weedavy6969,

I think I'm guessing right. You mean the dot you see in the video camera viewfinder the blinks during recording but is not itself recorded onto you film? Here is a pretty easy way to do it:

• Create a still image of a red dot on a plain white background using any image editor. Size doesn't matter too much as you can adjust later. I tried about 25 pixels diameter.
• Add this to a track below (higher number) your video clip.
• Add the white box chroma key effect to the dot image and then position it where you want using movement effects size and position.
• Copy this image and place the second one further along the timeline to give the 'off' gap between the 'on' images. Continue as many time as needed.

I've got 2 sec on / 2 sec off in my picture so the length is long enough to show what effects have been applied. A half or quarter of a second would be more usual.

Regards,

Carl

ADDED: To do the copying fist adjust the red dot image to the desired 'on' length. If you place the playback cursor to the start of the next 'on', you can do a [Ctrl + C] then [Ctrl + V] and the copy will be placed automatically. Next select both images, move the playback cursor again the required amount to the right and do the copy and paste to get four. Repeat by copying four to get eight and eight to get sixteen etc. Sure beats doing hundreds of single image copies!

MORE: If you are likely to use the red dots again export just their track as a separate clip which you can add to any movie. You will probably have to re-apply the white box effect.

Hi

To make Carls method one step shorter - create the image as a red dot on a transparent background and save as PNG file - then there is no need to use the Chroma key effect.

If you do export the red dot for future use as Carl suggest usng the above png image then it will be exported with a black background ,

@Carl - please chip in here I have lost my notes on how to rename file to auto add chroma key 

Tip: make the image double the size of the video reolution - thus when you resize to get the correct size dot on the movie the edges will be much smoother.

John

Hi John,

I expect Carl is in bed by now!

Just add the suffix  'alpha' to the filename, like MyNameAlpha.png, MyName-Alpha.png, MyName_ alpha.png, etc.

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Hi,

In case that Carl need it, he can download from my Web site : http://www.profmarcel.com/Magix/RecScreen_1.png

Just click and download you can use any Paint program to modify. This is HD 1920 x 1280 at 150 dpi

I just tested John hint this morning.

Regards,

YR 

Carl is up; not necessarily awake...

Splendid image YR! After posting I was thinking about "TV safe" outlines or maybe even a little news network logo if that suited the film being made.

Thanks Terry for filling in. Remember also that the hint works as well for Black, White and Blue box effects.

Awake now and wondering if an animated gif could be used? Yes! All I had quickly available was a pulsing light saber and find:

• Dragging to the timeline it comes in at the length of an animation cycle, not the default I have set for image import.
• Changing the length in 'stretch mode' changes the length of the animation cycle.
• Stretching it in single object mode gives multiple repeates of the animation cycle, a bit like loops in a music program.

I know gifs can have transparent backgrounds so the red dot problem might be as simple as dragging in a suitable gif and stretching it out (not in stretch mode) to the required playing time. 

Regards,

Carl