what are you guys using to create titles?

depends on what I need. I use the generated media in Vegas, Photoshp and BluffTitler for motion titles. I will use a combination of those if it's called for.

Don

usually I just rely on vegas, as I dont do too much that requires really fancy motion. but I am working on a project right now that will require some of it. so I need to look at motion titles.

Ian, what kind of motion titles are you hoping to create?
With the use of Pan/Crop and Track Motion, Vegas is capable of doing a fair bit of motion with respect to titles.
Matthew Chaboud has an example on his site (2nd from the bottom) called 3D titles (http://matthew.chaboud.com/vegas5/) that will surprise you, especially since it was done with Vegas 5!!

I guess I am not looking for titling, but titling backgrounds. some sort of background that has motion in it, but is only a band on the lower third, you know?

I'm not the kind of guy who can "roll his own" animated backdrops so I use a lot of the Digital Juice Jump backs for things like that.
VASST has the GrafPack collection as well.
If you want some static ones, check out CG textures (http://www.cgtextures.com/) for a rather large collection.

you can also check out Movietools.biz - Video Loops Download Shop - Movietools.biz Downloadshop (http://www.movietools.biz) from motion backgrounds etc.

Bill, while the Movietools stuff is nice, I think you get more for your money with the Digital Juice products, especially if you take advantage of their (almost daily) specials.
For example, all their HD and SD Jump Backs are on sale right now for $24.50 (regularly $99) and you get 20 different anims with each one for that price.
My entire collection was bought while the various items were on sale so I consider them a very good purchase.

awesome, thanks for the links.

Mike

I agree, I love DJ's stuff, (really would like to see Production Notes come back) What I like from MT is the news sets, though I haven't found one that is "exactly" what I want. It's given me the impetus to start creating my own, when I find time.

I have a bunch of DJ stuff here at work, and a couple I purchased for my own use. (I don't do much freelance video, just some voice work, and my own video projects)

Not knowing what someone's budget is (www.movietools.info has freebies, though they are 640x480. I have stretched a few to 720x480 and they held up pretty well) I though I would mention MT, but I forgot to put the free site in the original post.

If you do fancy 'rolling your own', try creating a track above your 'action' track; insert Generated Media/Noise Texture; use track motion to size and position it on the screen where you want it; add a track above with your title text. Easy lower third. But perhaps a bit dull.

To spice it up you could :

- introduce motion by (among other things) keyframing a change in the X and Y frequency over the life of the clip
- gradually change the colour over time
- use other filters, like median, glow, whatever takes your fancy
- drop the opacity of the lower third track
- in the pan/crop tool, create a mask and feather it on one or more edges so the lower third fades out
- fly in a line at the top or bottom (or both) of the lower third (eg create a gradient, use the track motion tool to make it really thin, position it, make a duplicate, position that, then keyframe some movement in and out).
- use a transition to bring it in more dramatically.

These are all really simple ways to create a slightly more interesting lower third. But I'll add my agreement with the other guys here - there are some beautiful ready made lower thirds avalable commercially. Although there is always the danger that someone else has already used them, I guess. This way is free and has a pretty good chance of being unique (and, quite possibly, horrible-looking!!).

I'll knock up a quick example in a .veg and post it shortly.

Ian . . .

Here's a quick 'n' dirty very low res example using some of the techniques mentioned in the last post. I stress 'quick 'n' dirty'. This one won't win any beauty competitions, it's for ideas and reference only. All criticism will be ignored ;-)

Of course you'll pick your font, colours etc more carefully and to compliment the background footage. What also looks nice is if the two lines of text fly in from oppsite sides. Anyway, like I said, just a silly example.

text-o-sterone

All criticism will be ignored ;-)

How about compliments then?
This is an excellent example of "rolling your own".
I'd like to see this made into a sticky to be able to show others just what Vegas is capable of doing in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing.
Nice job Ian - and thanks for the inspiration.

He he he! Well, I might have to pretty it up a bit first!

Quite seriously, though, I find I am staying in Vegas more and more to achieve the results I want for titles and title sequences. Not that long ago I would invariably leave Vegas and work in After Effects (for certain things I still do). Nowadays I can achieve a great deal more while remaining in Vegas. If you throw in some of the excellent plugins available from people like NewBlueFX (sorry, I keep raving about them but they are - mostly - really great filters) you have a fantastic set of tools to create interesting graphics elements, quite simply and very quickly. The example I posted really was a <5 minute job using only native Vegas filters and only one external media item (the photo). I should add that I have never taken the time to consider what the different settings are in the Noise Generator - I just fiddle and get something interesting! I'm no expert compared with many here, I just like fiddling. So to speak . . .

That said, thanks for the compliment. OK, I'll take it ;-)

Ian . . .

nicely done Ian.

I've used some full screen Jumpbacks in Avid and just cropped them down to a lower third and it's worked well. Easy way to make a "themed" set, but using the full JB as a graphic backdrop for the title and then squeeze/crop it for a lower third. I'm using Vegas at home for my own projects, still with an older version of Avid at work, but moving toward Vegas. Just need to get around state purchasing regs etc.

Ian Stark u r my MICHAEL JORDAN!

If only I had his money . . .

Thanks Marcus! There are many more sophisticated Vegas users out there!

Seriously i really appreciate it,thx IAN "AIR" Stark!I'd like 2 learn to create videos as background of my lower thirds.....

As mentioned earlier by Don Bloom, Bluff Titler is a neat piece of software for $50. Some of the effects are a little over the top, but the inclusion of texturing and particle attachment allows for some very nice 3d stuff for my casual level of work.

Hey Mike, where can i buy it?
thx a lot

BluffTitler DX9: Realtime 3D Video Titling, Motion Graphics and VJ Effects (http://www.blufftitler.us).

This is start up DVD video for a magician that I created using Digital Juice and Bluff Titler.
DVD Introduction Media Video on Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com/2735319)

I have started to use DJ Fonts as well. I am working to coordinated print, web and video titles to have the same look and feel.

I also use Heroglyph from time to time. I can usually get a good looking title in quick order. This video uses Heroglyph
http://www.vimeo.com/2584336

Nice work, Harold.

To pick up on your 'coordinated print, web and video' comment, I'm almost always bound by the client's existing look and feel, especially font choice and colours. The big guys (like T-Mobile, Tesco, IBM etc) have style guides that run into 50+ pages in some cases! Before they will sign off on a project, it has to be viewed by the 'brand police' - if there is any deviation from their guidelines they will will reject it without hesitation. Deviations could be slight colour differences, use of substitute fonts, alteration of their logo or text style in any way (eg making it 3d). Sometimes it feels a little restricting, but on the other hand it does mean that I know exactly where I stand and I don't have to come up with new ideas each time!

But playing with Bluff Titler looks like a lot of fun!

Nice work, Harold.

To pick up on your 'coordinated print, web and video' comment, I'm almost always bound by the client's existing look and feel, especially font choice and colours. The big guys (like T-Mobile, Tesco, IBM etc) have style guides that run into 50+ pages in some cases! Before they will sign off on a project, it has to be viewed by the 'brand police' - if there is any deviation from their guidelines they will will reject it without hesitation. Deviations could be slight colour differences, use of substitute fonts, alteration of their logo or text style in any way (eg making it 3d). Sometimes it feels a little restricting, but on the other hand it does mean that I know exactly where I stand and I don't have to come up with new ideas each time!

But playing with Bluff Titler looks like a lot of fun!

Thanks Ian, For most of the stuff that I do (local business), no one really has an official logo that they worry about. Sometimes I can get a jpg but almost never. I usually try to match the lettering or Photoshop out the signage from the business. Titles are always a pain for me. It really makes a difference in your work regardless if it is Sony Titles or 3rd party stuff. I always have to go back and look at all the titles because I have a tendency to make them too large!! :)

Harold I have also been a fan of DJ and have been playing with various of their products in my productions. I have been on the fence on the DJ Fonts. I'd like to hear your assessment of them as you have and use them Thanks

Chris

PS what other (if any) compositing or Special effects software are you using?

Harold I have also been a fan of DJ and have been playing with various of their products in my productions. I have been on the fence on the DJ Fonts. I'd like to hear your assessment of them as you have and use them Thanks

Chris

PS what other (if any) compositing or Special effects software are you using?

Hello Chris,
There are several things I like about the fonts. The community fonts is a great idea and gives you additional versions of fonts that everyone shares with the community. I have seen some very nice variations there. It is very difficult for me to get creative when it comes to titles but DJ really gives you the tools you need that focus on font creation plus you can open them up in Photoshop for more customization. The fonts provide options for all delivery formats you need and the resolution you want. So I can match the video titles to the DVD cover to the website. You can break them up by line or character for more creativity on the time line. I use Vegas for compositing. Right now I don't have any examples to share but using the Juicer I will be able to customize a font with playing card pips for the magician that I do work for. I bought the fonts on the first day to take advantage of the $50 gift certificate. Hope this helps with your decision.