Hi,
I am currently testing the Movie Edit Premium software.
Is it possible to add simple shapes to the title editor? For example, I want to create a lower-third title where the text is on top a white rectangle (like on CNN). How could this be done?
Chris
Have you looked at the video tutorials on how to use MEP?
I ask because this seems like a beginners question. Basically, any video editing program should be able to do this. There are also many ways to achieve this, so it comes down to a preference of which method you would find most useful or easy. Personally, I would make a black png file the screen size of the expected export size of the video with (in this instance) a white rectangle where I wanted to place the text. Place that png file in a separate lane of the editor and stretch it to the desired length. Then add text of the appropriate size and drag it into place. This is assuming you have a photo editing program to produce such a png file. If not there are other ways it can be done but may take longer.
You may want to take some time going through the various videos on titling to get to grips with the basics.
Try looking at the list here. https://www.magix.info/uk/tutorials-search/?query=titles
Also, type in the search area about using masks or look it up in the manual. MEP has a lot of pre-made masks that can be pressed into service for this if you don't have an additional photo editing program, but they can be a pain to find.
It really is a good idea to watch some of the videos.
Thanks.
I looked at the tutorial videos.
Some of the other video editors I am testing have this feature from within the title editor. So I do not need an extra graphics program and don't have to use multiple tracks, either. So based on your reply, I understand that it is not possible from within the title editor.
As @CubeAce mentioned, the titling editor does not do shapes; it only handles text and some animation. Any shape that you want behind the text including animation of the shape and any complex animation of the title can be handled using effects in MEP. Thus, doing it with the titling interface would be redundant.
MEP Plus and Premium come with a hundred or so titling templates that can also be modified using the effects features of MEP. There are subtitling templates (not closed-captioning), basic captions (mostly lower thirds) and much more. These do not come with the trial version; you download and install them after purchase. Below is an example. The lower third is animated in, static, animated out. All you do is type in the text.
You can create your own title, animation and save it for reuse.
MEP includes background images, some of which are simply single colour squares that you can put on the timeline behind the text, size and position them, change the colour/hue and transparency, add a gradient tint, and animate them using the full complement of tools and plugins available in MEP.
As for the CNN title, that is a lower third composed of several elements. There is no program that will make this automatically. Someone may make a template.
The CNN lower third shown above is composed of a red box with "Breaking News" as static text - this part of the template, overtop is a white rectangle with text, and at the right is another red box with a white box in front with the CNN logo. Below this is a clock (text). The whole lower third is exposed from left to right.
Below is a screen shot of MEP in which I quickly created a similar lower third. Of course, I don't have the CNN logo or similar font.
John CB
Not within the Title Editor itself, no, but MEP is more flexible than that and your question referred to the Title Editor.
Within the Templates section, there are animated titling options which allow placement of various boxes, backgrounds, etc. onto which you can place your own text. These can be stretched or shortened to fit the timeline.
They may not be available in the trial version to try out, I don't know.
Whether tracks or layers are used, all editing programs use them. They just may not be visible or adjustable once in place. I wouldn't say MEP is hard to use, but due to its flexibility, it can get complex in use the more you want to do, but no harder than most other video editing programs.
@browj2 Haha, that is a nice example. So to create these rectangles, you were using basically red and white backgrounds and adjusted their size?
Is it also possible to save the entire "composition" as a new template?
Yes you can save any effects you create as a template, give it a name to recall at a late date on a new project, or to re-import further along within the same project, and yes you can alter the shape and size of additional frames within MEP on additional tracks and move them around as required.
Like I said MEP is very flexible and may take a bit of time to get to grips with, but there is very little it can't do short of creating 3D special effects which is a different ballgame altogether.
Hi
. . . . Yes you can save any effects you create as a template, give it a name to recall at a late date on a new project, or to re-import further along within the same project, and yes you can alter the shape and size of additional frames within MEP on additional tracks and move them around as required. . . . .
A few points to clarify:
This is the Excitement title template modified to change the animated background
HTH
John EB
Thanks a lot everyone!
There are 3D title templates in MEP that use Xara 3D Maker. Unless you have the full version of 3D Maker installed, you can only modify the text. If you have 3D Maker or VPX, then you have full access to the program for making 3D animations. This is mainly for titles, but you can also have objects, as I show in the following tutorial:
The limit with this and with using Xara for 3D animations is that the 3D is an extrusion of a 2D object or text.
John CB
Here is an example showing the CNN lower third using a slow left to right exposure (masks), a template lower third and a slightly modified 3D title template (colours and bevels changed).
John CB