Lower Thirds

goodtimej wrote on 4/8/2008, 7:39 PM
What do you all use for your lower thirds? Do you create your own or buy them? Most that I have seen for sale are WAAAAY too overdone and most of the tutorials I have seen for creation of lower thirds are to basic and not very appealing for professional use.

Can any of you point me in the right direction or give me some advice? Thanks

Comments

richard-courtney wrote on 4/8/2008, 8:41 PM
I like Digital Juice.

Mostly use a paint program PaintShop Pro and Gimp.
Seth wrote on 4/8/2008, 8:46 PM
I can give you a strong second for GIMP. Be sure to export to a format that A) supports transparency and B) is easily readable by Vegas.

K.I.S.S. simple lines, simple borders, simple boxes. Then let the new Protype Titler do the rest.
stopint wrote on 4/8/2008, 8:47 PM
...you can create some nice ones in vegas using the various generators/gradients/textures...i also like to use photoshop and create some using sections of photos...i just try to find anything that would make an interesting lower third...
farss wrote on 4/8/2008, 10:05 PM
Ultimate S comes with quite a collection. Some of them are a bit twee for may tastes but there's more than enough good ones to make it pay for itself.

Bob.
Spot|DSE wrote on 4/8/2008, 10:07 PM
They're exceptionally easy to make in ProType Titler as well. Bob mentioned the GrafPaks that come with US3, there are 8 other GrafPaks available as well. And...you can edit them, render them out as stock files with transparency, or use em' as-is.
I agree, Bob. Some are less than "stunning." :-)
goodtimej wrote on 4/9/2008, 1:38 PM
Thanks all.
Cheno wrote on 4/9/2008, 2:31 PM
I will usually end up creating my own. One great way is to take existing video and dirty or spice it up, then crop and set as your lower third. Lots of freedom and options this way too.

I'd also Tivo some programs, morning news & infomercials are great ways to gather ideas on what works and what doesn't. My wife hates it but I love to record and watch commercials. Very inspiring to me in all accounts visually to just plain ol' story telling in 30 sec.
video777 wrote on 4/10/2008, 10:32 PM
Digital Juice
Rory Cooper wrote on 4/11/2008, 2:18 AM
If i want a mix of 3d and 2d stuff i use Boris red

but if i want less complicated but effective quick stuff i use heroglyph

ive done stuff in vegas that others have thought were done in Boris so Vegas is very effective just do your png's or tiffs to size. for example you can take a simple flat panel and make it look like a Flapping 3d flag in Vegas in 3 simple steps
ReneH wrote on 4/11/2008, 5:12 AM
Take a look at Titlemotion Pro, probably the ultimate program that helps you tweak a lower third, among other things, to your hearts content.
goodtimej wrote on 4/11/2008, 2:34 PM
I ended up going with Digital Juice. I ordered one of their "Pro Packs" and I am pretty excited to get it. Been watching the tutorials online and it is actually a somewhat powerful system. The only thing I don't like is that you have to buy an entire volume and can't get just a single set. But other than that, ACES!

Thanks for everyone's help.