Text Background Size

TOG62 wrote on 8/4/2010, 2:14 PM

Is there any way to create a background to a text event that matches the size of the text itself, e.g. when creating a caption? I can do this by adding a track below the text, inserting a solid background and using pan/crop, but this is fiddly.

Is there a better way?

Comments

Markk655 wrote on 8/4/2010, 6:58 PM

Absolutely.

In the text (media generator) window, go to the 3rd tab (Properties) and then select a color on the right side.

MSmart wrote on 8/4/2010, 9:28 PM

...that matches the size of the text itself,...

not that simple, Mark.

TOG62, there's no better way in VMS.

TOG62 wrote on 8/4/2010, 11:43 PM

OK, thanks for that. It seems an obvious omission.

Mike

TOG62 wrote on 8/5/2010, 1:12 AM

Had another go at this and got fairly good result using text with background and the applying cookie cutter.

Mike

Markk655 wrote on 8/5/2010, 8:53 AM

"...that matches the size of the text itself,..."

Missed that (sorry).

Are you just looking for a "large" shadow behind each letter?

TOG62 wrote on 8/5/2010, 9:30 AM

Hi Mark,

Thanks for coming back on this. I'm looking for the effect, often seen on broadcast material, where a semi-opaque rectangular background improves text readability over variable video content.

Cheers
Mike

originalbob wrote on 8/5/2010, 1:03 PM

see if you like this --
Media generator; go to the effects tab.
turn on [x] draw outline
feather = 0.0
width = 0.75
click on the color tab & select a color that is complementary to the text.
make this outline or shadow semi-transparent by setting alpha channel = 50% +/-. Easy way to do this is make the A box A = [ 120 ] or so.
Adjust to taste . . .
This is more like a shadow all around the text, rather than a box.
One advantage is that if you move the text, this shadow will move with it.
HTH,
Bob

TOG62 wrote on 8/5/2010, 2:14 PM

Yep that works very well, thanks. The only bit I didn't follow was the reference to the A box. What is that?

Cheers
Mike

originalbob wrote on 8/5/2010, 2:40 PM

at the bottom of the color select control, there are four numeric controls, labeled R, G, B, and 'A.' The 'A' value is the 'alpha' or transparency of the shadow color.
B

TOG62 wrote on 8/5/2010, 11:28 PM

Ah, gotcha.

Thanks
Mke

Markk655 wrote on 8/6/2010, 5:25 AM

This probably won't help (wbut worth a read anyway!) [url=http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/news/article.asp?articleid=45]

It was a newsletter awhile back. For backgrounds, it uses the track layer approach with pan/crop.

TOG62 wrote on 8/6/2010, 11:16 AM

Thanks. I had got most of the way to that solution, but learnt a bit about background effects.

Steve3DW wrote on 9/20/2010, 7:53 PM

Thanks for this posting Markk655. The link on LOWER THIRDS is much more what I was looking for. I'll post some other key search words here to help some other poor soul wishing they had a mac.

lower thirds = cool text with backgrounds
dynamic text
professional looking text and titles

richard-amirault wrote on 9/21/2010, 4:52 AM

Adding a lower third behind the text is certainly a way to do this, but to just improve text readability over variable backgrounds .. adding a "stroke" to the text also works.

A stroke is just an outline on the text. You can choose the color of the outline and the width. If, for instance, you have white text you can add a black outline and the text will be readable on dark and light backgrounds.