controlling animated text

[allen_we]

Is there a way to fine tune how text is animated? I am trying to create an intro that has a pad, with type appearing on it, as if being written. I can animate one line of text fine, but I run into problems if I have two lines - I haven't found a way to delay the "writing" of the second line until the first line has finished. (I worked around this by taking an image after the first line has completed, and then added a second line to that, but it's a little cumbersome; also it would be nice to control the speed that the text appears).

Thanks so much!

Allen

[Steve Grisetti]

Unfortunately, text animations aren't customizable.

The best solution for animating two lines of text is to do each line as a separate title, placing one on Video track 2 and the other on Video track 3, positioned so that it begins just as the first line finishes. (You can extend the length of the Video 2 title so that it remains onscreen as Video 3's title appears.)

[allen_we]

Ok, thanks. I actually tried doing it that way; the problem I ran into is that when you stretch the clip of the first line of text, it also extends the time of the animating - so it just ends up taking more time to come on screen, and it is still "writing" as the second line is starting.

Is there a plug-in that can control text?

[RJ Johnston]

Instead of stretching the title on track 1, insert a snapshot of the last frame of that title, and then stretch the snapshot. To take the "snapshot" or freezeframe, move the CTI to the last frame of the first title, click the freezeframe (snapshot) button below the preview monitor on the right-hand side, then click the "Insert in Movie" button. Stretch the freeze frame.

When the freezeframe is inserted, it will be inserted before the last frame of the title. The last frame of the title will then follow the freezeframe, and it will be a separate clip only one frame in length. Delete that one-frame clip because it will be very easy to lose track of it and could cause problems.