How To Add Text To A Video In Hitfilm 4 Express

Published: five June 2019 past

Idue north this postal service nosotros show how to make a simple sliding text effect using HitFilm Express 12. Although this is a very simple technique, it can brand your video projects look, and feel, a lot more professional.

Introduction

The sliding text outcome nosotros volition exist creating will have your desired text slide into the screen from the left of the screen, remain there for a few seconds and and so slide to the left, out of the screen again. No other software other than HitFilm Express 12 was used.

For a quick reference, watch the Simple sliding text effect quick tips video on YouTube.

Simple sliding text furnishings are popularly used in many professional video productions including YouTube and news channels. They are effectively used to introduce the watcher to elements such as names and titles, flashing of social media addresses and many more.

Step 1 – Create a composite shot

In HitFilm Express, a sliding text effect can easily exist created its tools inside a blended shot. Blended shots are created by clicking on the (+) New push button below the Media panel and selecting Composite Shot (or by pressing the Ctrl+Shift+North on the keyboard).

In the Composite Shot Properties panel, alter the name to something more descriptive and change the duration. Usually, about 6 seconds is enough for shorter pieces of text (east.grand. i second for sliding in, iv seconds to show, and 1 second to slide out again).

The newly created blended shot will now show up in the Media section and side by side to the Editor panel.

Step two – Create the text

In HitFilm Express, text tin can be created in the Viewer panel. Alter selecting the Text icon (or pressing T on the keyboard), the text cursor will announced. But elevate a box expanse that will be about double the size of the text you conceptualize to add, click in the box with the text cursor and start typing. At this point, the location/position of the text box is non important.

Subsequently the text has been added, you can always go back to the created composite shot and double-clicking in the text block after selecting the Text tool/icon.

Step 3 – Format the text

The Text properties tab is situated on the far right of the Media properties section. On smaller screens, you lot will need to press the correct pointer to betrayal it.

After selecting the text to exist formatted, the font type, size, spacing, ornament and colour can be changed in the Text properties console. This is a good fourth dimension to play around to go the experience yous want.

Stride 4 – Position the text box

Later the text has been created and formatted, it is time to place it in the spot where the viewers will read the text (i.e. the static spot). To practise this, select the Pick Tool (V) in the Viewer container (likewise by pressing the 5 key) and utilise the arrows to move the box left/correct and/or up/downwardly. For the sliding text effect to look practiced, place it most a side edge close to the bottom of the Viewer.

Step 5 – Create sliding markers

Now that everything is in place, the sliding furnishings can exist created. In HitFilm Express, sliding effects can be created using a holding's position settings and markers.

In our case, markers will be used to set the position at a specific time on the composite shot timeline. Four markers in total volition be created – ii for the static position, one for the offset position and one for the stop position.

Firstly, to create the get-go two markers, go to the newly created composite shot and look for the Position settings under the text Transform settings.

Considering the text is already in its static position, we tin can immediately create the first marking. To create the first marker, just click on the Position push. The marker will appear in the Position timeline next to the Position settings.

Markers can exist dragged to unlike locations on the timeline. Because this is a static position marker, it should only bear witness after the text has slided into the screen (which, if you used the composite fourth dimension settings higher up [total of vi seconds], is at about one 2nd into the blended shot). This means the marker needs to be moved (by dragging information technology) to the ane seconds mark on the Positions timeline.

In our instance, the sliding text should remain in this position for a total of 4 seconds. A re-create of the commencement marker situated iv seconds later on the timeline will exercise the fob. Simply copy and paste the showtime marker to create a 2d mark and motion the 2d marker to the 5 seconds mark (5 – 1 being 4 seconds).

Now only the start and end markers remain. Call back that the sliding text issue we desire to create slides in from outside the screen (and ends by sliding out of the screen again). The outset marker needs to exist created while the text is exterior the screen.

To create the start marker, firstly make sure the timeline scraper is situated at the beginning of the composite shot. Later on moving the text (using the arrows) somewhere outside the Viewer container, a third marker will exist created automatically at the scraper position.

To create the 4th/terminal mark, move the timeline scraper is situated at the stop of the composite shot. After moving the text (using the arrows) somewhere outside the Viewer container again, a 4th marker volition exist created automatically at the scraper position.

The entire sliding text effect tin now be previewed by moving the composite shot timeline scraper to the showtime and stop of the timeline.

Pace six – Add the composite shot to the timeline (final step)

After the sliding text composite shot has been created, all that remains is to drag the composite shot into your Editor timeline. The blended shot should be dragged to situate on tiptop of the primary layer.

Last note

What is nice about using composite shots to create text effect in HitFilm Express is that other position variations can too exist created. Sliding text tin motion in whatever direction for any duration of fourth dimension. Blended shots can be used in various/multiple positions on the Editor timeline – even the aforementioned one.

Most the writer

Renier busies himself with improving his English writing, creative web design and his websites, photoshopping, micro-electronics, multiple genres of music, superhero movies and badass series.

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