David,

There may be a better way to accomplish what you asked than this suggestion, but... One could separately create a white text on say a black background (or any opposing colors combination). Then produce/render this as a mpeg or avi file. Then import this rendered "text mpeg" back into your main project, placing it in the PIP under the image or clip where you want the text to appear. Then using the chroma key, adjust to remove the black background, leaving only the text showing, and now use the PIP motion to move the text as you please.

Just a thought David. Maybe the big boys will chime in here and have a much better solution. If so, we'll both learn something. Good luck.

-Cranston- Click here PDtoots for a collection of PowerDirector Tutorials and Tips

Quote: David,

There may be a better way to accomplish what you asked than this suggestion, but... One could separately create a white text on say a black background (or any opposing colors combination). Then produce/render this as a mpeg or avi file. Then import this rendered "text mpeg" back into your main project, placing it in the PIP under the image or clip where you want the text to appear. Then using the chroma key, adjust to remove the black background, leaving only the text showing, and now use the PIP motion to move the text as you please.

Just a thought David. Maybe the big boys will chime in here and have a much better solution. If so, we'll both learn something. Good luck.

-Cranston-

Wow! That sure seems like a lot of work to do something that should be relatively simple.

Yet, I tried your method and it worked! Pretty slick.

I just have two questions about it (BTW, great explanation!)

1) Why does it have to be rendered as a video file? What if I created a jpg with Adobe Photoshop that had white text on a solid black background and used that as PiP. Would that work?

2) That "chroma key" did exactly what you said it would do - it removed the black background leaving on the text. I really don't get it. What exactly is the function of the "chroma key"?

David,

You're absolutely right, it doesn't have to be an mpeg or avi. A Jpeg will work.

For instance you could, using the snapshot tool, make a still of the text on a black background, send it to Photo Shop and create a transparent background, save as a png file, and import that into the PIP, and then create your motion.

But if you rendered it to an mpeg file, you could take advantage of the built motion effects in Titles Room itself (or whatever it's called), like having the text rotate on it's axis. Then when you have that rotating text rendered to mpeg, import it to your main project in the PIP time line, use the chroma key to adjust out the "black"ground, and then use the PIP motion to now have this rotating text "also" move around the screen in a path that you choose.

And yes, you're right, that does seem like a lot of work. And that's exactly what Michelangelo said the first time he looked up at that blank white ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. But once he was done painting it, and he saw that everyone was in awe of it, I'm pretty sure he thought that the results were well worth the effort. You know what I mean?

As far as chroma key (what it is and how it works), there are other's here on the forum that could explain it far more eloquently and accurately than I can. And perhaps they will jump in here. But here's a link to a recently posted SMWOV tutorial that shows the basic theory behind Chroma Key.

http://seemyworldonvideo.com/view/380/green-screen-experiment/

-Cranston- Click here PDtoots for a collection of PowerDirector Tutorials and Tips

Wow, it just occurred to me. I've been assuming you already knew that there are a bunch of pre-defined motion effects in the Title Room, and that you were wanting to do something in the way of a customized motion path for your text. Did I make the wrong assumption?
I probably did, sorry.

If your not familiar with, or where, these motion effects for your text options are, open the Titles Room, click on modify, create your text, click on the middle icon (the star) for the motion effects options. There you'll find many motion effects that you can apply to your text. You can even designate the starting effect to be different from the ending effect, (just make sure your text is highlighted when you make these designations), then click on OK.

Again, sorry if I made the wrong assumption. I hope this helps.

-CP-
(note to self: Read the postings, but don't try to answer them, hahaha) Click here PDtoots for a collection of PowerDirector Tutorials and Tips

Another way to create an image for your text ( to keep it simple) is just use PowerDirector The title section has a good selection of fonts already available in the software.
1 ... Choose your style, Drag you font into the timeline, then type the message you need. You can use a slightly large font size than you would use normally!

2 ... Make sure there is no video showing in any video track, use the PD Snapshot tool to create an image of your title then give it an worthy name so you can find it again in your clips bin. You will notice that the image you've just created is a .png file with a transparent background ( which means that the black that you see in the timeline is now transparent in your new title image). Clever stuff !

3 ... Place your newly created image under the video track you need, now you can resize the high quality title to a smaller font size if required. You should now have a new title over video and you can place the title anywhere you want while using the timeline edit window.

4 ... To track your video you need to be in the Modify tool. Just double click on your new title track to open this tool, then use keyframes to move the title around as necessary.

No outside editor is required !

Cheers I just want to edit and make pictures, walk my dog and go fishing.

If gou are talking about plain text, insfead of chromakey, I would try to make the text into a transparent png. No background to remove. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

Here's a fun idea for you if you like to play around with Windows "Paint"! You can create your own graphic titles there, save them as bitmap(BMP) or JPEG files and superimpose them onto your video. I do this quite often, creating 3D-effect titles to superimpose on my video work. I must one day sit down and plan out a step-by-step guide to doing this. As they say in the classics, "Watch This Space!"(they don't really say that in the classics but the line sounded good).