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Ask The Expert: How to Add A Transparent Color to a Scene for Titling?

QUESTION: I am trying to take a  scene (in this case 24 seconds long) and place a solid color over the whole  scene but with the opacity adjusted down so that I can put text on top of  that.

That is, I need a solid color over the whole scene  and be able to
adjust the opacity of the solid color so that the original scene  can show
through.  I know this is not difficult but I am sitting here  and not figuring
it out.  Help Please !!


ANSWER: You could create a scene of the same length (24-seconds) and then add that to the Storyboard and use Double Exposure (Transitions menu) to adjust the opacity (transparency) to your tastes.

Here's another option - using just the Title Menu
  1. Add your scene to the Storyboard
  2. In the Title Menu, select an appropriate title effect. For example, 'Through Fading Pages' would allow the color & title to fade on/off. Add that selected Effect to the Storyboard
  3. To add the colored background, click on 'Graphics' button
  4. Left click to add check-mark behind 'Choose background'.  This _should_ bring a color or graphic to your full-screen (maybe even covering up your scene entirely).
  5. If it's not full-screen, left click on 'TE' at bottom right
  6. Left click on 'Boxes', Left click on 'Extended'
  7. Left click on 'max. size' which should spread color/graphic to entire screen (if you only wanted graphic to cover a portion of your video scene, this is also where you would adjust the size/position)
  8. Left click back on the 'TE'
  9. Left click on 'Graphics' and left click on 'Choose background'
  10. The Casablanca Image Pool opens ...for a plain, color background - set 'Product' to Bogart SE (Smart Edit folks select 'Smart Edit').
  11. Set Type to 'Monochromatic'
  12. Left click on top left box, left click on 'Colorize' - set up the color you wish for your background color.
  13. Adjust the Alpha slider to a number less then 100 (this controls the opacity of your color).  Left click Ok two times.
  14. Left click 'TE' and set up your desired font attributes (font, size, color, style, etc).
  15. If you find you desire more or less transparency, click back into Graphics - Choose background - Colorize and adjust the Alpha slider.
I know that's a LOT of steps... but I wanted to be thorough.  Once you are comfortable with this, it can actually be done quite quickly (challenge me to do so next time you see me at a workshop :) )




Tips & Tutorials by the Casablanca Expert, Chet Davis
www.CasablancaExpert.com