diff --git a/effects/effects.cpp b/effects/effects.cpp
index e2bfd0f00..7b66b7eb7 100644
--- a/effects/effects.cpp
+++ b/effects/effects.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ void init_effects() {
 	video_effect_names[VIDEO_TRANSFORM_EFFECT] = "Transform";
     video_effect_names[VIDEO_SHAKE_EFFECT] = "Shake";
     video_effect_names[VIDEO_TEXT_EFFECT] = "Text";
+    video_effect_names[VIDEO_SOLID_EFFECT] = "Solid";
 
 	audio_effect_names[AUDIO_VOLUME_EFFECT] = "Volume";
 	audio_effect_names[AUDIO_PAN_EFFECT] = "Pan";
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ Effect* create_effect(int effect_id, Clip* c) {
         case VIDEO_TRANSFORM_EFFECT: return new TransformEffect(c);
         case VIDEO_SHAKE_EFFECT: return new ShakeEffect(c);
         case VIDEO_TEXT_EFFECT: return new TextEffect(c);
+        case VIDEO_SOLID_EFFECT: return new SolidEffect(c);
         }
     } else {
         switch (effect_id) {
diff --git a/effects/effects.h b/effects/effects.h
index 4fe398f86..0ec28211b 100644
--- a/effects/effects.h
+++ b/effects/effects.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ enum VideoEffects {
 	VIDEO_TRANSFORM_EFFECT,
     VIDEO_SHAKE_EFFECT,
     VIDEO_TEXT_EFFECT,
+    VIDEO_SOLID_EFFECT,
     VIDEO_EFFECT_COUNT
 };
 
@@ -110,6 +111,17 @@ private:
     QFont font;
 };
 
+class SolidEffect : public Effect {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    SolidEffect(Clip* c);
+    void post_gl();
+private slots:
+    void update_texture();
+private:
+    QOpenGLTexture* texture;
+};
+
 // audio effects
 class VolumeEffect : public Effect {
 public:
diff --git a/effects/solideffect.cpp b/effects/solideffect.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2c004b7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/effects/solideffect.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+#include "effects.h"
+
+#include <QOpenGLTexture>
+#include <QPainter>
+#include <QtMath>
+
+#include "project/clip.h"
+#include "project/sequence.h"
+
+#define SMPTE_BARS 7
+#define SMPTE_STRIP_COUNT 3
+#define SMPTE_LOWER_BARS 4
+
+bool solid = false;
+
+SolidEffect::SolidEffect(Clip* c) : Effect(c, EFFECT_TYPE_VIDEO, VIDEO_SOLID_EFFECT), texture(NULL) {
+    update_texture();
+}
+
+void SolidEffect::update_texture() {
+    QImage img(parent_clip->sequence->width, parent_clip->sequence->height, QImage::Format_RGB888);
+
+    if (solid) {
+        img.fill(Qt::red);
+    } else {
+        // draw smpte bars
+        img.fill(Qt::black);
+
+        QPainter p(&img);
+        int bar_width = qCeil((double) parent_clip->sequence->width / 7.0);
+        int first_bar_height = qCeil((double) parent_clip->sequence->height / 3.0 * 2.0);
+        int second_bar_height = qCeil((double) parent_clip->sequence->height / 12.5);
+        int third_bar_y = first_bar_height + second_bar_height;
+        int third_bar_height = parent_clip->sequence->height - third_bar_y;
+        int third_bar_width = 0;
+        int bar_x, strip_width;
+        QColor first_color, second_color, third_color;
+        for (int i=0;i<SMPTE_BARS;i++) {
+            bar_x = bar_width*i;
+            switch (i) {
+            case 0:
+                first_color = QColor(192, 192, 192);
+                second_color = QColor(0, 0, 192);
+                break;
+            case 1:
+                first_color = QColor(192, 192, 0);
+                second_color = QColor(19, 19, 19);
+                break;
+            case 2:
+                first_color = QColor(0, 192, 192);
+                second_color = QColor(192, 0, 192);
+                break;
+            case 3:
+                first_color = QColor(0, 192, 0);
+                second_color = QColor(19, 19, 19);
+                break;
+            case 4:
+                first_color = QColor(192, 0, 192);
+                second_color = QColor(0, 192, 192);
+                break;
+            case 5:
+                third_bar_width = bar_x / SMPTE_LOWER_BARS;
+
+                first_color = QColor(192, 0, 0);
+                second_color = QColor(19, 19, 19);
+
+                strip_width = qCeil(bar_width/SMPTE_STRIP_COUNT);
+                for (int j=0;j<SMPTE_STRIP_COUNT;j++) {
+                    switch (j) {
+                    case 0: third_color = QColor(9, 9, 9); break;
+                    case 1: third_color = QColor(19, 19, 19); break;
+                    case 2: third_color = QColor(29, 29, 29); break;
+                    }
+                    p.fillRect(QRect(bar_x + (strip_width*j), third_bar_y, strip_width, third_bar_height), third_color);
+                }           
+                break;
+            case 6:
+                first_color = QColor(0, 0, 192);
+                second_color = QColor(192, 192, 192);
+                p.fillRect(QRect(bar_x, third_bar_y, bar_width, third_bar_height), QColor(19, 19, 19));
+                break;
+            }
+            p.fillRect(QRect(bar_x, 0, bar_width, first_bar_height), first_color);
+            p.fillRect(QRect(bar_x, first_bar_height, bar_width, second_bar_height), second_color);
+        }
+        for (int i=0;i<SMPTE_LOWER_BARS;i++) {
+            bar_x = third_bar_width*i;
+            switch (i) {
+            case 0: third_color = QColor(0, 33, 76); break;
+            case 1: third_color = QColor(255, 255, 255); break;
+            case 2: third_color = QColor(50, 0, 106); break;
+            case 3: third_color = QColor(19, 19, 19); break;
+            }
+            p.fillRect(QRect(bar_x, third_bar_y, third_bar_width, third_bar_height), third_color);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (texture == NULL) {
+        texture = new QOpenGLTexture(img);
+    } else {
+        texture->destroy();
+        texture->setData(img);
+    }
+
+    field_changed();
+}
+
+void SolidEffect::post_gl() {
+    if (texture != NULL) {
+        texture->bind();
+
+        int half_width = parent_clip->sequence->width/2;
+        int half_height = parent_clip->sequence->height/2;
+
+        glBegin(GL_QUADS);
+        glTexCoord2f(0.0, 0.0);
+        glVertex2f(-half_width, -half_height);
+        glTexCoord2f(1.0, 0.0);
+        glVertex2f(half_width, -half_height);
+        glTexCoord2f(1.0, 1.0);
+        glVertex2f(half_width, half_height);
+        glTexCoord2f(0.0, 1.0);
+        glVertex2f(-half_width, half_height);
+        glEnd();
+
+        texture->release();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/olive.pro b/olive.pro
index 8ec662c6f..5b70bd5c5 100644
--- a/olive.pro
+++ b/olive.pro
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ SOURCES += \
     effects/shakeeffect.cpp \
     effects/texteffect.cpp \
     ui/comboboxex.cpp \
-    ui/colorbutton.cpp
+    ui/colorbutton.cpp \
+    effects/solideffect.cpp
 
 HEADERS += \
         mainwindow.h \
diff --git a/panels/effectcontrols.cpp b/panels/effectcontrols.cpp
index 76c55c21b..2c673c04e 100644
--- a/panels/effectcontrols.cpp
+++ b/panels/effectcontrols.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,18 @@ void EffectControls::show_menu(bool video) {
         QAction* action = new QAction(&effects_menu);
         action->setText(effect_names->at(i));
         action->setData(i);
-        effects_menu.addAction(action);
+
+        // sort alphabetically
+        bool added = false;
+        for (int j=0;j<effects_menu.actions().size();j++) {
+            QAction* comp_action = effects_menu.actions().at(j);
+            if (comp_action->text() > effect_names->at(i)) {
+                effects_menu.insertAction(comp_action, action);
+                added = true;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        if (!added) effects_menu.addAction(action);
     }
 
     connect(&effects_menu, SIGNAL(triggered(QAction*)), this, SLOT(menu_select(QAction*)));