Other than the method described by kent, there may be other ways depending on the text background. If black or white background, you may be able to composite it on top of your video using a lighter or darker composite overlay mode. You could also use the slides directly as a luminance mask. Or, you could use the green screen effect to overlay the text - here again depending on the background.

Just some options...

I do this all the time from software Mirage from Bauhaus. You can download a fully functional demo for 30 days and might even like the auto Auto Paint feature. You can then export as TGA, PNG, BMP, even avi with alpha.
EDIT: when you bring in an event with an alpha channel you have to RMB on the event, select properties>Media>Alpha channel and select what type of alpha is best for you. Also be aware that on a layer below your alpha event you have to have an event that serves as a background. An alpha event all by itself is going to show just black until it sits on top of an image.

Thanks for the replies thus far; great ideas.

I too knew that technically correct bitmaps do not support alpha data ... so will be using PNG, TGA, etc..

And, since I'm well versed in photoshop and the time factor is not an issue ... I would feel most comfortable scanning each statement/lyric and then defining the alpha channels in photoshop.

So, I can then simply drop the files into the timeline? The alpha channels will automaticlly be recognized by Vegas?

BTW ... I tried just using the whole image, with dark text on a white background, but no matter the blending mode for the layer (multiply, overlay, etc.), and because this final text layer is going over two other layers already depending on their own compositing modes, I just couldn't get a blending method that worked.

Looks like I'm going to have to go with the alpha channel option.

Thanks again!

s1rrah

BTW ... here's a draft version of the video.

For every lyric, I want to dispaly overlayed (somewhat naturally applied and appearing) hand written text.

Each text entry will be about 2 to 3 words ... so it's ultimately going to be a bit of work.



(early early version)

Take notice of my EDIT addition above. Another thing I have to do is close down and restart Vegas to activate the alpha channel. There might be a better way which I don't know of because I am fairly new to Vegas.

That's a very pretty song.

Maybe where you bring in the overlay of the text you would want to add transparency to the layers below, having of course a solid white event on the very bottom layer.

Regarding transparency ... I'm sort of wanting the written text to appear over the video layers below it ... as opposed to making the below layers transparent (if I understand you, that is) ...

and ...

/QUOTE/ An alpha event all by itself is going to show just black until it sits on top of an image. /QUOTE/

Even if I don't make the vid layers below it transparent?

I'm going to experiment with some of what I've learned via this thread in just a moment and will post my findings.

Thanks again for the help.

s1rrah.

thanks again, paul ...

the .PNG worked just fine; i just dropped the image into the timeline and it displayed perfectly; at least how i was thinking.

here's a workspace image: http://resume.jbhfile.com/temp/alpha1.gif

...

that's exactly the look i want, but now i have to figure out how to move it around on the screen. make it bigger, move it left and right or up and down.

so far, the only way i've found is using the event pan/crop tool ...

i think what i'm trying to do is force vegas to behave like after effects (which is out of my budget) or photoshop ... where you can size layers and move them around with such ease.

thanks again for the tips!

>>The alpha channels will automaticlly be recognized by Vegas?

You very well may have to check the *Properties* on the media and set the alpha to Straight, Premultiplied, whatever...usually straight works fine.

Usually Vegas will recognize the alpha channel, but if not, do this and all will be OK.

that's exactly the look i want, but now i have to figure out how to move it around on the screen. make it bigger, move it left and right or up and down.

I recommend that you create your PNG in a larger size (at least double) than that of your project so that you will be able to create camera moves within its space without deterioration using Vegas' native keyframer. There should be a button to access this within each event. If you don't see anything however, look under View in the main menu bar and check the option Event Buttons.