Blank image between photo transitions

Question

I am using the overlap type of transition between photos and for some reason I am getting a sudden blank image prior to each of the transition effects. I have done this before without any problems, I do not know why I have this problem now. Each photo duration is 10 seconds and the transition is 2 seconds. I have varied the duration of both the photo and the transition (up and down), but it has not helped. I will appreciate any help. I am using a MacBook with OS 10.4.8 and iMovie 6.0.3(267.2)

Answer 1

Please bear with me, remedina. Can I guess at a solution? I've never personally seen this problem, but it's been reported here from time to time. I don't think the cause has been found, nor a good solution.
(To find other topics about it, search this forum for "Transition and black and frame", without the quotes. Ignore topics discussing black frames in the preview when importing images. Different problem.)
For the record, is the "blank" frame black or white?
My guess is iMovie is getting the math wrong while building the transition. Perhaps it's building a transition clip that is 99 frames long but it thinks it's 100 frames long. The result: a blank frame. Or it plays the clip AFTER/BEFORE the transition incorrectly, playing a frame that is "empty".
Either way, playback is "missing" one frame. Either the transition itself is flawed or the playback of the clip that follows/precedes it is flawed.
(Remember, iMovie modifies the playback of the original clip(s) too when you add the transition, at least for some transitions. If the new description of those clips is wrong, playback of those clips will be flawed.)
To help iMovie get the math right while building the transition, I'd try removing one frame from the clip that FOLLOWS the planned transition. THEN add the transition.
If that doesn't work, try removing one frame from the PRECEDING clip before adding the transition.
I don't recall anyone reporting exactly where the flawed frame resides. Is the flawed frame in the transition clip? If so, is it the last frame of the transition? Or is it the first frame of the clip that follows the transition? Or the last frame of the clip that precedes the transition? Somewhere else?
You should be able to tell by selecting the transition clip and using the right/left arrowkeys to play through the transition. If you see a flawed frame it's in the transition clip. If, on the other hand, you DON'T see a flawed frame but see it only when you select and play the clip following it, then the transition is okay but the error is in playing the following clip. Same with the preceding clip.
Either way, deleting one frame from the clip AFTER the planned transition or BEFORE it may solve the problem. It changes the math. It changes any rounding calculation, for example. No promises, but it's worth a try.
One other idea: the math error may be affected by whether or not the Ken Burns checkbox was on when you imported the image. iMovie describes the imported photo two different ways, depending on whether or not the checkbox was on. If you strike out above, you might try re-importing the image(s) using the opposite checkbox setting.
Please let us know what you discover. Good luck.
Karl