Transparent Titles

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 3:07 pm

Is there a way to have your video "show through" the transparent letters of your title?
I've seen a black (or other colored) screen and the title rolls through and you can see the video only through the transparent letters. I know you can make titles transparent, but I would like the surrounding area to be a solid color.
Is this possible in VS9? Would this be possible with the chroma key function?
It's not a do or die situation - I just thought it would look cool

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 3:39 pm

Hi BL

Drag a colour clip to the timeline from the library.
Place your titles below the colour clip.

If you want to maintain your video’s audio during the titles drag the colour clip to the overlay track.

Select the clip in the overlay track, then right click the preview window for more options.

Hope this Helps

Trevor

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 5:10 pm

You don't have to do all that -- you can set the text transparency when you create the title, along with shadows and outlines.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:22 pm

Nope, that's not doing what I want. I guess I'm not explaining myself clearly. I've seen it done before, but explaining it is another thing.

Think of it this way: typically you have a video clip on the time line. Now add a title over that clip, with the letters in the color blue. So now you have a video with blue letters partially obscuring it. What I want is just the opposite. I want the letters transparent so the video shows through, and the rest of the video "area" obscured with the color blue. Any better?

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:11 am

Hi BL
Ok I think you can achieve this by using the Chrome Key.

Start a new project
Add your titles to the timeline using animation if you wish.
Either add a colour clip of your choice to the video timeline
Or
Change the background colour ( File / Preferences) This way you don’t have to alter the duration of the colour clip.

Render the video Share Create Video File.(choose same settings as your main video)

Clear the title and video track, or start a new project.

Drag the new title video from the library to the Overlay Track
Right click the preview window, select ‘Fit to Screen’

Click the middle of the clip to show the text.
Select the Mask & Chrome Key

Tick apply ‘Overlay Options’
Select the eye dropper
Click your text to select. ( the text should be transparent)

Now insert your background video to the top timeline.

Hope this Helps

Trevor

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 10:09 pm

Awesome Trevor! Your advice worked beautifully. A cool effect. Thanks so much

rdenny · Post by **rdenny** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 2:52 am

How clever! Thanks for the tip, Trevor!