Compositions

A composition groups multiple cues into a single, self-contained unit. A composition appears on its parent timeline as a single Media cue. Internally it holds its own layers, cues, and timing — a timeline within a timeline. Reuse a composition across multiple timelines or at different points in a show.

The composition cue's media source is the composition itself, not an asset file.

What Compositions Are

A composition is a cue sequence with its own internal layers and cue arrangement. When you group cues into a composition, WATCHOUT:

  1. Creates a new composition with its own cue sequence (layers, cues, and duration)
  2. Removes the original cues from the parent timeline
  3. Inserts a single composition cue in their place — a Media cue whose source is the composition

The composition cue is created at position (0, 0, 0) with a zero anchor offset. Internally, the composition preserves the relative timing and layer arrangement of its constituent cues.

A composition also has a reference frame (its internal coordinate space) and an optional source asset (set when created from a 3D model import).

Creating a Composition

To create a composition:

  1. Select one or more cues on the same timeline
  2. Select Group Cues into Composition from the cue context menu, or press Ctrl+G

The selected cues must all belong to the same timeline. WATCHOUT names the new composition sequentially ("Composition 1", "Composition 2", and so on) and gives it at least 3 layers. The composition cue replaces the selected cues at the layer and start time of the topmost, earliest selection.

The composition cue's duration matches the span of the grouped cues. Its media options use defaults: Normal blend, By Layer stacking, and tier 0.

When you import a multi-mesh 3D model, WATCHOUT wraps it in a composition. Each mesh becomes a separate cue inside the composition. Texture each mesh independently while keeping the model as a single unit on the timeline.

Ungrouping a Composition

To dissolve a composition back into individual cues:

  1. Select one or more composition cues on the timeline
  2. Select Ungroup Cues from the cue context menu, or press Ctrl+Shift+G

When you ungroup, WATCHOUT:

  • Extracts all cues from the composition's internal cue sequence.
  • Adjusts their start times relative to the composition cue's position on the parent timeline.
  • Adjusts their positions by the composition cue's position and anchor offset.
  • Creates any additional layers needed on the parent timeline for the composition's layer structure.
  • Removes the composition cue from the parent timeline.

Editing a Composition

To edit a composition's internal contents without ungrouping it:

  • From the Cue List: right-click a composition cue and select Open Composition.
  • From the Timeline: double-click the composition cue.

A new Timeline window opens showing the composition's internal cue sequence. The Stage switches to composition mode, marked by a gantt-chart icon in the top bar. While in composition mode:

  • The Stage shows only the cues in the active composition.
  • Projector mode is not available — the Stage exits projector mode when a composition opens.
  • Display editing is disabled.

To exit composition mode, activate a regular timeline window.

Composition Properties

A composition stores a name, an internal duration, and a reference frame (x, y, width, height) that defines its internal coordinate space.

When a composition is active, its Properties panel shows its name and duration. The composition properties panel hides the color and stacking-order fields that regular timelines show.

The composition cue on the parent timeline has its own start time and duration. These determine how much of the composition's internal timeline plays.

Compositions as Reusable Assets

Compositions appear in the Show Info statistics under the Compositions category. A composition can be the media source for cues on any timeline in the show. Reuse a single composition in several places.

When cues on different timelines reference the same composition, editing its internal contents affects every instance — the composition is a shared resource, not a copy.

Nesting Compositions

A composition contains cues, and a cue's source can itself be a composition. Compositions can therefore nest. Deeply nested compositions make a show harder to follow.

Blind Editing Compositions

Compositions work with blind edit in two ways:

  • You can edit a composition in blind edit mode. Open the composition and click the Blind Edit button (eye-off icon) in the toolbar. WATCHOUT opens a copy of the composition for editing. The real composition is unchanged until you Apply.
  • Opening a composition cue from inside a blind edit creates a private copy. While editing a blind edit, double-click a composition cue to open that composition. Your edits go into a private copy. The copy lives only inside the blind edit, so the real composition is unaffected until you Apply. Other timelines that use the same composition keep seeing the original.

See Blind Edit Mode for details.

Best Practices

Group stable, reusable clusters. Compositions suit self-contained content: a multi-layer lower-third graphic, a multi-mesh 3D model, or an animated sequence used in several places.

Name compositions descriptively. Default names like "Composition 1" are hard to tell apart in large shows. Rename them to reflect their content, for example "Speaker Intro Lower Third".

Avoid regrouping late in production. Grouping and ungrouping restructures cue positions and layers. Major composition changes near showtime risk unintended visual shifts.

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