separate controls.

A ferrofluid clip styled with Pixelate, Stroke, Dither, and Bloom effects

Global effects follow timeline order

This is one of the places where we had to fix our own mistake. Global effects used to feel too much like hidden render steps: the timeline showed layers, but the final result did not always behave like those layers were being processed in a clear order.

Noise layered over Pixelation demonstrates timeline-ordered global effects

New projects now use the layered effects engine for global effects: lower tracks are processed first, and higher tracks process the result. So if you stack Bloom, Noise, Pixelation, Color Grading, or VHS, the visible timeline order is the render order.

Older projects keep the legacy renderer so existing visuals do not unexpectedly change.

Fade clips from the timeline

Visual clip fades now live where you would expect them in a video editor: directly on the clip in the timeline.

Drag fade handles directly on visual clips in the timeline

Drag a handle to set the fade length while you trim and arrange the clip. It is a small workflow cleanup, but it removes a trip to the inspector for a common edit.

The inspector controls are still useful for exact values, but quick fades no longer require switching context.

Rendering updates

3D scenes can now try an early environment reflections path that helps objects feel more integrated with the scene.

Experimental environment reflections make 3D objects feel more integrated with the scene

Below that, several rendering correctness fixes landed for complex projects:

More consistent colors: Fixed a bug where applying effects could make the whole scene look brighter, especially with shaders and 3D models.
Per-object 3D opacity: 3D model opacity is isolated per instance, so changing one object no longer affects other copies unexpectedly.
Cleaner 3D and video layering: 3D video layering now behaves more like images, and transparent WebM files no longer leave frame trails.
Shader-heavy renders: Infinity camera animation, Ferrofluid, and Matrix shader rendering are more reliable or faster.

More editor and export polish

A few smaller workflow improvements landed alongside the bigger editor changes:

Timeline details: Library elements insert at the playhead, scissors cuts snap to timeline points, and the scale slider has better precision.
Video clip waveforms: Video clips show audio waveforms and muted state directly on the timeline.
Video audio controls: You can mute or unmute video audio from the clip context menu.
Faster waveform rendering: Waveforms generate faster, so the timeline gets useful audio detail sooner.
Dashboard guides: Guides are now available from the dashboard.
Non-blocking desktop updates: The desktop app no longer shows an annoying banner that forces you to update before continuing.
Clearer browser exports: Export progress now includes percentage, frame progress, and ETA.

Fixes and cleanup:

Disabled clips stay out of exports: Disabled clips are ignored in export settings, so temporary timeline experiments do not leak into the final output.
Cleaner video audio: 3D video clips no longer create duplicate audio, and audio visualizers stay stable when there is no active audio source.
Dropped file reliability: When you drop a local media file or 3D model into the editor, it no longer disappears while the upload finishes.
Template audio: When you create a project from a template and choose an audio file, that audio is now added directly to the timeline.
Dashboard project polish: Project browsing and project creation are smoother, especially after signing back in.
Inspector labels: Environment presets now show names in the inspector.
Background cleanup: Solid Color backgrounds are deprecated for new backgrounds in favor of the newer background workflow.

As always, if something feels off or you want a specific workflow improved, send it in the Discord community.