diff --git a/direct/src/showbase/Transitions.py b/direct/src/showbase/Transitions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9e50a4d9cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/direct/src/showbase/Transitions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+
+from PandaModules import *
+import Task
+
+class Transitions:
+    def __init__(self, loader):
+        self.iris = loader.loadModel("phase_3/models/misc/iris")
+        self.fade = loader.loadModel("phase_3/models/misc/fade")
+
+        self.iris.setPos(0,0,0)
+        self.fade.setScale(2.0, 2.0, 2.6666)
+
+        self.irisTaskName = "irisTask"
+        self.fadeTaskName = "fadeTask"
+        
+    def fadeInLerpDone(self, task):
+        # This is a helper function to the fadeIn sequence
+        self.fade.reparentTo(hidden)
+        return Task.done
+            
+    def fadeIn(self, t=0.4):
+        """
+        Play a fade in transition over t seconds.
+        Places a polygon on the render2d plane then lerps the color
+        from black to transparent. When the color lerp is finished, it
+        parents the fade polygon to hidden.
+        """
+        self.noTransitions()
+
+	self.fade.reparentTo(render2d)
+
+        if (t == 0):
+            # Fade in immediately with no lerp
+            self.fade.reparentTo(hidden)
+        else:
+            # Create a sequence that lerps the color out, then
+            # parents the fade to hidden
+            task = Task.sequence(
+                self.fade.lerpColor(0,0,0,1,
+                                    0,0,0,0,
+                                    t),
+                Task.Task(self.fadeInLerpDone))
+            # Spawn the sequence
+            taskMgr.spawnTaskNamed(task, self.fadeTaskName)
+        
+    def fadeOut(self, t=0.4):
+        """
+        Play a fade out transition over t seconds.
+        Places a polygon on the render2d plane then lerps the color
+        from transparent to full black. When the color lerp is finished,
+        it leaves the fade polygon covering the render2d plane until you
+        fadeIn or call noFade.
+        """
+        self.noTransitions()
+
+	self.fade.reparentTo(render2d)
+
+        if (t == 0):
+            # Fade out immediately with no lerp
+            self.fade.setColor(0,0,0,1)
+        else:
+            # Spawn a lerp of the color from no alpha to full alpha
+            self.fade.lerpColor(0,0,0,0,
+                                0,0,0,1,
+                                t, task=self.fadeTaskName)
+        
+    def noFade(self):
+        """
+        Removes any current fade tasks and parents the fade polygon away
+        """
+	taskMgr.removeTasksNamed(self.fadeTaskName)
+	self.fade.reparentTo(hidden)
+        
+
+    def irisInLerpDone(self, task):
+        # This is a helper function to the fadeIn sequence
+        self.iris.reparentTo(hidden)
+        return Task.done
+
+    def irisIn(self, t=0.4):
+        """
+        Play an iris in transition over t seconds.
+        Places a polygon on the render2d plane then lerps the scale
+        of the iris polygon up so it looks like we iris in. When the
+        scale lerp is finished, it parents the iris polygon to hidden.
+        """
+	self.noTransitions()
+
+        if (t == 0):
+            self.iris.reparentTo(hidden)
+        else:
+            self.iris.reparentTo(render2d)
+            self.iris.setScale(0.0015, 0.0015, 0.002)
+            # Create a sequence that scales the iris up,
+            # then parents the fade to hidden
+            task = Task.sequence(
+                self.iris.lerpScale(0.1, 0.1, 0.1333,
+                                    t, blendType="easeIn"),
+                Task.Task(self.irisInLerpDone))
+            # Spawn the sequence
+            taskMgr.spawnTaskNamed(task, self.irisTaskName)
+
+
+    def irisOutLerpDone(self, task):
+        # This is a helper function to the fadeIn sequence
+        self.iris.reparentTo(hidden)
+        # Use the fade to cover up the hole that the iris would leave
+        self.fadeOut(0)
+        return Task.done
+
+    def irisOut(self, t=0.4):
+        """
+        Play an iris out transition over t seconds.
+        Places a polygon on the render2d plane then lerps the scale
+        of the iris down so it looks like we iris out. When the scale
+        lerp is finished, it leaves the iris polygon covering the
+        render2d plane until you irisIn or call noIris.
+        """
+	self.noTransitions()
+
+        if (t == 0):
+            self.iris.reparentTo(hidden)
+        else:
+            self.iris.reparentTo(render2d)
+            self.iris.setScale(0.1, 0.1, 0.13333)
+            # Create a sequence that scales the iris up,
+            # then parents the fade to hidden
+            task = Task.sequence(
+                self.iris.lerpScale(0.0015, 0.0015, 0.002,
+                                    t, blendType="easeIn"),
+                Task.Task(self.irisOutLerpDone))
+            # Spawn the sequence
+            taskMgr.spawnTaskNamed(task, self.irisTaskName)
+
+
+    def noIris(self):
+        """
+        Removes any current iris tasks and parents the iris polygon away
+        """
+	taskMgr.removeTasksNamed(self.irisTaskName)
+	self.iris.reparentTo(hidden)
+        # Actually we need to remove the fade to, because the iris effect uses it
+        self.noFade()
+    
+
+    def noTransitions(self):
+        """
+        This call should immediately remove any and all transitions running
+        """
+	self.noFade()
+	self.noIris()