Text generator issue at DVinfo.net

Renton Maclachlan · November 23rd, 2012, 02:49 PM

I have bullet-point list to throw onto the screen.

I want the bullet points to come on the screen as the words are spoken, building up the list until at the end the whole list is visible.

I have used the text generator to do this with a new event adding the next bullet point to the list.

Initially, I simply typed up the whole list, which I put as the last event...and deleted items off the list on new events as I moved towards the start of the sequence.

Only trouble is as soon as any character is deleted off the list, the text relocates itself on screen to suit the new situation (text box also changes in size)...which means that each event has to have its text manually relocated so that no movement is seen as the events play.

Is there any way to lock in the location of the text (say top right character is always at the same location) no matter how much or how little text there is?

And...is there anyway to make fine adjustments to text location, rather than relying on the mouse?

Roberto Diaz · November 23rd, 2012, 08:24 PM

i've done something similar. i always make sure to keep the exact same number of lines in each text box... that way nothing shifts vertically.

another possibility is to have a single text object with all the text for the entire time and use a mask to hide/reveal just what you want. the text stays the same, but the mask moves down to reveal a new line at the right point in the timeline.

i think a more elegant solution to either of the above is be to use the built-in credit roll.

bobD

Mike Kujbida · November 24th, 2012, 07:41 AM

Here's one method (courtesy of John Rofrano).
Feel free to substitute words/lines for individual letters for keyframe purposes.

How do I make Text look like its being typed on a typewriter?

The easiest way to do this is to keyframe the text media like this:

Insert a Text Generated Media and set up the font, size, color, etc that you want.
Make sure you press the Left Justify button because text is center justified by default. If the text is centered it will move as you add more letters.
Start by typing the first letter of the text only.
Now make a keyframe a little further down the timeline and type the 2nd letter.
Make another keyframe further down the timeline and type the 3rd letter.
Keep making new keyframes and typing one letter at a time until your whole message is written.
Finally, highlight all the keyframes and right click on one and select Hold from the popup menu for the keyframe type. This will cause the letters to instantly appear at the designated keyframe.

That’s all there is to it. Add a typing sound effect and you're all set.

Marco Ba · November 24th, 2012, 08:31 AM

"Only trouble is as soon as any character is deleted off the list, the text relocates itself on screen to suit the new situation (text box also changes in size)."

To get this done I'd recommend using the legacy text tool, in the "Place" tab changing the position from "Freeform" to one of the fixed positions and in the "Edit" tab using the left-aligned or right-aligned setting instead of the centered one.

Oops, just saw Mike suggested same workflow …

Renton Maclachlan · November 24th, 2012, 03:35 PM

Thanks guys...especially in this case Marco...

I have found the way to do it is as follows...

As Marco suggested use the 'legacy text tool'...

In 'Placement', choose 'Centre left'...
Type in your text - in my case my bullet list...
'Pan/crop' the event so that the text is centred horizontally (or wherever you want it) on the screen...
Copy the event the number of times you need for the lines you want to appear separately in sequence...
In the first event in the sequence, removal the text you don't want LEAVING A CARRIAGE/LINE RETURN ON EACH LINE WHICH HAS TEXT REMOVED FROM...(This stops vertical movement of the text block.)
And so on with the other events in the sequence...
Text stays in exactly the same location throughout the whole sequence...

Mike: Re the typewriter effect, this can be done very easily in Boris RED...simply by setting parameters. I've forgotten exactly how at the moment but I worked it out some time ago. I have heaps of this effect I need to do in the next few months so it will become second nature...

Renton Maclachlan · December 18th, 2012, 04:30 AM

Two things in addition to my explanation above.

1. Rather than use a 'carriage/line return', I've found it better to use a 'space'...simply select the line of text and hit space...

2. I wanted to emphasise some words in the list and originally used single quote marks to do this. However I changed to using italic text for the words rather than putting quotes around them. This created a problem it has taken me considerable time to solve. Italic text is a slightly different height to regular text and when removing the text as per previous post, the remaining text would move vertically ever so slightly. The problem was resolved by removing all the italic text and returning to single quote marks for emphasise...

November 23rd, 2012, 02:49 PM	#1
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Text generator issue I have bullet-point list to throw onto the screen. I want the bullet points to come on the screen as the words are spoken, building up the list until at the end the whole list is visible. I have used the text generator to do this with a new event adding the next bullet point to the list. Initially, I simply typed up the whole list, which I put as the last event...and deleted items off the list on new events as I moved towards the start of the sequence. Only trouble is as soon as any character is deleted off the list, the text relocates itself on screen to suit the new situation (text box also changes in size)...which means that each event has to have its text manually relocated so that no movement is seen as the events play. Is there any way to lock in the location of the text (say top right character is always at the same location) no matter how much or how little text there is? And...is there anyway to make fine adjustments to text location, rather than relying on the mouse?

November 23rd, 2012, 08:24 PM	#2
Roberto Diaz Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Northwest Chicago, IL Posts: 61	Re: Text generator issue i've done something similar. i always make sure to keep the exact same number of lines in each text box... that way nothing shifts vertically. another possibility is to have a single text object with all the text for the entire time and use a mask to hide/reveal just what you want. the text stays the same, but the mask moves down to reveal a new line at the right point in the timeline. i think a more elegant solution to either of the above is be to use the built-in credit roll. bobD

November 24th, 2012, 07:41 AM	#3
Mike Kujbida Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windsor, ON Canada Posts: 2,770	Re: Text generator issue Here's one method (courtesy of John Rofrano). Feel free to substitute words/lines for individual letters for keyframe purposes. How do I make Text look like its being typed on a typewriter? The easiest way to do this is to keyframe the text media like this: Insert a Text Generated Media and set up the font, size, color, etc that you want. Make sure you press the Left Justify button because text is center justified by default. If the text is centered it will move as you add more letters. Start by typing the first letter of the text only. Now make a keyframe a little further down the timeline and type the 2nd letter. Make another keyframe further down the timeline and type the 3rd letter. Keep making new keyframes and typing one letter at a time until your whole message is written. Finally, highlight all the keyframes and right click on one and select Hold from the popup menu for the keyframe type. This will cause the letters to instantly appear at the designated keyframe. That’s all there is to it. Add a typing sound effect and you're all set.

November 24th, 2012, 08:31 AM	#4
Marco Ba Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 93	Re: Text generator issue "Only trouble is as soon as any character is deleted off the list, the text relocates itself on screen to suit the new situation (text box also changes in size)." To get this done I'd recommend using the legacy text tool, in the "Place" tab changing the position from "Freeform" to one of the fixed positions and in the "Edit" tab using the left-aligned or right-aligned setting instead of the centered one. Oops, just saw Mike suggested same workflow …

November 24th, 2012, 03:35 PM	#5
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Re: Text generator issue Thanks guys...especially in this case Marco... I have found the way to do it is as follows... As Marco suggested use the 'legacy text tool'... In 'Placement', choose 'Centre left'... Type in your text - in my case my bullet list... 'Pan/crop' the event so that the text is centred horizontally (or wherever you want it) on the screen... Copy the event the number of times you need for the lines you want to appear separately in sequence... In the first event in the sequence, removal the text you don't want LEAVING A CARRIAGE/LINE RETURN ON EACH LINE WHICH HAS TEXT REMOVED FROM...(This stops vertical movement of the text block.) And so on with the other events in the sequence... Text stays in exactly the same location throughout the whole sequence... Mike: Re the typewriter effect, this can be done very easily in Boris RED...simply by setting parameters. I've forgotten exactly how at the moment but I worked it out some time ago. I have heaps of this effect I need to do in the next few months so it will become second nature...

December 18th, 2012, 04:30 AM	#6
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Re: Text generator issue Two things in addition to my explanation above. 1. Rather than use a 'carriage/line return', I've found it better to use a 'space'...simply select the line of text and hit space... 2. I wanted to emphasise some words in the list and originally used single quote marks to do this. However I changed to using italic text for the words rather than putting quotes around them. This created a problem it has taken me considerable time to solve. Italic text is a slightly different height to regular text and when removing the text as per previous post, the remaining text would move vertically ever so slightly. The problem was resolved by removing all the italic text and returning to single quote marks for emphasise...