Hi bryanbloom,

Basically, what you are describing and showed examples of, are commonly referred to as a "Lower Third".
The gradual fading out, at each end, is called a Gradient. And a gradient can not be created in PowerDirector. Thus, a Lower Third (with a gradient), is created in a Photo Shop type image editor, and then this image is imported into PowerDirector (and can also be uploaded and shared with other PD users on the DirectorZone Effects pages, as a PIP Object).

Your text is then just created in PD, as you normally would, and positioned to display on top of your Lower Third PIP Object, which you have imported into your PD timeline(s).

Here is a tutorial on how to create Lower Thirds in PD. Created by BarryTheCrab.
http://www.youtube.com/user/PDtoots#p/u/12/S9UxBKs9oi8
This tutorial also shows how to give your Lower Third transparency and animation. But the graduated transparency (gradient) to nil, as noted above, can not (for all practical purposes), be created within PD itself. You'll need to do that in an imaging editing app. I use the free Paint.Net program available here...
http://download.cnet.com/Paint-NET/3000-2192_4-10338146.html

Another tutorial on using color boards for a similar purpose is available here...
http://www.youtube.com/user/PDtoots#p/u/29/38k4Y7k1wiU
As well as many other PowerDirector "how to" tutorials available on the PDtoots channel, that deal with custom templates, tips, and tricks in PowerDirector. Please read the PDtoots profile box, if you visit the PDtoots channel.

You can also find many PowerDirector tutorials (Official and User Created), here...
http://directorzone.cyberlink.com/tutorial/

Good luck!



Click here PDtoots for a collection of PowerDirector Tutorials and Tips

... to follow up on Cranston's post, here's a demo of how easy it is to make a simple text bar (lower third) with a softened end, using free software (Paint.NET).

Attached

These are some other title bar possibilities... http://www.youtube.com/user/ynotfish77?feature=mhee#p/u/8/G76ntbPy3_E

Cheers - Tony
Visit PDtoots. PowerDirector Tutorials, tips, free resources & more. Subscribe!
Full linked Tutorial Catalog PDtoots happily supports fellow PowerDirector users!

Thank you so much to both of you!!!! Awesome assistance and I am now using Paint.net and making title bars...

But the one thing I cannot figure out how to do, is to actually make similar samples to the video you provided me Tony.

What I mean is how do you actually take a long rectangular bar and make it look animated? How do you do that thing where you took the logo and made it turn around and look 3D, and how did you wrap your logo around the ball?

Are there videos on how to do that or perhaps a sample on director zone I can download? Thanks again so much I really really appreciate it!

Bryan Bryan Bloom

Hi Bryan -

Thank you. It's nice to be appreciated!

The title bars that looked "animated" in the video were actually video clips. They were masked out or reproportioned to make the desired size.

You can grab the mask I made here http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/21333.page#113645

The mask & thumb need to be stored in C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDirector10\Masks

Attached is a short demo video, showing how to apply the mask to the clip.

Now - the PDtoots logo animated on the globe was done in separate software (free) called GIMP. It has a spinning globe filter you might wish to explore. Takes a bit of fiddling to get it proportioned correctly.

Cheers - Tony
Visit PDtoots. PowerDirector Tutorials, tips, free resources & more. Subscribe!
Full linked Tutorial Catalog PDtoots happily supports fellow PowerDirector users!

Quote: Hi Bryan -

Thank you. It's nice to be appreciated!

The title bars that looked "animated" in the video were actually video clips. They were masked out or reproportioned to make the desired size.

You can grab the mask I made here http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/21333.page#113645

The mask & thumb need to be stored in C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDirector10\Masks

Attached is a short demo video, showing how to apply the mask to the clip.

Now - the PDtoots logo animated on the globe was dome in separate software (free) called GIMP. It has a spinning globe filter you might wish to explore. Takes a bit of fiddling to get it proportioned correctly.

Cheers - Tony

Happing editing

Best Regards

Neil
CubbyHouseFilms
My Youtube Channel
My Vimeo Channel
PD3.5, 5, 6 & 7. Computer: Dell Dimension 5150, Intel Pen. 2.80 GHz, 2GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT 256MB, Windows XP Pro!!
PD8 Ultra v3022. Computer: Dell Studio 1747, Intel, i7 Q740 1.73 GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Mob. Radeon HD 560v 1GB, Windows 7 Ult. 64
PD10 Ultra v2023. Computer: HP Pavilion dv7, Intel, i7 2630 2.00 GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Mob. Radeon HD 6770 2GB, Windows 7 Pre. 64
PD12 Ultra v2930. Computer: HP Pavilion dv7, Intel, i7 2630 2.00 GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Mob. Radeon HD 6770 2GB, Windows 7 Pre. 64
PD13 Ultim v3516. Computer: HP Pavilion dv7, Intel, i7 2630 2.00 GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Mob. Radeon HD 6770 2GB, Windows 7 Pre. 64
PD16 Live v2101 Computer: HP Pavilion dv7, Intel, i7 2630 2.00 GHz, 16GB RAM, ATI Mob.Radeon HD 6770 2GB, Windows 7 Pre. 64
Director Suite 6: PowerDirector 16 Live, PhotoDirector 9, ColorDirector 6, AudioDirector 8

Cameras: Sony(s) HXR-NX5P, HXR-NX70P, NEX-VG10E, a6300 4k, HDR TG5E, GoPro 4 Black, Canon 6D DSLR

Visit PDtoots. PowerDirector Tutorials, tips, free resources & more. Subscribe!
Full linked Tutorial Catalog - PDtoots happily supports fellow PowerDirector users!

You guys rock... you are so helpful, thank you so much to all of you for your kind help!!!

Bryan Bryan Bloom