User manual BORIS FX GRAFFITI

[. . . ] You can add new tracks from the Track Menu or by clicking on buttons above tracks on the left hand side of Timeline window. For instance to create a new text object choose Track/New Text Page command or use Ctr + Shift + T keyboard shortcut. The Controls window includes standard controls such as sliders and pop up menus for changing various parameters of the effects. Timeline Tracks Note that one track in the timeline is selected by clicking on it with a mouse. The tracks in this template include Background track containing a clip of video from Pinnacle Studio. [. . . ] Update button allows you to preview all text changes in the Graffiti Preview window (and consequently on the video monitor). To open Style Palette Press Style Palette button at the bottom of the Text window or choose Window/Show Style Pallete menu command or press Ctr. The first tab at the top of Style Pallet is used for text styles. You can switch between different sets of text style by choosing from the category popup at the left top of the palette Each category contains a selection of high quality pre-saved styles that can be applied to the existing text. The four buttons underneath the Category popup allow to Add new category Rename current category Rebuild thumbnails (over another background) Delete current category You have an option to view styles in each category by small, medium or large thumbnail previews or as a list. Styles can be sorted by Name or by Date The single style view on the left represents the style of currently selected (or last selected) text in Text window. The buttons underneath the preview allow to Add new style Rename current style Apply current style to text selection in Text window Toggle checkerboard and black background Delete current style When Add new style button is pressed, a new style thumbnail is added to the current category. The new style corresponds to the preview in the thumbnail view and to currently selected text in the Text window. Note that when applying text styles you can include or exclude any attribute of the style by checking or unchecking a checkbox for that attribute. That includes: Font Size Face (such as bold or italic) Fill choice Edge strokes Shaddows if any Transform such Skew or Scale Font Tab. The next tab in the Style Palette allows to view and to apply any font available on your system. To use this feature for the first time after installation you must first add a new category utilizing the same method as in Style tab above. You must then generate the thumbnails by pressing the Rebuild Category button. Color Tab. This tab contains color chips that can be used to set Fill color of the selected text. Gradient Tab. Gradient styles from this tab can be applied to the Fill of selected text by doubleclicking on the desired gradient. Other tabs in the Style palette contain styles that can be used with objects other than text such as Splines, Natural Media textures Materials and Extrusion. A common element of lower third titles ­ text that appears at the bottom of the TV screen ­ is a solid, semitransparent backdrop which makes text stand out and easy to read. Although there are many ways to create a backdrop in Graffiti we will be showing the simplest one. First add a text page track in Timeline with Ctr + Shift + T keyboard shortcut. To add an automated backdrop select the Face subtrack in the timeline. Control window will now display parameters for the Text Media. Select the Backdrop tab. Press the checkbox to make Backdrop track. The new backdrop track is added underneath the Face track (see picture above) and a default rectangular backdrop is added behind the text in Composite window. Note: Scale and Shift parameters can be used to adjust the fit of the backdrop behind text. To work with Backdrop select the Backdrop Track in the Timeline. To add an attractive style to this backdrop use pre-made Spline styles from the Style Palette. Choose a menu from Window/Show Style Palette and select the Spline tab. While Backdrop track is still selected, double click on the motorScooter style. Note that this style has beveled border and gray semi-transparent gradient as the fill that works best with lower-thirds. Note that the shape of your backdrop is rounded Rectangle however there are many other shapes are available in the Controls window Shape tab for Backdrop track. They include: - Rectangle - Wedge - Oval Arrow Star Medallion Heart Grid Line Free Form Polygon To choose a new shape, simply press on the icon on the left of the window. Let us experiment with the Oval shape. You can see that the oval needs adjustment to better fit the text. Click on it to select. The Tool Palette window comes up automatically with the Pen tool selected. Draw a path by clicking on the screen and dragging out Besier points. To easily reposition the path and text on the screen use the Transform tool (second from top) Another useful option would be to use Spline Primitive for a text path. [. . . ] Set it's interpolation to Constant and angle to ­ 26 to permanently tilt the sphere back an notch. Applying A Filter To Text Sometimes very nice text effects can be achieved by applying a image filter to text layer. In the example below a BCC Colorize Glow filter is used to create an edge glow for a title. Create a text track with the Ctr+Shift+T command and type the word MORTADELLA in all CAPS. The best way to view available fonts is with the Font tab of the Style Palette. [. . . ]