Fading Titles

[deejay]

Using VS11+ w/updates, I learned how to do a real nice fade in & out from the Fading Titles in Tutorials but can't figure if this one is possible. I'm fading in using the word at a time function but would like to fade in the 1st word, then the next two words at the same time, then the fourth. Thought I could add an invisible character between the 2nd & 3rd word to make it continuous. It worked for the fade in but no luck with the invisible part. Is there a way to make a letter completely transparent?

Note: The first word is on a different line from the others. Is there way to bring in the 1st, and while the 1st is still showing, bring in the others on their own separate fade in? But then how would I fade them out all together? I notice you can't overlap titles on the timeline. Or is there a way to affect the timing of individual words on the fade? Am I making any sense?!

[Clevo]

I had to do something similar.

and it's moments like these I wiched there were more title tracks.

What I ended up doing though was ctreating a new project and create the first part of the title. Then I rendered that out as a video file (dv/avi pal 4:3 in my case)

Then I cleared the timeline and created the other part of titles... etc

I had three video files I could put in an overlay track on my main project and with some masking applied I had something very close to what I wanted to do....

[deejay]

That sounds like a serious bit of work. Don't know if I could pull that off. Any specific details?

[Ron P.]

There is a way to do this, using the "thinking out of the box" method....

This is how I created this effect..

1. Place your text as you want it to be. I used the multiple text option. Then placed each word as a separate text object. I even placed each text on a separate line.
   
2. Your Title will look like this on the time line.
   
3. I used the Fade-Text animation. What we're doing is creating our own Fade-Word animation. Make sure to select User-Defined for the duration.
   
4. Once you get all your text laid out, copy it by dragging it to the text library. This way they will be in the same position.
   
5. Now drag the copy back down to the title track, placing it against the first one. Then on the First Title, delete the last 2 words.
6. Now adjust the fade-in for the first 2 words on the first Title, using the Fade-In, not Cross-Fade.
7. On the 2nd or your copy of the Title, that should have all 4 words, Set the Animation on the first 2 words to none.
8. On the last 2 words, set the Animation to Text, Fade-In, user defined. They can not fade-in until the first 2 words have already faded-in, which is handled by the first copy.

Is that something like the effect you're looking for?

[deejay]

Don't know how to place each word as a separate text object. Is that what put the line between each word on the timeline?

[Ron P.]

No, you need to first have Multiple Text selected, instead of Single Text. Then just Double-click on the Preview window for each text object. I'm not sure just how many one could place.

[deejay]

WOW!!! You are absolutely The Man! It worked perfectly! Thanks again for leading me out of the box. (This really looks really good!)

[Clevo]

LOL.. I assumed you already doing that...multiple text