I have three levels of PIP and when I put a dip to color effect on one of the layers the entire screen dips to color.  I just want to edit a talking head together taking out the ums and ahs.

You may have to Collapse and Dip to Color.

Try "stepping into" the PIP effect on that particular layer (nesting) and add your dip to color transition effect there.

I was thinking that at first Larry, but then couldn't remember if you can do transitions on nested effects.

Yes you can, Kenton, and I've been tripped up by that when I first started nesting and wondered why I wasn't getting the results I wanted in the transition after collapsing layers with transitions nested underneath. I'm not sure this will fade only the PIP like the OP wants, but it's worth a try.

I'd be inclined just to use the 'Fade Effect' tool on that PiP layer - keyframe the Foreground from 100 to 0 over 6 frames or whatever.

The OP mentions applying a dip to color transition. I believe fade effect is only capable of fading in from black and fading out to black.

Im sorry I guess I am not explaining it right.  I have a looping background on V1  My PIP interview is on V2.  I need to shorten the PIP interview and was hoping to use the effect of fading to white and then back.  When I do the effect (fade to white or black)  my looping background fades out as well.  I want the looping background to stay visible.

Thanks for any help.

OK, then do this. Place the PIP on the entire interview clip. In other words, for the total duration of "tighten ups" that you want to do. Then, step into the PIP effect and place an add edit at the first tighten up point, edit the second clip in and add your dip to color effect there. Continue the process until all tighten ups are complete. Step out of the effect. This should give you the result you want - transitions that won't affect the background layer on V1.

Thanks Larry

Thats It

Joe Mattenley, LightSplash Media Inc.  www.lightsplashmedia.com   www.premierevideoproductions.com

You're quite welcome, Joe. Glad to help out.