Each Block configuration (Clip, graphic, audio,…) can be configured to have its own specific automations, meaning a function (or set of functions) that would run once a Block (or Item) is triggered.
'Configure Automation' menu
In the the script or rundown in the Automator, click the three vertical dots in front of a Block (or Item) and select ‘Configure automation’ from the menu.
On the right hand side a panel will appear allowing you to configure different automation options, divided into tabs:
On Cue: These are functions/triggers that you would like to run whenever a Block or Item is triggered (meaning when a Block or Item is selected in the triggers, indicated with a red border around it).
Steps: These are buttons that can be created to appear next to a Block or Item, which can perform their own specific functions/triggers when clicking the Step button.
Timecode: Here you can configure which functions (if any) need to happen when a Block reaches a certain point in time. As an example you could have an automation that automatically cuts to a camera once a clip reaches 100ms from its endtime.
Next: This more advanced setting can be used to trigger certain functions on the current Block, based on metadata of the next Block in the Rundown.
Blur: This more advanced setting can be used to trigger certain functions on the current Block, as soon as the next Block in the Rundown is triggered.
Settings: More advanced trigger options can be set in this part.
On Cue
Conditions
When adding a section or function in the 'On Cue' tab (or other tabs), you can select whether it needs to run ‘always’ or conditionally as an 'if' or ‘if else’.
To demonstrate the principle of configuring an automation, in this article we will add an ‘always’.
For a more detailed look at conditions, see How can I use Conditions in Automations?.
Device versus available functions
Depending on the 'device' you select to perform a certain function on, the list of available functions will differ. At the moment of writing, vMix for example has 484 functions to choose from.
Upon selecting a device, the list of functions automatically adapts to show only the functions available for that 'device'.
Example for vMix
In vMix we can have an input of the ‘List’ type that we would use for playing back video clips. We will first want to empty this list ('ListRemoveAll'), after which we can then add our media to it ('ListAdd'), to then play it back (in preview for example using 'PreviewInput').
For some of these functions a delay would be needed to make sure the functions are performed in the correct order, allowing a previous function to finish first. In this case, we would have to add a 40ms delay on our ‘ListAdd’ and 300ms to 'PreviewInput'.
Instead of putting the clip in preview (like above) we can also just immediately play on cue. In that case we can change the ‘PreviewInput’ function to ‘CutDirect’, or add the 'CutDirect' as an extra function, and give it a 300ms delay. Finally we could then add a ‘Play’ function with a delay of 310ms (so that all other steps can finish first).
Variables
When playing clips to vMix, we don't want to manually send a clip to either Clip Input A or Clip Input B, but we would want to send our clip to a variable instead so we can seamlessly transition between clips. In the Automator this can be done by using an AB-alternator variable.
Variables can be configured in the 'Variables' menu via the gear icon in the top right corner.
Once a variable, or 'AB-alternator' has been created, it can then be used in the different automations you create. In our example we can now add a new first system function to have the Automator update our variable, so the Clip can be sent to the correct input.
Steps
Steps are buttons that can be created to appear next to a Block's trigger. We can for example create a PLAY button, a STOP (or PAUSE) button, and so on.
We will start with a Step called ‘PLAY’ to create a ‘PLAY’ button next to the Clip Block. We can set this to ‘CutDirect’ to cut the clip to the live (program) when ‘PLAY’ is clicked. Then add a ‘Play’ function with a 40ms delay.
In a similar way, we can add a ‘STOP’ button. Here a ‘Pause’ function is all we need.
For a more detailed look at Steps, check out How can I create and use Steps in the Automator?
Timecode
We can also use time codes to trigger specific functions, like for example to automatically cut to another input after a certain duration or before the end of a clip.
Cut to a different input
In the example below, 100ms before the clip would end, the Automator will automatically have vMix cut from the Clip A/B input to the 'CAM 1' input in vMix.
Countdown timer
We can use time codes to show a countdown timer on a Clip Block in the Automator (using the info from that clip playing in vMix).
To show a countdown timer, following the example we have so far, we can use 'Timecode Running' in combination with the AB-alternator variable to check this info from the clip that is playing.
Cue or cut to the next Block
Time codes could also be used to cue/cut to the next Block automatically, this by using the system function ‘SYSTEM.Next Card’.
Next
The ‘Next’ tab allows you to perform functions on a Block, using the metadata of the next Block in the rundown. This could for example be used to show the next clip on a monitor screen for the host to show what’s coming up next.
Blur
The ‘Blur’ tab allows you to perform functions on the current Block, as soon as the next Block in the Rundown is triggered. This could for example be used to clear certain overlays as you move on to the next Block in the Rundown.